The Ruly Blog

The 2011 IKEA Catalog arrived in the mail recently and, as usual, is jam-packed with wonderful organizing ideas! Since we are discussing communication this month, I thought I would tie in my Catalog review with a quick review of IKEA’s communications strategy.

IKEA has a fantastic website at ikea.com that is customized for 39 different countries in over 30 different languages! That alone merits nominating IKEA for a world business communication award! In addition to their website, they have a YouTube channel currently featuring 12 videos of “Swedish cooking with Jørn” and one of their latest U.S. commercials. IKEA also has a Facebook page (aimed at U.S. residents). While IKEA corporate does not appear to have a Twitter account, individual IKEA stores, like this one in Pittsburgh, do, offering coupons and special deals to followers.

IKEA applies its trademark creativity to its social networking communications strategy. To promote a store in Malmö, Sweden, IKEA used a unique Facebook strategy, posting photos of the new showroom and allowing fans to win products in the photos by tagging them with their names. The video below explains:

Despite an incredible reputation for environmental stewardship and its electronic communications capabilities, IKEA still prints a large paper Catalog each year. (Although this year the Catalog is also available as an iPhone app.) There is something wonderful about getting the Catalog. It is more fun to thumb through than just clicking through pictures on a website. I usually end up using the paper Catalog as a starting reference point but then switch to the website to find out specifics on pricing, sizes and new products.

So, without further ado, let’s get to the good stuff and review the 2011 IKEA Catalog!

First, what are some of the new products?

IKEA KIVIK Chaise. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

The KIVIK chaise is an elongated sofa that you can stretch out on and put your feet up while you are watching TV or reading. In a pinch, you could probably use it as a guest bed as well. It comes in 7 colors and the top layer is made of memory foam to comform to your body. The chaise can be mixed and matched with other pieces in the KIVIK sofa line to create the sofa of your dreams. If you are looking to reduce the number of pieces to clean and move in your family or living room, you might consider swapping a sofa and ottoman for one long chaise.

IKEA KIVIK Sofa Bed. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

IKEA KIVIK Sofa Bed. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

If you really need a sofa that doubles as a guest bed, however, the new KIVIK sofa-bed is a great option. It includes storage space for linens and pillows in the armrests!

The FÖRHÖJA wall cabinet is a cute little shadowbox shelf almost 10 inches deep you can use to creatively display your treasures. Here they have used it for toys, but you could put anything from photos to plants to books to china. Although the Catalog picture looks like it comes in blue, the website shows only a black or white option.

IKEA FÖRHÖJA wall cabinet. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

IKEA FÖRHÖJA wall cabinet beneath kitchen cabinets. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

Here is another Catalog shot where the designer stacked FÖRHÖJA cabinets beneath regular kitchen cabinets to provide an open shelving appearance.

IKEA Halogen Bulb E26. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

As of August 1, 2010, IKEA began phasing out incandescent light bulbs in its stores with the goal of eliminating incandescent bulbs by January 1, 2011. IKEA will continue to stock compact fluorescent bulbs, and LED lamps as well as solar powered products like the SUNNAN work lamp.  (For every SUNNAN sold, IKEA donates a lamp to UNICEF to help children in India and Pakistan to be able to read and study after dusk). New for Fall 2010, are halogen bulbs that fit standard light sockets. Halogen bulbs use 30% less energy and last 2-4 times longer than incandescent light bulbs. The new halogen bulbs seem to come in standard and chandelier/night light sizes. IKEA also offers lightbulb recycling to address any environmental concerns with disposal of new lightbulb technologies.

IKEA GODMORGON storage box. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

IKEA GODMORGON storage box. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

The GODMORGON series has a new clear storage box for cosmetics with a tilt-up cosmetic brush section. The box is designed to fit in a bathroom cabinet drawer but if your drawer is a nonstandard size it would also look attractive sitting on the counter or on a storage shelf.

IKEA EKBY ALEX shelf with drawer. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

The new shelf with storage drawer addition to the EKBY line is great for situations where you need to store items that need protection or are unattractive (like loose paper or miscellaneous small objects) with other solid objects you want displayed.

IKEA RETUR recycling system. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

The RETUR series gives us another attractive and space-saving way to store recyclables. The shallow bins (about 8 inches deep) can be attached to the wall and lifted off when it is time to empty them.

In addition to all the great new products, the Catalog is full of style ideas. Here are just a few that could help you with your organization.

IKEA EKBY JÄRPEN/ EKBY BJÄRNUM. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

The designer of this living room creatively used the EKBY JÄRPEN/ EKBY BJÄRNUM shelving above the window to add more space for books. Blinds were used instead of curtains to maximize the window space.

