The Ruly Blog

It’s the start of a new month and that means a new theme here at Ruly. In September, we are going to be discussing one of the most vital components of success in your personal and business life . . . communication.

"Classic Red London Telephone Boxes," Photo by niai. From the Flickr Creative Commons.	"Let the Wild Rumpas Begin!" Photo by Kate Ter Haar. From the Flickr Creative Commons.
"I don't dig texting." Photo by Zawezome. From the Flickr Creative Commons.	"Lykketoft viser Facebook" Photo by Jacob Bøtter. From the Flickr Creative Commons.
"LinkedIn Centipede Participants in the 2010 ING Bay to Breakers." Photo by smi23le. From the Flickr Creative Commons.	"Fun Twitter shirt seen at LIFT." Photo by Robert Scoble. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

In 2010, there are so many ways to communicate with people: in-person contact, telephone, snail mail, email, fax, texting, videochat, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc. etc. With all of the ways to communicate, how do you stay on top of all that information? How do you know which is the best way to reach someone? Are new social etiquette rules being formed?

The world of digital communication is evolving so quickly that I don’t think there is one “right” way to communicate. There are a variety of communication strategies and I invite you to share yours! If you are interested in writing a guest blog this month about your personal and/or business communications strategy or even an anonymous rant sharing your frustrations with communicating in the 21st century, please contact me at info@beruly.com. In exchange for your well-crafted words, I would be happy to include in the post a short blurb about your product or service (if applicable) or guest blog on your site in return.

To start, I will share with you my own communications strategy, which I consider a work in progress.

From a business perspective, it has been my philosophy that I want to make it as easy as possible for readers and prospective clients to stay up to date on what I am doing and to contact me. I try to speak their “language” and have this blog, a private email list as well as accounts on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. I generally have the same information updated in all these places continually. I try not to put information in one place that is not reflected in the others since I think it is unrealistic to expect that people will want to take the time to stay up to date on every communication I write in every medium. I also don’t want people to feel alienated if they miss out on something on a network they don’t use.

In other projects I am working on currently, I have the challenge of communicating with a mixed group of people, some of whom use the Internet and some who don’t. It becomes even more difficult to print and mail paper documents reflecting the substance of what occurs in Internet discussions. There is a definite generation gap at work where the majority of the people not using the Internet are older people. Bridging the gap between the digital and paper worlds is tough and time consuming and, despite best efforts, there is always at least some information that never makes it to the paper world.

From a personal perspective, my contacts are all over the place. Some I only ever see in person.  There are some that require paper/snail mail communications (including hard copy photos). Some want the telephone. Most use email. Some text by cell phone. A few are on Facebook and almost none are on Twitter.

Among many people I know, social networking is a hard sell for a variety of reasons. The most common objections I hear are:

1. Fear of humiliation/embarrassment. If you have worked hard to build a reputation in your business life and maintaining that reputation is essential to your job, Facebook can fairly be perceived as having more negatives than positives. The big challenge of Facebook is that you are connecting people from various parts of your personal and professional life into one big group of “friends.” While in the real world, you might selectively share different kinds of information with each group, on Facebook, it is all one big pool. If just one friend posts something inappropriate, whether about you or about them, you could alienate contacts instantly that may have taken years to build. Many people view this downside as outweighing any benefit to Facebook and simply opt out of the process.

2. Intimidation by the online popularity contest. Popularity contests are only fun for popular people. Facebook and Twitter give you the “benefit” of numerically calculating exactly how many friends and followers you have. Who wants to go on the record publicly saying, “Hello, World! I have exactly 2 friends.” I have learned not to assign any value, however to the number of online friends a person has. When I did a quick inventory of my own Facebook friends, I was surprised to find that the people I know who are incredibly popular in real life didn’t have the most online friends while some of my less popular friends had enormous numbers of online friends.

3. It’s uncool. There seems to be a bit of a generation gap (or maybe a personality gap) between my generation and the younger generations that built Facebook and Twitter into the powerhouses they are today. Many of my peers think it is tremendously uncool to join a big group for any reason. They want to be individuals. Fanning a business or joining a cause is something they only do because they have to for some other reason (a relative owns it or they are raising money for a cause). They also think it is geeky to spend so much time on the Internet. The whole concept of social networking is unpleasing to them. Take for example the quotes below:

“So it came to pass that I started logging on to Facebook. And, like seemingly everyone else I’d ever met, eventually S “friended” me. My policy has been always to accept whoever asks, no question, and never to friend anyone myself. (In this way I maintain the fiction that I’m not an active user.)”

–Kate Bolick, “A Death on Facebook,” The Atlantic, September 2010

“I am still trying to keep my daily screen-time to the absolute minimum. Those of you who are trying to find me on Facebook, please be warned that I will probably never find the time to become your friend. But I do love you.”

–Artist Alex Martin of The Little Brown Dress Project fame.

I seem to meet a lot of these individualistic friends. Even when I have tried to friend them on Facebook, I run into that awkward privacy screen where Facebook basically says, “Yes, this person is a user but no you cannot contact them even to ask whether they will be your friend. They are in the Facebook void.”

Even if you do manage to friend someone, there is always the chance they are “ignoring” you electronically without your knowledge. The Washington Post recently wrote about new technologies to block Twitter communications from unwanted users:

“The problem with one big water cooler is that you don’t always want to be at the water cooler with everyone all the time,” said Bretton MacLean, a Toronto developer of a popular iPhone app called TweetAgora, which lets users block unwanted tweets without the tweeter ever knowing. As the company puts it, “Some people are great in real life but just plain suck at Twitter.”

–Michael S. Rosenwald, “Too much Tweeting from Twitter friends? There’s an iPhone app for that — and some other ways to get anti-social on networks.” The Washington Post, August 29, 2010.

And yet even if these three objections speak loudly and clearly to you and Facebook and Twitter seem like too much drama, I don’t think any of us, particularly those in business, can ignore social networking entirely. Just like those who don’t want to learn the Internet and want everything mailed or telephoned, you can’t expect that everyone else is going to cater your needs.

It seems that social networking is here to stay although I am sure it will probably continue to evolve and improve over time. The number of people we can connect with is truly incredible. I do sense a little social fatigue setting in, though. Sometimes we don’t want key life events shared in one mass mailing. We miss the intimacy of the slow-moving social grapevine–being the first to know rather than just “one of the friends.”  This may be something we see addressed in future versions of social networks.

How do you communicate with your friends, family and business associates? Do you have a suggestion for me to improve Ruly’s communication strategy? Please share in the comments. And if you want to guest blog this month, please contact me at info@beruly.com.

This month at Ruly we have been discussing clothing and closets, prepping for the change of seasons. Below is a quick summary of this month’s posts highlighting some of my favorite comments and recent news articles.

We started off the month discussing what to wear to a job interview and issued a Ruly Challenge to review your closet for interview-appropriate attire.

Lou commented:

During my ‘peak’ interview years, I had one designated ‘interview suit,’ that I used only for that purpose for almost 15 years! It always looked great since I hardly ever wore it. For follow-up interviews with the same people, it made it easy to choose a second outfit, because I always knew what I wore to the first one! Having ‘the suit’ ready reduced stress so I could focus on the interview.

Keeping your interview attire separate from your regular wardrobe so that it is always crisp, fresh and ready to go is a great suggestion.

We discussed strategies to maintain a minimalist closet and issued a second Ruly Challenge to adopt some form of clothing minimalism this month, whether a shopping diet, limiting your choice of clothing or finding new ways to wear your existing clothes. I shared with you the results of my own experiment wearing the same little black dress 7 days in a row.

We then dug in to closet organizing basics and gave a list of sorting categories for mens and womens clothes and some ideas about what clothes to get rid of. I also provided a list of closet organizing products.

I took my own medicine and sorted my own closet this weekend. Although my closet is already on the leaner side, I was amazed to discover numerous outfits I had “forgotten” about, including a wonderful jumpsuit that would have been great for my recent road trip vacation, and some great washable dress pants. I shifted the clothes to put my fall/cool season outfits in the easiest areas of the closet to access and retired a few outfits as well.

