Lyn Paolo, the costume designer for Scandal, creates a commanding presence for Kerry Washington (Olivia Pope) by using these guidelines:

Choosing a palette: Men are always in navy and black. Her thoughts are that lighter colors stand out. (I favor lighter shades of blue or gray with white shirts to stand out for my clients.)

Ignoring trends: For Kerry, she looks stronger and more consistent in trousers, pumps and jackets. However, wear what looks best on you. If you look and feel best in skirts then wear skirts with jackets. Have the look be consistent.

Forgoing suits: Mix and match jackets and slacks or skirts to create a custom look. Colors can be mixed but fabrics must match to look smart.

Being understated: Have a signature piece. It can be a jacket, coat or jewelry. It will set you apart while not appearing too flashy.

The new fashions for both men and women have made a splash with printss; mainly floras in women’s dresses and for men, plaid shirts and ties. How can you integrate prints in your wardrobe without looking like you belong at social event? (At social events you can push the envelope a bit.)

Women

Floral blouses, sweaters and scarves for the women are best with a solid companion piece or displayed in accessories like a necklace or a pin. (Michelle Obama does this.) It’s a trend that seems to be gaining popularity.

Men

Plaid shirts have gotten to be very bold going even so far as to be paired with a plaid print tie. It is considered modern prep. The more elegant way to add plaid is either in the shirt or the tie but not both at the same time. If you want to experiment, one plaid pattern must be larger in size. The main color should be reflected in both choices.

It is fun to add a trendy piece in pattern or color with the idea that it adds a contemporary elegance to your style.

The trend continues to be big and bright. However, there are many occasions in the business world where that might be too attention grabbing. At the same time you want to be current.

A way to update what you have in your jewelry box is to layer several necklaces together. To make it interesting, use different lengths and shapes. Make sure the necklaces are a few inches apart. An exception would be to use one strand that has an ornament (like a cross) on it. You can layer a thin chain on top of it.

If you decide to wear a new, chunky ornament necklace, wear it under an open collared blouse. (See my picture as an example.) Necklaces should add interest to what you wear and can be your signature to brighten up a suit.

Women this year at the Oscars decided elegance trumped shock and too much skin. The colors went from vibrant jewel tones to pale sparkles. Full length ball gowns appeared to be in the majority.

It is interesting to note that no matter who they are, women all over have the same challenges on what to wear and how to be comfortable for the evening. Of course, if one actually gets to a red carpet, a statement must be made. Diamonds in earrings and bracelets were the statement this year. Also, there were not too many necklaces on those wearing strapless dresses.

In the movie Blue Jasmine, Cate Blanchette’s character, Jasmine, has fallen on hard times. She carries a Hermes bag which turns out to be her symbol.

What does the bag you carry, whether is a purse, brief case or backpack, say about you?

Recently, while waiting for my flight to see a client, I surveyed the bags folks carried. With the elegantly appearing men and women, their bags were never seemed overloaded. They were in good condition and in some cases bore an immediatly recognizable designer label.

However, there were too many folks who had over-stuffed bags and in some cases multiple bags. The old perception was that people with bags like that were hard workers. Today the thought is that they appear unorganized and a bit overwhelmed.

Then, there are the backpack folks. They are saying “I am current and I am cool”. My thought was: When do you give up your college days?

A key element for folks who have a polished, smart, elegant image is their clothing choices. Their clothing is appropriate for the occasion and their role in the organization. The color resonates and makes folks feel confident about them. Their accessories add just enough nuance to enhance their appearance. Their overall look showcases their leadership presence. Make sure that these key clothing factors capture your elegant style no matter what situation you find yourself in.

The rule of thumb for men is that the last button on a jacket should be left unbuttoned. A jacket should be buttoned when standing and unbuttoned when sitting. In casual settings, a blazer or jacket can be left unbuttoned when standing. The double breasted jacket is always buttoned when standing up.

The rule of thumb for women is for the one button (if a one button jacket) to be buttoned when standing and unbuttoned when sitting. When there is more than one, which should be unbuttoned or buttoned depends on the body type of the person wearing the jacket.

For women:

A critical detail that determines if a look will be smart is how an individual wears their clothing. Short jackets will always look smarter with longer skirts. Longer jackets will look smarter with shorter skirts. Tops should always be at the narrowest width just before the hips.

For men:

Shirts and Ties: Small size prints can be worn with larger prints. You use colors to tie them together. For example, a shirt with a smaller print worn with a larger pattern tie will look smart. Never wear the same size print for both and ties. The preference is for the smaller print on the larger item and larger print on the smaller item.

I apologize if I sound like a broken record but from head to toe, the really coordinated folks have all the details of their appearance in order. The hair needs to be well groomed (long hair only works if it is well managed) and complemented by top quality, well maintained accessories; sleeves, jackets and bottom lengths all should lay nicely at the proper spot.

Often, the excuse for a disheveled appearance is a lack of time. However, if you make the time in the beginning when you purchase the items good habits will be there, too. You will then always look your stylish best.

1. Do you find that you have things in your closet that you have not worn because you don’t have anything to wear with them? Never purchase anything unless you have three clothing items in the closet to go with it or buy at least two items to wear that work with the garment.

2. Purchase items in three colors only. Most folks have black pants or skirts so the key to purchase shirts, jackets, sweaters in three colors in addition to black.

3. Last, but not least, only purchase items that fit in the shoulders, chest and jacket/sweater length. It is easy to shorten sleeves but tailoring in these other areas can be very expensive and tough to pull off properly.