Our New Year is only two days away, so there’s still time to add one more resolution to your list.  This one will get you treated like a VIP, open doors, and warrant deferential treatment wherever you go.  The resolution is to improve your image.  People form strong opinions quickly, so looking polished, professional and worldly is important for everyone.  

Here are seven secrets to improve your image this year:  

Secret #1: Choose Winning Colors:
?The darker the color, the higher the authority.  Pastels decrease authority immensely.
?Earthy (grunge) colors look drab and are too casual. This includes most shades of beige, brown, camel, moss green and dark olive green. Brown easily looks matronly on women.
?Think classy, not flashy.  Bright food colors such as orange and lime green are flashy, while rich colors like racing green and magenta are classy.  

Secret #2: Choose Suits that Suggest Power:
?Men: Wear dark suits.  Dark colors are more authoritative. They are also more slimming, and "fit-looking" people are often judged to be more dynamic and successful.  Buy the best quality gabardine suit you can afford.  If your budget is modest, a navy blue suit will look more expensive than its brown, grey or black counterpart.  Caution: with black suits, the wrong shirt and tie can make it look (1) severe, (2) reserved or (3) too slick.  Beige suits are fine in the summer, but they must be worn with power ties.  Never belt trousers below the natural waistline.  It is not classy and actually accentuates a protruding stomach.
?Women: Wear high-fashion suit jackets or suits in dark colors or deep jewel tones. Avoid collegiate looks: blazer jackets, turtlenecks, long chains with pendants, and pearls.  Black needs bold accessories and lipstick (pinks, soft reds) to prevent a severe look.  Wear skirts at knee length. Mid-calf skirts look matronly, and ankle-length skirts look severe.  

Secret #3:  For Men—Wear Classy Shirts and Ties:
?The most important rule of all:  The tie must dominate (by color, not gaudy pattern).  Red, burgundy, yellow and indigo look dynamic.  Avoid red and yellow together; it suggests food, not business.  Avoid matching shirts and ties.
?Good tie patterns: stripes, discreet polka dots, small repeating patterns (club or Ivy League).
?Shirts: Well-cut, white cotton shirts are the most powerful.  

Secret #4:  For Women—Wear Bold Accessories:
?Bold accessories give a look of power, success and worldliness. Wear belts with skirts and pants.
?Earrings are a must. Good example: chunky hoops. Avoid thin ones as they are associated with gypsies and teenagers.  Flat clip earrings look conservative and stern.
?Bold, chunky necklaces and pins are also good power accessories. Single-strand pearls and scarves are for "ladies lunch."

Secret #5:  For Women?Wear Professional Makeup
?Numerous recent studies confirm that women are judged to be more successful, powerful and capable with good makeup.  Subtle pink foundations and blushers look less "made up" than yellow-toned ones. Avoid: blue eye shadow, brown-toned lipstick (power looks entail bolder lipsticks.)  

Secret #6: Keep it Simple with Shoes
?Keep shoes simple and unobtrusive.  Feet should not be noticed.

Secret #7: Develop good posture
?Develop good posture.  It is worth a million dollars in terms of image.  Stand up straight, take a deep breath and get a "proud chest." Maintain that posture, but let the shoulders relax a little when exhaling.  This guarantees a self assured and successful image.

I recently saw Katie Couric and you'll be surprised to learn what I think is her biggest image faux pas. You might also be surprised to learn what I think of her new hairstyle.  

Get the full scoop at my main blog.   [Link Removed]  Don't forget to leave your own comments and forward to your fashion forward friends!

Sandy

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I know that in this economy we are all trying to find meaningful gift ideas for friends, loved ones and YES, even the boss - all within a reasonable budget that won't break the bank!  Here are a few ideas for great gifts with your image in mind.  First of all, it will be personal and thoughtfully chosen and it will look good, so consequently it will make you look good.

• Shell tops: They are on sale everywhere - buy them in interesting colors other than the usual black or white.  Try fuchsia, magenta, cherry red, royal blue, and emerald green.

• Accessories: For men, go for cufflinks with a plain, understated style.

• Men or women:  A nice belt is a necessity and helps polish one's image.

• Women: A fabulous pair of chunky hoop earrings, brooches, or a necklace (nice costume jewelry in general) will always impress.  If you want to splurge, get sterling silver.

• Ties: Men hate receiving ties from a stranger because they look like your wife painted them, or they sport cartoon characters.  However, if you want a fail-safe classy tie that the man in your life will adore, please visit my website for some great choices!

You want to be noticed at the holiday party, but not for the wrong thing. Risqu? attire is risky business at the holiday party. According to Dr. Luanne Brizendine, author of "The Female Brain," you'll lose all future credibility if you show cleavage or wear any kind of provocative attire. This is also true for the most elaborate of evening events. Don't risk being remembered eternally as "the sexiest chick in the office" rather than "the best accountant/lawyer/ manager, etc.

Here are a few tips that will enable you to own the room and increase your credibility at the same time.

