Management Lessons: That's What She Said

Fashion Friday: Backward Glances

All week, Arwen has been writing about television shows that have been remade into movies. I wish I could tell you I had seen the new A-Team movie, or had gone to the Miami Vice movie, but I had my fill of those in the 80s. Once John Taylor had played with Power Station on Miami Vice, I was finished. Shark was jumped. They were never going to be able to top that. Nothing topped John Taylor when I was 15.

You know what else I loved when I was 15? Stirrup pants. I saw a pair of designer stirrup pants in the store last week, and when Arwen told me what her theme was, I thought of them immediately. Just like the A-Team and Miami Vice had their day, so has 80s fashion. For that matter, so has 60s and 70s fashion. I defy you to show up at work looking like Marcia Brady. That wouldn't even work for Marcia Brady these days!

Retro fashion does have its place outside the office. Wear your pompadour with pride on the weekends, and get down with your disco self after hours. But on the clock? Let's be honest, okay? No one likes to be honest about this. In the corporate mothership, you want to blend to get ahead. In any profession you want to blend. Why? Because your professional reputation depends on your ability to convince your higher-ups that you are enough like them to lead their company in the direction of their choice, and if you are a maverick, your career depends on your ability to make your higher-ups feel comfortable enough with you as a person to take a chance on your ideas. To a large extent, that means costuming yourself to appeal to their subconscious minds. Working Girl, a movie that went on to be a television show (Sandra Bullock starred, can you believe it?), is an excellent case in point.

Tess McGill is able to completely remake her career by remaking her image to match her corporate brains. Is a wardrobe change all that is needed? No, but would you have taken Tess' Jersey hair seriously? Of course not. You would have been wondering how much Aqua Net went into that remarkable mass. It is much easier to read her as a trustworthy source of information once she has transitioned from the unspoken uniform of the secretarial pool, into the unspoken uniform of management.

I write all this and then feel compelled to tell you that I don't always blend perfectly into the sea of black and navy. I am professional and dress code compliant, but if you put me in a line-up, I would stand out. Oh, I wear my pencil skirts and heels, and I have my suit jackets and blouses, but I am mad about accessories, color, and retro styling. You won't catch me wearing day-glo 80s, or Pucci prints from the 70s, but I rock the 40s and 50s Girl Friday look frequently. To my point, that look is office friendly and it is appealing on a subconscious level. You can trust a peplum jacket. You can feel good about a Peter Pan collar. You know those spectator pumps are going to walk over to you with the right spreadsheet. It is different from what you see every day, but it is still clearly professional and not costumey at all. That is everything to do with the fabrics and the fit.

So while I urge you to blend in with your higher-ups, I also hope you will find ways to be creative with your look. If you love the 80s, suit up in pink and gray, but kill the shoulder pads and avoid the Capezios. Trust me. You will never be able to wear Capezios as well as a member of Duran Duran. Don't even try.

Lane Buckman has been in love with fashion since she realized that her first Easter dress came with matching gloves, shoes, and purse. Growing up in the entertainment industry this former beauty queen, model and actress turned corporate career woman understands that dressing for success is just another form of costuming. And, since she has run the size gamut from 2 to 18, Lane understands dressing a variety of shapes. She has written dress codes and conducted Business Style and How to Dress seminars for Fortune 500 and finance companies, boutique agencies, and an international non-profit organization. She gives her stylish Southern mother credit for teaching her everything she knows.

Fashion Friday: I'm Too Sexy for This Office

When I was starting out in my career, I had a penchant for skirts so short Ally McBeal would blush.  I was standing in the ladies room one day fussing with the hem of my shirt, which when tucked in, was longer than the hem of my skirt, when an HR rep walked in.  She mentioned my predicament and in my twenty-year-old glory, I bemoaned how hard it was to be cute.  She must have wanted to make life easier for me, since two days later there was a freshly xeroxed copy of a brand new dress code awaiting us all.  Amending the policy on women's wear was a dress and skirt length, and when our manager went over the new code with us, she addressed me specifically in that regard.

I would like to tell you that I started dressing professionally that day.  I didn't.  I found a different job.  That office rewrote their dress code for me, too.  Maybe I should update my resume to say that I have written codes for four companies and inspired two others?  Two and a half.  One manager lobbied HR to rewrite the dress code to restrict the types of shoes I was wearing and they refused.  Her complaint?  My shoes were too sexy.  (The same manager later complained that I was dressing too prudishly.  This may be why HR ignored her.)

Here's the thing:  You want to be known for your work, not your outfit.  I knew a wonderful, creative manager, whose staff adored her, whose work was unparalleled, and whose entire reputation within the company was eclipsed by her wardrobe.  If you mentioned her name, the first thing anyone had to say was about her look.  And trust me, her look was amazing.  It just wasn't right for the office.

So what is too sexy for the office?  After all, sexy is in the eye of the beholder.  These are some good rules of thumb:

-- Visible cleavage for women, visible chest hair for men
-- Clothing so tight or sheer that undergarment outlines are visible
-- Visible undergarments period
-- Hemlines higher than two inches above the knee
-- Front slits in skirts, or back vents that are higher than two inches above the knee
-- Fishnet stockings, or visible thigh highs
-- Shoes with heels higher than 3.5 inches
-- Nipples.  That's right, I said nipples.