The designer in this room did some really creative work with shelving, putting the EKBY JÄRPEN/ EKBY HÅLL shelves on the upper-half of the wall, leaving the lower half free for small furniture and photos. Isn’t it cool that the shelving also turns the corner of the room to maximize storage space!

Storage idea from IKEA PAX wardrobe system. Image © Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Used with permission.

Here’s a great jewelry storage tip from the designer of the PAX wardrobe system. Loop long necklaces in a loose knot over a closet rod!

Have some fun and take your own browse through the IKEA Catalog! What products are you most excited about for 2011? Please share in the comments.

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.

Nature versus corsets. (1903). Illustration in Golden thoughts on chastity and procreation by John William Gibson. From the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

“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.

"'Bow-selecta,' Royal College of Art's graduate Fashion Show, June 10, 2009." Photo by manbeastextraordinaire (Jake Brown). From the Flickr Creative Commons.

“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.

"Obama Visits Pentagon." (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley/Released). Posted by U.S. Army. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

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

"Class A" Army uniforms. Official U.S. Army Photo.

"Class B" Army Uniforms. Official U.S. Army Photo.

"Spc. Eddie L. Williams, a computer detection repairer at Fort Belvoir, Va., models the new MultiCam Army Combat Uniform, which will be issued to Soldiers deploying to Afghanistan beginning in July." Photo by U.S. Army. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

"Maj. Gen. Robert Kasulke’s visit to Caserma Ederle: Army Reserve medical support March 2010." Photo by U.S. Army Africa. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

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.

"U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and his wife Deborah are greeted by CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric at the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York City, Oct. 15, 2009." (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley/Released). From the Flickr Creative Commons.

"U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of Naval Operations depart U.S. Navy's newest Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) at conclusion of the ships commissioning ceremony at Penn's Landing in Phildelphia, Pa., Oct. 10, 2009." (DoD Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley) From the Flickr Creative Commons.

"PNS Inspection-8.jpg, April 13, 2010." Photo by Hector Alejandro. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

"PNS Inspection-83.jpg, April 13, 2010." Photo by Hector Alejandro. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

"100806-N-1082Z-003 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 6, 2010) Senior Chief Information Systems Technician Justin L. Pendergraph, from Olathe, Kan., inspects Information Systems Technician 1st Class Nicole M. Trone, from Somerset, Mass., during a uniform inspection aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48)." . (U.S. Navy photo, by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky/Released)

"100805-N-9818V-205 NORFOLK (Aug. 5, 2010) Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Rick West holds an all-hands call aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) during his visit to Naval Station Norfolk. West is wearing the Navy Working Uniform Type III during the conformance test phase." (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jennifer A. Villalovos/Released).

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.

"7th Air Force Change of Command: Lt. Gen. Jeffrey A. Remington assumed command from Lt. Gen. Stephen G. Wood as Army Gen. Walter Sharp, the U.S. Forces Korea commander, and Gen. Carrol H. "Howie" Chandler, the Pacific Air Forces commander, presided over the ceremony." Photo by SFC Horacio Lozano. Posted by UNC-CFC-USFK. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

"Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz addresses more than 300 AETC Airmen July 16, 2010, during his induction into the Order of Sword at the Gateway Club on Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. General Lorenz is the Air Education and Training Command commander." (U.S. Air Force photo/Joel Martinez)

"Class of 2010 graduates salute for the national anthem at the commencement of the graduation ceremony May 26, 2010, at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo." (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan)

"The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen arrives at the U.S. Air Force Academy's Falcon Stadium for graduation ceremony May 26, 2010." (U.S. Navy photo/Petty Officer Chad J. McNeeley)

"Staff Sgt. Robert George, a military training instructor at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, marches his unit following the issuance of uniforms and gear. Recruits are molded into warrior Airmen through a recently expanded Air Force Basic Military Training program." (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo)

"First Lt. Megan Schafer (from left), Staff Sgt. Antwain Wright and Master Sgt. Scott Wagers show off different combinations of the new physical training uniform while jogging here during the wear-test phase." (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Efrain Gonzalez)

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.

"Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James T. Conway speaks during the 92nd anniversary ceremony of the Battle of Belleau Wood May 30." (Photo by Cpl. Bobby J. Yarbrough). U.S. Marine Corps photograph.

