It is not easy to dress for the masses, especially on television. In today’s race for the White house, the male candidates have it much easier. Their choices are simple because it comes down to the shirt and tie combination. Their main battle is the fit of the jacket. President Obama has his suits tailored to fit him so he always looks elegant and crisp. He is also tall and slim, so his main issue is look stately and in command in an approachable manner.

For the heavy set candidate, it can be difficult to not look rumbled and clown-like. Women, on the other hand, have an even more difficult task. Their clothing choices are either too bland or tend to look matronly. Another challenge is that they must look feminine but like they’re still in command.

Television will add at least 20 pounds so clothing choices must accent the slim side of women. We are now in the midst of a presidential campaign so look for the dress style wins in the candidates and learn from those that miss the mark.

Often, I work with high potential women who have a challenging time with senior leaders who are hesitant to move them to the next level because they lack leadership presence.

Recently, in a first time meeting with a senior manager being looked at for a director role, the subject of makeup came up. She indicated she didn’t wear any, especially lipstick.

Lipstick comes in many colors from nude to bright red. Another form of lipstick is tinted with color chap stick like Burt’s Bees which also has a wide range of tints. The price of lipstick ranges from $9.99 to $50.00 (Tom Ford). However, the monetary cost of lipstick is nothing compared to the actual value it can add when appropriately applied.

The new trend is wearing bold on bold in patterns and colors. It is the fashion industry trying to mix it up. I myself love the new trends. However in my profession, the center of attention is on the client and the audience so I stay more conservative in my dress.

But in my personal world, I like living large! All my sport clothing is in bright yellows, greens and pinks. I have yet to embrace the patterned leggings, though, maybe next year. I have encouraged my C-suite clients and friends, men and women, to add bits of boldness to their accessories. For the women, larger necklaces and very smart print underpinnings look good with their black and gray suits.

Men can wear the tie and shirt selections with a bold print in the tie and pick a shirt color to match the suit. They can do the bold stripe socks as long the sock is in the same color family. Recently, a client wore a grey striped sock with his gray suit. It was fun but not distracting. Having fun with clothing selections will definitely make you feel more uplifted.

A black tie event for women does not always mean they have to wear a floor length gown. Tea length (slightly above the ankle depending on the height of the women) have become popular as have cocktail length (below the knee) dresses. A trendy option is the dressy top with a pair of palazzo pants but a dress will always look more elegant for a black tie event.

In a business casual setting, men may not have to necessarily wear a suit jacket all the time, though they might be wearing a shirt and tie most of the time.

Many men in a workshop setting will ask if they can wear a mixed or patterned shirt with a patterned tie. Yes, of course. However, there are a few guidelines to ensure the right mix to look really sharp:

– The shirt stripe must be smaller than the tie pattern

– The tie pattern must be smaller if the shirt stripe is wide

– Make sure there is a similar color in both the tie and shirt

– A tie can be a totally different color than the shirt if the shirt is a non-patterned one

Of course, all of these rules can be broken if you have a dynamic eye for style or a work with a personal stylist!

Men’s styles used to change every eight years or so. Today, that’s not the case, they change as we speak!

Most men are comfortable with the blue button down collar oxford shirt for business casual and for a dress shirt, a blue fine pinpoint one. Now, men are becoming more fashion conscious and are willing to move away from the blue shirt.

White and blue shirts now come with various stripes, wide and thin. Shades of blue, red and burgundy are just a few color variations. For the man who tends to be a bit laid back, a stronger color will help set the tone of a meeting. For the man who tends have a great deal of influence and who can be intimidating without saying a word, a soft color will work best to make him more approachable. Use these guidelines and you will get more impact on how color choices can make any situation work best for you.

Sleeveless dresses and shirts have become very popular due to Michelle Obama starting the trend since becoming first lady. However, not all office environments are appropriate for sleeveless dresses or shirts.

A wonderful item I found that makes the sleeveless option work is the Dress Shug at Talbot’s. The reason I favor this shug is because it is short and current looking. It does not have an old lady feel to it. In fact, I wore one over my black sleeveless dress to see Motown on Sunday with my sisters and their friends! http://www.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi32204

The question often comes up about whether or not you should color your hair. Coloring hair has become very popular for both men and women. And it is not just about covering the gray. Recently Michelle Obama was on the cover of Parade Magazine with golden highlights in her hair. Years ago, it was considered a theatrical move when an Asian or African American that colored their hair blond or red. Today it is just about a variety of looks.

The color one choses for the conservative environment is best when it is close to the natural look. For those who want to be more fashion focused, chose a color close to your color temperature. If you tend to be warm, going jet black may not be favorable to your skin or clothing choices.

Another example is that if you are very cool in color temperature, selecting a very warm hair color may look cheap. When Elizabeth Taylor when blond for a short period it did not enhance her natural skin tone or the color of her eyes.

There are few terms related to color mixes that you may want to be aware of:

• Monochromatic: Using the example colors black and white to create this look, it would be wearing a cream color top with white or dark gray with black. This creates an elegant and stylish appearance.

• Complimentary: Using 75% black and 25% white, for instance, might turn out to be a white shirt and black pants or black shirt and white pants—low key and smart looking.

• Analogous: Using three shades of black, black pants, shirt and sweater. It is also called Asymmetry. An example is what you sometimes see on the red carpet— a black tux, black shirt and black bow tie. This tends to be very dramatic whether using darks or bright colors.

When you put colors together you can have them create the statement you’re seeking to make.

Some of us like a very streamlined appearance when choosing clothes. We want the impact of tailored elegance.

To add interest and to keep from looking too stark, remember key accessories and a perfect fit. Stylish heels for women and high gloss leather shoes for men will finish the complete look.