In Google, 904,000 entries for pen writing instruments came up in 0.20 seconds.

As stated on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pen (Latin pinna, feather), a pen is a long, thin, rounded device used to apply ink to a surface for the purpose of writing, usually on paper. There are several different types including ballpoint, rollerball, fountain, and felt-tip. Historically, reed, quill and dip pens were used. Modern-day pens come in a variety of colors and sizes. The most common ones write in black or blue ink.

With Apple’s I Tablet, I Pod and various PDAs, is the pen losing ground? I believe it is not. When you write a letter or sign a note, a good pen, when it is the right shape, weight and balance for your hand, will always be more elegant then sending or taking a note via any electronic instrument.

In today’s professional world, it is protocol to remember men and women are created equal. Here are some etiquette tips to clarify any misunderstandings:

• Whoever gets there first, opens the traditional door or goes through the revolving one.
• In speaking with a restaurant hostess the same rules apply. Whoever gets there first when securing a table for lunch or dinner verifies the reservation.
• Men are not required to help a women into her chair(the waiter will do this).
• Whoever is the highest ranking person in the room, he or she is introduced first.
• A man or woman can help each other with their coats. Whoever has a free hand, assists.

However, some common courtesies never go out of style. If a woman drops something it is nice for the man to pick it up.

Remembering these few protocols will remind you, that in the business world, all sexes are equal.

Airlines (not Southwest) make it very expensive to check a bag. So, many folks today carry their bags on the plane. What does the shape and color of the bag say about their owners?

The most popular luggage includes rollers that you can pull along. These are bag owners who are efficient and follow the rules found on http://www.luggageonline.com/about_airlines.cfm. The bags are typically black, brown or gray. They say I mean business. They say I am practical.

Then there are the owners who want to be different. Their luggage is usually in red, purple, yellow or orange. The business folks who are getting more hip are leaning to the orange and red bags.

There are the label bags, Gucci, Louis Vuitton or Tumi. These make a luxury statement for their owners.

The fun bags are the ones with all sorts of pattern that you either love or make your think— well, that bag will never get lost. Don’t allow your bag to look overstuffed. When it looks overstuffed and frayed you don’t like a world class traveler—only a worn out one.

How often should you update your wardrobe? My recommendation is at least once a year– twice a year for your most used pieces.

These five simple strategies will keep your wardrobe update process simple:

1. Your main pieces (jackets, suits etc.) have a life of about three years. This is especially true of ties for men. After three years you may be able to save a jacket or suit by altering it. This may be as simple as changing buttons to give the piece a new look. If the item is in mint condition, you might want to turn into another piece. For example, silk dresses can become blouses.

2. Keep your look simple and smart. I recommend mixing and matching neutral colors (black, brown, navy, and camel).You can accent by adding third color.

3. Only buy an item you if have four pieces in the closet that you can wear with it.

4. If you are going to buy an item but do not have anything in your wardrobe to wear with it, then buy all the companion pieces at the same time.

5. Be ruthless in getting rid of clothing that is frayed, spotted and worn no matter how attached you are to them.

If you follow these five strategies, it will make your wardrobe and your look current and very smart.

Personal branding is even more important today than it was ten years ago. If you are in transition or trying to maintain a job you currently have, you must do some value proposition branding. A value proposition states why you are valuable in the work place or why some one should give you a job.

If you’re uncertain about what your brand stands for, ask yourself this question– what three words define you when you think of yourself? Then ask someone else what three words they think of when you come to mind.

Do the two answers match?

It is very important to be crystal clear about your personal brand. After all, you’re its steward.

President Obama is a good example of possessing a brand when he ran for president. If you recall, it was change. The folks around him could possibly be better stewards in maintaining his brand. It will be good to study what they will do to retrieve it. In fact, the recently passed healthcare legislation, may begin the road back to his brand.

A personal brand today is critical to differentiating yourself from the crowd. So, craft your brand and get everyone to know and understand your value proposition.

There are now four different generations in the work place. Matures are born between 1925 to 1945; Boomers from 1946 to 1965; Gen X from 1966 to 1985, and Gen Y (also called Millennials) from 1986 to the present.

Here are seven tips that will enhance your credibility with generations X and Y:

• Use your phone or blackberry as a watch.
• Send e-mails or text messages instead of a voice mails.
• Have lunch with others at work and not at your desk.
• Talk about current events, not what happened ten years ago.
• Don’t dress in more than three layers of clothing.
• Be on LinkedIn and Facebook.
• Think green.

So, the idea is not necessarily to behave like a Millennial, but to make sure we are not acting like we are from another century!

The economy is tight right now but please continue to tip appropriately. These folks make their living through tips:

• Always tip between 15 and 20 percent on meals. If a light eater then 20 percent.

• Coats, valet service for cars always tip at least $2.00. For bags at airport, the standard is $2.00 for the first bag and $1.00 each bag afterwards. Consider giving $2.00 per bag when the weather conditions are at their worst.

• For cab drivers, $1.00 for a $6 dollar fair is recommended.

• 15% is the minimum for salons. An exception is when the services get to $200 or $300. Then you decide how you want to handle the tip but consider at least ten percent.

Tipping shows you not only that you appreciate their service but that you are world class professional.

Shoes

The dictionary definition of shoes is: an external covering for the human foot, usually of leather and consisting of a more or less stiff or heavy sole and a lighter upper part ending a short distance above, at, or below the ankle.

But shoes do more than just cover your feet and protect them from the elements. Shoes add the final touch to an outfit. They can make your inexpensive ensemble look expensive or make an expensive outfit look cheap.

But did you know certain style shoes can make you look thinner and taller? For women and men a tapered shoe will make your feet look longer. This draws the eye outward thus adding height. A darker shoe will make your feet look smaller. A shoe with pattern leather or colors will make your feet look larger having the effect of making you look larger.

So, select your shoe choices wisely. You will add the finishing touch that will make you look very smart. Check out my favorite sites for shoes Zappo.com and Nordstrom.com.

Today’s clothing choices are driven by the fashion industry, media and celebrities. It’s rarer to see folks dress their age. Instead, we see folks who try to look younger when they really can’t mask their age any longer. Of course, you have the opposite situation—people who try to look older. They end up looking like kids playing dress up or looking just plain silly.

We saw one of the young female stars at the Oscar’s last night who tried to dress older. It only made her look younger and a bit foolish. I will say 99% of the stars including men, looked age appropriate. I especially liked that the men wore the correct cut tuxedo (jacket and lapels) for their age and body type. I also liked how we saw every man over 40 wearing a properly tied bow tie – no clip ons.

So, it does not matter what the occasion is. You will always look smarter when dressing age appropriate.

It is amazing how someone’s facial expression can affect us. Also, it can give you some insight about what they are thinking.

Recently in the “Live” section of the Chicago Tribune, Julianna Margulies, who stars in the CBS show, The Good Wife, was measured for facial expressions and eye movements. She engages the audience so thoughtfully that she connects her viewers to her and to the character.

As I mentioned in one my recent blogs, Bill Clinton locks his eyes on whomever he’s speaking with. This, plus his facial expressions and manner, places the conversational partner at center of his universe.

We know for a fact that when a complete stranger smiles at you, it can make your day. At the same time, the person who looks right through you sends the signal you are invisible, which can make you feel worthless.

So, we want our facial expression to be one that suggests to others that you might be a good person to know.