This handsome rock group cleaned up beautifully–both at and for the 52nd Grammy Awards–but they look a little gloomy for just having won Record of the Year.  It’s all that grey and black.  Nice suits, but no bold contrast, no dynamic colors to enhance their natural skin tones–though I will say that the man on the left is a step ahead with his French blue shirt.

A complimentary raspberry, royal blue or even bold yellow in the ties would have added some pop to these rockers.  Replacing the shirt in the tie-less black-on-black ensemble with yellow would have done the trick for that gentleman.

Gentlemen, when it comes to your own individual good looks, each one of you has “got it.”  Don’t be afraid to “flaunt it” by adding great color to your wardrobe!

By the way men, I’d love to hear it from you:  What holds you back when it comes to using color?

Prior to the 52nd Grammy Awards, when asked how he felt about his six–count ‘em, SIX–Grammy nominations, Maxwell let his eyes do some of the talking.  “It’s an incredible experience,” he said, and his eyes reflected a humble, sincere and hopeful spirit.  “It’s an honor that I can’t even express to you in words . . .

“If I won . . . I would be beyond joy . . .”

Then he won two Grammys!  And he seemed almost at a loss for words during his acceptance speech (who wouldn’t?).  But I’m sure there was an expression worth a million behind those dark glasses!  Only wish he would have shared.

I wanted to see “beyond joy” in this man’s eyes–the joy behind 13 years of hard work, integrity and determination having paid off in the bestowal of this great honor by those within his own industry.   Not only did Maxwell appear overwhelmed by the extraordinary moment, but he unfortunately appeared overwhelmed by his own attire–black suit, not much color or contrast in his shirt and tie combination, and a large pair of dark sunglasses–all working to further understate this handsome man’s otherwise dynamic, creative and now deeply overjoyed persona.  What a missed opportunity for viewers.

Your thoughts?

Gentlemen, I’ve been hard at work in my Norfolk, Virginia studio, finishing up my soon-to-be-released  e-book just for men.

I found this perfect example of what can go drastically wrong with a simple choice of collars  and had to pass it along to you with an insider’s tip from the book:  Always choose a collar that fits!  Your collar and tie are worn closest to your face and must convey a look of neatness and attention to detail while ensuring that your face will be the focal point of your entire body.  This collar is too tight and too high for this man’s neck.  Notice that it creates that double-chin look.  The fact that it’s off-center and wrinkled also sends the silent message that “details don’t really matter.”  Like you, this man probably doesn’t believe that message and would never verbalize such nonsense–so why does he let his collar shout it out?

Here’s an example of a collar that fits well.  It’s also crisp and wrinkle-free, sending a message that substance and details matter to the man behind the choice.  Here, the focus will be on this man’s face, not on a distracting collar and tie.

By the way, notice the difference in tie colors.  In the men’s book I delve deeper into color choices, but here’s a quickie for you now:  Orange does not compliment the skin tones of about 80 percent of people in the world; most people should steer clear of the color.  Ties in the red family are almost always a perfect choice–especially those in the burgundy to raspberry range, which have a touch of black or blue to compliment most any suit/shirt combination.

So men, tell me, how much attention have you paid in the past to your collars’ silent messages?

Anderson,

You are such a man about town – all over the channels and keeping ‘em honest.  Bravo!

Love the fact that you can go from casual attire to suits and still not betray your persona.

My advice: stick to dark-colored suits like black and navy.  They show off your beautiful hair the best.  Forego the grey suits.  Grey is such a wish-washy color — like a grey area or a grey lie.

I’d drop the solid blue ties that Bush favored.  Too “Deep South” country club!  Not powerful enough for you.  Go for power colors in the red family, including regal colors like raspberry.

Nice three-piece, Ethan. Very British. My advice: this color is too much like your hair color, so it doesn’t create enough interesting contrast.  Also, brown is “Dad” or “Mother Earth” so it’s more nurturing than distinguished; more safe than sexy.  Go for navy blue.  You’ll look sexy and classy.