We did a week on real Washington style, looking at fashion trends in the Democratic party, the Republican party and in the military.

This month, President Obama took a vacation with his family. I was curious to see whether we would actually see the president in casual wear. He maintained his collared shirt but did relax into running shoes during this mini-golf expedition. (Note the grace under pressure of first daughter Sasha who makes a hole-in-one while an enormous number of journalists film the entire event.)

When Senator John McCain recently won a difficult challenge in the Arizona Republican Primary election, note that he was wearing his signature blue collared shirt.

Robin Givhan, fashion columnist for The Washington Post, recently wrote two articles giving some additional insight into the strange world that is Washington fashion. First, she wrote a surprising article about a new fashion styling referral service “Style for Hire” founded by Stacy London of TLC’s What Not to Wear and fashion executive Cindy McLaughlin to be headquartered here in Washington!

Why launch Style for Hire in the nation’s capital, a place not known for indulging in fashion fantasies? The decision was based on convenience as well as a recognition of this town’s complicated relationship with style. . . [T]he area is chockablock with people who have more money than time. It’s populated by sophisticates who have limited local access to such services. And while the area has a reputation for being unconcerned with fashion, its political swells are also known for being obsessed with appearances.

–Robin Givhan, “Web site’s founders offer style mavens to the masses“, The Washington Post, August 27, 2010

The article also has an interesting comment about how sensitive a stylist needs to be to his or her client’s vanity:

Stylists, one should know, are not always particularly well-attired. . . . [T]he red carpet doyenne Jessica Paster was sometimes so publicly disheveled she could have been mistaken for a bag lady — and not a Comme des Garcons, artfully ravaged one. And many of today’s top experts are more likely to wear practical jeans rather than Balmain or Pucci. The point is never to compete with the client.

–Robin Givhan, “Web site’s founders offer style mavens to the masses,” The Washington Post, August 27, 2010

It makes you wonder about how this rule applies in other businesses as well. We generally think that you want to “dress for the role you want” but if you look too good, could you end up threatening your boss and limiting your advancement? If you look too polished in your own business presentation, can you intimidate a client from hiring you? Maybe the fashion equation is a little more complex than we imagine.

Ms. Givhan also enlightens us about how Secretary of State Hilary Clinton is a fashion radical with her choice of hairstyle:

Conventional wisdom advises that after a certain age — 50ish — women should cut their hair. It’s impossible to trace this bit of advice to the first tyrant who uttered it. But over generations, it has become ingrained in beauty lore. Some women might continue to wear flowing hair deep into their AARP years, but they do so knowing they’re flouting accepted practice. . . . Clinton’s hair, now creeping toward below-the-shoulders territory, is practically radical for Washington’s seasoned female power elite. Good for her.

–Robin Givhan, “In her latest act of defiance, Hillary Rodham Clinton gets a new, longer hairdo,” The Washington Post, August 29, 2010.

I was unaware of the “short hair after 50” rule but would not be surprised if there are a million more unwritten rules like this governing Washington fashion. Perhaps Washington politicians need a uniform guide like the U.S. military!

We discussed the state of fashion design protection laws and the possible impact of the Innovative Design Protection and Piracy Prevention Act pending before Congress.

We reviewed fall 2010 women’s fashion trends with Ruly Ruth and I showed the results of my experiment investigating how slim you can look in the latest shapewear products. We also looked as recession-friendly refashioning/clothing recycling ideas, including the blanket outfit I sent my daughter to preschool in.

Sheffield of back-in-style.com commented:

You mentioned that fashion was pulling from the past. I totally agree. There is something from every decade on this list. 90s- minimal clean lines, (think calvin klein, jil sander), 80s over the top bold animal prints, 70s- chunky interesting knit sweaters and long skirts, 60s- capes and duster coats, 50s- full skirts, and shirt dresses. This makes it easy to shop at vintage stores, where you might be able to purchase a better quality piece that is still in your price range, like a cashmere cape for under $200, or a cocktail dress for under $100!

When I reflect on Fall 2010 women’s fashion trends, I have to admit it seems like a potpourri of various designs from the past. There is so much variety it is almost hard to say whether any of it is a recognizable “trend.” But, if you are wondering which looks from each decade are “timeless” it is a good education.

Other comments:

There were two great comments this month on older blog posts I wanted to share with you as well.

On my post about comeback tips from Donald Trump,

Seff commented:

Having gone through considerable up’s and down’s in life (the 2008 till now recession being arguably the most severe) I have to say I enjoyed the Trump saga read and feel the juices rushing back to their proper place. Life is tough. I had taken from me my first $4m in a fashion I’d care to simply learn from. How much you want out of it depends on how much you are willing to put in to it. Personally I applaud the guy. He has the nose’ the flamboyance and the focus to make it succeed. I’m hot on your heels Mr. Trump!

Recently, the new season of The Apprentice was announced and the trailer is great. This season the apprentices will all be laid off workers trying to get back on their feet after the recession. It looks very inspirational and I look forward to watching! Yet another winner idea for Donald Trump!

Reflecting the challenging economy, Harmony commented honestly on my post about Working for the Perfectionist Boss and Managing the Perfectionist Employee:

“I’m a perfectionist employee. Most of the above-mentioned characteristics describe me. However, I don’t see how my boss will be able to tone down his disagreement with some of my “imperfect work.” I feel as though he is the reason why I’m stressed and constantly striving to be perfect. . . .”

My heart certainly goes out to Harmony in this situation. Sometimes when you feel you have tried everything and you don’t see a situation changing, it is time to polish your resume, scan the job listings and find another employer. Even the best advice in the world can’t fix every situation. Sometimes we just have to chalk things up to a “bad fit” and move on. Don’t be afraid to make a change!

Link Love:

Many thanks to the sites below who linked to my posts this month:

• USS Ashland.org who linked to my post on current military uniform guidelines.
• eHow referenced my article on Contemporary Style in their article on Contemporary Living Room and Den Styles.

Thanks for exploring the interesting world of fashion, clothing and closet organization with me this month! If you can believe it, another month is done and we start a new month and a new theme on Wednesday. Type to you then!

When money is tight for a fashionable woman, she just has to find new ways to be resourceful. The movie classic example is Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind, making a dress out of curtains to feign wealth and attempt to impress Rhett Butler to loan her money to save her home. You can watch the clip here.

Most of us when we think about making a wearable clothing item out of something else, picture a result similar to Carol Burnett’s parody, Went with the Wind.

Recently I did my own clothing recycling experiment. I just cleaned out our linen closet and discarded numerous blankets. There is a limit to how many blankets a person needs and we were way over. So, when my daughter received a “Knot-A-Quilt” craft kit as a gift, I thought it was a darling idea but I just didn’t want or need another blanket. Could I repurpose it for something we did need . . . fall wardrobe items?

The Knot-A-Quilt kit requires no sewing. You just tie the fringed edges of adjacent squares together in knots. I liked the bright colors and fringed ends and thought it would make some adorable dresses for my little girls.

The first item I made from the quilt squares was completely no sew. I made a jumper with criss-cross straps. I used 8 squares for the main body of the dress, tying them into a tube, then I used 16 squares for a ruffled edge along the bottom, tying two of the ruffle fringes to every one of the dress fringes. For each strap, I then used two squares tied along one side and then connected each end of the strap to the dress by tying 3 fringes of the strap to every 1 of the dress.

My daughter wore the dress to preschool this morning. It really turned heads!

“Did you make that?”

was the first question everyone asked. My daughter’s teacher then added:

“You know, not everyone can get away with that look.”

which I am not sure if I should interpret as “Good for you, it worked!” or “She really shouldn’t be wearing that.”

The preschool teachers, who are all a very creative and crafty bunch, were really fascinated by the concept of this outfit.

