Your personal image conveys more about you than your business card.

Most cultures, place a premium on appearance, and it is also true for the boardroom.

You want to project confidence, power and intelligence. While your business card and resume reveal your work experience, your level of professionalism and respect will be transmitted immediately by your appearance. Your attire is a visual representation of the message that you are trying to project and they should mirror the confidence and professionalism seen in your attitude.

Think about what you want your clothes to say about YOU. Do you want them to say that you are flashy and sexy or that you are a serious professional with capability to handle tough situations in a respectable manner.

All of this focus on the minutiae of your appearance for the first impression may seem trivial when the real focus should be on your skills and ideas, but we live in a very judgmental world. Like it or not, we are often critiqued based on our appearance so it is important to think carefully about the physical and psychological image that we project when walking into a boardroom.

“Dressing appropriately” Should be presenting yourself with style, class and professional polish and is a winning strategy for every business women of today.

Most cultures, place a premium on appearance, and it is also true for the boardroom.

You want to project confidence, power and intelligence. While your business card and resume reveal your work experience, your level of professionalism and respect will be transmitted immediately by your appearance. Your attire is a visual representation of the message that you are trying to project and they should mirror the confidence and professionalism seen in your attitude.

Think about what you want your clothes to say about YOU. Do you want them to say that you are flashy and sexy or that you are a serious professional with capability to handle tough situations in a respectable manner.

All of this focus on the minutiae of your appearance for the first impression may seem trivial when the real focus should be on your skills and ideas, but we live in a very judgmental world. Like it or not, we are often critiqued based on our appearance so it is important to think carefully about the physical and psychological image that we project when walking into a boardroom.

“Dressing appropriately” Should be presenting yourself with style, class and professional polish and is a winning strategy for every business women of today.

Valentines Week with Style and Grace

Valentines week with William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare,

Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.

Love Sonnet’s

If I should think of love I'd think of you, your arms uplifted, 
Tying your hair in plaits above, The lyre shape of your arms
 and shoulders, The soft curve of your winding head. 
No melody is sweeter, nor could Orpheus So have bewitched. 
I think of this, And all my universe becomes perfection. 
But were you in my arms, dear love, The happiness would 
take my breath away, No thought could match that ecstasy, 
No song encompass it, no other worlds
If I should think of love, I'd think of you. 

Take all my loves, my love, yea, take them all; 
What hast thou then more than thou hadst before? 
No love, my love, that thou mayst true love call; 
All mine was thine before thou hadst this more. 
Then if for my love thou my love receivest, 
I cannot blame thee for my love thou usest; 
But yet be blamed, if thou thyself deceivest 
By wilful taste of what thyself refusest. 
I do forgive thy robbery, gentle thief, 
Although thou steal thee all my poverty; 
And yet, love knows, it is a greater grief 
To bear love's wrong than hate's known injury. 
Lascivious grace, in whom all ill well shows, 
Kill me with spites; yet we must not be foes.

 

With Style & Grace week of Love

Valentine’s Week with Style and Grace

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Valentine’s Week with Style and Grace

Love in Poems this Valentine Week, With Love, Style & Grace

Renaissance poets were especially fond of expressing love in sonnets, most notably Shakespeare who famously compared his love to a rose, a summer’s day, Perfume, snow, and various species of birds. Romantic era love poems have become some of the most enduring, and oft-repeated, poems ever written in English. Consider this Elizabeth Barret Browning Poem, one of my favorites of which has become as well-known as to be considered the classic love poem cliché:

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height.
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day’s.
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old grief’s, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

How better to express one’s feelings of love and passion than through reading and sharing a poem? Countless suitors have used verse to woo a love interest, expressing feelings of desire and longing. Which will you chose this Valentine’s Day.  Here are a few more to enjoy With Style & Grace

How to Succeed on that Job Interview- Tips on dressing for an interview.

Grace Gallo New York Brand objective is to inspire women and honor all women in the work force by providing them guidance on how to dress for the boardroom.

I could not agree more – with Edith Head.

In this tough job market your wardrobe can be a powerful tool. We spend so much time and energy and passion engaged in our careers so why shouldn’t we get all the help we can and use fashion to our best advantage.