"The Marine Corps Silent Drill Team." Photo by Sister72. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

"Marines from 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and Army service members stand in formation on Fenway Park for a pre-game ceremony before the 2010 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, Jan. 1." (Official Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Randall A. Clinton)

"Rear Adm. Margaret Kibben assumed command as the chaplain of the Marine Corps following a promotion ceremony aboard Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall on July 9. Kibben, the first female chaplain of the Marine Corps, was promoted by her father, retired Lt. Cmdr. Bill Grun, and her daughter, Lindsey Kibben, at the Fort Myer Memorial Chapel." Photo by Lance Cpl. Benjamin Harris. U.S. Marine Corps Photograph.

"“In Dress Blues Deltas.” Photo by Jayel Aheram. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

"Sgt. Maj. William R. Sweet, sergeant major of Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Continuing Promise 2010, talks to Colombian Marines at Colombian Marine Corps Training Base Covenas in Colombia, Aug. 10, 2010." Photo by Cpl. Alicia R. Giron. U.S. Marine Corps photograph.

"Cpl. Chelsey Young, 20, from Westland, Mich., recites the Noncommissioned Officer's Creed during a Corporals Course graduation ceremony at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, July 17." Photo by Sgt. Brandon Owen. U.S. Marine Corps photograph.

"Cpl. Lucas J. Bruss and Theodore M. Cothran, MCMAP instructor trainers, lead their class on a beach hike during the Battle-Endurance Course, July 16. This hike led the Marines to the last two events of the day and their graduation ceremony." Photo by Lance Cpl. Tyler L. Main. U.S. Marine Corps photograph.

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.

"President Reagan getting a haircut from Milton Pitts in the West Wing Barber Shop. 1/23/81." Courtesy Ronald Reagan Library.

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.

John McCain public domain photo. January 24, 2007. Posted by Beverly & Pack. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

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.

John McCain. Photo taken December 29, 2007 by Marc Nozell. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

"Sarah Palin joins John McCain once again at a re-election rally for McCain in Tucson. March 26, 2010." Photo by Bill Morrow. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

"Senator John McCain, Ariz., speaks during a press conference at Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan July 5, 2010." Photo by isafmedia. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen greets Senator John McCain prior to his reconfirmation hearings for a second term as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. Sept. 15, 2009. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley/Released) From the Flickr Creative Commons.

“John McCain in Albuquerque. September 6, 2008. Photo by Matthew Reichbach. 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.

“Although they agree on little, Barr regularly attends Rep. Ryan's listening sessions in order to voice the concerns of working people.” Photo by aflcio. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

President Barack Obama talks with Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., during the nationally televised bipartisan meeting on health insurance reform at Blair House in Washington, D.C., Feb. 25, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

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.

Condoleeza Rice. Official State Department Portrait. From the Wikimedia Commons.

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.

“Rice_Cuba_Commission.” From the Wikimedia Commons.

Condoleezza Rice and Donald Tsang. Date 7 September 2007 Source U.S. Department of State. 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.

Sarah Palin speaking at a rally in Elon, NC during the 2008 Presidential Campaign. 16 October 2008. Photo by Therealbs2002. From the Wikimedia Commons.

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.

"Jan. 20, 2009 “President-elect Barack Obama was about to walk out to take the oath of office. Backstage at the U.S. Capitol, he took one last look at his appearance in the mirror.” Official White House photograph.

In the 13 years we have lived in the Washington area, never have we seen as much popular focus on the city as we have seen in the past few years. While Washington is the capital city of the entire United States and one of the larger metropolitan areas in the country, it has never acquired a reputation for being an “in” city. People come to Washington to do important, challenging work, primarily for the federal government. Most people’s jobs are ultimately accountable to the taxpayers of the country and it just wouldn’t look right to be living large or partying hard.

Despite popular stereotypes that people in the government are not intelligent or hardworking, most people I know in Washington have quite a bit of a nerdy side to them. Demographics show that the Washington area has one of the highest concentrations of highly educated people in the nation, including the highest concentration of lawyers and the highest per capita concentration of Ph.Ds. Washingtonians are also known for their book reading habits and publishers nearly always include a D.C. stop on most book tours.

In the last few years, perhaps due to the impact of the recession and the fact that the Washington area is one of the most economically vibrant areas of the country, more and more popular attention is coming to Washington.  The White House Correspondents Dinner, which used to be reserved for journalists covering The White House, is now a star-studded Hollywood affair.  After years of shunning the city for more party-friendly locales, MTV finally held a Real World cast house here in 2009. The current season of Top Chef is held in Washington and last week, “The Real Housewives of Washington D.C.” premiered.

The region is not quite sure what to do with all of this attention or whether all of this attention will change the general character of Washington. The Washington Post has been quick to dismiss any part of “real” of the “Real Housewives,” fact-checking and exposing every error in anything these housewives do, wear or say.

