Hola People’s - It’s summer and that means it’s time to bare your legs.  Knobby kneed, skinny, long, short, tanned, white as can be…all legs deserve a day in shorts.  So here’s my scoop on what to wear and what to not wear.

Ladies:  It’s all about your shape, i.e. the silhoutte that you create.  Pretty much remember that and you’ll find it easier to dress. 

Petite - If you are itsey-bitsey, then you should wear shorts that are mid-thigh length.  Be careful to not wear long shorts that will overwhelm your build.  If you are really thin you can get away with “longish” shorts but always make sure they hit above the knee.  If you’ve curves, use them and go for the mid-thigh length and think of using belts and ties to emphasize your little waist.

Pear-Shaped - aka you’ve smaller shoulders in ratio to your hips.  Steer toward solid shorts in straight cuts and you can wear them at the knee or just above the knee (depending on your height).  Go for solids and then pair with flashier tops.  The idea is to draw the eye up toward your upper body.

Plus Sizes - Look for fuss-free shorts with minimal details.  Opt for knee-length and pleat-free bermudas.  The more clean cut the better.

Everyone - Unless you’ve the height of Heidi Klum, Gisele’s legs, and you are eighteen….stay clear of the trendy, trendy styles.  If you are all of the above…Woot-Woot!  Then apparently I’ve arrived because you’re an uber successful runway model and you’re reading my Blog!  Fabulous darling.  Seriously, avoid baggy pockets and for most of you, avoid pockets period, where possible, cuffed shorts should not be tight on your thighs, hem any shorts that have unflattering hemlines and make sure that a. your behind isn’t hanging out when you sit and b. if it is…cover it up por favor.

Gentlemen - Generally speaking you don’t have quite as many options on the styles of shorts.  BUT this season there seems to be a multitude of colors for you to partake of.  If you aren’t scared of color and the occasion serves, feel free to indulge in some of this Summer’s vibrant colors.

If you aren’t overly tall, I’d recommend that you steer clear of shorts with patterns (those Hawaiian-print shorts that you like to wear for volleyball…yep, you know the ones.  They probably aren’t doing your legs justice).  Opt for single-tone shorts.  Also stay clear of any fussy details and embroidery.  Alas you’ll probably want to stay clear of the brilliantly designed cargo short (aaah…the military and their fabulously utilitarian designs).  UNLESS of course you manage to find a pair that don’t make you look like a safari guide ambushed you. 

If you are tall - God bless because your girlfriend is digging the fact that she can store all of her junk in the pockets of your cargo shorts (I’m not the only one that does this right?).  You’ll need to make sure that your shorts aren’t too long because you’ll risk looking like a daddy long-legs. 

For all guys, try to keep your shorts clean cut. 

As for pairing your shorts.  For the right occasion you can count on a nicely tailored pair of shorts to work as a casual chic look by dressing them up with a beautiful long-sleeve shirt, or a summer sweater and a nice sandal.  Pair it with a fashionable braided belt and you are good to go.

If you want to wear your trendy surf t-shirt opt to pair it with casual shorts like cargos and your flip-flops.

Now go forth and wear your shorts!

Happy Hot Summer Weather
Viviana M. Rueda
Creative Founder
Vivendi Fashionista

I really don’t remember when I got hooked on the superstition of “never leave your purse on the floor”.  It was definitely well before I was old enough to carry a handbag because as the youngest of an extended family of Fashionistas it was my duty to guard the goods (aka purses) when we were shopping.  But what I do know is that I’m obsessive about it.  I’m equally obsessive about not walking under ladders and breaking mirrors.  I’d like to blame it my Colombian heritage.  Our culture is steeped in superstition which for instance, you can find in the magical realism exhibited by Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s writing.  But what I’ve come to realize is that this superstition is deeply rooted in many other cultures.  I remember upon first meeting one of my best friends who has Jamaican roots, both of us lunged for our purses when a waiter went to move them from a chair to the floor.  We looked at each other and laughed when we both said “purse on the floor is bad luck”.