For my littlest one, I made a “tutu” version with four squares connected into a tube for the main skirt and 8 squares for the ruffle. Again for the ruffle, I tied two of the ruffle fringes to each one of the main skirt. The final product did require a little sewing. I folded the top fringe of the skirt down ½ inch. (I folded so that the fringe was showing on the front but you could also fold it to the inside.) I ran a line of stitching, excluding the knotted junctions between squares and threaded 1/2 inch elastic through the casing, sewing the elastic together to finish it off.

I still have a few squares left over and might experiment with either a scarf or hats. This could be a really fun no-sew clothing project for children. Boys could make shorts or funky pajama pants. The knotting was a bit too much for my 4-year old and a child would probably need to be able to tie shoes to do this project on their own, so maybe for age 7 and up.

Despite the fashion risk I think we will wear the blanket outfits again. These pieces will add a much needed punch of color and fun to the drab winter months and the fleece material will keep them warm to boot.

One of the most incredible clothing recyclers I have seen, however, is the Internet phenomenon, Giannina Lezcano, otherwise known as Giannyl. Giannyl resides in Paraguay and speaks both English and Spanish. She makes these wonderful videos, however, where, with no words and just some positive music and a few pantomimed gestures, she shows you how she transforms her clothes or makes wonderful but simple garments from fabric. Her tagline is “Do it yourself has never been so sexy.” And she’s right!

Here she is transforming a pair of old jeans into a miniskirt.

And here she is transforming a winter staple, the turtleneck, into a summer tube top.

And not all of the projects are sexy-oriented. Here is a cute dress for little girls made out of a pillowcase.

I love Giannyl! I get so much inspiration from her projects. Any creative sewer would do well to subscribe to her blog feed or fan her on Facebook.

Have you ever recycled a garment? What were the results? Please share in the comments.

I have trouble keeping up with the latest fashion trends, perhaps because I live in Washington where the trend is not to follow any trends. In the last few years, trends have been harder for me to spot and any trends seem especially short-lived. Remember last fall when the 80’s came back for about a month? Leggings and big shoulder pads never really caught on here in Washington.

What is in style this fall? I turn to the fashion Bible, Vogue, for advice. Their fall issue just arrived boasting “726 pages of sumptuous fall fashion.” Fortunately, Vogue has created abbreviated style guides on its website for Fall 2010 ready-to-wear, accessories, and beauty, identifying major trends of the designer fall collections.

Wearing a trend can be difficult to carry off. You want to look sophisticated and current but still authentic to your own style. If you wear a trend in the wrong way you come across as silly, immature and uncool.

Based on the Vogue guidelines (and with apologies to Vogue), I selected the following items from Amazon representing the fall 2010 trends and asked our social adviser, Ruly Ruth, to give her opinion.

The 50’s

Bettie Page Clothing ACCOUNTANT Dress with Circle Skirt. At amazon.com.

Vogue says that the polished style of the 1950’s is a trend for fall with formal dresses and hair. Ruly Ruth says: Ooohhhh—love the 50’s throw-back; very tres chic with stars such as Gwen Stefani and Christina Aguilera who pull this type of look to modern times. Love the crazy pattern! The heels are to die for!

Clean and simple

Mango Women's Fitted Long-sleeve Dress. At amazon.com.

Vogue says another fall trend is very simple, clean lines with almost no adornment. Ruly Ruth says: All fashion right now seems to really be pulling from the past with a modern twist. This reminds me of the ’60s–clean lines, beautiful shape. Simple, elegant color. Need a great body or see Anne’s post on Spanx for this look!

Feathers

Jessica Simpson Women's Feather Dress. At amazon.com.

Vogue says feathers are a trend, as both an embellishment and as the major component of the piece, such as feather skirts and feather vests. Ruly Ruth says: This might be my Marine Corps Ball gown this year—seriously! Love the fun detailing–the price is totally right, btw! And with the waist it has a lot of give for those of us that are more curvalicious and not on the 12-week Ball diet!

Velvet

Spiegel Velvet Duster. At amazon.com

Vogue says velvet is a key material for fall, from velvet evening gowns to jackets and suits. Ruly Ruth says: I just picked up the fall Vogue fashion magazine in print–and it’s full of dusters and coats. This particular version is not my fave–but the length and the fit is good. Would love more of the brocaded muted tones I saw in the magazine rather than this particular one.

Capes

Alpaca Hooded Wool Cloak Cape. At amazon.com.

Vogue says long-drapey capes were common in the fall collections for both outerwear and as trendy jackets. Ruly Ruth says: Again–the magazine is filled with capes! LOVE capes! Love it even more fitted than this particular item.

Boot-cut Pants

Style&co. Pants, Tummy Control Stretch Twill Boot Cut. At amazon.com

Vogue says boot-cut pants are back in style. I love this look and remember it from the late 90’s. Ruly Ruth says: I think that it’s an extremely flattering look, and with the new materials it’s looking even better. Check out the latest in the jeans in this cut–and the new materials are light-weight and stretchy and beautiful–on any figure! LOVE THAT!

Long Skirts

Ladies Long Black Jersey Skirt. At amazon.com.

Vogue says very long, ankle-length skirts are another trend for fall. Ruly Ruth says: I already own this type of skirt. Love it! At almost 5′10″, it’s hard to find ankle-length skirts. But I love love love them!! And this one is so timeless! I’ve had mine for 9 years!

Funky Sweaters

MAXSTUDIO Cabled Knitted Tank Sweater. At amazon.com.

Vogue says interesting knitted fabrics were frequent in the fall collections from exotic  sweaters to ornate bobbled leg warmers/shoe booties. Ruly Ruth says: I have a gorgeous Irish knitted mid-thigh sweater my grandmother made over 12 years ago. I love love love it!! And I had mine the length to wear over leggings–so I’m thrilled that look is back!! I like mine better than this tank, though. The full sweater look.

Schoolgirl style outfits

Xhilaration® Juniors Pleated Skirt - Black/Grey Plaid. At amazon.com.

Vogue says the schoolgirl look is also back for fall.  Ever since I started reading fashion magazines as a teenager I don’t recall a single fall when this hasn’t been a trend. Ruly Ruth says: Juniors is right! And I remember this being in in junior high–my sis nailed it–always a hot school girl look–but only for a school girl! I think this is voided for moms. Seriously! But all of the cute jr. and sr. high girls–go for it! Love it! ROCK IT!

Orange makeup

L.A. Minerals Bright Shimmer Mineral Eye Shadow - Orange Shock. At amazon.com.

Vogue says accents of bright orange were a trend in fall makeup, such as streaks of bright orange eye shadow below the browline and orange lipstick. Ruly Ruth says: SO HOT! But truthfully better on the teens and 20’s set. High fashion—love it!

Gothic red-black lipstick

Urban Decay Lipstick, Apocalypse .13 oz (3.7 g). At amazon.com.

Vogue says black, blood-stained lips are a trend for fall 2010. Ruly Ruth says: LOVE these bold colors! I’d argue it’s been a trend for a couple of years–I have about 4 tubes of an extremely similar color esp. the Victoria’s Secret version–but with more purple in it.

Leopard prints

Rock & Republic Women's Angie Ankle Boot. At amazon.com.

Vogue says leopard prints are a trend for fall.  One particularly notable look is the short leopard print bootie that makes the wearer look like she has paws. Ruly Ruth says: SO HOT!  If I were in an office or more urban setting I would so buy these–but in the desert with a 1 year old not going to be using them. Love them!!

What do you think of the above fashion trends?  What trends are you seeing for fall 2010?  Please share in the comments.

I have yet to meet the person who thinks they have sufficient closet space. Most people lament how small their closets are—no matter whether the closets are large walk-ins or small coat closets. No matter what size space we have to work with, we can learn to make the most of it with organizing tools.

1. Purge First

Before you head out to buy various closet organizing tools, do your purging first based on the Closet Organization 101 tips and worksheet shared earlier this month. Once you are down to only the best items in your closet, then check out these options.

