Most men and many women I know love t-shirts. And no-wonder, a t-shirt is a short sleeved, knit top without a collar. They come in a variety of silhouettes and necklines.  They are comfortable, easy to wear and appear casual, laid back and easy going. However, all of these great reasons for loving them are also great reason’s for not wearing them to work. When you are trying to impress your boss, a client or show that you are focused, on the job and effective in your work, why would you want your clothing to contradict that message and effort?

One of the most noticed image faux pas is dirty, scuffed shoes or those that are in poor condition. It is also one of those things that people forget about most before leaving the house. The condition of your shoes, are an indicator of your personality and how well you take care of things, no matter what they cost.

Many of my clients ask me how to choose socks and stockings and the answer is that as the trends change the answer may be different. However, if your goal is for a coordinated look, a classic look or you want your legs to look longer there are some rules:

For a classic men’s wear look socks should be toned to the hemline of the pants. For an even more coordinated look ideally the socks will have a subtle pattern that will coordinate the pant colour and the shoe colour.

To make your legs look longer, tone socks or stockings to the colour of your pant or skirt hemline. This will make the legs look like a column of colour and elongate them.

Stockings can also be toned to the colour of your shoes. This will coordinate the stockings with the shoes. This works best when you are wearing an accessory such as a scarf or another garment in your stocking colour to draw attention towards your face and create more harmony.

Our lifestyle represents the way we live and because of this we need to make sure our clothing helps us to function well in our living environments. It also needs to function well in the lifestyle environments that represent our goals. As our lifestyle changes so will our clothing needs. The key is to constantly evaluate our clothing needs and don’t get stuck in a clothing rut that may be holding you back.

Great posture can work wonders. It will make you appear more confident and poised; your clothing will fit better and look more expensive; and it will improve your health and your personal image. 

Good posture takes practice and discipline. But, when you walk into a room with your shoulders back, standing up straight, movements smooth, you will look more poised.