But you still want to look good.  You don't want to show up to work looking like Maude:

Or Nicolette Henrickson:

Say you're built like Julie Bowen, and you would look sexy wearing footed pajamas and a shower cap.  What then? Then this -- or this:

Or this:

What if you are Angelina Jolie?  Check her out in these St. John's ads.  Still every inch Angelina, nothing is going to change that, but you cannot say that she's trying to distract you from her presentation in these ensembles.

Salma Hayek?

The important thing to note about Salma is that she understands how to wear a tailored blouse.  She's got a gorgeous figure and really knows how to show it off whether her cleavage is on display or not.  When Salma buttons it up, the fit is as perfect as she is.  Her blouses are not too tight, with gaping buttons, or too loose, looking like tents.  She wears what fits, then plays up her eyes and face, making sure her statements and platforms are noticed over her body.

And that's the key, really.  Where do you want the focus?  Either you can make your body the focal point, or you can make your work the focal point.  Unfortunately, it is very difficult to do both.

One other thing I would mention as being too sexy for the office:  Your libido.  Leave it at home.  If you've got a Lane, Jr. swanning about in her mini-skirt, don't leer, stare, or make an ass of yourself just because you can almost see hers.  No matter what your coworkers are wearing, they deserve your respect.  Whether or not someone is dressed like a professional, you should still be acting like one.

Lane Buckman has been in love with fashion since she realized that her first Easter dress came with matching gloves, shoes, and purse. Growing up in the entertainment industry this former beauty queen, model and actress turned corporate career woman understands that dressing for success is just another form of costuming. And, since she has run the size gamut from 2 to 18, Lane understands dressing a variety of shapes. She has written dress codes and conducted Business Style and How to Dress seminars for Fortune 500 and finance companies, boutique agencies, and an international non-profit organization. She gives her stylish Southern mother credit for teaching her everything she knows.

Fashion Friday: Close Shave With Success

I find myself both feeling sorry for and envying men their easy wardrobe styles.  Let's face it.  In most companies, a man is going to have a very restricted set of choices for dress.  The type of shoes, type of shirts or trousers, and requirements regarding neckties are usually decided for men.  So what's left to worry over?  Short sleeves or long?  Red tie or green striped?  Full suit, or sports coat?  Women have already made five times the decisions a man has before the work day has even started, when it comes to sartorial choices.

I have written dress codes for four companies with very different business models, one for professional dress, one for casual, and two for business casual.  Without a doubt, the men's section was always the easiest.  You don't have to find delicate ways to tell men that their shirts should be buttoned up to a certain point, or that their hemlines should fall below a certain point.  You don't have to tell men that they shouldn't wear distracting amounts of jewelry.  You don't have to find ways to reword a manager's demand that, "We have to tell them not to wear shoes you'd see in a strip joint!"

The challenges in writing a men's dress code usually come down to determining how restrictive and/or professional it will be.  Once you've made that decision, the clothes take care of themselves.  All that is left is adding wording in about no visible underwear or tattoos, and in discussing hairstyle and facial hair.

We don't live in a time when a man's hair was expected to be cut above the collar of his shirt, so there is plenty of room for self-expression, but you should always remember that the self you want to express at work isn't the one with the love for Cheech and Chong movies, Hooters, and Southern Rock, or the self who really just wants to direct, or the self who listens to Death Cab for Cutie and pines after Zooey Deschanel.  The self you want to express at work is the professional, who can be depended upon to take care of business.  It's a little hard to do that when your look is screaming, "I am expressing myself!"

Good management hair for men is similar to that for women.  Keep it clean, keep it tidy, and keep it professional.  If your hair is long, though I personally shudder at the thought of Gordon Gecko's do or anything longer, maintain it with care.  Avoid trends if you are in management or over 30.  No matter how much you love The Beiber, your employees are going to be snickering behind your middle-aged back when you come in looking like your daughter's boyfriend.  Remember "The Clooney"?  Only if you are The Clooney.  Look at House.  All of the men on House have perfectly professional hair, as do the men in my old faithful Boston Legal.

In my mind's eye, James Brolin from his days in hospitality management as Peter on the 80s television show Hotel, is the most handsome example of full facial hair.

Of course, when I Googled him I was surprised to see how puffy his hair was back then.  Oh, 80s, you were so fluffy! 

Still, if you're going to wear a full beard and mustache, this is definitely the way to do it.  It is well groomed, nicely shaped, and still shows his dimples.  That last bit has nothing to do with being professional, but everything to do with making a lasting impression on my pre-teen mind.  Rowrr!

Super Spy Chuck's coworker at the Buy More, Morgan, has been through a few different combinations of beard and hairdos.  The first is awful.  You cannot mix I Wanna Hold Your Hand style Beatles with Sgt. Pepper style Beatles.  No.  Never.  One or the other.  Moptop or beard, pick one.

The second is better.  Morgan was getting the hair under control and his patchy facial hair had grown into a full half face of hair.  The third iteration, as he came into a management position, is the best.  The hairstyle is structured and the beard is much more manicured and kempt.  Structure being the key word.

Two more examples of full beards that you could wear to work come from Conan O'Brien and David Letterman's strike beards.  Each of these men is wearing facial hair from just below the cheekbone into the neckline, and each still looks groomed.