I watched some of the first episode of “The Real Housewives of D.C.” (as I think nearly everyone in Washington did) and have to say that nothing “feels” real about these housewives. Spray tans, bleach blonde hair and plunging necklines are not really a Washington thing–at least for the “old,” pre-Hollywood invasion Washington.

So, what is the “real” Washington look? This week, we will take a look at current fashion trends in Washington—a city that has never really been known for its fashion sense. Since there are always two sides to everything in Washington, we will begin today on the Democratic side and move tomorrow to Republicans.

Barack Obama on Inauguration Day 2009. Photo by egadapparel. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

We will start at the apex of the Washington power chain, the President. President Obama is one of the most fashionable presidents we have ever had and is undoubtedly the best-dressed man in Washington. He is a fashion designer’s dream, with a tall, slender frame and a photogenic face. I have never seen a bad photo of the President and he is always dressed in a way that conveys authority, respect and good taste.

The President, who recently turned 49, sticks to tried and true fashion choices. It is hard to find a photo of the President where he is not dressed in either a dark suit, white shirt and tie or (his casual look) dress pants and a collared long-sleeved shirt. If he takes any fashion risks, it is typically in his tie color choices. He is so reserved and polished that he didn’t take the slightest hit to his image even when photographed shirtless on vacation in Hawaii.

So, if you are taking fashion tips from the President, they would probably be: 1) Maintain your physical fitness and stay trim and slender. 2) Dress formally in a consistent uniform for nearly every occasion. A suit and tie is required for nearly every function. “Casual wear” is a collared shirt and dress pants. 3) Blend in but stand out for the quality of your appearance.

Barack Obama speaking to the AFLCIO in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Photo by aflcio. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

President Barack Obama listens during a briefing at the Gulfport Coast Guard Station in Gulfport, Miss., June 14, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

"President Obama Signs the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act." Photo by Speaker Pelosi. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

President Barack Obama talks Israeli President Shimon Peres, right, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Møller during a lunch hosted by Danish Prime minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, December 18, 2009. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Barack Obama, President Felipe Calderón of Mexico, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Mrs. Margarita Zavala, pause as the Military Color Guard enters the Yellow Oval Room of the White House, following a private reception, May 19, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

For the female perspective on Washington fashion, we turn to two powerful women, Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

Secretary Clinton, age 62, has been in politics for most of her life. Her style is an interesting combination of classic and fashionable elements. She seems to favor pantsuits and jewel tones along with simple jewelry. In a number of her photos, she definitely stands out from whatever group she is meeting with. She seems to embrace her role as a groundbreaking woman of power in Washington and doesn’t feel the need to conceal herself into the background. She makes occasional bold fashion choices like the dress she wore to her daughter Chelsea’s recent wedding rehearsal dinner.

Secretary Clinton delivers a statement on the flooding in Pakistan at the State Department in Washington, DC. USAID Administrator Shah also made remarks. State Department photo by Michael Gross

Secretary Clinton addresses U.S. Embassy employees, Nairobi, Kenya, August 6, 2009. State Department photo.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, left, is welcomed by the Qatari Ambassador to the U.S. Ali Al Hajri, center, and U.S. Ambassador to Qatar Joseph LeBaron, right, at the Doha International Airport in Doha, the state capital of Qatar, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2010. State Department photo.

Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton walk to a press conference in the gardens of the Presidential Palace in San Salvador. State Department photo.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., Dec. 3, 2009. Photo by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, age 70 (who is also a mother of five and grandmother of eight!), takes a slightly different approach. While she, like Secretary Clinton, favors pantsuits and occasionally wears bright colors, her standard uniform is primarily darker suits (black, gray, dark plum, etc.) and her “brights” are typically more muted tones of lavender and mint.

"Speaker Pelosi Visiting Troops in Iraq on Mother's Day." Official photo from speaker.gov.

"Speaker Pelosi Answering questions from children on Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day." Official speaker.gov photograph.

"Speaker Pelosi and Secretary Clinton unveiling the bust of Sojourner Truth in the Capitol." Official speaker.gov photo.

"Speaker Pelosi and Leader Reid meet with Bono." Official speaker.gov photo.

"Speaker Pelosi with her grandchildren on the House Floor." Official speaker.gov photo.

Both women are alike in their choice of hair and makeup. They don’t wear much makeup, except for an occasional darker lipstick tone and the “uniform” part of their look is definitely their hair. They wear the same hairstyle with every outfit and both have a similar hair length, between earlobe and shoulder.

