Skirts and dresses are coming back in full style force. In the Sunday NYT times, the article about tech women showed that the basic skirts are moderately above the knee.

Recently, in the city, the skirts look to be on the rise, hemming at least five inches about the knee. This is pushing the guidelines. However, if tights or colored stockings with a seamless look are worn, then the skirt can work.

To be on the safe and elegant side, a skirt ending right above the knees is the appropriate length.

A recent article in Men’s Health discussed ties and what they say about the wearer. It confirmed my 22 plus years of experience. I’ve seen that a tie can change a perception about presence. I’ve also noted that ties are on the rise for men in the business casual setting because they set the wearer apart from others. Following are a few guidelines about power ties and business casual ones:

The Power Ties:

• The stripe (rep) in blue, red and burgundy

• The solid tie works well with a pattern or stripe shirt

• The silver or black tie is used mainly for formal events

The Business Casual Ties:

• The print – paisley or flowers

• The plaid pattern in cotton

• The skinny knit

It is best to tie a tie before you buy it. This is so first, you can see if it will tie easily and secondly, when it is tied, you can judge that the length is long enough when it hangs. The tip of the tie should never be shorter than the top of your belt.

You should have at least eight ties in your wardrobe that you can rotate with or without wearing a suit or blazer.

Keep these tips in mind when purchasing ties and you will stand out from others.

A new suit, pair of glasses or a hair style can be a game changer in building your confidence. Here’s an example. Years ago, I was interviewing a client who was referred to me. My role was to help strengthen both her presence and communication style. (I found out later that she was about to be terminated prior to coming to me.)

I spoke with her later after she had become a top producer in her industry. I asked her what made the difference to senior management during her interview years ago. She said the change in her presence and communication style (her new image) gave senior management at the time a reason to allow her to do her thing because she all of a sudden exuded confidence.

When you smile the whole world smiles too.

• The average woman smiles 62 times per day.
• The average man smiles 8 times a day.
• 63 percent of people say they look best in photos when they are showing their teeth.
• 99.7 percent of adults say an attractive smile is an important personal asset.
• 74 percent of people say that an unattractive smile can hurt a person’s chances for business or career success.
• 23 percent of people say they look best with their mouth closed.

Just recently I was completely surprised and completely caught off guard when given an award. In cases like this often, you hear folks either ramble on and on or go completely blank.

These are the keys to saying a few brief but impactful comments:

1. Take the time to walk up to the stage. This gives you an opportunity to collect your thoughts.

2. Share a story or a fact that will honor the award. For example, you might mention how the organization impacted you.

3. Give thanks to those responsible for you receiving the honor.

Remember these critical elements and you will always give a heartfelt, appreciative and graceful speech.

Often, women make the mistake of either defining or not defining their eyebrows. This has been the subject of some of my blog postings. Just recently, I was involved in a program providing one on one counsel for high potential women. The second most discussed topic was the appropriate shape and color of eyebrows.

For men it was completely different. Most men had thick eyebrows. I noticed that the thicker the eyebrow the more one became engaged and listened to these folks.

Also, look at some celebrities. For example, Chris Pine (he was recently in in This Means War) has these amazing eyebrows. They draw you in as he speaks. So, take a look at your eyebrows. Do they capture your eyes so folks are drawn in to listen to every word you say or not?

A smart break in a pant leg both for women and men depends on two things: the person’s height and whether they are in a conservative or in a fashion forward environment. The break will also insure the length of the pants is not too short or too long.

In many of the magazines you will see men wearing pants where the legs puddle around the shoe. This is a fashion statement, not the traditional way to wear the slack.

For women, the trend is a light break. You can determine this with your tailor. If you are not sure if it is the right length, walk a few steps. If you see the pant waving without brushing the shoe it is too short. The right break in a pair of pants will always have the wearer appearing elegant and polished.

Flips flops are career killers besides being feet killers. I was in the city and 80%, if not more, of the folks I saw were wearing flips flops or some version of them. Then there are the toes. Do you really want those around you to see your toes?

I hope that most of the folks I saw have another pair of shoes they wear in the office. Remember the beach, picnics and the around the house are where flip flops belong, not in the office.

Do you really want to be supporting podiatrists?

In today’s business climate, with unemployment at all-time high, you can run the risk of trying to be someone else. Judy Garland said it the best, “Always be a first rate version of yourself instead of the second rate version of someone else.”

Begin to take inventory of what is it that you want and how you want to come across in an interview. The basics do not change. They are to engage your interviewer and be honest in your communications.

If something does not sound right, ask a question to confirm you understand what is being said. In other words, what you hear is what it means to you. Keep these things in mind and you will be a first rate version of yourself.

Many times if we could reframe a situation or picture it differently it will change perceptions. So think of reframing is having a different attitude or perspective.

This is especially important if you feel you have been treated unfairly. Recently a client was given notice that his position would not be needed. So, for a few days he walked around with an attitude like he was wronged and the organization owed him.

However, once he reframed his attitude, began to smile, say hello to people and not talk about how poorly he had been treated, he felt better and so did those around him. This also helped him when he interviewed for a position in another organization. He got hired in a more senior position and with better compensation.