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Menswear - Putting Together A Business Wardrobe - Part 3
It's easier for men to build a professional wardrobe, but as with many other things, it's getting started that is the toughest! Let's talk this time about Accessorizing your Business Wardrobe, and look for additional articles Dress Shirts and my article on Caring for Your Wardrobe. Okay, guys, we've talked about suits and touched on the foundation garments known as dress shirts, let's talk about accessories. I suggest you take the conservative road with regard to your business suits, especially when you are just building a wardrobe. Conservatively-styled suits may not get you noticed at a dance club, but they will certainly be a better investment for your professional life. A good, basic man's suit will last for years, especially if you've taken into account my tips on fabric, construction and color. Accessorizing your suit with relation to neckties and cufflinks are just one way you can add a unique personal touch to your look. Let's start from the bottom and work our way up. When selecting shoes to complement your business wardrobe, consider your own likes and dislikes. Do you prefer lace-up shoes or loafers? Lace-up shoes are a bit more conservative, so if in doubt, start with a lace-up shoe. Loafers are perfectly acceptable, though I would emphasize that you should look for a sleek, lower cut shoe rather than a pair of penny loafers. Shoe color can be a subject for confusion, so let's lay the ground rules: Black shoes can be worn with just about every suit, however, men with warmer coloring can also wear brown. A good pair of dark brown shoes will also complement a navy or charcoal suit. As a general rule, socks should match or at least tonally relate to your trousers. Today's man has a wide variety of shades and patterns to choose from, but be careful not to make your legs the focal point of your business look by choosing socks that are too light. Black dress socks with black shoes are a pretty safe bet if you're unsure. You can select from over-the-calf or mid-calf socks, but I find on most men that the mid-calf sock can sometimes cause a funny little dance called the "pull up the socks shuffle". If in doubt, stay with an over-the-calf sock. Athletes and men with larger legs and calves may have to shop at a specialty store to avoid a too-tight sock that will cause discomfort or cut off circulation. Socks below mid-calf are absolutely out of the question for a business look. "Showing a little leg" is inappropriate and is considered unprofessional. The color of your belt should always match your shoes. This means a brown belt will NOT work with black shoes. There are a variety of patterns and buckle styles to choose from. A glossy, shiny belt might be a choice for a man in a creative, yet professional occupation, and a smooth leather belt with little shine is a better choice for a conservative occupation like Law or Banking. I shouldn't have to say this, but save the overly-large belt buckles (those the size of small cars) for outside of business hours. Most businessmen won't own or wear a very large belt buckle for normal business activities. Neckties have traditionally been a creative outlet for men in their business dress. It's a chance to let some of your personality show through, though there are still rules to be considered. If you are wearing a solid white or blue dress shirt (and you should be, if you read my previous article on Dress Shirts), you have a lot of latitude when choosing neckwear. Patterns and stripes are appropriate for wearing with solid color shirts, but don't choose too wild a pattern. The focus should be on your face, and people should be listening to what you have to say, not staring at your tie. When selecting a necktie for a patterned shirt, consider a large patterned necktie with a small patterned shirt (or vice versa). Don't match large patterns in a shirt with large patterns in a necktie. There will be too much visual interest and no place for a person's eye to rest. Stripes, small geometric patterns and paisleys all continue to be popular, but avoid the novelty ties. People just won't take you seriously when you wear that Hula Girl tie. Cufflinks are a matter of purely personal choice. A man preferring French cuff shirts can have a great deal of fun choosing cufflink styles and colors. They are considered jewelry, a means of self-expression. If you are warmer-toned in your coloring, by all means choose gold, warm metals or enamels, and warmer-toned stones like amber to wear with your shirts. If you are cooler-toned in your coloring, choose silver, platinum, gemstones in rich, dark colors and bright enamels to complement your suits and your own coloring. The sky is virtually the limit! One last point on the accessory that can provide that extra little 'oomph' in your polish and finished business attire: the pocket square. They are very simple accessories that add that touch of elegance to your business look. Select a color that accentuates your necktie (i.e. a gold pocket square for a navy-and-gold patterned tie and a navy suit), but don't fall into the safe-but-boring world of matching ties and pocket squares. Since they are inexpensive, purchase several and tuck one into your pocket every day. The easiest way to find good colors is to purchase them at the same time you purchase your ties. About the Author: Dianne M. Daniels is an Image & Color Coach, Consultant and Professional Speaker, and the author/publisher of "Polish & Presence: 31 Days to a New Image". She has helped individuals refine and define their personal and professional image, along with corporations and organizations. Learn how to create your Personal Climate for Personal and Professional Success at http://www.imageandcolor.com.
