President Obama was in top form last night, and particularly in the arena of image. This is the way the President should dress at all times. The dark suit conveys power and authority, the white shirt is formality but also very elegant and refined. And there is only one tie that is more powerful than a red tie, and that is a dark red tie!

By contrast, Vice President Biden's image was a washout; and the baby blue tie of Speaker  Boehner was definitely low impact and not suited for an occasion  as significant as the State of the Union address.

It's time this boring tie was retired forever. Send it back where it belongs:  the country club dinner or the Deep South where pastels are de rigeur.

It''s no wonder this color has been dubbed Royal Blue.  It is one of the loveliest colors Mrs. Obama has worn, and she looked exquisite last night at the State of the Union address. I'd like to see the neckline an inch or two lower, however, as the proportions would be more harmonious and flattering.

President Obama in VERY Casual Attire - and in Casual Atatire

Dear President Obama,

Where is your tie? As President of the United States, you don't need to dress down for any occasion. You are there to represent the office of the President of the most powerful country in the world. Just as an expert speaker wears a tie (but not a jacket) when he does a workshop at a weekend retreat where the dress code is "casual." He walks into the room with a powerful presence and commands immediate authority. He doesn't "offend" the audience by not dressing in khakis and a polo. When you're the "outside expert" you don't dress  for so-called "rapport" - you dress to impress!

Wearing a white shirt with a blazer and no tie  sends a mixed message. A white shirt is the most formal of all, and it begs for a tie.  It is a classic example of "business casual" but the jacket must not be removed,  because then, the white shirt looks like a fish out of water when its tie is missing.  A French blue shirt, on the other hand, does not look so out of sync without a tie - with or without a navy blazer.

My suggestion: wear a French blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a striped business tie. You are there for business, not to attend a picnic. In my corporate workshops, I show side-by-side photos of a man in a French blue shirt with navy blazer and no tie, and the same man in the same shirt, but worn with a tie. I ask the audience which man has the most capability and authority. The man with the tie gets 90% of the votes every time.

Please note that your staff, and many audience members wore ties out of respect for you. They also get it when you dress to impress them !

The ubiquitous blue tie needs to disappear from the halls of power. It isn't a power tie!! It's a country club tie - its origins are the Deep South, where it's hot and that cool blue shade presumably makes you feel cooler. Mr. President, this tie doesn't make a statement. Furthermore, wearing a blue tie with a blue suit is unimaginative. A red tie with blue dots or other patterns would be much better.

A red tie with a blue suit shouts power and authority. Let's see more of this!

Dear Mr. President,

There you go again wearing the ever-popular baby blue tie. It may have been popularized by President George Bush, but this is a Palm Beach look, not a power  look. Ties should talk; instead, this one puts you to sleep. Just like a baby in a pastel blue room. Now you know why babies' rooms are always painted in pastel tones. Bold colors are too exciting for babies to sleep.

Your purple tie is elegant and awesome. I'd like the purple-striped tie better if the patterns were reversed. That is, if the thin stripes were silver and the dominant color were purple instead of silver. That way, there would be more contrast with your shirt, and the tie would pop. This tie would work if you wore it without a jacket and with a French blue shirt.

Dear President Obama,

Love that raspberry tie! I consider raspberry the "new red" because it's both powerful and regal. Nothing beats a red tie for pure undiluted energy and power; but remember, purple is part red and part blue. Purple is also regal - think "the King's robe."You can't  have too many navy blue suits and red-family ties when you're President of the United States.

Please give up grey ties. They just don't rise to any occasion - nor are they Presidential.

Dear President Obama,

White shirts are very formal, so they always require a power tie, and pastel ties can never qualify as power ties. It's particularly important to take your tie into consideration when you remove your jacket, because there's always a loss of authority without a suit jacket. Thus, it's doubly important to avoid a washed-out tie.

Also, it's doesn't look good to see your T-shirt peeping through your shirt. If it's comfort you want, choose one of the new T-shirts that are designed to keep you cool. That way you'll LOOK cool, too. This doesn't look cool.

Mr. President, the most formal shirt is a white one. Sometimes it looks out of place when worn without a jacket. A French blue shirt does not. Even wearing a dark suit jacket with a white shirt looks like an abandoned orphan - and out of place. I'd love to see you wear more French blue shirts. They make your skin look pink, healthy and glowing as well. And they look so much more natural when you are wearing a suit jacket without a tie.

The photo on the right is an example of a good look for you when you want to be less formal,  so that you will also look very approachable. It's much more effective than simply taking your tie off.  To take this look a step further, loosen up your tie and roll up your sleeves and you will look friendly and fabulous - and ready to go to work for our country! Make certain the blue isn't any darker than the shirt above, however, or it will look like a "fashion" item instead of a power look.

President Obama, please don't wear a grey suit with a grey tie; it's blah and boring. Grey is born negative - old & grey, tired & grey, sad & grey -  and needs a powerful tie to give it power and presence. Your purple tie does just that! Always think "contrast" when you're selecting a tie. Incidentally, this tie also looks great with a navy blue suit.

Now that's a presidential look on the left. White shirts are the most formal, so they are the most powerful; however, you need a power tie to match, and one that is also dynamic. The darker the color, the higher the authority, but the tie in the center photo isn't appropriate for a dark suit unless you are a funeral director or a chauffeur. The result is a look that is too somber or even forbidding.  A tie needs to make a different kind of statement, like the one on the left does. Red is the most powerful color there is for a tie, and that includes red-based colors like burgundy, magenta, raspberry, plum and red-toned purples. Red is energy, action and life itself. Add black to it and you get a burgundy tie that suggests supreme power.

On the other hand, the tie on the right is  very nice, but not quite as high on the power scale. Make it a little darker and it would become more powerful as well as more interesting.

Like all brands, consistency is important. Former Virginia Senator John Warner almost always wore a navy blue suit, white shirt and red power tie. No one ever commented that he "wore the same thing every day." They commented that he always looked like a powerful Senator.  In menswear, variety is not the spice of life. You can't have too many navy blue suits and red-family power ties!