2. Hang or Fold

Clothes organization at the macro level is relatively easy. You either hang clothes on a hanger or fold them and store them on a drawer or shelf. I don’t get a good visual picture of how something will look on me if it is folded in a pile. I also find it hard to keep track of my clothes when they are folded and piled. My husband prefers more piling than I do but most of the clothes he folds and piles are things that have almost the exact same cut and style but are in different colors, like T-shirts or jeans. Women’s clothing generally has more variety and doesn’t lend itself to piling in the same way.

Decide what items you want to hang and fold and determine how much space you need for each. After a lot of trial and error over the years, I have learned that I prefer hangers for everything except sweaters. (As a knitter, it is painful to see a beautiful sweater get stretched out of shape on a hanger.)

3. Hanging Options

There are many different types of closet organization systems out there that combine drawers and hanging rods. They look lovely in the pictures but before you invest in a closet system, think about how it will function for you. If you have “long” clothes like dresses, long skirts, one-piece uniforms or jumpsuits, you will need at least one full-length closet road to hang them neatly. For shorter items like shirts, pants folded in half on a hanger, shorts, and swimwear you can increase your hanging space by adding a second closet rod between the upper rod and the floor.

Tip: The next time you are evaluating a closet system, look for whether the closet accommodates both long and short clothes. Often the closet designer has picked only one or the other.

Neu Home Closet Doubler. At amazon.com

If you don’t know how to install a closet rod, there are quick slip-on double-closet rods you can use. I am not sure how durable these would be in the long run and they do have the disadvantage of breaking up the hanger flow space on your upper rod. But if you are in a hurry or have no access to power tools, this might be for you.

4. Shelving Options

Winsome Wood Step Stool, Antique Walnut. At amazon.com.

The easiest shelf to use is the one usually found right above the tallest closet rod. If you have a hard time seeing objects up this high, you could add a stepstool to your closet. You can maximize this space by adding shelf dividers or shelf cubes.

Chrome Closet Shelf Divider. At amazon.com.

Way Basics Eco Modern Storage Double Cube Plus. At amazon.com.

If this still isn’t enough space, then you will need to add more shelving.

6 Shelf Over the Rod Closet Organizer. At amazon.com.	One of the latest trends in closet organizer design is to create fabric pocket shelves that slip onto the rod and serve as “shelves.” I have one of these in my children’s closet and it has never functioned well for me. The fabric is not strong enough to hold the clothes straight and sometimes it tilts forward spilling out little items (like baby socks) onto the floor.
John Louis Home Standard Closet Shelving System, Red Mahogany. At amazon.com.	If you really need more shelving, I would install solid shelving or a beautiful closet organizer system like this one.

5. Shoe Options

One other preference I have adopted in my closet organizing approach is to keep all shoes off of the floor on a rack or shelf. It makes it easier to vacuum the closet and also easier to review your shoes at a quick glance rather than pushing aside clothes to find them. The easiest spot to store shoes is hanging over the closet door.

My shoes are currently on an over the door metal shoe rack with boots and other shoes that don’t fit on the rack on a wooden organizer on the floor. In my own closet organizing process, I hope to get all the shoes off the floor. Whatever doesn’t fit on the door rack, I will put on the upper closet shelf.
There are a variety of over-the-door shoe organizers, including fabric shoe pockets and clear plastic shoe pockets. I prefer the greatest visibility and would tend toward the clear pockets or wire shoe racks.

Whitmor Over The Door Shoe Rack. At amazon.com.

Honey-Can-Do Over The Door Clear Shoe Organizer. At amazon.com.

If over-the-door does not appeal to you, you might consider a hanging fabric shoe shelf suspended from the closet rod (with the caveats about sturdiness raised above) or closet systems with shoe shelves mounted a few feet off the ground.

Kennedy Home Collection 5168 16-Pocket Hanging Shoe/Purse Organizer. At amazon.com.	Rubbermaid Closet 3H94-03-White Shoe Shelves 26". At amazon.com.
Women's Clear Shoe Boxes - Set of 10 (Clear) (3.75"H x 7"W x 11.5"D). At amazon.com.	You could also go the classic shoebox route, stacking a pile on top of your closet shelf. Clear shoeboxes are easiest so that you can quickly see your collection.

One note on shoe storage learned the hard way. If you are buying a men’s shoe organizer make sure the organizer you purchase specifically says it is for men’s shoes. Men’s shoes are too wide to fit on most women’s shoe organizers and shelves.

6. Valet Options

Valet Bar - Aluminum by RDM, Inc. At amazon.com.

If you have limited time in the mornings (and who doesn’t?) to get ready, it can be a big help to pick out your clothes the night before. You might want to treat yourself to a valet rod to have a specific place to put the next morning’s outfit. Most valet rods retract so that they are not in the way when you don’t need them.

7. Laundry Storage

If you are lucky enough to have a large closet, you have the option to use a portion of the space for laundry storage. After a big clothing purge, we were able to add canvas sorting bins under one of the closet rods in each of our closets. We still have room above the sorters to hang shorter items like shirts or pants draped over a hanger. The six storage compartments are assigned roles: whites, colors, jeans, reds, dry cleaning and hand washables. It is easy to see when there is enough to run a load and we spend no time sorting laundry on laundry day.

Honey-Can-Do Heavy-Duty Triple Laundry Sorter, Chrome/White. At amazon.com.

Household Essentials ML-6445 Woven-Seagrass Triple Laundry Sorter with Casters and 3 Removable Bags. At amazon.com.

Our prior solution was to have laundry baskets out in the bedroom. It was depressing to wake up every morning to see reminders of the laundry to be washed. It is far more relaxing to get the laundry out of sight if you have the option. If you don’t pick the most beautiful laundry hamper you can find.

Some older homes include a laundry chute, whisking the clothes away to the basement where the washing machine resides. In my grandmother’s house, the laundry chute is a simple but inconspicuous solution where the back portion of one of the bathroom cabinet drawers is cut away. You put the laundry in the drawer, close it and “Presto!” like magic, the laundry disappears into the basement. I am not sure why the laundry chute disappeared from modern house planning. It seems like an innovation we need back.

8. Out of Season Storage

If you live in a four season climate, you need a closet review each spring and fall during the climate transitions. If you are working with a really small closet, most likely, you will need to pack clothes away in storage when the seasons change. It takes time and effort but each time you go through the packing process, you usually benefit by weeding out clothes that didn’t get worn or that you no longer love. If you have a larger closet, you might not need to pack clothes away but you might want to rearrange the position of the warm and cool season clothes so that the clothes most appropriate for the current season are in the easiest to access portions of the closet.

Rubbermaid 3F19 Configurations XL 42-Inch Three-Handle Low-Profile Box with Cedar Inserts, Natural. At amazon.com.

Antique Victorian Wood Trunk Wooden Treasure Hope Chest. At amazon.com.

I hope the above sampling of closet storage options has given you some inspiration to update your own closet. What are your experiences with closet organizers? Do you have a closet problem not addressed by the above? Please share in the comments.

“Do I look fat in this?”  How many times have you asked yourself or someone else this question.  An otherwise perfectly satisfactory outfit in terms of color, fabric or style is not going to make us happy if it adds bulk.  A large part of what we are really judging in a particular design is whether it makes us look thin.

It’s a fact of life fashion designers know.  With their business dependent on department store buyers placing large orders for their collections, they send out all of their designs in microscopic sizes on skeletal models.   Whatever objections critics may have with the designer’s colors or styles, the designer, through the choice of models, has removed any objections to the designs being figure unflattering.  And that translates to better sales.

It’s also a fact of life that anyone who has been to a job interview, reunion, wedding or business presentation knows.  Recall the 2/3 of hiring managers who will hold being overweight against you or fitness-conscious bosses, like President Obama.

So, if there was a garment that made you look instantly thinner no matter what you wore, it would be a hit, right?  Everyone would want one!

Is there such a garment?

Sort of.

Enter the girdle—or a variety of new compression garments that reshape us into more svelte figures.  This new highly engineered underwear promises to smooth fat bulges and take inches off our waists, hips and thighs.

Throughout history, women have used corsets and girdles to create hourglass waistlines.  The disappearance of these devices in the last 30 years or so was seen by many as a symbol of the increase in women’s rights and power.  So why are they coming back now?