If you are taking fashion tips from Secretary Clinton and Speaker Pelosi, they would probably be:  1) Same head, different pantsuit.  (i.e. keep your hairstyle and make-up consistent but change up the clothes you wear) 2) Limit your use of Botox and embrace your wrinkles. and 3) Own at least one red suit.

As you can see, Washington style is quite a bit different from “high fashion.” It is a restrained fashion balancing the need to look polished and current with the need to look recognizable, credible and relatable to a wide variety of people. It is likely a bit of a burden having to dress this way all the time and I am sure that even President Obama, Secretary Clinton and Speaker Pelosi want to relax and wear jeans and T-shirts or a comfy jogging suit sometimes.

What do you think of Washington fashion?  Which Democrats would you nominate as best dressed?  Please share in the comments.

"54:365 Closet Space." Photo by katykash. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

Now that we have done a few mental exercises thinking about our clothes, (i.e. thinking about whether our closets are “interview ready” and how many clothes we really need) it is time to start actually getting our hands dirty and sort through the closets.

August is a good month for closet cleaning. Some of us may be just about to splurge on clothes for the new season or school year. Closet cleaning doesn’t have to be a time consuming project. You can do it a little at a time until it is finished. Below, I have outlined my closet clearing process to help you get started.

A closet can seem a completely overwhelming space. Often, the closet is packed full and the sheer number of items to address is intimidating. Going through clothes can also trigger emotions about body image, money spent, memories or personal aspirations. But take a deep breath and realize that it is all “just” clothes.

On a first pass through the closet, it is helpful to just rearrange the hangers to group like with like. If you have some clothes in a dresser or on shelves and others in a closet, you might want to temporarily hang all of them up so they are easier to sort. What should your sorting categories be? Below are some suggestions:

For a Man’s Closet:

Formal wear (tuxedo, dinner jacket, etc.)

Business wear

1. Suits
2. Jackets
3. Dress slacks
4. Dress shirts
5. Polo/collared shirts
6. Ties

Casual Wear – Cold Weather

1. Jeans
2. Casual Pants
3. Long-sleeve shirts
4. Turtlenecks
5. Sweaters
6. Sweatshirts/Hoodies

Casual Wear – Warm Weather

1. Short-sleeve shirts
2. Tank Tops
3. Shorts

Exercise Clothes

1. Track suits
2. Shorts (bike shorts, running shorts, etc.)
3. Tops (team jerseys, cooling shirts, etc.)
4. Swimwear
5. Other

Sleepwear

1. Pajamas
2. Robes

Accessories

1. Belts
2. Suspenders
3. Hats
4. Other

Shoes

1. Dress Shoes
2. Loafers
3. Boots
4. Sneakers
5. Thongs/Tevas/Sandals
6. Slippers

For a Woman’s Closet:

Formal wear

1. Evening gowns
2. Jackets/pants
3. Silk blouses

Business wear

1. Suits
2. Dress slacks
3. Dress shirts/blouses
4. Skirts
5. Dresses

Casual Wear – Cold Weather

1. Jeans
2. Casual Pants
3. Long-sleeve shirts
4. Turtlenecks
5. Sweaters
6. Sweatshirts/Hoodies
7. Skirts
8. Dresses

Casual Wear – Warm Weather

1. Shorts
2. Short-sleeved shirts
3. Tank tops
4. Skirts
5. Dresses

Exercise Clothes

1. Track suits
2. Bottoms (yoga pants, bike shorts, running shorts, tennis skirts, etc.)
3. Tops (jogging bras/tanks, leotards, team jerseys, cooling shirts, etc.)
4. Swimwear
5. Other

Sleepwear

1. Pajamas
2. Nightgowns
3. Robes

Accessories

1. Belts
2. Scarves
3. Hats
4. Other

Shoes

1. High Heels – Formal Wear
2. High Heels – Business Wear
3. Flat Dress Shoes
4. Boots
5. Sandals
6. Thongs/Tevas
7. Slippers

Once you have all the like clothes and shoes together, the hard part comes in. Now it is time to scrutinize your closet and figure out what should stay and what should go. For this part, you will need a large garbage sack or box, this Ruly Closet Sorting Worksheet and a writing instrument.

Take a look at how many clothes you have in each category. You will discover where your shopping weaknesses are. If you have too many of something, start to discard. What should go? Check out my list below.

8 Sources of Closet Clutter

1. Closet Wallflowers.

First, look at things that you haven’t worn in a long time. Perhaps they were buried in the closet and now that you have found them you want to wear them again. Most of the time, however, if you haven’t worn it yet, you probably never will! Start a charity donation sack or box and toss the unworn items in. If you start seeing a pattern in things you buy but don’t wear, make a note on your worksheet so you won’t be tempted to buy the same things again in the future.

