On Sunday, Steve Kroft of 60 Minutes gave an exclusive interview with First-Couple-to-be Barack and Michelle Obama. Barack Obama looked very presidential in a black suit with crisp white shirt and deep red tie. This suit combination works well because it is a flattering and authoritative look for most men. I’m also glad to see he favors slim-cut suits which look better than traditional styles for men with his build. I would like to suggest though, that a more effective suit color would be navy blue. While black definitely denotes authority, it can also be perceived as austere and unapproachable. (So it’s a good thing the President-elect has such a warm and easy-going smile!) Navy blue confers the same authority as black, but with the positive element of trust. This is why police officers wear navy and not black, which might remind people of the Gestapo. When he wears navy the simultaneous contrast naturally adds more color to his face and camouflages the bit of gray he’s begun to show after his historic marathon race to the White House.  

Michelle beautifully illustrates this point of color in her classy navy sheath dress. She often chooses simple but elegant styles in solid colors that flatter her skin tone and light up her face. She has a high-fashion hairstyle and a bold multi-strand necklace (although she should try a larger pair of earrings to help frame her face). Her makeup is subtle, and just enough to show off her lovely smile and sparkling eyes. As far as body language, it is a breath of fresh air to watch a political couple who are obviously very much in love with each other (note the constant hand-holding). Their style of banter is intelligent, respectful and playful as they poke fun at themselves as well as Steve Kroft. They often look one another in the eye and show they are paying attention when the other is speaking.One last note: President-elect Obama forgot to unbutton his suit jacket while seated. (This would have prevented it from awkwardly bunching up during the interview.) As I’m sure he knows, a gentlemen always buttons his jacket when he stands, but he may unbutton it when he is seated.

President-elect Obama and Vice President-Elect Biden had their first press conference since the election earlier this afternoon. Both men (seen here during the meeting prior to the press conference) are wearing the same type of pastel blue tie that President Bush is often seen sporting. I can clearly see that President Bush favors his pastel blue tie; he has worn some variation of that shade at several press briefings and speeches. But let me say one thing: STOP! The pastel blue tie favored by George Bush is not a power tie; nor is it a “presidential” tie as one late-night show host said when he had Senator Obama on the show.Pastel ties are for the country club or the Deep South. Not even Donald Trump, a presumably powerful icon, can successfully wear that pastel pink tie and still be taken seriously. When worn with a dark power suit, pastel ties send a mixed message, so it’s a proverbial oxymoron. Will someone please call Obama and Biden and give them the news? Not even “change” is represented by this wimpy color!

As an image consultant, I’ve been following First Ladies for many years.  Most of them are “adopted” by designers who educate them and dress them in the worldly and sophisticated manner deserving of the wife of the President of the United States.  Very few First Ladies came into the role with the look they left with, and Michelle Obama will probably be no exception.  Even Jackie Kennedy, known for her style, was taken under the wing of Oleg Cassini and groomed and shaped to become the fashion icon she was known to be.  She dressed in something close to a preppy style before becoming First Lady.  It is likely that Michelle will choose designers she likes, but I expect her style will evolve.  I loved her purple dress—it’s a great color for her; and Maria Pinto is a rising star.  The Victory Speech dress by Narciso Rodriguez missed the beat, and I wonder if someone is already advising Michelle about her attire.  The “line” of this dress was all wrong.  It makes her hips look much wider than they are, and it makes her tummy look like it protrudes.  Michelle has the most common figure flaw for women: wider at the “middle“—in other words, at the hips, waist and tummy.  I expect she liked the design, thinking the black line at the waist would make her waist look smaller.  It did, but at the same time, the red pattern was almost round; and round lines suggest roundness or fullness.  For her figure type, this would be a No No.  The colors were great, and I wish she had worn an all-red dress.  She would look divine!  Especially if she added red lipstick.  It would make her face pop and her eyes sparkle!

I’d also like to add (as a corporate image consultant) that in order to look more worldly and elegant, Michelle should consider suits in jewel tones.  She would look especially good in fuchsia, magenta, cherry red and more of those wonderful violet colors she has already worn.  She should avoid orange and lime green, as they are food colors and not as classy as jewel tones.

Your thoughts?