Here is the trick:  With beards of any kind, the best looks begin below the cheekbone and grow to the jawline.  Patchy hair on the cheeks or on the neck ruin the look.  Everything has to be tidy if you're going to wear a beard.  Otherwise, it just goes wrong.  Too little attention, and you begin to stray into my wife kicked me out and I'm sleeping on my best friend's sofa territory.  Beards must be well trimmed.  Beards must be clean.  And do not ever use your daughter's Barbie hairbrushes to groom your mustache, or she will cry and never forgive you.

The most famous mustache in television history belongs to Tom Selleck.  Since Magnum P.I. was shot in the 80s, even his arm hair was fluffy.  I do not recommend this look, mainly because of all the Magnum jokes you'll get, but also because it is very hard to take this mustache seriously.  When you see this face, all you look at is the mustache.  It is mesmerizing and makes it impossible to hear what is being said over the voice in your head shouting, "Mustache!"  Honestly, do you even know what Magnum P.I. was about?  It was about Tom Selleck's mustache, that's what.  His guest spot on Friends?  That was about Monica's love for his mustache.  His appearance on Rosie O'Donnell?  That was about how Rosie thought Tom might be smuggling guns in his mustache.  It's big enough!  He could!

This post is rapidly turning into a space for me to post pictures of men I find attractive.  Sean Connery, though not a television star, has made a career of being a man in charge. 

When he's not in charge of world safety as James Bond, he is in charge of artifact safety as Indiana Jones' father, or in charge of keeping Chicago safe from Al Capone.  In many cases, you find Connery growling his orders from under the canopy of a well trimmed mustache.

Entirely unlike Jason Lee's alter-ego Earl's similarly shaped scraggle.  Earl will never manage anything.  Not even the Quick-E Mart.  Why?  Because his facial hair says, "Robbing the Quick-E Mart."

Comparing the two 'staches here, you see that the difference in in the trim, and that Connery's chin and cheeks are free of stubble, where Lee just looks like an unkempt mess. Lee's fell-out-of-bed 'do matches his facial hair, simply adding to the messy effect.

Omar Epps as Dr. Eric Foreman, as mentioned above on House, is a droolworthy great example of seriously trimmed facial hair.

It takes a steady hand and a true commitment to maintenance to make this look work.  Two days of growth and this could easily be a straggly mess.  Kept up properly, this is a very nice look.

In most dress codes, the phrase use good judgment appears.  Good judgment in facial hair means knowing that ZZ Top Videos, Grizzly Adams, and Geraldo are not television shows to watch for ideas on grooming your beard or mustache. 

Use good judgment, and happy shaving.

Lane Buckman has been in love with fashion since she realized that her first Easter dress came with matching gloves, shoes, and purse. Growing up in the entertainment industry this former beauty queen, model and actress turned corporate career woman understands that dressing for success is just another form of costuming. And, since she has run the size gamut from 2 to 18, Lane understands dressing a variety of shapes. She has written dress codes and conducted Business Style and How to Dress seminars for Fortune 500 and finance companies, boutique agencies, and an international non-profit organization. She gives her stylish Southern mother credit for teaching her everything she knows.

Fashion Friday: Hair Raising

Hair management and management hair is a topic of some import.  A person's hair can tell you a lot.  You can guess at their time management skills, their grooming habits, their state of mind, their age, and get a good idea of what you are up against.  All that from hair.  Yes, really.

This week I'll talk about the best looks for women in management, tackling the men next week.

First and foremost, consider your hair a part of your wardrobe.  You wouldn't show up to work with your clothes wet, wrinkled, or dirty, so don't show up to work with a wet*, messy, or greasy head.  It is tacky.  It is nasty.  It gives the wrong impression.  Even if you were running late, you would take the time to put on clean, dry clothes.  Books are judged by their covers, and wet, dirty, unkempt hair means one of two things:  Your book is about how badly you manage time, or your book is about how you don't care about perceptions.  Neither of those books belongs in the management section of Barnes and Noble.

Upkeep is key.  If you color your hair, keep up with it.  Only Debbie Harry gets to work roots.  Keep a comb and a trial sized bottle of spray in your bag, or desk.  Use them.  TV managers don't look perfect all day because they were born that way.  They look perfect because they have hair and makeup professionals running onto the set between takes, smoothing, spritzing, fluffing, and fixing.

You will have bad hair days.  It happens.  Just like you will spill coffee on your blouse some days, and you will run your stockings others.  It isn't the off day that counts, but your general consistency.  If you aren't sure about how to style your hair, ask and learn.  Tell your stylist you need to know how to copy your look.  He or she will be glad to give you tips.

When it comes to cuts, there are plenty of perfect examples on television.

Short to Mid-Length Hair

Lt. Anita Van Buren spent several seasons in a pixie cut that was flattering and fashionable.  This is a good cut if you keep it styled.  Surprisingly, pixies aren't as easy keep as they look.  Short hair can be very high maintenance and requires more frequent trips to the salon to keep from looking shaggy.  Also, take care that you keep the product soft so it doesn't turn into a helmet. 

Arrested Development had some outstanding costuming.  Especially on the matriarch, Lucille Bluth.  She's managing the most dysfunctional family on television, and she's doing it with style.  Lucille's chin length bob is a perfect example of good manager hair.  It is an easy style to accomplish, and always looks like a million bucks. 

