Madame Secretary, this is a really wonderful style for you. It's tailored perfectly but bears no resemblance to the unimaginative blazer jacket that is so popular with women today. It would look good with a statement-making brooch  as well as the simple strand of pearls you're wearing.

-------- Oxford Blue --------------- Original French Blue --------- Current French Blue -------

Former French Prime Minister Alain Juppé was the first person to have worn a business dress shirt (center shirt) in a shade of blue several times darker than the classic Oxford blue. It was about 1995, and my Belgian husband Stefaan and I were living in Brussels at the time. I noticed how attractive the shirt looked, and also how flattering it was to Juppé’s skin, so I went to nearby shops to purchase one for my husband. The only blue shirt available was Oxford blue, so on our next tip to Paris we found one. Christian Dior had the only one available and Stefaan guarded that shirt ferociously until it finally wore out. That’s it in the middle, and the reason you see only the back side of this shirt is because over the years the front has faded slightly.

Within a year or two, the popularity of the color had grown and it became known as French blue. It was available in Brussels, not just Paris, so Stefaan bought more of these lovely French blue shirts. On the left you’ll see a classic Oxford blue shirt, which is quite pale. In the middle is my husband’s slightly-worn original French blue shirt, which I showed to male clients so they would know what color to look for when shopping for a French blue shirt of their own.

To the right is today’s classic French blue shirt from Brooks Brothers. The one thing you’ll notice about a French blue shirt is the very subtle purple undertone when compared with other blue dress shirts. Royal purple got its name for good reason: it’s a regal color, and it gives French blue shirts a very classy look.

Over the years, the French blue color got darker and darker, until today what is called French blue bears no resemblance to that original shirt from Dior. In fact, most men wear a version of dark blue that is too dark to look businesslike. Please note, that the shirt on the right is the very darkest French blue a man should wear with a tie and business suit. That’s because darker shades look gangsterish. They also make classic red or yellow ties look very bright and garish, because their color is intensified when placed next to the dark blue. Unless you want to be known as the man who wears garish colors, use darker shirts only as sport shirts.

"Perfect Makeup" vs. "Perfect Skin" - Vive la Difference!

Dear Secretary Clinton,

Your makeup changes from natural-looking cool colors to artificial and cakey-looking warm colors (photo on left).  If you look closely, you'll see that those yellow-toned warm foundations do a pretty poor job of making you look better. When you're in the wrong foundation and blusher colors, any little furrows or lines will be exaggerated. Makeup is not about "heavy coverage" - it's about making the skin color uniform. When that happens, you're judged to be younger (in university studies), because any "lumps and bumps" are smoothed away.

You'll also notice that you look prettier and more natural in the photo on the right. Your skin also looks more luminescent and youthful in cool foundations with subtle pink tones. Don't sell yourself short. Get rid of all those yellow foundations and blushers.

Bad Color - Good Color "Quelle Difference!"

Madame Secretary, just a gentle reminder that all colors in the peach or apricot family will cause you to pale out and disappear into your clothing. Not a good idea for a woman of your standing and presence. It can actually diminish power and credibility.

On the other hand, the deep royal blue color above creates contrast with your beautiful face, and it also enhances your natural pink undertones. The apricot color, on the other hand, creates "hot spots" on the face (it does for nearly everyone, actually) and makes you look anemic. The blue suit gives you radiant, healthy color. It also makes you look pretty.

You owe it to yourself. Ditch all those peach, coral, orange and apricot suits.

Tiger Woods doesn't feel very good about himself, and that's understandable. Instinctively, when a man wants to hide or crawl into a big black hole and disappear, he grows a beard - and occasionally a goatee. Think of Al Gore after the presidential election.

Of course, Tiger is also very vain, so perhaps he looked in the mirror and decided he didn't like the way he looked and shaved it off. I would agree that it makes him look like he has chubby cheeks.