If you aren’t sure what is getting worn, one time-tested organizing tip is to turn the hangers of all your clothes so that the hanger faces backwards on the rod. When you wear something and are returning it to the closet after washing, hang it back up in the forward direction. At the end of the year, you can quickly see what you have not worn.

2. Duplicates

If you wear a lot of the same item, such as white turtlenecks, blue dress shirts, etc., it might make sense to have more than one of each item. If you prefer variety, don’t stock up on multiples of the same thing. Choose one item in the best condition and put the rest in the charity box. Write down on your worksheet the types of clothes you are acquiring too much of.

3. Ill-fitting Clothes

Clothing that doesn’t fit correctly will never look good on you no matter what you do to it. Clothes that are too small, too tight, too big, too low-cut, etc. should be selected for donation. If you really love something in this pile, write it down on your clothing shopping list. You deserve to find something that is flattering.

If you have had a change in weight and hope that you can squeeze back into something you wore years ago, ask yourself honestly whether after all the effort it will take to diet and exercise into a smaller size, if the first thing you want to put on your new slender body is old clothes from 5 years ago. If you want to save one outfit as your “test” to see if you really are the same size, go ahead but give the rest away.

4. Raggedy Clothes

Favorite clothes can develop holes or stains over time. Some could do with a little repair – a lost button, a small patch, etc. At some point, they are no longer worth wearing. If you can’t bear to part with something until you have a replacement, write down what you need to purchase on your worksheet. When you do get a new item, make sure to get rid of the old one.

5. Emotional Clothes

Clothes are very personal items. Some clothes trigger strong emotional connections for us and are hard to get rid of, even when we don’t really want them around.

You may be the lucky recipient of clothes from other people. Sometimes these gifts are wonderful and much appreciated. Other times they are not exactly to your taste. If you don’t like something, put it in the donation box, even if it belonged to someone you love dearly. Your loved one is not embodied in those old clothes. If it helps you to part with the clothes, put them on, have someone take photos of you wearing them, and then give them away.

Other clothes that are emotional are maternity clothes and baby clothes. If you don’t plan to have any more children, it is time to let these clothes go. We have all heard horror stories of the mothers who save every item of clothing their children wore. I have also met people who were these children and are now grown with children of their own. It is a huge burden on their lives to deal with all of grandma’s saved stuff. They don’t want to dress their children in clothes from 30 years ago. They want to make their own choices as parents and all that old stuff is holding them back. Saving a few treasured outfits, like a christening dress, makes sense. A whole closet full is too much!

There is a grieving process associated with closing one chapter of your life, particularly one that may have been a very happy time, and moving on to the future. If you are struggling, consider whether there is another outlet for your memories. A beautiful photo album of your little one wearing those treasured clothes is probably more meaningful to you than the clothes themselves. Or use the clothes as a springboard to write down the memories you are remembering. Consider writing a letter to your son or daughter to open when he or she becomes a parent, sharing these precious memories. Now that is something your child will truly treasure!

As a last resort, if you really just can’t bear to part with your emotional clothes, put them in a storage box and get them out of your closet. Sometimes just getting some physical distance from them is all you need to realize it is OK to let them go.

6. Money Clothes

How many of us are holding on to an item of clothing simply because it cost a lot of money and while we liked it once, we don’t care for it anymore, but we are still trying to get our money’s worth from it? Holding on to these clothes does us no favors. You don’t need a constant reminder of that mistake every time you open your closet. The money has been spent. If you don’t like what you bought now, it is not going to get any better sitting in the closet. Take a cue from business, acknowledge the mistake, write off your loss quickly and more forward.

Similarly, even if something was a real bargain, if you don’t like it any more or you don’t need 20 of them, let them go. There is another bargain out there for you to discover.

7. Clothes With Limited Purpose

Sometimes we purchase an outfit in the hopes that we will have an occasion to wear it in some exciting place or to remind us of some exciting place we have been once in the past. The après-ski outfit, the cruise dress, the island sarong, etc. You have basically two choices with these clothes. Donate them and make your peace that if you are ever in that situation again, you will buy a new outfit, or, start wearing the outfit in your everyday life. I did the latter with some clothes we purchased in Hawaii a few years back and I can’t tell you how fun it has been. People see the Hawaiian print dress and smile. It reminds them of their own visits to Hawaii and helps remind me of how much fun we had on our vacation too.

Writing this, however, reminds me of my favorite moment from the movie “Notting Hill.”