To me the superstition seems perfectly logical.  A. a woman’s purse is like a secret look into someone’s lifestyle.  Just as you can tell a lot about a man by a simple glance at his shoes, you can learn a million things about a woman by looking at or in her purse (ps. purse etiquette, don’t go through other people’s purses-it’s no bueno and impolite); and B. since superstitions are typically based on some logical event I’m guessing it has to do with placing the proper amount of respect on the items that a purse carries.  Women not only carry their money in their purses but also a cornucopia of items that tell the story of their lives.  From business documents, to pictures of our families, to our beloved blackberries (oh…am I the only one with the love affair with my blackberry?) down to the makeup that adds just the right amount of polish to make you feel like a Goddess.  Now why on earth would you place such an important item on a nasty, dirty floor?

And if it weren’t obvious already, leaving your purse on floor is just begging for an entrepreneurial thief to walk away with a bunch of relevant data about your life.  I was once having cocktails at a swanky bar near the beach when three women at the table next to mine realized that all three of their purses had been swiped by a thief.  Ooops. 

The third reason why you should never leave your purse on the floor, if neither the superstition nor the proclivity to theft has you convinced…Listen Sistah, if you are investing in handbags, treat them with respect and put your hard-earned, well-spent dollars on a chair, your lap or a purse hook.  You will ruin your purse by putting it on dirty floors where people will kick it and spill stuff on it– ICK!!

Speaking of purse hooks – below are three links where you can buy these snazzy little inventions.  They hook onto the edge of a table so that you can hang your purse off the hook.  Buy yourself one or two por favor and give your purse the respect it deserves!!!

The Purse Hook, Purse Jewelry, Hollywood Purse Hook

Happy Day!
Viviana M. Rueda
Creative Founder
Vivendi Fashionista

Hola my savvy fashionistas -

Today, I won’t expound…on much that is.  Today, I’m just here to say - GO GREEN.

Be chic, be trendy (only affordably though, don’t go spending $700 on trendy Gucci puhleeze, unless your name is Carrie Bradshaw and Big is footing the bill, or you are Ivana ex-Trump’s new eye candy) and stop using those nasty plastic bags that are plaguing the earth.

Check out this site and get your trendy bags for FREE!  Si people!  FREE.  Well, you pay for shipping that is.  It’s like $4.99.

Go to Original Green Bags and get youself some pretty, free, and guilt-free bags.

Thought for the day…what are you doing with your plastic bottles?  At the risk of you thinking that the Rueda Fashionista has turned into a tree-hugging, granola crunching type…Firstly, trees give me a rash and granola gives me love handles and don’t even go there with the Birkenstocks, I don’t care that they come in all sorts of styles and colors, they are still a fashion no-no!  I do invite you however to consider what you are doing with your drinking water and all those nasty, not-so-chic plastic water bottles.  Aluminum bottles….just a thought.

Happy Viviana Environment Day - Please save the rainforest so that I can honeymoon there.

Last night I had the opportunity to participate in a focus group that was reviewing women’s ideas about brands and what makes a good community experience.  I’m being vague because I’m not sure how much I want to share about the project but suffice it to say that it’s about building a shopping and community experience that involves high-end brands and luxury.  MMMM….I know how to pick a focus group, don’t I?  by the by, if you never done  a focus group try it, it’s fun and interesting, although mind you…not all of them provide luxury settings with hors d’oeuvres and champagne.  Like I said, I know how to pick ‘em!

So as I went home I got to thinking about the amazing challenge for any business that wants to focus on promoting brands that not only speak to luxury but also have a certain level of social consciousness, while steering clear of potential PR nightmares (imagine if you aligned with a group that turned out to be of the ecological-saboteur ilk).  There’s a demographic of well-heeled consumers who want to feel like they make a difference in the world while they drive their $175,000 car and wear their $2,000 shoes that were hand made out of sustainable products (does this make sense to anyone by the way?) by a small community of Indians in the remote Andes.  Ah yes…the days of the Ferrari in the driveway, the house in Aspen and the country club membership are indeed changing.  Now you can have that AND save the planet.

Well, I don’t know about you, but I find it fascinating to look at how companies grapple with this dynamic.  Take for instance the whole “green” craze.  If I had some extra time in my 80-hour workweek, I’d love to understand more clearly what that means exactly.  ”We’ve gone green!” is all over marketing campaigns.  Frankly, it smells of “All our products are lite!”.  Remember that craze in the early 90’s, when everything was “light” or “lite” and when you realized it was all marketing hype you were like 15 pounds heavier?  Ah, hello…consumer beware.  Small wonder that people were confused about gaining weight from “light” potato chips!  The only thing “light” about them was the color!  Anyhow. 

