I wear color brights when working out because it is fun and most athletic shirts are found in multiple colors. Interestingly, my professional clothing tends to be in grays with a touch of a primary color. The dramatic colors come out when presenting in a large venue.

Nikki Haley, the recently resigned US Ambassador to the United Nations, is a fabulous role model for using color to her advantage. When speaking or representing the US she wore navy and gray colors, suggesting a most valued player. When speaking to the press or moving around New York, Niki wore her famous bright dramatic pink in a dress or coat combination. Remember, as you select dramatic color clothing pieces, the fabrics and cuts must possess high quality and design, or they will look cheap and costume like.

Nude pumps are best worn with outfits where a grounding color is not needed for the shoes. For example, when Megan Markle wore a hunter green blouse and leather skirt, nude pumps were the absolute right choice, especially as day wear.

If she had worn a red ensemble, the nude pump would have worked, too. However, recently, a photo of a colleague at an evening event revealed a navy dress with a nude pump that looked lost. A black or dark navy pump would have enhanced the dress. Wearing the nude pump made it look like a day outfit. A nude pump with slacks works best in the same color family.

The perfect length for an ankle pant is when the pant covers the ankle, or the ankle just slightly shows. The Lafayette fashion show got it right. Their models wore the correct length with those pants. When the pant length is too short, it looks dowdy and makes the person look heavy.

For wide leg pants, hems should just touch the top of the shoe. They should not puddle or break (which means the pant folds on the shoe). The only pant with a break or that slightly puddles is one with a straight full leg.

Recently while out with a client, I noticed her straight full leg pants were short and not short enough to look fashionable. They looked like a fashion snafu. This is a challenge because many new pants shorter while the pant could be wide or narrow. The problem is that the look is dumpy if not worn correctly.

The issue is also based on the color and style of the pant especially around how it falls on the ankle with shoes on. For women, the hem should just lay on the ankle of the leg. The only time you can play with this guideline is by wearing a boot or hose that matches the pant and shoe. With men, the slacks with suits tend to be very narrow and do not break, so they never touch the shoe.

A current trend is wearing beige or nude pumps with dark dresses. The beige or nude pump has been worn in the last five years with colors in the same family of neutral tones.

Recently, Megan Markle wore a Navy dress paired with a nude pump. Yes, the nude pump will make the leg look longer in some cases. In other situations, the outfit will appear lost. The bohemian look of very loose clothing in various prints and patterns combined is a fad. It will move into a trend only in a modified way.

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.

Recently, a well-known designer sold out a dress with a flower pattern on half of the dress and stripes on the other side. It was a shirt dress style designed to be worn in a business casual or party event setting. This major pattern style change shattered the mold of a small pattern with a stripe. This new trend has yet to make it to the next season. However, it fits with the current pattern explosion in dresses and men and women’s shirts. The one rule of the thumb is that the person should be wearing the clothing, not the clothing wearing the person.

Ruffles on blouses for women have been trending these last few years. This began with a simple ruffle at the hem of the sleeve around the wrist, eventually building to a three quarter sleeve. The most current rendition is layers of ruffles that end at the elbow of the sleeve. Unless the person wearing the blouse is very slender, this trend in blouses will add inches to the chest and in some cases, project a very costume-like look.

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.