Is Cleavage Cool or Crass at Work?

Last week, a survey was commissioned in the UK which suggested that women who display too much cleavage at work could end up sabotaging their careers. More than 3,000 managers found that almost half of bosses would overlook a woman for promotions if she regularly exposed her cleavage.

Is this fair? Or is it sexist nonsense? Is cleavage cool or crass at work?

I'm not a prude - and as a small chested woman I can appreciate a fabulous bosom as much as the most hot-blooded male...but.......a glorious cleavage in the office is just not on. It's a distraction to both men AND women - but for different reasons.

1. Men see it as a clear 'come on' sign OR, they are so embarrassed they don't know where to look.
2. Women can either be continually distracted (I know I am because one of my colleagues insists on regularly exposing her cleavage and I can't help but keep looking.......). The altenative female response is to elicit some good, old-fashioned, bitchy jealousy and loathing.

As an Image Coach, I'm all about personal brand - helping professionals create a perception by colleagues which conveys the real essence of them; their reputation; their unique expertise. Who on earth wants to be known as the girl that always has her baps on show? It's not right and it's not fair, but the reality of still working in a predominantly male-orientated work environment means that to succeed in business we need to be viewed as credible, professional and authoritative.

A woman can't do that if her boobs are out.

So, ladies please - a glorious bosom is for a date, a cocktail party, a social event. It's not for the office. So button up, put them away and create a focal point somewhere else. May I suggest the face instead?

Strapless - Do We or Don't We?

Ladies,

Let's talk about strapless dresses. We need to. Summer is here in force and so are weddings, summer parties, barbecues and holidays - all of which seem to bring out the strapless queen in us.

However - beware.

Most women look simply dreadful in strapless dresses - and don't seem to realise it. Why? Well, let me tell you.....................
1. A full bosom does not work in a strapless dress. It's asking for trouble when it comes to a public, unplanned nudity moment and can be distracting (to say the least), when walking. And you can forget running for a bus.
2. The whole 'yank the dress back up' look is just dreadful. This means it's not fitted enough to stay put and shatters any illusion of being ladylike and is utterly conflicts with the whole 'ladylike' look we're going for.
3. Short necks; broad or very sloping shoulders and batwing arms all don't work with strapless - equally a very bony, scrawny top half doesn't look good. Wear a pashmina or bolero cardigan for coverage.
4. Unless your skin is flawless - absolutely smooth and clear - no spots, bumps, wrinkles, sunburn or flakiness - then just.......don't.
5. And beyond a certain age - exposing all that flesh just isn't great. (And I say that as a woman who is enjoying middle youth - not middle age).

So who does it work for? Ladies with long necks, slim shoulders, small chests and toned arms are most likely to look stunning. So by my reckoning that's about 4 of us.

Wearing White Well

As I watch the longest EVER match in Wimbledon tennis history; I'm struck by the notion of wearing white. How do you wear it well? What does white as a colour mean? And frankly, should any of this matter?

In Western culture, white is associated with purity; in Eastern culture it's associated with mourning.

In North America, there are unwritten rules about not wearing white before Memorial Day (end of May) and after Labour Day (first Monday in September).

Different cultures; different countries; different rules; but the same colour. So, what does white mean when it comes to clothing?

Combining white with a deep colour (e.g. black, navy, slate grey) for clothing creates a powerful and authoritative look. For both ladies and gentlemen, combining deep and light colours in our clothing enables us to look our most formal and professional.

White reflects light and so is more comfortable to wear in warm weather than black (which absorbs light), and in which we feel the heat more easily.

To wear white well means knowing what TYPE of white suits us best. If you have glorious warm colouring, then actually cream will look better on you. Cream is in fact a warm white - and by that I mean it's a white which has yellow in it. Cream and chocolate brown (which is high contrast), will look much better on you than black and white.

If you have 'salt and pepper' colouring in your hair, then probably a muted white (i.e. it has grey in it), will look better on you than a bright, sharp, clear white. And by the way a clear bright white looks glorious if you have high contrast between your skin and hair colour, or if you have gorgeous, bright eyes. I love wearing a bright white, and combine it often with black; because it matches my hair colour. If you have white hair; wearing white will suit you!

Knowing your best white is extremely useful to identifying some superb staples for your wardrobe - shirts, blouses and tees for example.

Why do some women typically hesitate over white trousers? Because white is a light colour and will increase the perception of size - so great if you want to wear a white top and make your bust appear larger - less good if you have a larger bottom and want to make it appear smaller.

As soon as any of your whites appear tired (e.g. through washing, piling, dullness of colour); replace them. They're not worth keeping and if you wear 'tired whites' in a professional environment, then beware of communicating tired and dull through your clothes. Nobody wants to say that do they?

FINE HATS AND FRIPPERY

As it's Ladies Day at Royal Ascot, it seems only right to talk about hats. Big hats, small hats, silly hats, sassy hats will all be out in force today.............and most women love to wear them.

Why?