Margene Heffman's big love for even bigger hair has waned, along with her interest in plural marriage, as she has learned to market herself as a businesswoman.  Hers is another lovely example of a bob.  This is a style that suites many face shapes and types of hair, and can be worn more naturally or highly styled. 

Whoopi Goldberg mediates The View, and is a manager in that aspect.  She is also one of the few African American women on television sporting dreadlocks, and one of the few women who eschew obvious makeup.  She looks powerful, professional, and good.  The key to professionalism in her hair style is that it is well kempt.  Her hair looks healthy, and well-maintained.

Does Patty Hewes ever look bad?  She may be doing bad things, but she always looks professional and sharp.  It's the hair and the sweet suits.  This Princess Diana-esque do could easily turn sweet, but the shorter bangs keep it from straying into that territory.

Long Hair

Wilhelmina Slater works in fashion, so her long hair is a frequent accessory.  However, at her most professional looking, she wears it in a French twist or chingon.  When it is worn down, it is styled to the teeth and you would never mistake her for a windblown minion.  No.  This woman is in control.

I give Dr. Lisa Cuddy a hard time for looking like a high class call girl when her lab coat is hanging on the back of her chair.  Most of the time her hair is a big tousled don't, but when she gets it right, it can look very nice.  Her best look is pulled halfway back.

*Lane notes: I have been reamed for suggesting that women should dry their hair before coming to work.  Deal with it.  Unless you work at Sea World, or some other outlet that requires you to be submerged, your head should be dry before you walk into the office.  Pulling wet hair back does not count as styling it.  If your head is still wet, you are not completely groomed.  Either take the time to complete your styling before the start of the work day, or choose a style that will fit into your schedule.**

**Arwen notes: I admit, Lane and I went in circles on this because we come from different backgrounds. In my world, we almost never see outsiders and showing up 20 minutes late so you can look your best is practically grounds for dismissal, because deadlines are everything and nobody really cares how you look as long as you aren't making the air unbreathable with your stink. In her world, it's vastly preferable to show up 20 minutes late so that you can present the best image possible to the company's clients for the other 95 percent of the day. It's really a case-by-case call whether you are the only person with the keys to the building or the only person who can make that crucial six-figure sale. But neither of us is saying it's OK to routinely show up 20 minutes late in order to be presentable; this is more for those "I overslept/the kid-cat-spouse barfed on me/I sprayed soda all over the world at breakfast" situations. In general, if you have 20-minute hair, get up 20 minutes earlier to do it. Good managers present a capable, competent image by showing up well-appointed and on time.)

Lane Buckman has been in love with fashion since she realized that her first Easter dress came with matching gloves, shoes, and purse. Growing up in the entertainment industry this former beauty queen, model and actress turned corporate career woman understands that dressing for success is just another form of costuming. And, since she has run the size gamut from 2 to 18, Lane understands dressing a variety of shapes. She has written dress codes and conducted Business Style and How to Dress seminars for Fortune 500 and finance companies, boutique agencies, and an international non-profit organization. She gives her stylish Southern mother credit for teaching her everything she knows.

Fashion Friday: Uniform Policy

Cartoons never change clothes.  This bothered me so much as a child!  Daphne, always in that purple dress with clashing scarf, and the same shoes.  Velma in that godawful sweater.  Aquaman's costume was part of his body, wasn't it?  Clark Kent only owned one suit, and Superman--don't get me started on Superman and how his cape would have bunched up in Kent's trousers like a full diaper, unless he had a special pouch tailored into his dress shirts, which would have required Jay McCarroll levels of skill to design into such a streamlined package.  And how did he get boots on under his shoes?

Seriously, people.  My level of disbelief can only be suspended so far.  Faster than a speeding bullet, I'll give you.  Full boots under dress socks and shoes?  No way.

I cannot tell you how Jem and the Holograms relieved my fashion-bugged mind.  Not only did Jem have a secondary persona, they both changed clothes, hairstyles and colors, and makeup. 

Hologram technology.  Kal-El couldn't come up with that one?  Jem and the Holograms for the win!

Many managers have to wear uniforms, or adhere to a dress code so strict they may as well consider it a uniform.  A survivor of Catholic girls school, I know a thing or two about making a uniform individual.  I also know a thing or two about getting detention for over-personalizing, so I am the perfect person to talk about how to look like a million bucks when you're wearing the same thing day in and day out.

Shirts

If you wear a uniform, or if you wear the same or similar shirts daily, the dry cleaner is your best friend.  I highly recommend using a dry cleaner to launder uniforms.  If this is beyond your budget, then learn to use spray starch and an ironing board.  Even if your uniform shirt is a polo type, ask the dry cleaner for light starch.  Nothing makes a shirt look sharper than that touch of right off the shelf stiffness.  As fabrics age, they stretch and begin to look sloppy.  Adding starch will keep them looking crisp and new longer, and will keep you looking like the guy or gal in charge.

Trousers

Keep a crease.  Again, I suggest dry cleaning, but if you wear the same pair of trousers more than once, you need a can of spray starch and an iron.  Daily, you should repress your crease and starch it.  Watch the hem.  As soon as the hem starts to fray, it is time to visit your tailor for repairs, or buy new trousers.  Also watch for wear and tear around the highly trafficked areas of the button holes and fly.  A good tailor can make repairs for you, but if you're just wearing the same pair of pants to death, it might be time for new.