Point is, that I find this new age of branding fascinating and if as a business person you could leverage this into your own life, well, done in the right way and in integrity, it really could make a difference in the world, in your personal life and in your business. 

And the cool thing is that a lot of people are jumping on the band wagon with the same thought.  For instance, in the realm of the beauty products world there are companies such as Kiehl’s, that partner with Moroccan women to produce their “Superbly Restorative Dry Oil”, which is made out of a nut from trees found in the  Sous Valley.  Not only does the initiative help the Cooperative in terms of establishing and growing local businesses but it also aids in the teaching women how to read and write and how to run the their own businesses.  The oil by the way is said to be very effective to treat scars and split ends.  Many other companies develop innovative beauty products using rare ingredients from far-flung places while taking care to use fair-trade practices and implementing business practices that help the local communities from which they get their products.  Here in the U.S., high-end handbag designer, Nancy Gale, has co-founded an initiative called “In True Fashion” that encourages American school children to explore entrepreneurship by giving them the opportunity to design handbags, which are then voted on by the public.  The winning design is then mass-produced by the handbag line, JAMAH (which incidentally means “Be Who You Are” in Swahili).  Pretty cool stuff, this creating awesome products and making a difference in people’s lives.  I LIKE this kind of branding.

Tip of the Week
See how many of the products that you use in your life are from companies that have cool and interesting community involvement initiatives.  You may not be independently wealthy and have an extra three weeks to volunteer in Somalia building schools, but wouldn’t it be cool to realize that you buy coffee at a coffee shop that promotes small farmers so that they don’t have to say for instance, plant illegal crops in order to sustain a good standard of living?  Or that the company that makes your body lotion is providing funds to help establish a community of businesswomen who in the past had zero opportunities to keep their families out of extreme poverty?  Something to think about.

Viviana M. Rueda
Creative Founder
Vivendi Fashionista

I often hear people say that men have little choice or variety in their fashion choices, which launches me into one of my favorite topics – that being the breadth of creativity that men can engage in with fashion-related self expression.  I want to dedicate some attention to the man’s necktie, otherwise popularly known in the U.S. as the “tie”.  Other variations of the name include cravat, ascot, bows, and bandanas.  Although I tend to this think that these are really more styles of ties than alternate names.

In terms of longevity, the tie seems to have quite a history.  If you are familiar with the Chinese emperor who chose to be buried with 7,500 terra cotta soldiers, (personally I think this guy was scared of the dark) you may remember that each soldier is wearing a neck cloth.  Think of it as the BC (as in Before Christ) necktie.  Who knew there would be Fashionistas in the afterlife?  Apparently this Emperor thought they should be prepared just in case the fashion police was there to greet them in heaven, hell or whatever there is on the other side.  The Romans also sported neckwear – Check out Trajan’s column, it depicts soldiers with neckwear. 

What’s so beautiful about the tie is that men have so much variety!  You can choose from woven designs to prints and from there the creativity abounds.  Not so surprising then that I’ll have plenty to write about in future Blogs as it pertains to ties.  You’ll see future Blogs on necktie styles, how to wear neckties, how to tie neckties, what to wear with neckties, what not to wear with neckties….blah, blah, blah.  I bet you never thought there could be so much content dedicated to the tie.  But this piece of men’s clothing has a long and colorful history.

For now I want to share a story about the striped tie.   The striped tie has been associated in modern history with true and tried conservative attire.  This is most probably because striped designs were appropriated for a variety of uses by many military groups.  The Brits for instance used stripes for regimental colors.    In fact, all British regiments had a specific color scheme that belonged to only them.  The direction of the stripe was also very specific.  It had to run diagonally from the left shoulder down toward the right side of the body.  This was for very logical aesthetic reasons (shocking that the Brits would be so orderly).  Men’s jackets traditionally buttoned left over right so that you could easily reach your sword.  Brilliant design!!!  Then the Americans came along and changed the stripes to go the over way – oh, HOW gauche!  As you can imagine, there for a time the British were a tad annoyed to see their long-time respected colors being abducted by Americans. 