Dr. Oz, you look fabulous – and your raspberry tie is just dynamite (and elegant) with your dark grey suit and blue shirt.  You get a 10!

Readers, what do you say?

Ellen,

Congratulations! You’ll be dynamite on “American Idol.”  I’d love to see you dress in bolder colors that will make your beautiful face pop.  Think about fuchsia, magenta, and royal purple.  They are such regal colors.

My advice: stay away from those earthy tones and army fatigue colors, because they drab the skin and hair.

Jeffrey Gitomer (above) came to town for one of his renowned public seminars.  People drove three hours and longer to hear “the one and only” Jeffrey.  The “sales guru” always finds time to conduct a pre-event workshop for fellow members of the National Speakers Association (NSA) and, as usual, I got a million-dollar tip or two from Jeffrey.   If he’s ever anywhere near your city, don’t miss him.

Jeffrey always brings his wonderful staff with him.  Here I am with Heather Singletary (left) and Sara Riggenbach, “Princess of Public Events” (right).

You may say that your image doesn’t matter; that your credentials are the most important thing. However, in these difficult financial times, your clients want to know that you will go the extra mile for them. They can’t waste money or time now. Choose the team that you prefer and see what The Image Architect has to say about these six people.

In the photo left, two of the people are wearing grey suits. The woman in the middle, in particular, looks washed out and pale. This color doesn’t suit her; however, with a brighter lipstick and powerful accessories, she would look less washed out. Lastly, her hair looks too stringy and unkempt. The man’s grey suit is just barely saved by the dynamic red tie; however, his pale grey suit conveys low power and credibility. Grey is literally “born” negative. “Old & grey”, “sad & grey”, “tired & grey” often come to mind; not to mention a “grey area” or a “grey lie” – neither of which is positive. Darker shades of grey are more powerful and more effective. The woman on the right has many distractions, including her pale legs which demand attention, and her chunky shoes which make her feet look large and clumsy. Her knees are locked, indicating rigidity, and her hair is not bad, but she would look more professional with lipstick and accessories.

The people in the photo on the right look far more dynamic. They wear darker colors; and the darker the color the higher the authority. The two women would look a little better with lipstick; however, the clothing worn next to their faces (particularly the blue blouse) prevent them from looking washed out. The woman on the right wears a very effective Omega necklace. Both women would look even more dynamic with earrings that make a statement. The man looks very professional. The color of his tie is fine, because it is not a pale baby pink. However, his suit, shirt and tie are all in solid colors. A man needs to have a pattern in at least one of these three items; and his tie would look more powerful and professional with navy blue stripes, for example.

READER CONTEST:

Look at the two photos above and point out as many errors as you can find.  Entrants who catch all the errors are eligible to be entered in a random drawing on October 21.  The winning name that is drawn will receive a silk tie or pair of sterling silver earrings – reader’s choice!

Good luck!

How many image mistakes can you find in this photo that might suggest the person is not a true business professional? Test your I.Q. (Image Quotient) against that of the Image Architect. If you find four image mistakes, you are average; seven errors and you are good; nine mistakes and you are very good; ten image faux pas and you are close to a pro. If you find all 11 errors, you are probably an image consultant.

(1) The man on the left has trousers that are too long. (2) His purple shirt is too dark to be a business shirt; it is a sport shirt. (3) The sleeves of a shirt should extend ½” (1 cm) longer than the jacket sleeve; so his shirt sleeves are too short. (4)The woman in the center has no accessories; she needs earrings at the very least. (5) The object she is carrying is too masculine and clumsy looking for a petite woman; if it is a briefcase, it is too narrow. (6) Her posture is awkward; women should never stand (especially for a photo) with their legs spread apart. (7) Orange stockings are not businesslike. (8) Her shoes are dated and clumsy looking. (9) The man on the right looks fairly professional, (9) but his tie is too blah and doesn’t make enough contrast with his suit. (10) His trousers are a bit long, because they break a little too much. (11) Lastly, both men have their jackets unbuttoned. When a gentlemen stands, he should button his jacket. He unbuttons it when seated.