Shoes

No matter what type of shoes you wear they should be clean and polished.  Sneakers included.  Keep any laces in good shape, and don't wear frayed knots.

Colors

Colors do fade and dry cleaning will keep the life of your clothing longer.  Be aware of discoloring in the armpits, around the collar, and the waistline of clothing.  If your clothing is stained, get rid of it.  You may be a crafty type who can RIT dye a piece back into commission, but if not, just let it go.

Read your employee handbook and be familiar with what your organization considers acceptable hairstyles, facial hairstyles, and accessory items.  Follow these dress codes religiously.  Remember that your team is taking their cues from you.  Whatever you wear, you are giving them permission to wear.  However bedraggled you are, you are giving them permission to look even worse.  After all, you're the boss.  They don't have to live up to that title.

If you are required to wear a uniform, then wear the heck out of that uniform.  Make your Best Buy duds look as sharp as a Marine on the parade ground with your posture, attitude and grooming.  Your attitude will project a hologram like importance that will dress up the dullest Nerd Herder into a superstar.  Jerrica Benton may have had Cynergy to turn her into Jem, but you have your own synergy.  Call up your inner rock star and put those khakis work for you.

Lane Buckman has been in love with fashion since she realized that her first Easter dress came with matching gloves, shoes, and purse. Growing up in the entertainment industry this former beauty queen, model and actress turned corporate career woman understands that dressing for success is just another form of costuming. And, since she has run the size gamut from 2 to 18, Lane understands dressing a variety of shapes. She has written dress codes and conducted Business Style and How to Dress seminars for Fortune 500 and finance companies, boutique agencies, and an international non-profit organization. She gives her stylish Southern mother credit for teaching her everything she knows.

Fashion Friday: Best Foot Forward

I am a little bit of a shoe horse.  In fact, right now I am in the process of rearranging my closet to make space for the ridiculous number of pairs I own.  Flats, heels, pumps, mules, slingbacks, peep toes, sandals, platforms, wedges, boots, booties, you name it, I have it in at least three colors.  My husband cannot understand why I would ever need more than one pair of black shoes, but some shoes are for work, and some are for weekends, and some are for parties, and some are for when I need to remind my husband of why he keeps me around when I am spending so much money on shoes.

I like a good heel.  I'm on the short side, and I like what a heel does to the look of my legs and how it levels my personal playing field.  However, I don't think heels are a requirement.  Ultimately, you have to wear what makes you feel comfortable.  If your feet hurt, it is hard to project power and confidence.  The important thing is that your shoes reflect your position.  No scuzzy looking, overworn shoes.  No twee, childish looking shoes.  No ridiculous, party girl shoes.  Own all of those shoes!  Variety is the spice of life.  Just don't wear them to work.

If you are a flats wearer, there is a world of fashion out there.  I reference Candice Bergen in her role with Boston Legal.  Her shoes were generally very attractive versions of a ballet flat or a fabric styled loafer, frequently in a brocade or velvet, but always a flat, or a 2" chunky heel at the most.  Try to avoid dour penny loafers and orthopedic looking footwear.  Those may be comfortable, but they look bull-headed.  As a manager, your wardrobe needs to reflect that you understand the balance between utility and packaging.  Your look needs to be functional and fashionable.  The scale too heavily tilted to either side, and it is unbecoming.

Whatever height your heel, your trousers should be hemmed to the top or middle of the heel.  Trousers should not be hemmed above the top of the shoe quarter (rear and sides of the upper shoe that covers the heel and lie behind the vamp), and should not cover the entire foot.  You are neither Buddy Holly, nor a Clydesdale.

The pump is usually a 2" or 3" heel.  I think one of the prettiest versions is the slingback.  For example, I give you the glorious Dixie Carter in a suit and heels that stand the test of time.  Twenty years later, this cream colored ensemble still looks fresh.  Be aware that light colored shoes require vigilance of care.

Another excellent choice is the kitten heel, modeled here by Mad Men's Peggy Olsen (http://prettygirlsays.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/mad-men-1.jpg).  Her frock is definitely after 5, but those shoes would translate well into the office with a black dress or slacks, and turquoise jewelry.  Joan Holloway's pumps would also translate well into the office, and I need that dress.  Betty Draper's more artistic heels are best left to the cocktail party. Remember that you will be walking in these, perhaps walking quickly.  Betty's shoes aren't made for roaming the office.

Let's be very honest about high heels.  Not everyone can wear them.  The first rule of wearing heels is that if you can't walk comfortably in them, you shouldn't.  Here's a test: Can you cook dinner in them? If you can't, don't wear them out of the house. I don't care how pretty the shoe is, if your feet are hurting so much five minutes into standing in them that you are lurching around like Julia Roberts in Ocean's Eleven, no one is going to be paying you any compliments.  Your shoes should fit, and fit comfortably.*  I cannot say enough, do not buy a shoe that is uncomfortable.  If it doesn't feel good at first try, imagine how miserable it is going to make you after standing and walking in it.

