The other was an educational conference for my fellow image consultants. Most of us were in our 40s, 50s, and 60s. In other words, “mature” professional women.

What do you think the younger group were wearing? If I had to describe the prevailing outfit, I would have to say it was jeans and/or something black. I was surprised at the lack of color in the younger group’s clothes. Were they thinking they needed to tone it way down because they were at a business function? These young women played it so safe when in truth, it wasn’t necessary. For the record, I was wearing a dress with a brown and turquoise print, brown boots, and a teal blue coat. And I am turning 50 this month.

Now, what do you think the image consultants were wearing? Naturally, every single one of us was dressed beautifully in age- and business-appropriate clothes. But the color! Shades or orange paired with grey; reds of every imaginable variation of warm to cool; exhuberant prints in teal and purple; gorgeous outfits in neutral camels with beiges and browns. Yes, there was black. But always paired with a gorgeous color or vibrant print. At one point I counted at least a dozen out of the 35 or so of us wearing some version of an animal print.

I found this contrast fascinating, and a little depressing. What have these young women heard up to this point that has them convinced that the only way to be taken seriously is to eschew color at a business function? When did these young women learn it wasn’t acceptable to express your own personal style, even at a business function? With so many color choices these days, and with the ability of anyone to find out what their best colors are via a custom color analysis, why would a young woman choose no color at all?

If you aren’t sure what your body style is, consider investing in a body style analysis. But for now, here is some general wisdom regarding how to choose the best pant for you.

Start with fabric. You will have the most success when you invest in pants made from higher quality fabrics. They drape on your body better, and quality fabrics always feel best on your skin. Not to mention the fact that they last longer and wear better.

Waist. To ensure a proper fit in the waist, you want to be able to pinch 1 to 1 ½ inches of fabric at the hip line. The waist line should not sag or pull down in front or back.

Crotch and seat. There should be no pulling or bagging at the crotch or seat areas, either.

Pleats. These are mostly a matter of personal preference however, flat front pants have a more slimming effect. They also look more sleek and modern. If you do choose pants with pleats, the pleats should lie closed, or flat.

Pant length. In general, the hem of the pant should fall where the shoe upper meets the heel.

Pant width. The longer the pant length, the wider the hem should be. And therefore, the shorter the pant length, the narrower the hem should be. These guidelines will produce the most pleasing proportions on most women.

What about cropped pants? These styles can be fun to wear, but remember the rule about length vs. width. Also, shorter women will look their best if they wear a heel when wearing cropped pants.

Cuffs. A pant with a cuff will always make the leg look shorter than a pant without a cuff. Women under 5’5” should avoid cuffs on their pants.

Color and texture. If you are larger on the bottom half of your body, you want to opt for darker colored pants as well as fabrics with little or no texture or shine. If you are slimmer throughout the hips, seat and thighs, you can wear lighter colored pants as well as some texture and shine, such as satin.

Shoes. A heel will dress up any pair of pants, including jeans, chinos, and capris.

Alterations. It is rare to purchase a pair of pants that fit you perfectly everywhere on your body; most of the time, some type of alteration will be necessary to ensure the best fit. Always factor in the cost of alterations when purchasing pants.

They can't see how you look, but they can feel how you look!

Here’s a funny little story: I was talking to a friend and client one morning, and he told me he had an important phone interview later that day with a potential client on the East Coast. I asked him what he planned to wear. He seemed surprised by the question, then he told me he was dressed in jeans, a casual shirt, and his bedroom slippers. So I said to him, “Why don’t you put on what you would wear if you were having this interview face to face?” He thought about it for a second, then said, “That’s a great idea!”

So he put on his best suit, dress shirt, and dress shoes. No tie because for this particular company, that would have been overdoing it. I told him to call me later to tell me how it went. When he called, he told me that as soon as he changed into his “interview outfit,” he felt himself sit up straighter, and he strode around the house like someone who was completely sure of himself. Later he told me that during the interview he would periodically go to the mirror to look at his reflection. He said this made him more aware of his posture, and reminded him to smile occasionally while talking. He also enjoyed admiring how great he looked!

Why is this important? Nobody could see him, so what difference did it make what he wore and whether or not he sat up straight? Because dressing the part made him feel differently about himself. Because of the way he was dressed, he felt more powerful, more confident, and in the frame of mind of someone trying to impress the person on the other end of the phone. And he’s sure that came through over the phone because yes, he got the work.

This is the power of image. It’s the power to project the confidence you feel, even when no one’s looking.

Strong statistical evidence shows women in business who wear makeup get better jobs and are promoted quicker: 64% of directors said women who wear make up look more professional; 18% said women who didn’t “look like they can’t be bothered.”

Researchers sent out ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures with resumés to 1000 companies and asked them to determine starting salary. Results ranged from 8-20% higher as a result of good grooming.

