Tag Archives: Women

Etiquette

Business Card Etiquette

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Even though the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver / Whistler will be a social event for most, there may be an opportunity to exchange business cards. Unfortunately many of us were never given instruction on how to conduct this exchange. Here are a few tips: 

  • Wait to be asked – don’t just hand them out.
  • When asked for a business card it is polite to reciprocate the exchange
  • In many cultures the business card is considered very important. When receiving a business card, take a moment to look at the card before putting it away.
  • Respect the card – don’t just stuff it into your back pocket. Place it carefully into a business card holder or into a jacket pocket.
  • Don’t pull out your pen and make notes on the card. This again is about respecting the giver and the card. 
  • When handing out a business card, the card is held with the print facing upright on the card so the receiver can read it.
Business Dress, Colour, Men, Wardrobe, Women

Do Socks Really Matter?

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In the Vancouver City Hall Protocol Manual for the 2010 Olympics one of the clothing details that were addressed was wearing the right socks. Although, this may seem very basic or even unnecessary to some, you would be surprised how many of us get it wrong. When choosing your socks consider the following:

  • Coordinate your sock colour to the hem of your pants. For men, neutral tones work best.
  • The thicker the sock the more casual the look. This style works best with casual clothing and casual shoes; the thinner the sock the more dressy the look. Always wear thinner socks when dressed in trousers or slacks and thin soled shoes. 
  • Avoid sport socks for work
  • When worn with pants, socks should cover the shins. This way it is unlikely your shins will show when sitting with your legs crossed, unless your pants are too short. (a later blog post).
  • Never wear socks with sandals.
Business Dress, Men, Wardrobe, Women

Never Let Them See You Sweat

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Visible perspiration is not only embarrassing for you and those around you, it can leave clothing stained and discoloured.

Disposable garment shields work well for both men and women and are widely available. They stick onto the inside of your clothing, protect your clothing and are virtually invisible on the outside of your clothing.

Etiquette, Men, Wardrobe, Women

Hat Etiquette

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It’s not just baseball caps anymore… This season hats are hot. They are everywhere and they come in every style for both men and women. Recently clients have asked questions about hat etiquette. So here are a few tips:

In the past when hats were popular there was a distinction between men’s and women’s hats. And each had its own rules of etiquette.

Traditionally men would tip their hats to say hello and they would always be taken off indoors and / or before sitting down at the table to eat.

Women’s hats were considered part of their outfit. They were pinned into their hair so they would stay in place during the day. When socializing inside they would keep their hat on as an accessory, even at the dining table.

These days, hats are worn for function and fashion. As women have adopted men’s hat styles as their own, the line for gender specific hats and etiquette has become grey.

For men the rule remains the same. Please remove your hat or cap when coming inside and always before sitting down at the dining table.

Women should remove their hat if it is for function or if it is a traditional men’s style hat or cap. If the hat has feminine details and forms part of an outfit it may be worn as an inside accessory.

This Hanukah, Christmas and New Year show respect to your family and friends with Hat Etiquette…

Business Dress, Men, Uncategorized, Wardrobe, Women

SUCCESS? Not with this Dress

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One of the things that I have learned as certified professional image consultant is that looking successful is not just about the garments that you wear. It is also about how they are coordinated, the garment details and your body language. At first glance these men and women look quite professional (okay, except for the elf shoes). They are all wearing what would be considered business attire. But look again, how many mistakes can you see??

What not to wear for Success
What not to wear for Success

The man on the left:

  1. Notice the ripples on the jacket. Either he is pulling down too hard on the pockets with his hands or the jacket is too big around.
  2. His tie is also crooked. (Okay, these things happen)
  3. Shirt sleeve should extend about ¼ to ½ inch below his jacket sleeve for a classic business look.

The woman to his right:

  1. The skirt is too short. For business it should never be shorter than 3 inches above the knee.
  2. A little too much cleavage for work.
  3. The shoes would do better at a night club than at the office.
  4. The hemline of her top worn below the jacket might be alright in a casual work environment, but in a formal office it comes across too casual.

The man with the elf shoes:

  1. Assuming he is wearing a shirt, his shirt cuffs also should be ¼ to ½ inch longer than the jacket sleeves.
  2. With those shoes, his pants are too long. There should be a slight break at the bottom of the leg, not the rumpled look we see.

The woman on the right

  1. The sleeves appear too long, although it is hard to know for sure, since they are buried in her pockets.

Advice for all…

  • Putting hands in your pockets ruins the line of the garment
  • Don’t draw attention to your legs when you want attention on your face
  • Shirt cuffs add sophistication to tailored classic attire
  • Crossed arms send a negative message – she looks angry
  • Make sure the width of your pant legs coordinate with the style of your shoes.
  • Elf shoes have no place in the workplace
Look Younger, Uncategorized, Wardrobe, Women

Skinny vs. Tapered ~ What’s Hot What’s Not

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Back in the day Tapered pants were hot. And women young and old were wearing them with confidence knowing that they were impressively dressed in style.

Since the skinny jean became stylish a few years ago, many women are breathing a sigh of relief knowing that something from the past is finally back fashion and still in the back of their closet.  Happily they search the depths of their closet for the tapered pants they wore and loved so long ago.  Only to find when they put them on, that something is just not quite right. Puzzled they look at the fashion magazines thinking, “I haven’t changed that much, have I? Is it me or pants?” Although you likely did change a bit over the years, unfortunately so do the subtitles of fashion. Even though the general idea may be similar, fashion rarely comes back from the past in exactly the same way.

Think celery vs. carrots- Tapered jeans are like carrots. As their name implies they, start off fuller in the thigh area and taper down becoming narrow at the ankle.  The skinny jean is more like celery. The leg is slimmer in the thigh so the narrowing towards the ankle is more gradual. The leg appears straighter and slimmer top to bottom even though the leg still tapers slightly.

It’s in the rise. Skinny jeans are styled to fit either below the waist or on the hip. For tapered pants, the style of the day was worn high above or at the waist.

The fit is fit. Tapered pants were generally a bit generous in the rear and hip area creating a curvy look. Skinny pants are worn fitted top to bottom.

Watch the length. Skinny jeans are worn long, not at ankle length like tapered jeans were styled in their hay-day.

The great thing about fashion these days is that there are many fashion options. If this style doesn’t flatter your curves, there are many other stylish pants that will.