High heels for the office need to be functional.  If you do a lot of walking, consider a thicker heel like the one fast talking, always moving Lorelei Gilmore wears. Even the fashion fanatic Amanda of Ugly Betty sports the healthier sized heel.  The wider base on the heel means more support for your feet.  Wedge heels are also a good choice for more support, or if you are uncertain at great heights.

Of course the world's best televised shoe show is Sex and the City, where the footwear is as much a part of the story as Carrie's latest conquest.  That said, if Carrie Bradshaw has worn it, keep it out of the office--shoes, skirts, blouses, accessories, hairstyles, whatever.  Watch Miranda's feet for cues on what is business sexy.  Frankly, I think Miranda's costuming is a fantastic example of professional attire in most cases.

Best Foot Forward for Female Managers:

--  3" heels or lower are just about perfect.
 -- Try to avoid anything higher than a 4" heel.
 -- Covered platforms only.
 -- Must have colors include a flesh tone to wear with neutrals and blues, and black.  A navy shoe is terrific to have, but a good flesh tone will match with more.
 -- Change up plain pumps by adding accessories.  Clip-on earrings can take a shoe from day to night.
 -- No ankle bracelets or visible toe rings.  Ankle bracelets and toe rings look tacky, especially under hose.
-- If you are wearing a peep toe, sling back, or mule, be sure your feet look good.  No beast feet.
-- Keep up with appearances.  Find a cobbler for the big fixes.  If you lose a heel cap, replace it.  If your shoes are scuffed, polish them.  If they are beyond repair, kiss them goodbye.
-- Use odor eaters if you need them.
-- Keep an extra pair of low heeled or flat, neutral colored shoes in your car or at your desk.  You might need them one day.

*If you have a uniquely sized or shaped foot, you may have to finesse your fit.  For example, I have a wide ball and a narrow heel.  This means if I buy a wide shoe to fit the ball, the heel is going to slip.  I am also a little of an in between size.  If the vamp of the shoe is snug (not tight, only snug), you can fill a ziploc baggie with water, place that in the toe of the shoe and freeze overnight.  The baggie will expand as the water turns to ice, and it will stretch out the shoe slightly.  Some department stores will stretch shoes for you--just ask.

I have found that corn pads work well to buffer loose heels.  They are generally sold in flesh tones, so you can find something that matches your skin and either place one at the back center of the shoe, or two at either side of the center line.  This will keep your shoes from slipping and flopping, and causing blisters.

Lane Buckman has been in love with fashion since she realized that her first Easter dress came with matching gloves, shoes, and purse. Growing up in the entertainment industry this former beauty queen, model and actress turned corporate career woman understands that dressing for success is just another form of costuming. And, since she has run the size gamut from 2 to 18, Lane understands dressing a variety of shapes. She has written dress codes and conducted Business Style and How to Dress seminars for Fortune 500 and finance companies, boutique agencies, and an international non-profit organization. She gives her stylish Southern mother credit for teaching her everything she knows.

Project Management

(Fashion Friday, once again, brought to you by style guru Lane.)

Fashion is tricky because it is fleeting.  It is not true that there are some timeless pieces that will never go out of style.  Eventually, everything goes out of style.  Just ask the makers of breeches.  There are wardrobe pieces that will carry you through several seasons of style, but the wonderful thing about fashion is that there is always something new and exciting.  Because it showcases young or at least undiscovered designers, Project Runway is an entertaining peephole into the worlds of the men and women who want to tell you what to wear.  Because it showcases Tim Gunn, it is genius.

What are you doing? This is such wretched excess.

The best rule of thumb for avoiding wretched excess in your dressing is to dress yourself to a point system.  You may have heard the expression dressed to the nines.  While no one has pinpointed the exact origin of the phrase, I use it as a guide to maintaining an appropriate balance in attire.  Completely dressed, your ensemble should be equal to, or less than nine points worth of look.  Every item of clothing and every accessory is worth one point.  The more vibrant, exciting, or ostentatious the item, the higher the point value.  A simple black dress is worth one point.  A backless black dress that is cut to the navel would be worth at least three.  A handsome tie is worth one point.  A hot pink, paisley tie is worth two.

When dressing, add up the points of your outfit.  Working in management, your clothing points should always fall between five and eight, seven being just right.  Nine is for a night out.  A manager's wardrobe needs to speak to confidence, authority, and personal responsibility.  It should not shout, "Look at me!"  It should say, "You can trust me to get the job done."  Your accessories can make the difference between screaming and speaking.

While her private life may be a wretched excess, Barb Henrickson of Big Love makes the art of dressing to manage look easy.  Barb's every day wear is business casual already, so her step up to professional wear as the manager of a casino and state senator's wife wasn't much of a transition.  Still, she made the jump from pretty teacher to serious businesswoman without losing her femininity.

In this photo, Barb is dressed to a 7. Her blouse is worth 2 points.  Her suit is worth 2 points, her nude shoes (not pictured) worth 1 point, her wedding ring 1 point, and her hair 1 point.  Why does her hair get a point?  Because it is big enough to be considered an accessory.  The bigger the hair or more complicated the hairdo, the more points.  (Think of Jennifer Beals on The L Word.  Her pretty curls were an accessory, so her hair was always worth at least a point.)

