At a recent program for women. I was the keynote speaker. A question came up around whether it’s appropriate to use leggings for everyday wear. Many women today like leggings because they are popular, comfortable and easy to wear. However, they are not pants.  Maybe when wearing a longer, three-quarter length jacket that hangs to the calf, leggings could squeak by but skinny pants add more polish and style and provide a very smooth finish. They are a much better choice than leggings. Spanx has leggings, that when worn, look like pants.

Shoe designers have us coming and going. What shoes should we wear for each occasion? Recently a major department store had a sale:  buy one pair and get one free. What a genius idea and seductive way to reduce a shoe inventory and get us to go nutty buying shoes we do not need!

Recently I was getting ready to go to a conference. My biggest challenge was how could I limit my shoes to four pairs? You need shoes to workout, a dressy dinner event, a gala and then to host a meeting. Also, the conference center was a mile away from the rooms. Why couldn’t I just bite the bullet and wear workout shoes the whole time? After all, athletic shoes in all colors are the rage.

I did end up bringing too many shoes but my feet felt good as my image!

Why are we surprised when we see actresses and actors who look short in real life? That’s because on the screen, their clothing has been tailored to scale to give an impression of greater height.

I like to stretch accessory guidelines. I have been told many times that only certain items should be worn on tall folks and short people. For instance, the rule is that a short person should never have cuffs on their slacks. Also, a tie on a shorter man should be worn slightly longer than appear too short. However, I feel that if the proportions are working and the accessories look good, that usually works no matter what the person is wearing.

Stretching the guidelines on accessories can make an outfit truly stand out.

I am probably going to date myself but hot pants with boots were the rage in the 70’s. Are they back? Hot pants featured fabric just two to three inches below the crotch. Today’s young and not so young women are wearing shorts that have no more than an inch of fabric covering their butts. It is not a pretty sight.

In fact, it’s totally inappropriate for business. A young woman was even fired for wearing these very short shorts. She was upset that there was not a dress policy addressing how short these pants should be. (Funny that young men are wearing shorts that hit their knees and hang way too long)

This is one reason why people in other countries see Americans as sloppy.

Since their introduction, leggings have now grown into a staple for most women. Most pants, from jeans to dress pants, have gone slim and skinny. And if you look at what women are wearing today, probably almost 90% wear leggings to slim and skinny pants. The latest fashion craze taking hold is patterned leggings.

I understand patterned leggings with the right coordinated top can be a fun look for the gym and running. However, I do not feel they are appropriate for business casual or casual day at work.

The challenge for wearing tee shirts are that, in general, they are made in very lightweight cotton and can look like athletic and sleepwear.

But, now, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and Donna Karan have them in fine cotton and silk. These shirts do have a dressier and more polished look. However, wearing them makes it very difficult for senior management to police the difference between the very casual cotton and silk materials.

Maybe, the organization could help by allowing one day a week that tee shirts would be allowed. Further guidelines could be that shirts must not have any wording on them and that solid colors work best. Wearing tees with jeans or twill pants would be fine for casual days.

Ladies, do not wear tees with leggings or capris. That is too casual but capris would work for an outdoor event.

Often, clients will tell me that they cannot mix gold with silver…that earrings, necklace and bracelets need to be in the same metal. I ask them to think about mixing metals in a smart way. For example, gold earrings can be worn with a silver necklace. To help make the transition, wear a necklace that has gold in it or wear the same metal color for the accessories (necklace and earrings). Mix it up with bracelets and rings. I wear my dad’s yellow gold jade ring with a gold bracelet. My watch is gold and silver. My earrings and necklace are white gold. And it all looks great together!

Sleeveless tops and dresses are best worn with a jacket. However, many companies located in warmer climates have begun to accept them worn without either a jacket or sweater. In the Midwest, during the summer, uncovered arms are the norm. However, if you have tattoos on your arms I would have them covered. You do not want your tattoos, instead of your professionalism, to be a topic of conversation.

Using a guest volunteer in a recent presentation, I wanted to demonstrate what worked well in her professional attire. I had commented how she was able to wear a necklace and earrings that complemented each other but did not match because wearing matching earrings and necklaces has gone by the wayside. Now, it is smarter to wear complementary pieces.

Have said that, there are exceptions, one being gem and natural stone pieces. Also, when wearing matching pieces, the earrings must be smaller.

Awful Christmas sweaters have become a hit at social functions and even during in-season business casual days. My thoughts are if you are in a creative culture, advertising or the arts, it might work and be appreciated.

Men have been wearing patterned, fun socks so you will see many with holiday patterns. However, ladies wear with caution the patterned white stockings with candy canes or ornaments. This also goes for the sweater vests, jackets and ties with Santa Claus or snowmen on them.

It is fun to wear a touch of red for a jacket or sweater. A handmade piece of Christmas jewelry in a necklace or pin can also be sharp, especially if it is contemporary.