Another trend is that opposite patterns are being introduced in dresses, shirts, and blazers. This fad is an attention getter where the clothes become the statement. My number one motto is that the person wears the clothes, not the other way around. The clothes need to reflect you and complement the body, enhancing the positive impact you want to project.

The suit is back. It began last year with the blazer worn with skirts, dresses, and companion pants. In 2018, we see the suit surging. Fabrics and colors have become bolder. Shoulders for women look much more pronounced. For men the move is away from the soft shoulder.

In recent fashion magazine and red-carpet show openings, suits are being shown more often with women wearing them. The cuts of jackets appear closer to the waist for men and women.

The fashion industry is trying shake up and rouse interest in clothing by introducing a new way of using prints and patterns in clothing for men and women. Blouses, dresses, and menswear are being designed with several different prints on one item.

Ted Baker started this by introducing collars and cuffs with patterns and shirt bodies in another pattern. Fashion savvy men began to wear them. And now, even conservative men wear multi-colors, multi-prints for business casual. DVF dresses are now loaded with several prints and patterns on the same dress. Just remember, the clothing should enhance the person wearing it as opposed to the clothing wearing the person.

Is it fabric or style that determines when clothing becomes too casual? We want a firm finish or wrinkle-free fabrics in a shirt, pants, or dress of choice. Often, these questions come up when choosing clothing for the office. Err on the polished side when making these decisions. When it comes to trends, stay away from the fads and wait styles out for at least two seasons.

I remember a situation when presenting to a group of high profile attorneys. One of the senior female partners wore a cropped pants suit. Those slacks took a while to take hold to begin with and are now out of fashion. Choose classic cuts with a modern flare. For example, Amal Clooney always wears classic cuts with a different slant to them like a flowered pencil skirt with a tailored sweater.

A recent MSNBC business program featured icons and their uniforms including Steve Jobs with his black turtleneck and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg with a gray tee shirt. I recall that when DreamWorks was formed, Steven Spielberg wore a bomber jacket, David Geffen sported a mock tee, and David Katzenberg of Disney favored the shirt and tie.

The point is that there appears to be an unwritten rule of notable leaders branding themselves with clothing including a client CEO of a Fortune 500 company who always donned a jacket and skirt. All these folks wore their uniforms well, seemed comfortable, and stayed consistent because a uniform must be comfortable and fit well.

While on a project for an automobile company, we ensured that front-line employees uniform choices represented the company and the employee well. We focused on pride in wearing clothes that were comfortable and easy to care for. Many top companies make this investment when providing uniforms for front-line staff. Make sure you invest in yourself in your uniform.

A recent New York Time’s article covered the late Tom Wolfe, his choice of suits, and his white suit. The white suit, while not in fashion, set him apart from the crowd. This clothing reflected his internal and external style including his writings and larger than life personality. The clothing choices also distinguished Mr. Wolfe from a group of very successful writers.

Use a signature brand, whether with clothing, or as in the case of Anna W of Vogue, her famous haircut. The individuals above possessed the stuff to back up their signature style and long-term successes throughout several decades.

Lately, many rules have been broken about style, colors, and patterns. In fact, many styles considered unacceptable not too long ago, are now current! For example, colors that used to seem to clash are the latest hot style trend.

Prints on prints now work instead of just prints with a solid companion color. As always, though, the best style is the one that works for you. Whether you prefer classic and tailored or like to wear the most current threads, wear your clothes with confidence.

A touch of color does wonders to update a wardrobe including sweaters, ties or jacket colors. Black, navy and any dark hue has become the norm for a wardrobe uniform. Adding a contrasting splash of color creates a more contemporary look. For men, the color can be flashed in a tie, pocket square and even socks. Women have many choices also, especially in jewelry or scarves.

People watching is fun. Trend setters determine what styles are being worn and how the clothing is put together. In a location with high income earners versus lower income areas, clothing choices are different. Lately, however, the ill fit of too tight, too short hem lengths in pants, sleeves, and skirts and clothing either too short or long is showing up in all areas.

To ensure a fit is correct, stand in front of a mirror and look at all the hems. Sleeves hems should slightly skim the palm of the hand. On pants without pleats, the hem should dip before it hits the top of the shoe. Following these guidelines means that clothing will always look elegant.

It is important to keep updated and fresh. Anna’s rule is at least once every two to three years to take a look at your hair style, eye wear and clothing choices. When was the last time you refreshed your hairstyle? As women age, makeup can either go lighter or need more color.

Men’s hairstyles change. A young man’s hair style can look foolish on a man over 50 unless he is updating his clothing choices appropriately. Jewelry styles change but good classic lines never become dated. Men’s pant styles rules get broken everyday based on the age, figure shape and industry.

We always want to stay contemporary, especially in a professional environment.