Bad Style vs. Good Style

Dear Secretary Clinton,

The jacket on the left is in a splendid color for you, but large polka dots are very whimsical, so not appropriate for a formal state occasion, nor for a person of your stature. In addition, big patterns always make a person look bigger; furthermore, big round circles suggest roundness. The best place for polka dots is with blouses or shells worn underneath a suit. The smaller the pattern, the more sophisticated; the bigger the pattern, the more whimsical.

In sharp contrast, the blue suit on the right is very slimming and elongating, because it is a solid sweep of color from head to toe. It can be dressed up or down, unlike the jacket on the left. Lastly, you look especially good in jackets that are worn open.

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 !

Fuchsia is a regal color, as Princess Charlene of Monaco proved in grand style. Jewel tones are the rage this year, and none is more flattering to women than fuchsia. It's feminine, flattering and fabulous. What more can you ask for.

One fashion journalist derided the style of the young Princess, but I think her style is elegant. And she dares to wear bold colors, unlike many women who prefer an "understated" look. As   Susan Catherine noted, "Dressing in understated good taste is the same as playing dead."

Today I received one telephone call and one email about wearing a suit in hot weather. Both women live in very hot climates and don't want to wear a suit jacket in the summer.  Here's my advice to them. If you work in a very competitive field, like financial services, you still need to wear a jacket, but choose one in lightweight cotton, perhaps with short sleeves, and a collarless neckline.  Collars are the hottest part of a suit in my opinion. In reality, if you wear a very plain cotton shell under your suit jacket, you can remove your jacket as you drive or take public transportation to work.

Here's my suggestion for those of you in less competitive fields. Wear lightweight scoop-neck shells in power colors like ruby red, deep royal blue, navy blue, red, black, fuchsia and magenta. Power up your shell with chunky hoop earrings and other accessories - including leather belt, a brooch or dynamic necklace.Wear your shell with lightweight slacks (so you can definitely skip hose) and nice shoes. Jogging shoes may be comfy but they will make you look klutzy when you wear them with work clothes.

Whatever you do, resist wearing a sporty-looking top such as a polo shirt. You're either dressed for business or for sports, and you owe it to yourself to protect your brand.

There’s been a lot of talk and even furor over Kate Middleton’s sheer and shimmery pantyhose. Some women have taken an oath to never wear pantyhose again, and they are up at arms over the situation. Pantyhose sales are up and women are emulating the stylish Duchess. “Don’t give in,” these “liberated” women cry in unison.

A word to the wise, however. Don’t be too quick to give up your pantyhose, because there are certain advantages to wearing them. This is the case if you’ve got visible “distractions” like spider veins, bulging veins, or skin so pale it looks like skimmed milk (far left photo). These are serious distractions that will cause the eyes to be riveted to your legs, but not for good reason. In reality the shimmery pantyhose that Kate Middleton wore are a bit of a distraction because of their unusual sheen. Legs simply don’t have that much sheen on their own. I’d much rather see the Duchess wearing ultra sheer pantyhose without the shimmer. The more “natural” your legs look, the better.

That's because, ultimately, the human eye is drawn to anything that seems out of the ordinary. Nearly everyone has little laugh lines and a bit of a double chin, so these things are not judged to be unusual and we skim right over them. However, splotchy skin is not the norm, so we’ll take note of imperfections on the skin anywhere, including the legs.

What’s a girl to do? There are several options. Get a tan on your legs at the beach or in a tanning salon; or spray a tan on. It doesn’t have to be more than a shade or two darker. All that’s necessary is to even out the color. At the same time it camouflages any protruding veins.

Ultimately, if your legs look as if you could be wearing pantyhose, you don’t need to wear them. However, if you’ve got major distractions, you’re doing yourself a disservice by not camouflaging your imperfections in some way. You’re not actually “liberated” when you have to worry about whether your broken capillaries or bulging veins are the center of attention when you sit down to meet with your peers.