When McCain was asked about the contribution of his running mate, Sarah Palin, he replied that she was a great campaigner. And then he rubbed his nose, covering his mouth as he did so.  Then he rubbed his nose again. In body language, rubbing your nose and covering the mouth symbolizes covering up a lie. Children cover their mouths when they tell a lie; adults rub their mouths most often. Body language overrides what we say verbally, because it comes from the subconscious.

Take a look at the You Tube replay of the Concession Speech. You'll briefly catch a glimpse of that body language about 1:40 min.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhs5FD-K9ac

Thankfully, Victoria Beckham has abandoned that stringy, unflattering hairdo which has been copied from coast to coast. Yes, it looks good from the back when the “stacked” cut is done well. But it always looks stringy from the front. And most of the copies I’ve seen were butchered in the back. I like her blonde “do” as it looks less stringy, but the color would be high maintenance. As of this week, Victoria has a short brown hairdo. She needs to let her bangs/fringe grow a bit so her pointy chin isn’t accentuated. Your comments?

Everyone is talking about Sarah Palin’s expenditure of $150,000 for clothes for the campaign trail. In defense of her personal shoppers, it is difficult to assemble a wardrobe in a short period of time without making compromises in style, color or price. When I shop for a client, I take all these into consideration and may come up with only three or four items in a single shopping stint. Buying an expensive designer jacket or suit doesn’t guarantee that you will make the impact that you should if the style and color is not right. Impact is everything. When it comes to image, the devil is in the details, but the sum total is greater than all its parts. And that sum total is the impact you make. Or don’t make. (continued below)View a slideshow of Sarah Palin’s new clothes (courtesy of The Wall Street Journal).

In my opinion, very few of the items Sarah Palin wore made the kind of impact she should have made. The grey Valentino jacket, for example, is too washed out and makes her look less dynamic and powerful. None of the clothes were accessorized well. In addition, Palin needed a bolder lipstick. Look at the scoop-neck black suit for example, and you’ll see that it looks very austere without lipstick and accessories. Lastly, the green jacket is “sweet” but it makes very little impact in terms of presence. All in all, Palin paid too much for what she got, and the blame must go to her personal shoppers and image consultants.

I just saw Isaac Mizrahi in New York City at the all-day MORE MAGAZINE makeover event, and guess what he said were the 3 most important things a woman should do in order to stand out and look special? 

1)   He said have fabulous hair! Spend more than you should if necessary.

2)   Wear bolder colors!

3)   Wear high heel shoes! He actually said wear 4 inch heels if you think you can dare do it!

My advice – stick to 3 inch heels so you don’t hurt you feet or back. If you have bad feet or a bad back, 2 inch heels still look great and still look pretty sexy. If you have really really bad feet or back, even a one inch kitten heel with a pointy toe will still look like you’re wearing high heels.

When I speak to groups I always try to arrive a few minutes early so that I can meet some of the audience participants and get a feel for what their particular issues are. At a recent meeting of the National Association of Women Business Owners, I asked many of the women how they felt at the last business function where the participants were mostly male. “Dismissed” “Inconsequential” were a few of the terms they used to describe how they were treated as women in a business world that is still mainly male dominated.

My goal for over 30 years has been to eliminate these feelings by women in the business world. I show women how to level the playing field with men in terms of image. The first thing that I tell women is that they must ditch “daddy’s jacket!” All too many female executives, TV anchors and professional women have adopted the classic “blazer suit” with coordinated blouse or turtleneck as their office uniform. It is touted as a “power suit.” However, it suggests anything but power. It usually implies conformity or a “junior” look. It is safe rather than dynamic, and it takes your image down many notches.

My female clients all tell me that they notice a difference immediately in the way that they are treated. Suddenly people are asking them for their opinion, people listen to what they have to say, they are being treated with the deference and respect that comes from looking like an expert from head to toe.

In my new book, “Powerful Women Don’t Wear Pink” (due for publication in 2009) I will show you how to make powerful image changes. When you apply these changes, you will never again be looked down on, or asked to “get me a cup of coffee, honey” or “sweety”!

Check out the home page of WomenEntrepreneur.com my quote from The Woman's Advantage Calendar has been featured!

The title of my new book (due for publication early to mid-2009) is "Powerful Women Don't Wear Pink". What do you think? What is your first impression? Would you want to pick it up to see what it's all about?