The striped tie is pretty much a standard issue tie that should be in any man’s wardrobe.  Firstly, the sumptuous array of colors and fabrics for striped ties give you a great deal of levity for self-expression plus the striped tie allows you to leverage the play of stripes against your body and face.  The diagonal line helps to lean out and soften a broad face, neck or chest. 

So, next time that you go to pick out a striped necktie, you’ll be much more appreciative of its history!
 
Tip of the Week
For this Spring/Summer you’ll find that as to be expected, there are lighter colors, although Summer tends to be running to the range of medium colors rather than pastels.  The necktie also continues to lose width (I would recommend you to stick to a standard width unless you’ve the interest and budget to indulge in trends).  This is the time of the year to explore floral patterns if you can carry them. 

Happy Tie-Wearing!

Viviana M. Rueda
Creative Founder
Vivendi Fashionista

I recently had the opportunity to participate in a training program that re-affirmed my dedication to making a difference.  For most of you, hearing  me say “I want to make a difference in people’s lives” is standard operating procedure.  I.e. this is not an unusual thing for me to say.  It’s why I do what I do.  I know that my natural skill set of seeing the true essence of people, i.e., their “Personal Brand” will make a significant if not profound difference in their lives.  But for those who don’t know me, it’s a realization that gets people thinking.  What does “making a difference” really mean?  I believe that it’s about self-realization, self-empowerment and the ability to self-express.

This should set the context for this Blog.  A few weeks ago I participated in the Bukido Institute’s B.L.A.S.T.™ program.  B.L.A.S.T. is an acronym for Basic Ladies Assault Survival Training.  It is a scenario-based training program that connects you with the reality of being assaulted, which as most women know, is not that unusual.  I won’t go into scary statistics but it wouldn’t be unusual for most of the women in your lives to say that they, a. have been assaulted or b. have fended off an assault. 

Right now you are probably thinking “how is this different from martial arts training”.  Well, martial arts training takes years to perfect, is a dedicated practice that is not only physically demanding but also emotionally and spiritually demanding.   The skills that the B.L.A.S.T. training teaches women are instinctual, you can be any age to use (well almost any age, a 1 year-old might have some trouble with the drills, yes I’m being facetious), and you can be at various levels of fitness or lack thereof.  You don’t have to train for weeks, months or years.  And there is no spiritual practice associated with it, it is intended to be used for your protection and the protection of the people that you love and hold dear.

How does this all tie into self-empowerment, self-realization and self-expression?    Simply put, the skills that you learn in this seminar tie into these traits as naturally as breathing ties into oxygen.  As a woman, wife, mother, sister, aunt, or niece do you know that you matter to the world?  Enough to protect yourself?  Enough to keep fighting when an aggressive 200-pound man has a vice-grip on your throat and is telling you what he is planning on doing to you?  Will you shut down, or will you remember that you are worth fighting for and that there are so many things to live for in order to make it through this assault?  As a man reading this, this should resonate with you loud and clear.  Do the women in your lives, have enough self-empowerment, self-realization and self-expression to be able to use their voice and body to fend off an attacker?  If you aren’t sure, then I strongly encourage you to have the women in your lives explore this question.

I walked away from this seminar with a newfound respect for the power that my voice and intention carries.  I have to say that the B.L.A.S.T. is truly intense and challenging, which I personally enjoy being a person that likes to set a high standard of achievement, but beyond that, it reminded me that my ability to protect myself allows me to protect my family and what I stand for.  If I don’t put myself first then I can’t make a difference. 

I hope this stirs some curiosity in you.

Tip of the Week:

Naturally it is about the Bukido Institute.  Bukido, by the way, literally means “The Path of the Warrior Spirit”.  You can learn more about Bukido at their website where they’ve a good deal of information on their training system and their Training Opportunities.  The next B.L.A.S.T. training program is June 14th-June 15th.  I highly recommend and encourage every woman that I know to investigate this training opportunity.  For more information, you can talk to Christopher Hicks who runs the program (along with a dedicated, very-well trained and highly professional team) and he may be reached at christopher@bukido.com

Be Safe!
Viviana M. Rueda
Creative Founder
Vivendi Fashionista

The theme of “self expression” seems to be a recurring one in my life and given that this is what I’m dedicated to bringing out in my clients, well, it’s only natural that it’s a recurring theme.