Now, take a look at Tim Gunn. That, my friends, is the way to wear a suit.  Pay close attention to the length of the sleeve, Gentlemen.  That is how long the sleeve of a suit coat should be.  At rest, your sleeve should not touch your hand.

Nothing, nothing, nothing looks sloppier than a man in a suit coat with over-long sleeves. It is the business world equivalent of having N00B stamped on your forehead.  In this photo, assuming Tim is wearing black socks, he is dressed to a 7.  1 point each for the suit, shoes, socks, shirt, tie, cause-pin, and glasses.

Here is an example of Tim in a shirt worth 2 points:

Accessories for Men in Management

• Monograms count as accessories.  Monograms also convey a "type".  Consider whether or not you wish to be thought of as this "type" before having your initials engraved on your clothing.  My suggestion is that unless you are afraid someone might mistake your shirt for his, you leave your name off of it.  If you are a manager and have to worry about someone snatching your clothes, you have bigger issues than monograms.

• No bling in the boardroom.

• I hope it goes without saying that men in management should not wear earrings or facial jewelry.

• Do let your ties show your personality, just be aware of your points.  A lot of tie plus a lot of suit equals wretched excess.  I give you our own Tim Gunn in such a mess:

Accessories for Women in Management

• Tasteful is the key.  Avoid cheap, plastic jewelry.  If it looks like you might have found it at Claire's, put it back in the jewelry box.

• Your shoes can and should be pretty, but think pretty as in Grace Kelly or Audrey Hepburn.  Also, make sure they fit, and make sure you can walk in them.

• Really think about what your jewelry and handbags say to the people who work for you.  If you can afford to drip with diamonds and carry that Birkin, chances are people will think you don't need the job.  People will not take you seriously as someone who has a career and will look at you as someone who is working for a hobby.  They will not trust you, and when the revolution comes, you will be the first one up against the wall.

"A couture post-office uniform is not going to work."

Be sure you are job or event appropriate.  Don't dress in evening wear for a day job.  Twenty years later, my high school classmates and I are still laughing about the vice principal who wore cocktail dresses and stiletto heels to work.  She always looked fantastic while trying to break up fights in the cafeteria.  Ineffective as all get out, but looked good enough for dinner at the Mansion.  Likewise, even if it is casual Friday, a manager needs to be dressed in the nicest casual possible.  That means crisp and tidy.  Starch is actually your friend.

Your clothes have to be functional.  I do a lot of typing, so suit coats aren't going to work well for me.  This means attractive, professional looking blouses, or jackets with 3/4 length sleeves.  I love a 3/4 sleeve on a lady.  Consider what you do with your body all day long when choosing your wardrobe.  Do you bend over a lot?  How's that neckline?  Do you sit down all day?  How's that hemline?  Is it cold?  Do you have a nice looking jacket for cover?

Do you know who dresses inappropriately for work?  Dr. Lisa Cuddy, that's who.

From the top of her very visible cleavage, to the pointed toes of her ridiculous for hospital wear high heels, Cuddy is a head to foot professional fashion don't. 

Ladies, if the tops of your breasts are visible, that alone is worth 3 points. Cuddy is a beautiful woman and I covet many of her outfits, but for dinner wear.  Those beautiful, low cut blouses are not ideal for bending over patients, and those shoes certainly aren't made for walking the miles of hospital hallways.

"I hate hot pants, but they're very now."

Absolutely do not ever wear hot pants to work.  That out of the way, it is important to recognize what is now and adjust your wardrobe accordingly.  Once upon a time, this was very now:

Mmmm, polyester!  Today?  Not so much.  You can either date yourself by getting married to a trend, or you can stay forever fashionable by simply dating the latest thing.  Fashion isn't about commitment.  Fashion is about playing the field and keeping your pimp hand strong to slap away outdated looks when necessary.

How should you keep up with now?  Television of course!  Look at the legal dramas.  Legal dramas will always have the latest trends in professional wear.  I am sad to have seen Boston Legal go because James Spader and Candice Bergen were amazingly costumed. 

That was one well dressed cast. 

Another of Bergen's hit TV shows is an example of how trends can date you.  Check out the Reagan era blazer and hair on Murphy Brown:

That hair, by the way, is worth at least 3 points.  It is big, it is long, and it is distracting.  (I am not a fan of long, loose hair on management.  It looks too casual and is easily unkempt.  If your hair looks high maintenance or like it requires several touch-ups per day, people will wonder if you spend more time brushing it than working.  Updos or sophisticated ponytails, please.)

Avoid like the plague anything catering to a teen audience, or reality television.  Neither Gossip Girl nor The Hills are good places for managers to get fashion tips.

In another post, I will talk about how to dress like Happening Hollywood when all you can afford is Goodwill.  In the meantime, take what you have, add up the points and as Tim Gunn would say, "Make it work."

The Dress of Thoughts

Ed. Note: Part of good management is being able to recognize your weaknesses and knowing when to delegate. My friend Lane probably spends more time analyzing eyeliner than I spend on my entire face, so she was the perfect go-to candidate for Fashion Fridays.  Office fashion for me is a bit like pornography for Potter Stewart: I know it when I see it. Lane can actually break it down and explain it, and so I hand this space over to her.

"You want to be taken seriously?  Stop dressing like a little girl."

