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.

Question: Your hairstyle should be cut to:
Answer:
a. Harmonize with your personality.
b. Give the illusion that you have an oval face.
c. Create an overall polished appearance in harmony with your persona, clothes and features.

(click here to answer the quiz)

Michael Jackson was a musical and dance genius, there is no doubt. He also showed an edgy fashion sense for his performances. We may have seen those military-style jackets on other pop stars, but we haven’t seen short trousers on anyone else. He got away with it! He was the King of Pop, so he went out in style, buried in a royal blue and gold coffin. Adieu, Michael.

July 8 is Compliment your mirror day.
I’ve been saying for years that my workshops change lives, and they really do! The way you look and dress announces to others the way you feel about yourself. The reverse is true too! Dress to impress every day, and soon you will find the way you look on the outside changing the way you feel about yourself on the inside.

Juy 6th is Forget it day, so in honor of “forget it day” here are a few image “forget it’s”
1. Forget business casual. It’s not going to impress anyone and it can actually be holding you back
2. Forget too short, too tight, or too revealing. Looking too provocative kills careers. University studies prove that women in the workplace who dress to provocatively are not taken seriously by their male peers.
3. Forget “blending” in. If you are dressing to match your superficial appearance like your hair color, don’t! If you want to be memorable, bold, and make a winning statement, dress to impress with bold sophisticated colors like jewel tones and magenta and fuchsia.
4. Forget granny’s pearls and button earrings. While most women think that they look ‘conservative” they actually can make you look dated and demure—not like the enthusiastic and vibrant person that the boss may be looking to give the next big promotion to!
5. Forget sloppy and slouchy! Stand tall, confident, and proud. Even if you don’t “feel like it” practice standing with your shoulders high and head raised and you will come to feel that a confident pose is as natural as being “comfortable”.

July 1st is "Build a scarecrow day". Here’s an idea for all of those clothes in your closet that you would normally wear on “casual Friday”: get rid of them, they are the kiss of death for a career—you could always use them for your next scarecrow for fall.