8. Incomplete Outfits

Women’s closets in particular can accumulate little gems that look great but the closet lacks some basic pieces to go with them to make them wearable. For example: the sheer shirt that needs a plain silk tank to go underneath; the printed dress that needs a solid belt, the sweater that would look great with a jean skirt, etc. We hold onto these clothes thinking one day we will acquire the missing items but we never do. Take a hard look at these clothes. Do you still like them enough to spend money to complete the outfit? If no, donate the item. If yes, write down the clothes that you need to purchase on your worksheet.

I hope this post helps get you started tackling your own closet. Please share in the comments your own closet organizing strategies. What are you keeping too much of? What do you need?

"Safe clothes for women workers. Illustrating what the well-dressed women in search of a war job should NOT wear, pretty Eunice Kimball, Bendix Aviation worker, pauses at the entrance to the plant employment office where potential workers are interviewed. Though clothes may not make the woman, they ARE an indication of qualifications for a job, and Eunice's sweater, high-heeled and open-toed slippers, jewelry and loose hair-do are not improving her chances of employment. To contrast the inappropriateness of her costume, note trimly-dressed Alice Tripp, Bendix guard. Bendix Aviation Plant, Brooklyn, New York." Photo by Ann Rosener for the Office of War Information (1943).

It’s the start of another month at Ruly and this month we are continuing our organizational progress by focusing on clothing and closets. The closet is an organizing challenge for many people. The simple act of getting dressed is a challenge for many people!

Clothing is an expression of who we are and whether we like it or not, our clothes tell people volumes about us before we utter a single word. Fashion is both a celebration of individual style and a sad commentary on how superficial and judgmental society can be. This month at Ruly, we are not just going to focus on the simple aspects of tossing old clothes and sorting sweaters into piles but also the reasoning behind the organization. What clothes are in your closet now? What clothes should be in your closet? What do you need to know to scrutinize your own closet and use your clothing as a tool to influence your own success?

We will start off the month looking at one of the critical clothing situations–how your clothes can make you money! Your closet as a money maker? You bet! We are talking about the all-critical job interview clothing situation. In the job interview, your clothing matters immensely. The right outfit can land you the job and the wrong outfit takes you out of the running.

How much time is a hiring manager really going to spend looking at your appearance over your credentials and experience? Sadly, a lot! In a Newsweek survey of 202 corporate hiring managers, 57% of hiring managers expressed doubt as to whether an unattractive but qualified candidate would be hired for a position. Looks were the third most important attribute to the hiring managers, just behind experience and confidence.

What is considered unattractive to an employer? Unfortunately, two of the biggest negatives are things that are hard to change. Looking much older than your potential co-workers was a negative factor for 84% of the hiring managers. Being overweight was a negative for two-thirds of the hiring managers. Is this discriminatory? Yes! Is this reality? Unfortunately, yes.

The “beauty premium” as it has been named by economists indicates that attractive people have advantages throughout their lives. They get more attention as children and young adults and earn more money throughout their lives.

The New York Times reported on a study that showed that beautiful people are more self-confident and that their confidence seems to show up both in person and over the telephone. The study suggests that confidence is what is most attractive to employers.

So, when you are going in for a job interview, your primary goals (after showing your experience and qualifications of course) are to look attractive and be confident. What does it mean to look attractive for a job interview? There is obviously going to be a lot of variation from one person to the next but there are a surprising number of fashion don’ts out there.

The following list of fashion items (compiled from numerous job interviewing sites and my own experience) are offensive to at least some hiring managers. I don’t necessarily agree with every item on this list but if I was going into a job interview situation in today’s competitive market, I would avoid as many of these items as I could. And yes, ladies, our list is naturally twice as long as the mens!

Clothing items that offend some hiring managers:

Men
turtlenecks
pink, lavender or any feminine colors
bow ties
ties with identifiable prints or logos
black suits
light colored suits
leather jackets
tight pants
jeans
shorts
white socks
scuffed briefcases
scuffed shoes
slip-on shoes (especially those with tassels)
face jewelry (nose ring, lip ring, eyebrow ring, etc.)
earrings
any jewelry other than a watch or class ring
tattoos
cologne
long hair
facial hair of any kind
ignoring instructions to dress in business casual clothes
too much black worn near the face