Everyone's favorite office manager has plenty to say about grooming and presentation.  Joan Holloway on Mad Men may not be a paragon of virtue, but she is an all-out icon when it comes to dressing for success.  "Stop dressing like a little girl" covers a number of bases.

In context, Joan is telling Peggy Olsen, erstwhile member of the secretarial pool, that when people see her sweet frocks and bouncing pigtail, they are seeing a child.  As much as you might like a child, you aren't going to offer her the big project.  Just as sure as an Ed Hardy shirt reads, "Douche," to the world at large, a party dress at work reads, "Flibbertygibbet."  You aren't going to trust Jon Gosselin to collate papers, much less work a major account. And even though you adore her, you don't want to risk Cindy Brady throwing the meeting.

Similarly, Joan's advice could be given to any number of women who are hanging on to their youth by the tips of their overly manicured talons (big, square, French manicures=outre.  Stop.)  Mutton dressed as lamb? One need only look as far as Bravo.  If you are over 30 and resemble a Real Housewife, sit yourself down and pay attention to advertising's flame-haired sage.

Fair or not, what you wear telegraphs who you are. Clark Kent's glasses, Superman's cape. Dress in a manner appropriate to your position and to make a positive impression on the people with whom you interact. When attending meetings, dress in a manner that represents success in your position as owner or manager. Note: This applies to dressing down as well as dressing up. If your job involves touring construction sites, don't show up in a tight skirt and low-cut blouse. And for heaven's sake, wear shoes up to the task you're setting before them.

“Go home, take a paper bag, cut some eyeholes out of it. Put it over your head, get undressed and look at yourself in the mirror. Really evaluate where your strengths and weaknesses are. And be honest.”

This is Joan's best advice to date.  Dressing well, dressing sharply, and dressing professionally all amount to one thing, and that is being honest with yourself about what looks good, what looks appropriate, and what looks like you just dug it out of the laundry pile.  Good and appropriate can be mutually exclusive.  That shiny suit might look fantastic on a member of Duran Duran, but the boardroom isn't the place for your personality.  Save it for happy hour.  Likewise, you might have legs to rival Marissa Miller, but unless your office is the set of a Victoria's Secret catalog, you need to lower your hemline to the knee. Also, excessive jewelry, such as dangling bracelets, is not recommended for offices in which computer equipment and typewriters are used. Not only is the jewelry distracting and noisy, it also poses a real danger in the event it becomes entangled in the equipment.

On the flip side, nothing looks worse than an ill-fitting anything. Recently, I was tormented by four days of a woman in awful suits. Rather, the suits were very nice, but they did not fit her. Comfort issues aside, erring on the side of too big is just as bad as something that is too small.  Both look horrible.  Find what fits.  Do not buy it unless it fits.  Ignore the sizing if the digits depress you, but for the love of all things hot and red-headed, make sure you are wearing the proper size. You should look classy, not like Dopey the seventh dwarf nor like you accidentally put your things in the dryer too long.

Look in the mirror and avoid:  Muffin top, obvious back fat, visible midriff, plumbers crack, camel toe/moose knuckles, straining buttons, panty lines, visible underwear of any kind. 

On this note -- cull your closet on a regular basis.  Be honest. If you've put on some weight, that trusty skirt you've had for ages is going to ride higher than it used to and you might need to set it aside. If you have been wearing a favorite sweater coat for years and it has completely lost its shape, it might be time to relegate it to bathrobe status. (Assuming you can get away with a sweater coat. This is a dicey management proposition, in my opinion.)

You might think all this would be obvious. Up until recently, I would have agreed. Having conducted interviews and worked with a wide range of people, however, I have found myself aghast on more than one occasion when Mr. Fundude bent over and displayed half of his full moon.

It is never a bad idea to keep a change of clothes on hand, if you have the space to do so. All it takes is one jostle of a coffee cup near a white blouse to throw you off your game before a big meeting. Also, keep some jewelry on hand to dress up an outfit in case you get invited for drinks with the boss at the last minute. If you really want to be on your game, keep some Shout wipes and a small bottle of wrinkle releaser on hand as well.

“Your décolletage is distracting. This is an office that hinges on professional decorum.”

Management should dress in a manner that alerts visitors to their position. Wear a suit. Or A-line or pencil skirts. Remember, appearance is the first thing noticed by customers or visitors to your office, and what you wear as a manager is doubly important because it also sends a message to your staff,consciously or subconsciously, regarding your expectations. Dressing neatly and appropriately conveys an attitude of efficiency and excellence.

Some may consider an office dress code to be a bit prudish, such as the requirement of many U.S. presidents that no one enter the oval office without a coat and tie on. Respect is earned in many ways - one step at a time.

"But Joan is sexy," you say.

"Yes," I agree, "but it has nothing to do with her decolletage, and everything to do with her attitude."  I am telling you to keep an eye on her prized wardrobe of professional wear that is flattering  and appropriate, and held up by well constructed undergarments (I mean really, imagine Britney Spears and her flopsy boobs of doom in one of those dresses!) and try to mirror her visual image. 

I'm not telling you to flirt with the boss.  In fact, I strongly suggest you avoid flirting in the workplace at all.

[To Peggy:] “Hopefully if you follow my lead, you can avoid some of the mistakes I’ve made here.” [Paul walks by and Joan eyes him.] “Like that one.”