This Blog is dedicated to encouraging women to tap into their self expression through their personal brand.  Since “personal brand” is such a broad topic, let’s narrow it down to fashion and femininity. 

This past week I was reading through fashion magazines (sucks to be me, I get to actually enjoy my work-related publications) and I noticed that in the “Editor’s Letter” section of the magazine, the editor wrote about the fact that Hilary Clinton declined to appear in the magazine for fear of appearing “too feminine”.  Funny, because I’m just guessing that the fact that she is female, has probably not escaped the world’s notice.  Yes, I’m being sarcastic because this is a theme that I truly feel strongly about. 

Have we not escaped the notion that a successful, intelligent, contemporary woman must look and act like a man in order to achieve respect and the ability to lead?  Apparently not and this is scary.  So, I invite you, women of the world, to take a stand.  What on earth is wrong with being feminine?  In case anyone has failed to notice, some of the world’s most powerful people were/are women and feminine at that.  I don’t need to rattle them off, surely you can think of more than a few and I know you can think of the ones who’ve by their own choice (or in their mind, lack of choice) slinked into the dark side and now appear more like men than women.  God bless the 80’s power suit, where you too could have a Max Headroom cartoon-block figure.   If you don’t remember Max…check him out here Max Headroom.

Look it, I’m not implying that there is a form of power dressing that should not be adhered to.  Also, there is a time and place for everything and this applies to fashion.   I’m a Personal Brand expert and not a novice to what it takes to climb the “power ladder” having spent 17 years doing just that in the corporate world.  However, there is POWER behind self expression and if you are a woman, please express yourself as one! 

Some Tips on how to do this:
1. No more baggy suits for you!  Yes, I’m the Suit-Nazi.  No, don’t wear a skintight suit like the model in Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher” (I seem to be stuck in the 80’s in this Blog….which should be giving you a hint -  that if you are still dressing like a man…please leave the 80’s).   If you can’t remember how the model was dressed - Think super tight pencil skirt, heels meant for a runway, and I’m not talking a couture fashion runway, and a very tight, button-down that was unbuttoned to just-barely-legal.  Tailored suits are what you should be wearing and yes, this means that you’ll probably need to see a tailor – Surprise, surprise.  The odds are really low that an off-the-rack suit will fit you like a glove…so make friends with your tailor.  Need a tailor?  Call me, email me…etc.  Just ask.
2. No more “I’m going to not wear makeup to the office” look because maybe the men won’t notice I’m a woman and they’ll take me seriously-No really, they’ll just notice my work.  Trust me, they’ve noticed and they are wondering why as an adult, professional and successful woman you don’t seem to know how to apply makeup.  Seriously, if you are working in a corporate environment this is MUST.  Make sure you look polished.  If you are concerned about what a “polished” makeup look is for the corporate world, please contact me and we’ll handle that in an expediant manner.   By the way, polished also doesn’t mean a makeup death mask….”let’s-go-clubbing” makeup should be relegated to the nightclub, not the office.
3. The same goes for hair ladies.  Not having a clean, sophisticated haircut not only makes you look sloppy, but outdated and dare I say…old.  For instance, if you are over 16 and you are still wearing your hair like Guinevere from King Arthur’s Court, PLEASE, PLEASE, stop that.  YOU ARE KILLING ME, and others.  Call me and we’ll do a hair intervention.  Hair color is equally important.  The shade of your hair can affect everything from making you look unkempt, older and unprofessional.  In some people’s cases, age-inappropriate hair extensions and color need to be considered, as in, don’t go there.  Unless you are an actress or model, reconsider the Paris Hilton-toned hair extensions – Even then, use careful judgment and if necessary an outside professional opinion.

So what do you do to be a powerfully self-expressed woman, in terms of fashion?
1. With a clear eye and open mind, make an assessment of your Personal Brand, both in your personal and business life.  Are you truly expressing yourself or are you hiding in a shell that you were told you needed to be in to achieve success?
2. Realize that a strong woman can and should still be a woman.  You can choose hair, makeup and fashion styles that will not only highlight you as a woman but will make the appropriate statement.  Again, people don’t necessarily give you more credit for dressing like a man or like a sack of potatoes…they just think you don’t know how to dress and that dressing like a man or sloppily is your default. 
3. After doing item number one (the self-assessment), and you find that there’s something or a lot that you are holding back in your self expression, then take the next step.  Find out why.  What got you to this place and how has it affected your life? What are you losing in your personal and professional relationships by not being self expressed?
4. After doing the above, which you can do on your own or with the guidance of an Image Consultant or Life Coach, then take steps to amend the situation and watch how the world will start to react to you.