It's a chance to express our individuality, creativity, femininity and drama.....all through an accessory which, outside of a wedding, has vanished from our daywear wardrobe.

So what are the dos and don'ts?

1. A hat should harmonise and balance with your face shape and size- not overwhelm it or might your face look 'bigger'.
2. Most people wear the hat incorrectly - it should sit on the crown of your head.
3. I'm all for wearing a hat at a jaunty angle - but make sure it's fixed on properly. There's nothing more damaging to the delight and look of wearing a hat than having to spend your whole day with your hand on your head trying to keep it on as the wind blows.
4. A great alternative to the hat is the 'fascinator'. These gorgeous creatures come in all shapes and sizes and can attached to the hair with a slide or clip.
5. Don't feel that you have to match all the colours of your accessories - so for example - cream bag, cream shoes, cream fascinator, cream pashmina etc. This can all look too 'matchy matchy' and can look dated.
6. You can pick a colour as an accent to wear for the hat/fascinator, or if you are wearing a pattern in your clothes, then choose one of these colours as the colour for your headgear.
7. Don't do pattern in the hat or fasinator AND in the outfit. You'll look like a pair of curtains.
8. Dark colours and bright colours suit ladies with high contrast (e.g. dark hair; light skin). Low contrast colouring suits lighter colours for the headgear.
9. Decide on which part of your outfit is the focal point - is it the hat or is it something else? Don't have too many in the whole 'look' - the eye likes to be deceived - but not confused.
10. Whoever thought that wearing a fruit bowl; telephone box, a kitchen utensil or any item of furniture on your head looked great......clearly needs their eyes testing.

Finally - never buy hats....rent them. Much cheaper and much more practical!
Happy hat hunting.

Celebrate International Women's Day

Monday 8th March is the day to celebrate women - all of our qualities, capabilities and achievements. It's International Women's Day.

Today also seems appropriate and timely as the day to acknowledge the success of Kathryn Bigelow, who won the Oscar for Best Director and also for Best Picture at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles. Amazingly it's the first time that a woman has won in either of these categories. So - much to celebrate but also a reminder of how far women still have to go when it comes to being equally recognised for their talents and skills.

The recent research into pay equality in the UK revealed that the gap between men and women's pay isn't closing. It's not right; it's not fair but it's how it is. I have a wide range of amazingly talented clients for whom my mantra is 'success is a combination of style and substance'. Being good enough for a role isn't actually always enough; you've got to consistently look, behave and communicate in a way that says to others: 'I'm the one for the new job opportunity/pay rise/project responsibility'.

Women everywhere take note: it's not about style over substance...........you need both to succeed. Enjoy International Women's Day and always remember - stand out from the crowd for the right reasons and never blend in with everyone else for the wrong ones.

Top Ten Tips to Style in 2010

At this time of year, many women face up to the dreaded 'D' word - 'DIET'. A festive season of eating and drinking whatever we want finally catches up with us, and as we breathe in to squeeze into those dresses, jeans, skirts and tops which used fit beautifully, a New Year means a New (Smaller) You and we head for those low fat meals, the gym and a sense of self loathing at some speed.

What's the point? Well, if it makes sense to lose a pound or two, then I'm all for it BUT - many women use this activity as an excuse or a rationale to not look good NOW. This I simply do not subscribe to as a view.

Looking good in your clothes is a matter of creating optical illusions. Women need to understand how to draw the eye to our best features, and away from a wobbly bottom or bloated tummy.

So, here are my top tips:

1. Decide if you want to draw the eye VERTICALLY or HORIZONTALLY with your outfit.

2. If we're trying to appear slimmer, then we want to draw the eye VERTICALLY because this will automatically lengthen and slim our silhouette. Continuity of colour on top and bottom, vertical stripes and darker colours are all slimming and lengthening.

3. Draw the eye horizontally where we have an asset we want to emphasize e.g. a great waist needs a belt; a full tummy can be ignored by an eye-catching necklace or great lipstick to draw the eye upwards.

4. Your size doesn't matter; your shape does. What do I mean? Look at where you carry your weight. Women tend to carry it either IN FRONT (i.e boobs, mid-riff, tummy) of them or BEHIND THEM (bottom, hips and thighs). When you gain weight; it's usually where you least want to; and when you lose weight, it's always where you least want to.

5. If you want to look great in your clothes - they should follow and fit your silhouette. Fit is king. I'm so tired of seeing women in poorly fitting clothes. Get them altered or tweaked to take them from 'blah' to 'wow!'

6. Wearer darker colours where you want to slim and lighter brighter colours where you want to draw the eye.

7. Never underestimate the effect of a great haircut (and keep your colour looking good if you wear any).

8. Always do your make-up and look after your skin and nails.

9. Indulge in the world of accessories - great costume jewellery, bags, scarves, hosiery and shoes litter the high street and shopping mall. Don't shop for new clothes when you're dieting - shop for accessories; which are cheaper and can completely change the look of any outfit.

10. Walk tall - shuffling along and looking miserable is now a good look. Head up; shoulders back; deep breath; smile and off you go.