The skyrocketing obesity rates in this country and around the world are most likely to blame.  Now that being overweight is the norm, we desire the rare, slim figure.  I honestly believe that we covet thinness so much now that we have forgotten what real thin people look like.

Thin does not mean perfect.  It does not mean “no fat” it just means “low fat.”  While society has always decried the fashion industry’s obsession with thinness, the super-tiny body images we are confronted with today are disturbing.  When even stick-thin models are no longer thin enough and must be severely Photoshopped to be ridiculously, mythically and inhuman-ly thin, like this model who lacks ribs, or this one whose entire body has been stretched and waist nipped so that she looks like a human bobblehead doll, the thin obsession has gone too far.

As an exercise in curiosity, I wanted to know what kind of “cheat” effect you get from the heavily engineered compression undergarments.  Is it like the Photoshop effect?  Is it like temporary liposuction?  Would it transform my already slender frame into a size zero?  Can you breathe in those things?

From reviews of several different brands of compression undergarments, I learned that it was easy to find compression garments that will smooth out fat bulges to create a smooth appearance but that most don’t actually change your size in terms of inches.  Several people swore that the only undergarments that actually change size are the South American brands.

South America?  The most body conscious people in the world don’t live in Los Angeles?  It is now hard to say which nation is the most image conscious but perfectionist beauty standards originating in Colombia and Brazil appear to have influenced the world.

The New York Times writes that “Beauty is a national obsession in Colombia.”  Colombia hosts hundreds of beauty pageants each year and Colombia is one of the leading countries in the world for plastic surgery (along with Mexico and Brazil).  I was surprised to learn that many Americans travel to Colombia and Brazil for plastic surgery treatments, taking advantage of the exchange rate and the highly experienced plastic surgeons there.  It makes you wonder if the compression underwear developed out of the compression garments worn after plastic surgery procedures like liposuction.

Following the South American trend, I purchased two compression garments, one from Colombian maker Vedette and the other from a shapewear line from Brazilian-born plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Rey of Dr. 90210 fame.

Just looking at the garments made me nervous.  They are very, very, very, very tiny and made of strong rubberized fabric.

Reluctantly, I pulled on the Vedette shapewear garment, a knee-length tanksuit style with reinforcing panels on the stomach and back.  It took some muscle power to actually get it on but once on it wasn’t all that uncomfortable.  It was like wearing a tight swimsuit.  I took my measurements before and after putting on the garment and found that I had lost nothing from my waist and hips but had lost one inch off of each thigh.

“Where did the inches go?” my husband inquired.

“I have no idea.” I said, perplexed as he was by this trick of body engineering.

I picked out the three most challenging garments in my closet: a snug-fitting black knit dress, a pair of military-inspired cotton pants and the Old Navy “Sweetheart” pencil-leg jeans.  I tried them all on with the Vedette shaper underneath.

To my disappointment, there was no miracle effect where all of a sudden the garments slid on easily and I appeared one size smaller.  They basically fit the same.

I took before and after shots for you (attempting to disguise myself and continuing my closet clean-out efforts by reviewing my collection of hats).

Do you see a difference?  The left hand image is without the body shaper.  The right hand image is with the Vedette shaper on underneath.

Before: black knit dress	After: black dress with Vedette shaper on underneath
Before: Side view of black dress.	After: Black dress with Vedette shaper on underneath.
Before: Unforgiving cotton military-style pants.	After: Pants with Vedette shaper on underneath.
Before: pants, side view.	After: pants with Vedette shaper on underneath
Before: Old Navy Sweetheart jeans	After: Jeans with Vedette shaper on underneath.
Before: Jeans, side view.	After: Jeans with Vedette body shaper on underneath.

After the Vedette experiment, I tried on the Robert Rey waist cincher garment which was like a pair of extra long bike shorts going from mid thigh to below the bustline with an 8”  boned corset in the front with hook and eye closures. Like the Vedette garment, it took some muscles to pull on the Dr. Rey shaper.  After hooking the corset shut, I took my measurements.

Dr.  Rey’s shaper took about 1 inch off my waist and about 1 inch off my hips but did nothing for my thighs.  I tried on my challenge garments and again found that they basically all fit the same.

I don’t think I will be wearing these shapers very often and am not sure exactly when I would wear them.  I was surprised that once you have them on they are not that uncomfortable.  It was a little tight bending at the waist in the waist cincher, though.  They help you maintain your posture and support your core muscles, although my husband noticed this and said I looked “stiff.”

As for the downsides, the shapers are a bit hot and are particularly miserable in humid Washington August weather.  If you consider it torture to wear regular pantyhose in the humidity, imagine wearing the equivalent of thick, full-body pantyhose!

Also, you have to worry a bit about the shapewear showing under your clothes.  Sometimes a strap slips out under a tank top. My husband spotted the corset lines of the waist cincher beneath the knit dress.  Is it worse to have fat bulges or to be caught wearing compression underwear?

It was a relief to take the garments off.

The girdle trend is not just for women either.  The Washington Post recently road tested shapewear for men and gave this assessment:

“To see for ourselves, we dutifully plunked down $58 for a Spanx compression shirt, opting for a tasteful black V-neck. We discovered it’s not a T-shirt and it will snap back like a rubber band if you stretch it. We banged our nose trying to pull it over our head. It felt like wearing a wet suit, only you don’t get to go to the beach.”

–Neely Tucker, “Girdles for men? Beer-bellied guys are taking a cue from the ladies.”  The Washington Post, August 19, 2010

While these shapers might make a noticeable difference with some outfits or hold a tummy in for a special occasion, they don’t make the kind of dramatic changes you see with actual diet and exercise. For most situations, I would prefer to see someone just wear their natural body with confidence.

Have you tried shapewear?  Does it make a difference for you?  What are the most challenging clothes to fit into in your own closet? Please share in the comments.

Earlier this month, I challenged you to experiment with minimalist clothing ideas, whether starting a shopping diet, limiting yourself to wearing a small number of clothes or finding new ways to wear things already in your closet. Today I will share with you the results of my own minimalist clothing experiment.

For my experiment, I decided to both limit the number of clothes I wore and find new ways to wear and appreciate them. I told my husband about the 6 items or less experiment where you wear only 6 items of clothing for an entire month.

“You’re not going to do that, are you?” he inquired unenthusiastically.

“No,” I said. Since we had recently been living out of suitcases for two weeks on our vacation, I wasn’t too thrilled about doing that again for an entire month. What was I willing to do? I thought I could last one week. What would be a good challenge for a week? What about wearing the same thing every single day for a week?

When you decide to wear the same outfit every day, you have to be very careful in your choice of clothing. I wanted to pick something that was comfortable, would wear well in the cyclical 100-degree heat and monsoons we have been having, could be both dressy and casual, could be spiced up easily with some accessories and that could be washed and drip-dried each night.

I picked a black skirt and tank combination I have owned for years. It is a great set that I have worn for both casual and dress occasions. Sometimes I wear it together and sometimes I wear the pieces separately with other things.

To avoid getting bored, I used the experiment as an exercise in styling. How many different looks could I get out of the same dress using just the shoes and accessories I already owned? It was a good motivator to go through my costume jewelry box and belt collection. I got rid of quite a few items that were in bad condition, outdated, or didn’t fit.

Also, when you take the attention away from your clothes, new attention is brought to your head. This required a little additional thought about hair. I tried to have my hair change to compliment each look. I wrote down all the styling instructions in a list so I would remember each look.

The experiment started on a week I had to take my daughter to preschool summer camp every day for five days in a row. Since I would be seeing a lot of the same faces every day, it would be a good test to see if anyone would notice that I was wearing the same thing and if anyone would say anything.

Day 1: The Bohemian

For my first look, I used a printed scarf, long necklace and jeweled sandals to create a bohemian look. I draped the scarf around my waist and tucked it into the waistband of the skirt. The only problem with this look was that the scarf easily came untucked. If I were doing it again, I would definitely use some safety pins or baste it in place with needle and thread. I wore my hair back from my face in a low bun.