I’ll finish with this - Being a powerful and self-expressed woman means that you have it in you to show the world that your capabilities, experience, and confidence are inexplicably, beautifully and infallibly intertwined with your femininity.

Go forth, be bold and revel in being a woman!!!
Viviana M. Rueda
Creative Founder
Vivendi Fashionista

Today is the country’s most celebrated romantic holiday.  Bringing on various levels of romantic stress, an onslaught of online Valentine’s Day cards, boxes of bad (sometimes good, mostly bad) chocolate (I by the way have been inspired by a new Chocolatier, more on that later), many rushed, pre-set dinners and probably the highest selling day for carnations and roses (that’s just a guess, but does anyone receive carnations during the rest of the year?). 

I’m not precisely sure how the holiday became a symbol for romantic love, but I hear this occurred sometime in the medieval ages when romantic love was being popularized in the royal courts of Europe.  But for those of you who don’t know, February 14th is the Saints Day for St. Valentine of Rome and St. Valentine of Terni - Two martyred Christians.  

I digress from my original theme - What makes a Woman Fabulously Sexy?  How do you like that segue, from saints to sexy?  In honor of this fabulous holiday of love and friendship, I recently spoke at a privately-hosted Vivendi Fashionista Style Salon on the topic of “What Makes a Woman Fabulously Sexy?”  The following is quick recap of the evening’s presentation and as usual I’m opting for my favorite format of quick tips.  So here we go!

My top five picks for what makes a woman sexy:
1. Hands down - CONFIDENCE.  You know when you’ve got it going on and it exudes from your pores.
2. Knowing what looks good on you.  This can take years to learn and often times it also means asking for some outside/un-biased assistance to develop this skill.
3. Always highlighting your best features.  Ever notice that there are specific features that people compliment you on?  Flaunt them…in a sophisticated fashion please.
4. Being brave and experimenting a little.  Again, this is best done while under the supervision of - me preferably - or someone who you trust and who will be kind in their honest assessment of how your fashion exploration compliments you - Or not.
5. Dressing your age.  I can’t stress this enough.  It is not sexy when a 40-year old woman wears her teenage daughter’s clothing and it’s not appropriate for a 20 year-old woman to dress like she’s 60.

Whenever a woman wants a little kick start to feeling, ergo looking sexy, I suggest a few things:
1. Choose your fabrics carefully.  Reach for the “touchable” fabrics - Silk, velvet, fur (or imitation if the real version makes you feel anything BUT sexy).  Think of anything that begs to be touched.
2. Sounds too easy but a well-cut classic white t-shirt (think James Perse, and Three Dot), fabulously fitted jeans (no, NOT the stained, torn ones that don’t fit your behind perfectly) and a baseball cap can be wonderfully sexy.
3. The “I can’t believe I’m wearing this amazingly unpractical, unbearably sexy” lacy type of lingerie.  Wearing that under a sophisticated, conservative suit can give you a “sexy boost” that can be dangerous…if that’s the effect you’re looking for.
4. The surprise outfit.  I love this because it’s such fun to watch the reaction.  Dresses or shirts that are low-cut in the back and concealed by a long jacket to be revealed just before dinner, make a stunning effect.  The same goes for the skirt with a high-cut slit or for a mini-dress.   Hide them under a fabulous jacket and then, “surprise”!
5. Delicate necklace that rests just at the collarbone, specifically resting on or around the notch where the clavicles meet the sternum.  Remember the scene in the English Patient where Ralph Fiennes is talking about his lover’s throat?  That area known as the suprasternal notch is super sexy and highlighting it with a delicate necklace draws attention to the area.
6. Your man’s shirt, spike heels and nothing much else.  Need I say more?
7. Pencil skirts.  I’ll never stop insisting that every woman should own one.  So what if you don’t have Charlize Theron’s stems - That’s what sexy boots are for darling.
8. Drapey clothing that looks likes it about to slide off but doesn’t show too much skin.  Sexy is often times not about what you see but you don’t and the mind can do the rest…
9. Sexy Shoes.  Let’s face it ladies, these are very effective.  From fabulous long boots, to impossibly tiny-almost-not-there strappy heels.  I especially adore the red flash of Christian Louboutin soles.
10. Post-workout/post-whatever flush.  Ever wonder why you get hit on after you’ve been on a run or after working out at the gym?  It could be the spandex black workout out pants too.  I won’t lie, those seem to be very effective in the “how to make you sexy” category.  But since that’s 11 points and I refuse to go over 10, it’s getting lumped in here.
 