The halo effect
Psychologists found that when your visual message is positive, the person you’ve met assumes other aspects about you are equally positive. This is known as the halo effect.

The reverse halo effect
A single weak point influences others’ perception of a person.

It takes an average of seven seconds to make a first impression.

We form stereotypes and hypothoses within eight seconds of seeing or meeting someone.

At the University of Pittsburg, 700 MBA graduates’ photos were ranked in attractiveness (based on grooming, not beauty) from 1-5. Ten years later they were surveyed again and a direct correlation was found between ranking and career success.

Men and women notice hair before anything else. Unkempt or unclean hair is the biggest turn off in the office; bad breath is second.

78% of business professionals said grooming had a direct impact on the percieved ability of colleagues.

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What a difference good fit makes. Who would you trust more?

I want to take a moment to speak to the gentlemen out there. If you take only one piece of advice from an image consultant for the rest of your life, I’d like it to be this: One of the most if not the most important aspect of looking good is wearing clothes that fit you properly. I mean it. Wear clothes that fit you.

The gentleman who is on the heavy side does not do himself any favors by wearing clothing that is too big and baggy; it only makes you look even larger. And for the gentleman who would like to appear larger, wearing a sport coat with shoulders that are too wide for your shoulders only makes you look smaller.

Every gentleman needs to find and become BFFs with a good tailor. No one walks out of a store with a suit or a pair of pants fitting them perfectly. Everything needs to be altered in order to fit your body impeccably. So always include the cost of alterations in your clothing budget. Take the time to learn what your body shape is, and then find out which shapes and silhouettes of clothing will show that physique to its best advantage.

If you take my advice and wear clothing that fits you properly, you will feel more confident in everything you do.

Yours truly, mugging in a donated Valentino wool and mink sweater coat.

We all love a bargain, especially when it comes to beautiful clothes. And these days, with everyone looking for all sorts of ways to save money and get more for less, secondhand clothing stores are experiencing a boon. Those of us who love secondhand clothing stores understand the thrill of finding a designer treasure at a fraction of a fraction of its original retail price, but if you have never shopped at secondhand stores, I want to encourage you to give it a try. Here are some tips I’ve collected over my nearly 30 years as a secondhand shopper, as well as my years managing a high-end secondhand clothing store in San Francisco’s affluent Pacific Heights neighborhood.

Look for shops in the affluent neighborhoods in your area. At the store I managed in Pacific Heights, we regulary received donations of Chanel, Prada, Fendi, Oscar de la Renta, and many more expensive designer brands of clothing, shoes and accessories. Many times, items still had their original store tags. Go where the rich ladies live, work, play and donate their castoffs!

Check back often once you find stores you like. Those designer items don’t last long, and stores are constantly replenishing their stock with new donations and consignment items. Ask the staff if there are certain days the store puts out new stock.

Get on the mailing list, if they have one. Even secondhand stores have sales. The store I managed would put things on sale when we had an overstock, and twice a year we had a sale where the entire store was half off. All our mailing list customers got advance notice of our sales.

Make friends with the staff. At the store I managed, we had many regular customers. The ones who were nice to us got special treatment, such as a phone call when items came in we knew would appeal to them. Be nice to staff and they will take care of you.

Try things on. I can’t stress this enough. Most secondhand stores do not accept returns, and since different designers’ and brands’ sizing can vary wildly, you may be a 6 in one pant and an 8 in another and a 4 in yet another. Because no matter how much of a bargain it is, you don’t want to get it home to find you can’t wear it.

Examine items meticulously. Again, chances are you can’t return it, so make sure it’s in a condition acceptable to you. Inspect things in the best light (many times that will be close to a window.) Look for stains, discoloration, pilling and excessive wear at stress points like elbows, knees, crotches and underarms. Check zippers and other closures to make sure they work properly.

Read the care labels. Don’t buy a silk blouse or a cashmere sweater unless you are prepared to either take the time to hand wash it or pay to have it dry cleaned.

Only buy what you know you will wear. Don’t’ be seduced by the low price of a beautifully made St. John suit if it will just sit in your closet, taking up valuable space.

Wash or dry clean what you buy before you wear it. Most secondhand stores do not have the time, the staff or the budget to have clothing laundered or dry cleaned.

The best bargains are usually the most expensive. Think about it. A typical Missoni sweater costs $600 to $900 or more. Most secondhand stores couldn’t get away with selling it for much more than $100. The store I ran once received a Chanel sweater that originally retailed for about $1,800; we sold it for $350.

Take your time. Be patient. While most secondhand stores do their best to keep their racks organized by size, style, color, etc., remember you are not shopping at Nordstrom. You will have to pick through a lot of so-so items to uncover the gems, but it will be worth it.