Day 2: The Sophisticate

The next day, I was surprisingly excited to wear the dress again and try out another look. This time, I took a long blue scarf, criss-crossed it around my waist and let the ends drape down. I paired it with a strappy, high-heeled black sandal and put my hair in a version of a French twist. It was a fun look to wear. Again, there were a few problems with the scarf. I wanted the scarf to show up in two criss-crossed lines, but it kept sliding down into one solid belt. If I wore this again, I would need to pin the scarf.

Day 3: The Native

Perhaps inspired by our recent journeys in the southwest, I put together a Native American inspired look with a turquoise necklace, brown leather belt and brown heeled sandal. I pulled my hair into a long braid, which became a critical accessory to the look to pull it all together.

Day 4: The Retro

One of the accessories I found during my hunt through the closet was a pink chiffon scarf. It was square in shape and not very big so I was a little limited with what I could do with it. I folded it in half diagonally and draped it over my shoulders, pinning it below the bustline with a vintage-looking black and gold brooch. I paired it with the black heeled sandals from day 2 and pulled my hair into a poof with the ends hanging down. This look might need a little tweaking. It was a little matronly.

Day 5: The Fiesta

This was a simple day. It was an excuse to wear two brightly colored glass necklaces I found in my costume jewelry. They really popped against the black. I wore the sandals from day 1 and pulled my hair back from my face in the front so that I could show off the matching earrings (which I then forgot to wear!).

Day 6: The Fancy

Since it was the weekend, I wanted to see how dressy I could get. I pinned the front of the tank into a V-neck shape with a rhinestone brooch and put on some really fun rhinestone dress shoes. It did look quite fancy. It inspired my husband to upgrade our typical weekend dinner out from the serve-yourself pizza place to our favorite Indian restaurant, so I would call this one a success!

Day 7: The Bling

I had quite a lot of silver-toned accessories so I decided to just go with it and create a metal-themed look. I put on a large beaded silver-toned necklace, some copper and silver bracelets, a silver-studded belt (worn backwards) and some black espadrilles with silver embroidery accents. I didn’t have much time for hair so I just did a simple ponytail.

After seven days, I have to say I was getting very sick of wearing the same little black dress. It was kind of fun putting on the accessories and doing my hair but sometimes it took more time than just throwing on jeans and a T-shirt and getting out the door. The low amount of laundry to wash at the end of the week, however, was a nice bonus.

As for the social impact of the experiment, to the best of my knowledge, no one noticed that I was always wearing the same thing! If they did, no one said anything. At one point, I realized that I was so focused on myself that I wasn’t paying any attention to what the other preschool moms were wearing. My mind started to play tricks on me. “Wait….wasn’t that mom wearing jeans yesterday? Is she doing the same experiment too?” I will never know for sure.

We are all so busy in our own lives that we don’t really have the extra brain cells to monitor what everyone else is wearing on a day-to-day basis. Just like the woman in the New York Times video I posted earlier, I concluded that wearing the same thing twice (or more!) in a row is not going to raise anyone’s eyebrows. It truly doesn’t matter!

What is your reaction to this experiment? How is your own minimalist clothing experiment coming along? Please share in the comments.

“The market distortions suffered by the fashion industry as a result of design piracy have long called for a remedy, but as yet the U.S. is unwilling to deliver. While currently affording protection to surface decoration, fabric design, and labels, U.S. law is woefully incomplete when it comes to protection of the “soul” of the clothing design, the cut, and overall appearance. Whether this decision is based on an assessment of artistic merit or a concern for public welfare, it is an unjustifiable distinction for treating clothing designs less favorably than other forms of intellectual property.”

I wrote the above conclusion in a published law review article, “Hung Out to Dry: Clothing Design Protection Pitfalls in U.S. Law,” shortly after completing my graduate education in 2002.

Through my research for the article, I was surprised to learn that in the United States we are in a literal free-for-all when it comes to fashion design. Designers can freely borrow fashion design elements used by others or in some cases knock off a popular design or resurrect a past design in its entirety and sell it as an original. It has become part of the fashion culture here and the copying is not just cheap discounters leaching off of big name designers but also big name designers “borrowing” lesser-known designer’s works.

Not everyone is happy about this situation, though. You can click here to watch a video from Stop Fashion Piracy explaining the views of major fashion designers on this issue.

Most other economically vibrant countries do afford at least some measure of protection for fashion design. In the U.S., due to various technicalities in existing copyright, trademark and design patent laws (detailed in my paper) and the relatively short lifespan of most fashion designs, fashion always falls short of legal protection. Even though Congress keeps introducing legislation to protect clothing design, including the “Innovative Design Protection and Piracy Prevention Act” currently pending before Congress, the bills never get much traction.

Why?

The answer seems to lie in our emotional connection to clothing as identity. In American life, we prefer an environment where people can move freely among social classes and believe strongly that anyone with a lot of hard work and a little good luck can become as successful as they desire.  The ability to “look the part” is a huge part of this mobility.

Throughout the history of design legislation the two primary social reasons for not enacting clothing design protection are: 1) it will increase the cost of clothes; and 2) it will allow us to segregate people by social status according to the clothes they wear.

We have grown accustomed to being able to buy “similar” clothes to the latest expensive fashions at retailers like H&M, Wal-Mart, Target and Payless Shoes. Sure, no one will mistake most of these versions for the real thing but at a quick glance you can send the message that you keep up with the latest trends. I love to find a great piece at Target or Wal-Mart and frequently it gets as many compliments as more expensive alternatives.

Only recently has discount clothing become such a big part of our lives. When I was growing up, no one would ever mistake clothes purchased at a discount retailer for anything close to high fashion. The discount clothes and shoes were clunky, functional but boring designs or strange foreign designs that no one else was wearing. They didn’t offend anyone but they didn’t impress anyone either!

Some worry that any sort of fashion design legislation would impose a fashion divide between the rich and the poor. The rich would look fashionable and the poor would look poor. If you are a true fashionista, you could argue that the same holds today. Some with an encyclopedic knowledge of designers and brands might judge you based on the number of high fashion logos you have on display or the styles you are wearing. The majority of us, however, don’t wear a lot of clothes with logos anyway and no one really knows whether our clothes are designer or not.

So, we see the same arguments going round and round. On the one hand, it is unfair to reward the author, the musician, the visual artist, the filmmaker and other creative workers with the right to protect their works from copying but not the fashion designer. On the other hand, fashion and clothing is a critical part of American life and woe be the politician who raises the cost of living or changes the fashion choices of those already struggling in a recession. You need look no further than the Congressional testimony on a previous incarnation of the current design bill to see these same arguments:

“[T]he issue facing the fashion design industry now is critical. We hear much about the economy. The debate as to whether we are in recession or on the cusp of recession is ongoing. Whatever it is, if we don’t take steps now to protect intellectual property and deal with the issue of piracy, we are putting our entire national economy at risk.”

–Honorable William D. Delahunt, (D-Massachusetts) before the House Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet and Intellectual Property, February 14, 2008.

“Retailers just had the worst January in 40 years, and given the state of the economy right now, this is no time to be passing laws that will raise the price of clothing and layer on legal expenses. The fashion industry is very competitive and competition encourages lower prices, better looks, which of course benefits the American consumer. . . . The legislation threatens to split Americans into two classes of people: those with the money who can buy copyrighted designs, and those who can’t quite afford them.”

–Steve Maiman, Proprietor, Stony Apparel, before the House Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet and Intellectual Property, February 14, 2008.

The current bill (S 3728) sets the bar extremely high for fashion design protection. You must prove that your design is a “unique, distinguishable, non-trivial and non-utilitarian variation over prior designs.” While not many designs will ultimately be successful in their quest for legal protection, if the legislation does pass, designers will gain important leverage over copyists. At a minimum, a large designer with enough resources to sue could tie up a copyist in expensive litigation for years. The copyist defending the suit would have to divert at least some resources from copying and production to legal defense and would be unable to copy as many designs as before. One successful legal challenge could put a copyist out of business. Overall, this litigation could benefit both large and small designers. But, it also could impact the types of designs seen at discount stores.