1. Make sure you accessorize with pizzazz. You can even wear your black office suit to the party if you make a few changes:
Ditch the pants and opt for a black skirt
Wear a sparkly or satiny shell underneath
Wear sheer black stockings
This is the time you can wear those spiky heels
Wear dramatic earrings, like doorknockers or chunky hoops  

2. Wear satin tops in festive colors like red, fuchsia, magenta, royal blue, bright emerald green.

3. Rev up your makeup. Ditch the so-called natural glosses and brown-toned shades. Go for a sexy fuchsia or cherry red.

Remember: this may be a holiday party, but this is still the office and you’ll be seeing your coworkers again on Monday. People will remember how you dressed and how you acted, so be professional and take care that your image is always one your colleagues respect and admire.

After the election, I wrote about the ineffective pastel blue ties that currently permeate Washington. Both President-elect Obama and VP-elect Biden wore pastel blue ties for their first press conference after winning the election. The blog was entitled "Barack Obama States that CHANGE IS COMING. If Only He Meant That Blue Tie!" Two weeks later, Wendy Donahue wrote an article for The Chicago Tribune entitled "Obama's Call for Change Doesn't Extend to His Blue Ties." Hmm?Although I don't mind the apparent parallels in our choice of words, I am troubled when she deems "powder blue as the new power red".

While there may be an art to style, there is a definite science to color, and to color psychology. It's time to face up to the fact that the baby blue tie Bush made popular is not a good choice for a strong world leader. It is a pastel, and pastels suggest passiveness. It is wimpy! It might be an appropriate tie to wear if you were an insurance salesman calling on the widow of your client, hoping that she would choose you to invest the money she received from your insurance company.  So a power tie would make you look too "businesslike" and less compassionate for her situation.  

What President-elect Obama needs to project is strength to guide this nation through the tough times ahead. Just as young teens don't really want their teachers to dress like they do for "identification," neither do we need a president to dress sweet and kind given America's current situation. Teachers need to look big and strong so they can challenge bullies. Presidents need to do the same.
The darker the color, the higher the authority, so a better "blue tie" would be a striped version with a small navy blue or black stripe alongside a wider stripe with a Chinese blue, for example, instead of the pastel blue that pervades the scene today. Chinese blue is super-friendly but not wimpy, and the dark blue stripe would give the blue greater substance and authority. I would also suggest Obama continue to wear navy blue suits; that would provide plenty of "blue for trust." I salute his choice of a dark red tie, but true red ties are still appropriate for the Commander in Chief. Purple ties in classy shades are also a good choice, since purple is a regal color. Other good choices are the newer shades in the raspberry family, particularly those that are close to maroon.

Red needn't be an aggressive color. Donahue's article quotes several people saying red is bad, "bullish" and belligerent. One even said "I seriously doubt that he will need to drag out the red tie too often going forward, and hope that he chooses not to." Red is not evil, the notion that it should be banished is impractical; colors have both positive and negative connotations. Obama is our President-elect, and so should look presidential. While pastel blue ties may be "in fashion", they do not convey the authority, courage and assertiveness - traits we sorely need in our leaders right now - that are positively associated with red.  

A tie is the only place where a man can make a statement. Pastel colors do not make statements, and are best kept for the country club or Palm Beach. Barack Obama has probably the most difficult agenda ever handed to an incoming president. He has already shown his self-confidence in his Cabinet choices: strong-willed, brilliant individuals that he must inspire with loyalty and conviction for his vision. Although a powder blue tie won't doom those prospects, I guarantee it won't help either.

On Sunday, Steve Kroft of 60 Minutes gave an exclusive interview with First-Couple-to-be Barack and Michelle Obama. Barack Obama looked very presidential in a black suit with crisp white shirt and deep red tie. This suit combination works well because it is a flattering and authoritative look for most men. I'm also glad to see he favors slim-cut suits which look better than traditional styles for men with his build. I would like to suggest though, that a more effective suit color would be navy blue. While black definitely denotes authority, it can also be perceived as austere and unapproachable. (So it's a good thing the President-elect has such a warm and easy-going smile!) Navy blue confers the same authority as black, but with the positive element of trust. This is why police officers wear navy and not black, which might remind people of the Gestapo. When he wears navy the simultaneous contrast naturally adds more color to his face and camouflages the bit of gray he's begun to show after his historic marathon race to the White House.

Michelle beautifully illustrates this point of color in her classy navy sheath dress. She often chooses simple but elegant styles in solid colors that flatter her skin tone and light up her face. She has a high-fashion hairstyle and a bold multi-strand necklace (although she should try a larger pair of earrings to help frame her face). Her makeup is subtle, and just enough to show off her lovely smile and sparkling eyes.

As far as body language, it is a breath of fresh air to watch a political couple who are obviously very much in love with each other (note the constant hand-holding). Their style of banter is intelligent, respectful and playful as they poke fun at themselves as well as Steve Kroft. They often look one another in the eye and show they are paying attention when the other is speaking.

One last note: President-elect Obama forgot to unbutton his suit jacket while seated. (This would have prevented it from awkwardly bunching up during the interview.) As I'm sure he knows, a gentlemen always buttons his jacket when he stands, but he may unbutton it when he is seated.