Women
short skirts
shorts (including shorts suits)
dresses that are clingy or have plunging necklines
pants of any description, including jeans, leggings and capri pants
black suits
light colored suits
cleavage revealing tops
strapless tops
tops with spaghetti straps
leather jackets
perfume
jewelry that makes noise
oversized jewelry
ankle bracelets
face jewelry (nose ring, lip ring, eyebrow ring, etc.)
more than one earring in each ear
hair longer than shoulder length worn down
tattoos
“No one wants to see your feet.” (sandals, open-toed shoes, backless shoes, flip flops)
heels higher than 2 1/2 inches
wild nail polish (i.e. any color other than “nude” or beige”)
wild lipstick (i.e. any color other than a natural pink)
brightly colored or printed purses
oversized handbags
ignoring instructions to dress in business casual clothes
too much black worn near the face

Sources:

• “Dress for success on your next job interview,” Laura T. Coffey, The Today Show, March 10, 2010.
• “Exposed: Women’s Dress Code Secrets,” Jennifer Swift, The Hill, April 20, 2010.
• “Big Blunders Job Hunters Make,” Sarah E. Needleman, The Wall Street Journal, June 28, 2010
• “The New Power Suit for Summer,” Christina Binkley, The Wall Street Journal, June 30, 2010.
• “Business Attire,” Penn State Erie: The Behrend College.

So what is left to wear? Men have two standard “uniforms”:

Suggested male interview attire

Formal dress: dark navy or dark gray suit with a white collared shirt and a tie with an understated pattern; black leather lace-up shoes and black leather belt

Casual dress: khaki dress pants, white or blue collared shirt with a white undershirt, leather belt and leather lace-up shoes in dark brown or black

As one Wall Street Journal reader put it:

“The best way to dress for the office is to dress like you’re going to a funeral, but then put on a more conservative tie.”

–Commenter Brian McNeill on “The New Power Suit for Summer” by Christina Binkley, The Wall Street Journal, June 30, 2010

"Four Business Men," Photo by PinkMoose. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

"Men in Suits," Photo by mrsclaireirving. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

"Tokyo Subway," Photo by katclay. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

Women, how about us? As in all women’s fashion, this is a little tricky. While there are some female equivalent “uniforms,” described below, you have to be careful that you pick something that is also attractive on you. If you look terrible in gray or navy, it might be just as risky to wear an unattractive color as to wear the slightly more controversial black suit. Women also have to strike a very delicate balance to look powerful but not masculine and attractive but not sexy in order not to offend most hiring managers.

Suggested female interview attire

Formal attire: Dark navy or dark gray, knee-length skirted suit. The tough part: a fashion-appropriate shirt underneath in a neutral color. Some say a collared shirt but this can be hard for many women to pull off. Some women I have seen wear more of a shell blouse. Choose something that frames your face well. Nude colored pantyhose and black leather shoes that don’t show your feet and make your legs look their best. For most women a heeled shoe is the most attractive. Some interview sites caution that you should be careful wearing heels if you are tall. If you look terrible in flats, though, I would risk a small heel. Subtle jewelry like a simple necklace or pair of earrings (in gold, silver or pearl) can give polish.

Casual attire: If casual, it gets even more challenging for women! You could try for a feminine version of the male look: a khaki knee-length skirt with collared white or blue shirt, white tank, hose and heels. A sweater set with a skirt or dress and sweater would also work. You might also be able to get away with khaki dress slacks depending on your figure and how conservative your potential employer is. Subtle jewelry like a simple necklace or pair of earrings (in gold, silver or pearl) can give polish.

May 6, 2009: UNDP Administrator Helen Clark mets Jeffrey Sachs, Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon," Photo by United Nations Development Programme. From the Flickr Creative Commons.	"Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, co-chair of the Congressional Military Family Caucus greets Deborah Mullen at the caucus kickoff." Photo by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. From the Flickr Creative Commons.
"EPA Administrator and incoming Chesapeake Executive Council Chair Lisa Jackson," Photo by chesbayprogram. From the Flickr Creative Commons.	"Proof!" Photo by slettvet. From the Flickr Creative Commons.

So, now that you know what a hiring manager wants you to wear to a job interview, it is time for a Ruly Challenge:

The Challenge: Review your closet and determine whether you have at least one outfit appropriate for a job interview, in both a formal and casual dress style. If not, make a list of what you need to purchase and make plans to acquire the items in the near future. You might go shopping, add them to your wishlist, etc.

Even if you think you will never need to interview in your life (lucky you!) these dressing guidelines apply to any situation where you are aiming to impress a wide variety of people. You are not dressing for fashion here but to please the median taste.

Fortunately, once you get the job, you can add a little more personality into your clothing choices. I think we would all go crazy dressing “interview appropriate” every single day.

Please share in the comments your favorite interview attire as well as any mistakes we should all avoid. Is your closet interview ready?