In the eight years since I wrote my paper, I still feel that fashion design needs some recognition and legal protection but I am not sure exactly what that should be. It seems a simple first step would be simply to require that a copier credit the original designer or have to mark or alter the copy in some subtle but visible way. Perhaps we could come up with a symbol similar to the copyright symbol that would indicate copying instead.

What is your prediction on the fate of the current Innovative Design Protection and Piracy Prevention Act bill? Do you sympathize with fashion designers? How much would you care if discount clothing reverted to clunky and functional and “fashion” cost a bit more? Please share in the comments.

This week we have been discussing real Washington style, starting with the Democratic and Republican fashions dominating the city. There is one other key style to understand when living in Washington – military style.

Washington is the official headquarters for the top leaders of the four branches of the armed forces: Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, as well as the U.S. Coast Guard. If you are living or working in the Washington area, chances are you are going to come across someone in a military uniform at least once a week.

While military style isn’t something that you can copy if you are a civilian (and is actually against the law to do so! (10 U.S.C. §771)), it is important for both personal and professional reasons to have a basic understanding of military uniforms. The uniforms convey a lot of information about the wearer and you can show respect and appreciation for those who serve our country by understanding what those messages are.

Below is my quick photo guide to U.S. military uniforms. While I don’t think you can become an expert on military uniforms without years of study, you can learn some basic principles. Also, learning about military uniforms helps explain some of the standard dress codes you see in corporate America as well as in the political arena.

General Uniform Scanning Tips

When you meet someone dressed in full military dress uniform, your eyes can be overwhelmed with the number of colors, badges and insignia.  Here are a few easy tips to guide you.  First look to the shoulders or collar of the person.  If there is any decoration on top of the shoulders (i.e. epaulettes) or on the collar, you are probably speaking with an officer.  If you see a star on the collar or shoulders, you are speaking with a very senior officer, likely a general or an admiral.  On a dress uniform, there will also be a section for “ribbons” on the wearer’s left, right above the heart.  The ribbons can signify a variety of things.  They can be awards for bravery, such as the Purple Heart or the Medal of Honor.  They can show a campaign, i.e. places where the wearer has served.  In general, if there are a lot of ribbons on the uniform, the wearer has been in the service for a long period of time.  You might also spot a name badge on the wearer’s right side.  If you see stripes on the upper arms of the uniform, these typically signify enlisted service members.

Army

While we may tend to think of the Army’s color as green, I was a bit surprised to discover that it is actually dark blue!  According to the U.S. Army Service Uniform site, President Washington chose dark blue as the national color of the Army in 1779 and today’s Army uniforms honor that choice.  While the standard uniform used to be green, dark blue was chosen as of 2008 and all Army service members will be expected to adopt the dark blue uniform by 2014.  Some of the changes implemented in the new uniform standard include heavier and more wrinkle-resistant fabric, a more tailored, “athletic” cut, and “low waist trousers” for men.

The Army uniforms are designated “Class A” for the formal dress uniform, “Class B” for a formal uniform akin to a business suit and “Class C” uniforms are the uniforms worn for the majority of everyday activities, including the “BDU” or “battle dress uniform.”   There are different standards for men and women and there is even a prescribed maternity uniform for women.

Usually, commissioned officers wear blue pants with a gold stripe running down the leg and a white shirt.  Noncommissioned officers wear the same if they are ranked a corporal or above and if below a corporal, they wear blue pants without the stripe and a white shirt.  Female soldiers of all ranks can wear either a blue skirt or pants.

The list of Army uniform guidelines is extremely long and detailed.  For women it goes into details about hair scrunchies, earring size, makeup colors and fingernail length.

Do Army soldiers ever try to get a little creative with the uniform?  From reading the regulations, it appears yes and the Army does not like it.  Here is a section from the maternity uniform guidelines (which sound extremely unflattering) that give you a hint at the kind of fashionable variations to the uniform the Army tries to eliminate:

4–5. General guidelines

a. This uniform is designed to fit loosely; alterations to make the uniform fit tightly are not authorized. A tight fit reduces the airflow needed for ventilation and cooling. The coat is worn outside the trousers. Soldiers will not wear a belt with this uniform. Soldiers will wear the trousers bloused, using the draw cords or blousing rubbers, if the trousers are not tucked into the boots. Personnel will not wrap the trouser legs around the leg tightly enough to present a pegged appearance. Soldiers will not blouse the boots so that the trouser leg extends down to the ankle area. When bloused, the trousers should not extend below the third eyelet from the top of the boot. When soldiers wear the sleeves of the coat rolled up, the camouflage pattern will remain exposed. Personnel will roll the sleeves neatly above the elbow, no more than 3 inches above the elbow.

–Army Regulation 670-1 Section 4-5(a): Maternity Work Uniform: General Guidelines

Navy

The Navy also has an extensive set of uniform regulations and seems to be extremely formal about their uniforms. The Navy currently has a seasonal look to their uniforms.  White uniforms are worn in the summer from the Friday before Memorial Day (May) until the Tuesday after Labor Day (September).  Blue uniforms are worn in the winter months.   This uniform regulation is likely the source of the “Don’t wear white after Labor Day.” fashion maxim in popular culture.

The Navy has numerous varieties of formal dress uniforms, primarily for officers ranked higher than Lieutenant.  There is a Dinner Dress Uniform for white tie occasions, which includes a waistcoat, cuff links and white gloves, a black tie equivalent white and blue dinner dress uniform and even a tropical dinner dress uniform. There is also a ceremonial dress uniform, both a blue and a white version.

Working or “service uniforms” for the Navy include khaki, blue and white versions as well as aviation green.  There are coveralls, sailor uniforms and various shades of camouflage.   The navy uniforms are iconic and have humorous unofficial names, including the “Crackerjack” sailor uniform, the “milkman” white tropical suit with shorts and the “Johnny Cash” winter blues.

The number of uniform combinations is so numerous that the Navy recently undertook a uniform simplification initiative and will be replacing the seasonal white and blue uniforms with a new year-round uniform consisting primarily of a khaki shirt and black pants or an “Aquaflage” suit.  So, interestingly, as the Army is shifting toward navy blue as its color, the navy is shifting toward khaki.

While it would be difficult to understand every variation in the Navy’s uniforms, there are some basic concepts that are easy to remember.  There are three basic divisions in the military hierarchy: enlisted, chief petty officer (a senior enlisted officer), and officer.  Generally, chief petty officers and officers dress similarly.  On formal Navy uniforms, the primary way to distinguish rank is by the number and width of stripes an officer has on the cuff of his or her coat.

New Navy Service Uniform for an Enlisted Female. Official U.S. Navy Photo.

Navy "Aquaflage" uniform. Official U.S. Navy Photo.

Air Force

The Air Force is defender of our blue skies and not surprisingly their color is blue. The dress uniforms are navy blue, the “blues” are formal work uniforms with blue pants with light blue shirts, and the “informal” uniforms are khaki pants with navy blue polo shirts. Officer uniforms are typically distinguished from enlisted by the epaulettes on the shoulders.

The confusing part comes however with the combat uniforms which, like all other branches of the service are camouflage. The Air Force uses green suede boots which help to distinguish themselves.

Like the Army and Navy, the Air Force is currently undertaking a review of some of the Air Force uniforms.  The current Air Force battle dress uniform is decried as “too hot”  and the suede green boots get dirty too easily for some maintenance professions.  Interestingly, many of the Air Force trousers are made with a preference for very tall people.  For the average person, the trouser legs are about 12 inches too long!  (I assume airmen and airwomen do a lot of hemming.)  The physical training uniforms are also being resized to a more standard size.

Marines

The Marine Corps uniforms are described by Wikipedia as “the most stable and most recognizable uniforms in the American military” as well as one of the simplest.  In general, Marines have three uniforms: “dress blues,” “greens” and camouflage. The dress blues are the most formal and are worm largely for ceremonial occasions. The greens are similar to a business suit and camouflage is worn for almost all other working purposes.