Things to avoid for the sexy quotient:
1. Visible white bra under white shirt.  Not hot.  Please opt for a nude bra.
2. Visible thongs.  Really?  Why do people insist on continuing this?  Purchase thongs designed for this specific need, or don’t wear them at all.
3. Panty lines.  Hmmm…ever since women staritng wearing pants this has been an issue.  Rule #1 in Viviana’s book of dressing - Never leave your home without looking at your backside in the mirror.  If you see panty lines, change to a thong that won’t do this!
4. Feeling uncomfortable in what you’re wearing.  Goes back to the CONFIDENCE comment from earlier in the Blog.  It’s apparent when you don’t feel comfortable in your clothes and for that mattter, comfortable in your skin.
5. Commando malfunction.  Hi…Britney?  Need I say more?
6. Dressing in your 15-year old daughter’s clothing.  Again with the age-appropriateness.
7. Muffin-topping.  Oh-la-la.  This means your pants don’t fit or the style isn’t a complimentary one for your body.  Reassess wearing these pants.
8. Dressing in old sweats (stained, torn, bad fit).  It’s just not flattering.
9. Dressing in clothes that don’t fit, either too big or too tight.  Again, this does nothing for your image, physique or self-confidence.
10. Not taking care of yourself.  Et voila.  Your body is your temple.  Take care of it.

And that’s a wrap for now.  Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish you a stress-free, enjoyable and wonderful Valentine’s Day.  Ladies, use your sexy tips with care.

Tip of the Week
Recently I had the pleasure of hearing Joan Freeman, the founder of Smile Chocolatiers, speak on a StepUp Women’s Network Entrepreneurial panel.  Ms. Freeman is a classically trained gourmet French pastry chef  and has created a line of sublime chocolate.  Smile Chocolatiers blend rich Belgian chocolate with the subtle and unexpected touch of green tea.  They are well worth the indulgence.  To see where you can can purchase this fabulous chocolate, see their website, Smile Chocolatiers.

Recently I answered a question on a forum for an online business network that brought up the issue of Business Casual dressing.  Basically the question posed to the forum had to do with, if the trend toward casual attire had taken hold in the workplace, did that mean that people didn’t want to dress well anymore? 

I love this question because it an issue that was raised with more regularity than one would think in the corporate environments that I worked in.  You would be amazed, or maybe you wouldn’t, considering what you see in your respective offices, what people believe passes for appropriate casual attire at the office.  For the sake of reference let’s call casual attire “Business Casual”.

We can all acknowledge that Business Casual has been commonly accepted for many years in a broad scope of fields and industries. My premise is that it doesn’t mean that people don’t want to dress well anymore but more that people are intimidated by it in that they may not be able to put together a well-dressed look that represents their Personal Brand.  That’s when hiring someone like Vivendi Fashionista comes into play because you can tackle this problem and easily put together sophisticated looks that not make you feel confident, but also impress upon others your Personal Brand.  But outside of a promotion for Vivendi Fashionista, I want to focus on the topic of what Business Casual means.  Hopefully it will provide some benefit for those of us who live and work in the Business Casual world. 

In many industries, Business Casual is not only frowned upon but prohibited according to employee policies.  This means that it’s important for people to understand their specific workplace environments or they will be scrutinized for their dress versus the quality of their work.  Sometimes it’s a good idea to peruse the Employee Handbook…

Some work environments do not specify work attire requirements but will have an unspoken attire policy. I recommend that you pay close attention to the attire of management as well as the top producers or leaders of the company.  You will most probably benefit from following their lead.