Latest News:Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for news NBC News announces layoffs; Correspondents let go (AP via Yahoo! News) Several correspondents and other staff were laid off at NBC News this week as part of $500 million in planned cuts at General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal, according to a person familiar with the situation. Scripps puts Rocky Mountain News up for sale (AP via Yahoo! News) The Rocky Mountain News, Colorado's oldest newspaper, was put up for sale Thursday after its owner, E.W. Scripps Co., said it lost about $11 million on the business in the first nine months of the year. Scripps putting Rocky Mountain News up for sale (AP via Yahoo! News) E.W. Scripps Co. says it's putting the Rocky Mountain News up for sale after losing $11 million on the Denver operation in the first nine months of the year. Oil hits near 4-year low on weak economic news (AP via Yahoo! News) Oil prices sank Thursday to lows last seen nearly four years ago as more bleak news from the world's largest economy boosted views that crude could tumble below $40 by the end of the year. Online Money: Fidelity expands online news focus (AP via Yahoo! News) Fidelity Investments is joining the rush to satisfy investors' growing appetite for news about financial market turmoil. Pound slumps after grim British economic news (AP via Yahoo! News) The pound slumped Thursday to a historic low against the euro and to its lowest level against the dollar in over six and a half years after further grim economic news fueled expectations that the Bank of England will slash interest rates later. Weekly world news quiz (BBC News) At the end of another week, test your knowledge with our world news quiz. UPI NewsTrack Entertainment News (UPI) Mark Ruffalo's brother shot in the head ... Coldplay, Adele earn top Grammy nods ... Oprah taking show to D.C. for inauguration ... Anne Heche expecting 2nd child ... News from United Press International. Scripps puts Rocky Mountain News up for sale (Detroit Free Press) DENVER ? The Rocky Mountain News, Colorado's oldest newspaper, was offered for sale today after owner E.W. Scripps Co. said it lost about $11 million on the operation in the first nine months of the year. 57% - TV Still King of News (Pew via Yahoo! News) On any given day, more Americans turn to TV for their news (57%) than any other source of media, a rate that has remained largely stable over the past 10 years (59% in 1998). In contrast, the percentage of Americans reading a newspaper on any given day has fallen to 34%, down from 40% just two years ago and down from 48% (a 14-point drop) a decade ago. Site: news - Google News New Voices in Congress Will Change the Tone of the Democratic Majority - New York Times
MORE RESOURCES: Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for fashion style Fashion: Style Network host has a passion for fashion (Post-Bulletin) Finola Hughes, host of Style Network's "How Do I Look?," has always been a fan of fashion. "I grew up in London. It's such a fashion capital. There's so much street theater. You go out on the street and just wal Stacy solves your winter style issues (MSNBC) Have a clothing crisis this season? Wondering how to belt your sweaters or tuck jeans into your boots? Have no fear. TODAY style contributor Stacy London tackles some of your burning fashion dilemmas. Fashion Experts to Students: Stay Focused, Take Risks (Fashion Wire Daily via Yahoo! News) For students of fashion wondering what it takes in the current economic climate to survive, whether they're considering a career as a designer or in retail, the consensus amongst a handful of the fashion industry's competitive players at a fashion roundtable event hosted by the YMA Scholarship Fund and sponsored by DOW XLA on Tuesday, Dec. 2, is that it requires focus, creativity and ... Life & Style: Funky Islamic Fashion Struts Conservative Catwalk (Sin Chew Jit Poh) Breast cancer survivors as models showcase creations by Rozi of Kraftangan Malaysia during the Islamic Fashion Festival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Photo courtesy: AP Photo/ Lai Seng Sin, File) In Fashion Photo brings style to Art Basel (Miami Herald) Fashion lovers may want to head to the second annual In Fashion Photo, an exhibit featuring some 250 works by more than 35 top fashion photographers, including Slim Aarons, Miles Aldridge and Bettina Rheims. Islamic Fashion: Creatively Conservative (CBS News) After years of turning heads with her riotously colorful frocks in Malaysia, fashion designer Tom Abang Saufi can't decide whether to shed a few shades on her batik dresses for the Middle East. HTC buys design house to accent smartphone style (Reuters via Yahoo! News) HTC, maker of the new Google Android G1 smartphone, has bought design consultancy One & Co to tap its fashion expertise in everything from furniture to snowboard boots. Camilla puts another feather in her fashion cap at medal ceremony (hellomagazine.com via Yahoo! UK & Ireland News) The Duchess of Cornwall cut a striking figure this week as she joined her husband Prince Charles at a ceremony honouring soldiers who have served in Afghanistan. The 61-year-old royal, who continues to impress fashion pundits with her elegant sartorial style, made a bold statement by topping off her outfit with a beret-style cap, adorned with an emerald green feather. Katy Perry: "I'm Definitely Going to Be on Worst-Dressed Lists" (US Weekly) Katy Perry to Us Weekly's fashion police: bring it on! "I'm definitely going to be on the worst-dressed lists," she says in the newest issue of Page Six magazine, which hits stands Dec. 7 in the Sunday New York Post. See the worst dressed stars of 2008! "I just want to have fun," she says of her style. "I don't take my life too seriously." But, "as much as I am cheeky and full of opinions,... ... Men's Style: Wardrobe mistakes and essentials (Westerly Sun) Beauty and fashion expert Rita Guido of Westerly offers great ideas for a man's wardrobe - just in time for holiday gift giving. Site: fashion style - Google News US Fashion?s One-Woman Bailout? - New York Times
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