The Marines are administratively a part of the Department of the Navy and have some Navy traditions in their uniform standard. Marines have seasonal uniforms for summer and winter. “Summer season” in the Marine Corps starts with the change in spring to Daylight Savings Time and ends with the end of Daylight Savings Time. Blue-white dress uniforms (i.e. wearing white pants instead of blue pants with the blue coat) are worn in the summer and desert camouflage is worn in the summer and woodland camouflage in the winter.

Officers in the Marine Corps are designated by a red “blood stripe” down the leg of one’s dress trousers. On other uniforms, rank is indicated either on epaulettes or collars.

At one point, there was some confusion between the camouflage worn by the Marines and the Army but now each branch of the service has a unique camouflage pattern. The Marines also roll the sleeves of their battle dress uniforms in a slightly different way than other branches of the service.

What has impressed me most about this review of military style is that it is not as easy as you might think to implement a uniform standard and it is even more complicated when you want to change part of the uniform. I also salute any member of the military who gets dressed for work every morning in compliance with the detailed and complicated existing uniform standards. In some ways it almost seems more complicated than having to pick out unique clothes to wear every day.

Do you see parallels between military dress standards and those in the civilian world? Which military uniform is your favorite? Please share in the comments.

This month we are discussing clothing and looking for lessons about the statements our clothes make about us to better organize our own wardrobes. In the last post, we reviewed the current fashion trends of key leaders of the Democratic party. Today, we walk across the aisle to the Republican side.

It was a little difficult to select who to profile as the style-setters for the Republican party. While there are many up-and-coming Republicans, I tried to select those with both influence and a unique fashion point of view to give a good range of styles. I also ended up picking both an old guard and a new guard representative for Republican men and women.

For the men, my choice for the established Republican power broker is Senator John McCain. Senator McCain, age 73, has been a member of the Senate for over 20 years. He most recently ran against President Obama as the Republican presidential candidate in the 2008 election. While he did not win the election, Senator McCain continues to show up as the voice of the Republican party in many media stories. He is a favorite of the press and is known for his candid opinions.

From reviewing numerous photos of Senator McCain, I am struck by a few things about his clothing choices. Senator McCain shares President Obama’s tendency to always be formally dressed in either a suit and tie or dress slacks and a long-sleeved collared shirt. But Senator McCain differs from the President in that he does not seem to adopt a standard “uniform” look. Senator McCain wears a relatively wide variety of colors (at least by Washington standards) and sometimes doesn’t wear a tie under his suit, opting for a chic sweater and collared shirt instead.

Since Senator McCain’s wife, Cindy, is quite the fashion plate, I can’t help but wonder if she is the one responsible for injecting a little style and color into his fashion choices.

However, there is one “uniform” item that Senator McCain can’t seem to live without. . . the pale blue collared shirt. There are very few photos of Senator McCain wearing anything other than a pale blue shirt with his suits. The look is subtle but distinctive. The blue is just a few shades off from white—enough to notice if you are looking closely. The blue looks nice on him and warms up his skin tone a bit.

“Hulking John McCain.” Photo by Marc Nozell. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

"Startled John McCain." Photo by Marc Nozell. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

Is the pale blue collared shirt the Republican trademark? Maybe. If you look to a younger Republican, like Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan, age 40, you do see him wearing the blue collared shirt more often with his suits, but not exclusively. (You also see blue shirts on Democrats and white shirts on Republicans so it is definitely not a hard and fast rule.) Like Senator McCain, Representative Ryan also wears a broader color palate than just blue or black suits. He also favors hints of gold in his ties.  Like President Obama, however, Representative Ryan is very into fitness.  Several articles mention his early morning workout routines with other members of Congress.

Paul Ryan, Official Portrait, 111th Congress. From the Wikimedia Commons.

Paul Ryan, Official Portrait. From the Wikimedia Commons.

For Republican women, I chose two distinctive personalities: former Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, Condoleezza Rice, and former Alaska Governor and Vice-Presidential candidate, Sarah Palin.

Condoleezza Rice, age 55, is a true fashion plate. She is tall, slender and elegant and her official photos below could practically be model shoots. While she typically wore darker colored skirted suits for her formal executive duties, she also wore pantsuits and a variety of colors and patterns. She even manages to hold her own in a photo next to Angelina Jolie!

Condoleezza Rice seems to share President Obama’s strategy that having good physical fitness is one of the most important physical appearance strategies. But she doesn’t always share his philosophy on blending in. Sometimes Rice blends in but other times she is a definite standout. She is not afraid to put on bright red lipstick because she knows she can carry it off.

Rice’s look is polished and authoritative but also has a feminine edge. It is a very pretty look without being soft and it is fashionable but not too fashionable. I imagine Rice’s look is one that most political women strive to achieve.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (right) meets with U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair (left) during her trip to the London Meeting on Supporting the Palestinian Authority. London, England March 1, 2005. From the Wikimedia Commons.	Angelina Jolie and Condoleezza Rice during the World Refugee Day at the National Geographic Society Date 15 June 2005. From the Wikimedia Commons.
Condoleezza Rice and Saud al-Faisal. State Department Photo by Josie Duckett. From the Wikimedia Commons.	Secretary Rice with the Head of the Future Block in the Lebanese Parliament Saad Hariri. State Department photo by Michael Gross. From the Wikimedia Commons.

Sarah Palin’s look is quite a bit different. Sarah Palin, age 46, has shaken up the Republican party in a number of ways, including on the fashion front.

First, she wears glasses! You wouldn’t think that wearing glasses would be all that shocking. A lot of people wear glasses. But politicians generally don’t. I am not sure why. Glasses are thought to make a person look more intelligent. Intelligence is a good thing but it must be outweighed for politicians by some other negative factor. Are glasses thought to make a person look weak? Old? Too serious? Unfriendly?

Second, Sarah Palin violates all of the rules on political hair. Her hair is longer than her shoulders. She varies how she wears it. Sometimes it is up, sometimes down, sometimes half up, half down. Her hair often has a casual, windswept look to it. She doesn’t shellac it with hairspray or tame every last flyaway.

Third, Sarah Palin wears eye-catching accessories. Her trademark American flag pin and peep-toe heels while not all that shocking for most Americans are really shocking to the subdued, controlled, formal world of Washington fashion.

And fourth, Sarah Palin is often photographed wearing a wide range of outfits from formal to casual. She is not afraid to let us see her in a T-shirt. Due to her responsibilities as the mother of three minor children, including a 2-year old, she can hardly be expected to wear formal clothing all the time.

During her recent visit to Kuwait , Gov. Sarah Palin accompanied 1st Lt. John Lombrano on a tour of facilities on a military base. Official Army photo by Staff Sgt. Mac Metcalfe, Alaska Army National Guard. From the Wikimedia Commons.

Governor Sarah Palin in Dover, New Hampshire. October 15, 2008. Photo by Roger H. Goun. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

Sarah Palin in Savannah. December 1, 2008. Photo by Bruce Tuten. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

Palin and Husband at Rally in Fairfax. Photo by Rachael Dickson. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

Yet for all this shock value, Sarah Palin has really connected with a lot of people. The amount of attention she gets is incredible. It must be a wake-up call to a lot of politicians that perhaps the American public doesn’t always want a perfect façade and is more trusting of a more familiar appearance.

Will Sarah Palin change the world of Washington fashion? So far, the answer appears to be no. If we do start to see an impact, in true Washington fashion, it will be at a glacial pace. Perhaps more politicians will start to wear glasses or you might see a peep-toe shoe here and there.

So, if you are looking for Republican style tips they are mostly the same as Democratic style tips. If there are any differences, they are probably: 1) Don’t get too drab in your formal wear. A bit of bright color and pattern or a unique accessory keeps things fresh. and 2) Break the political fashion rules sometimes. Wear a sweater instead of a tie or wear glasses.

What do you associate with Republican style? Who are the best dressed Republicans? Are there distinct fashion differences between Democrats and Republicans? Please share in the comments.