Should women get a manicure and does there have to be color on the nails? Can I wear a vamp color on my nails? Your nails should always be chip, cuticle and hangnail free. A good buff for men is appropriate. Color for women should be neutral. The visual story you want your hands and nails to display is a fresh, clean and neat look that says I am healthy and youthful.

This issue keeps coming up whenever I am speaking to a group of professional women – to wear hose or not. Again, many companies, especially when it gets warm, have no opinion about whether women should or should not wear hose. Even as the temperature gets cooler they still leave it up to the wearer.

There are still women who like to wear hose no matter what the situation or the climate. And of course, there are women who don’t like to wear hose in any business situation. My opinion is that legs should not appear naked. This means that there are some legs that look great without hose. Others, not so good. So, unless the organization has guidelines about wearing hose, it is up to the wearer.

I do have two rules about hose, though. Never wear white hose unless you are a nurse and sheer black hose can be worn all year round.

It has been only in the past few years that pants for women have become acceptable business attire. In most formal business situations (dependent on the industry and geography) suits with skirts are still the uniform. Business casual made pants for women acceptable. But is the skirt actually replacing pants for women? Sure, wearing a skirt would show you are wearing the current fashion style but does it make you appear more professional?  My opinion is that women are wearing more skirts because the fashion industry has made them easy to wear. Plus, there are more shoe styles available to compliment them. What matters the most is which (pants or skirts) makes you feel more comfortable and how each one makes you feel.

You can only be heard in a meeting if you speak up. Here are some ways to practice speaking up before you go to a meeting. They will also prepare you to talk if you are called upon when you least expect it (especially in a group setting).

• When you are alone, talk out loud. For example, read the road signs when you’re driving or do a monologue about what you see around you.

• Call your cell phone once a day and leave your opinion on a business situation.

• Be sure to have coffee or lunch once or twice a week with a colleague to stretch your speaking muscles. (This is also good networking).

• Before you go into a meeting warm up with voice exercises.

• Join a Toastmasters Club.

Doing good work and making a positive impact to an organizational success is only recognized if you are heard.

So many folks are graying faster than normal that hair coloring has become a twice a month ritual. Bobbi Brown and many other women have to do this. Gray begins quickly in two areas: in the crown of your head and around the temples. There are two products that work well. One is a spray (root concealer, Rita Hazan) for the crown. For around the temples, an eye brow powder works well. In choosing a color, one shade darker is best.

Offices today are trending toward open spaces with many folks occupying them. Because of flexible office hours they are rarely filled. Sometimes, though, there will be occasions where everyone is in the office.

So, be careful of odors that can be offensive like ones that may emanate from smoke, cologne, hair spray and gels, body and food.

To make sure you are not the one causing the smells, one hour before a meeting:

• Do not smoke
• Stay away from dining places in a small, closed environment
• Do not pick up or eat food in your car
• Always wash your hands before a meeting. It helps get rid of odors.
• Carry breath mints

How many times has a comment stemming from a sense of humor provided a pause in a serious discussion or at least eased the tension in a room? The key thing is being smart about using humor by relating it to the situation. We see where a sense of humor has often been used to break the tension in today’s heated political environment. “Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing.” William James

Two television shows focus on small business. The program on MSNBC focuses on helping a selected small business. The other show is ABCs Shark Tank. This show refers to the “pitch” which is a few crisp words on what the business owner is all about and why his/her business is worth investing in.

It is has been proven over and over again that if you have a good pitch you can sell almost anything. In fact, a perfect personal introduction should be treated like a pitch. The key to good personal pitch is building in enough flexibility so that it can be tailored to any audience to obtain the impact and results desired.

In a recent event I was asked about the trend regarding dresses. Are they replacing the suit as the go to uniform for business women? Should women be rushing out and replacing suits with dresses?
Actually, it depends on the wearer. Some women find dresses easier to wear because they are one piece. Others find dresses difficult to accessorize with the right hose and shoes. However, a dress for some women is much easier to find than an appropriate pair of pants. My recommendation is to wear what you feel most comfortable in while showing your best self.

In today’s economic situation where the dollar needs to go a long way, purchasing quality items for your wardrobe without breaking the bank can be challenging. At the same time you need to be efficient and ensure the pieces you add support the personal brand you want to create.

Here are some tips to help you get the most for your money while continuing to create a good wardrobe:

1. Shop in your closet; look at pieces that can be worn differently to create a new look.

2. Shop during the big sales. For example, buy in the middle of this season for next year. Classic clothes never go out of style and retailers are making room for new items. That makes it a good time to shop.

3. Shop with a plan and purpose.

4. Buy only what is on your list.

5. Buy an item that you can wear with at least three others already in your closet.

6. Shop at outlets.

Remember these tips when you’re considering refreshing your wardrobe. They will help stretch your dollars while enhancing a smart wardrobe.