There has been a good deal of research done that if you dress for the part then you will most likely have a better chance to achieve it.  Basically, it’s not a coincidence that you’ve heard this phrase with frequency - “If you dress for the mailroom then you will most probably work in the mailroom”.   There have even been studies showing that how your dress affects how you think.  Think about it, are you on your game when you are wearing ripped jeans and flip flops or do you feel more confident and professional when you are groomed and wearing your most polished outfit? 

Another item of interest to consider is that in times when economies are in a recession or appear to be slowing down, workplace attire tends to become less lax than when the economy is booming. Think of when Business Casual became the norm - i.e. the Internet/Dotcom era.  So take into consideration the state of your industry and the general feel of the economy.

Lastly it’s important to understand what Business Casual means. There are many resources that can help you understand what dressing in Business Casual entails. But a word of caution for those of you who may not be blessed with an interest or talent for the finer details of fashion, if you are trying to make an impression at your  workplace, you may want to steer clear of Business Casual.  Or at least take the time to make a checklist of what works and doesn’t work in your work environment.  The following are some basic tips of what NOT to wear if you are attempting Business Casual:

Business Casual NO’s:
1.  Open-toe shoes & flip flops – This is a no-no for men and women.  Ladies, I know you’re dying to break out those gorgeous Manolo sandals that you found on bluefly.com, resist the urge.  Cute painted toenails may not be the message you want to be sending to your work colleagues.  If you work in a creative environment that is very open and you see your boss strolling around in open toe shoes, then reconsider, but generally speaking it’s a no.  If you go there, make sure your toe nails are in order because I guarantee that your toes will be noticed.
2.  Blue jeans – Some companies have a specific Blue Jean Friday policy.  So if you really must, then go for it, but blue jeans are not Business Casual.  They are casual, period, even if they cost you $300.
3.  Sneakers – Absolutely NOT unless you are a Richard Branson or George Lucas type and you are the undisputed boss. 
4.  Un-tucked shirts (for men) – This look is best left for your trendy restaurant dining experience, and going out-on-the -town nights.  Not appropriate for work.  If you are younger, you can try this look by having a button down un-tucked with a nice sweater over it.  But try this with caution if you aren’t in a creative workplace.  Better yet, just tuck your shirt in.
5.  Mini-Skirts – No.  Ever.  At work that is.  I guess it depends on your workplace but you know what I mean, mini-skirt suits for the office went away with Pretty Woman…
6.  Shorts – No.  Women there are some lovely shorts-suit combos but I caution against this unless you work in the fashion or creative industry.  Especially pay attention to this if you are younger and trying to make an impression.  If you are older and going for this look then you may want to reconsider as this is one of those age appropriate (or inappropriate as the case may be) looks that teeters on the edge…
7.  Baseball caps – Absolutely not.
8.  Sports attire – Sweats, and team jerseys are not Business Casual unless you work for a pro-football team.  In which case, knock yourself out.
9.  T-Shirts with Messages - Okay, so t-shirts unless they are well tailored as in they look like they are a button down or blouse, are a no.  It’s rare that you will find a t-shirt like this so steer clear of T’s please.  And t-shirts with messages like “Britney is cuckoo” or “That’s Hot” are a clear don’t.
10. Casual handbags - Ladies, you’ll know when it’s a no if you pick it up and wonder.  Go with your gut, but if it’s the bag you took to the beach last Sunday, it’s not Business Casual.  If it’s a perfect bag to go thrift shopping with…not office appropriate.

Generally speaking, the trend is leaning toward a more polished and sophisticated look in and outside of the office. You’ll probably notice that even in Los Angeles, which has traditionally been a very casual city, there is a trend for women to wear dresses and men blazers when they go out vs. jeans, and sneakers. This varies naturally on the specific environment but if you look around you’ll notice a shift.

For what it is worth, personally I found that dressing professionally served me very well in my 17 years in corporate world. I often worked with the leaders of the companies who employed me and I was usually representing the companies’ brands so it was imperative that I make an appropriate/tailored/professional impression to all of my audiences, including internal and external audiences.

If you’ve any specific questions that you need help with when it comes to Business Casual dressing, just contact us via our website www.vivendifashionista.com.  And if you don’t have any questions, check out our updated site!  We’ve an entirely new Services section with fabulous new Services Packages and an updated Style Salon and Events section too.

Warm Regards and Happy Dressing,
Viviana M. Rueda
Creative Founder
Vivendi Fashionista