Yes, women have advanced a great deal in the business world.   But a woman’s appearance is way more under the radar than a man’s. Let’s not deny it – how female’s looks are held to a much higher level of scrutiny than a man’s.  A man can pull any one of his two or three suits out of a closet and throw it on top of the same shirt he wore the previous day. Women in the workplace do need to spend more hours putting themselves together. So you never want to give anyone a reason to say “no” based on your appearance.

Now if you want that job you’re interviewing for. I believe dressing the part is vital factor in attaining success. You need to toe a very conservative line, avoiding flashy make-up, plunging necklines, too-short or too-tight skirts, if you don’t look the part of a leader, you’re not likely to be given the role. Go with something ladylike and quietly elegant.

Suits & Jackets – Typically, safe bet for job interview.  I would avoid loud colors, my Angela Jacket below, even though it is a well tailored appropriate jacket for the office, I would not wear it to a job interview. To bright in color and will detract from your interview.  I think solid colors work best and typically the better choice for that important interview. My Angela jacket was inspired by casual Fridays and what I call my Happy Friday Jacket.

With Tailored Jackets you can never go wrong in a job interview.  Dress too sexy or distracting and you become easy to dismiss.

Your total overall appearance, not just a suit or jacket, it’s also about your overall look, as one package, hence your accessories are very important too, Jewelry, pocket book, shoes and briefcase.

Your shoes – heels are always preferred in business/corporate world, and I have to say they add and make an outfit look more polished and professional.  But if you cannot withstand all that is involved in wearing high heels, a low heel shoe is fine and solid color leather always looks more professional.

Pocket book/Briefcases – again as in shoes, it is always best to invest in leather accessories and try to stick to solid colors. If you’re going to carry a pocket book as well as a briefcase, then you need to make sure that your pocket book is significantly smaller than your briefcase.

Jewelry – your choice in jewelry is a direct reflection of who you are as a person. For me the classic pearl necklace is a statement of style and class. You can never go wrong with pearls. Definitely avoid those long dangling earrings not advised for business setting nor are giant hooped earrings or anything else that may seem gaudy. Remember that simple is always better.

DON’TS:  

DO’S:

And of course, let’s not forget clean and tidy which you would think is essential. I once had a young girl come in for an interview in flip flops, very short denim skirt and t-shirt. Besides not dressed appropriate for a job interview, she looked like she just got out of bed! Let’s just say she did not get the job. And I knew the minute she walked in the door.

Remember, you can dress in a negative way where your attire is the only message people remember, or you can dress in a way that takes nothing away from the message of your value for yourself you will present to them.

Stylish Shirt with pearl necklace      +

 Add pencil skirt      +

   Stylish briefcase

Double breasted long Jacket/Coat Perfect for interview

Both of these ensembles are also perfect interview combination. Solid colors, pencil skirts

Add the Briefcases to these two outfits and you have the perfect interview combination, you have the complete look I describe.

Please check out our website at http://www.gracegallonewyork.com for the outfits featured on the blog.

Fashion Blog With Style & Grace

I am sure we can all agree, we have become a throwaway society and it has started hitting the fashion world.  (Buying that cheap throw away collection each season)

 

At GGNY our philosophy that buying quality items and keeping them for several seasons is the way to go, at Grace Gallo New York we embody this philosophy with each collection.

 

We design with you in mind. (The busy Business Women of Today)

You will find sturdy staples with intricate details. You can be confident that we understand your lifestyle. We know that you are busy, feminine women who recognize the importance of value and that you might need to go from the office to the playground.

Yes, women have advanced a great deal in the business world, but a woman’s appearance is way more under the radar than a man’s. Let’s not deny it, females looks are held to a much higher level of scrutiny than a man’s.  A man can pull any one of his two or three suits out of a closet and throw it on top of the same shirt he wore the previous day. Women in the workplace do need to spend more hours putting themselves together, as you will be judged by your appearance. Unfortunately you’re branded the minute you walk in the door. So you never want to give anyone a reason to say “no” based on your appearance.

A simple point to remember is that you attract what you focus on. So why not focus on your appearance and boost your personal magnetism, not repel it. We want to help you to discover a look that enhances your self-image and empowers you. In short, we help to make you look and feel your best. Your unique characteristics, skills and personality are packaged to convey the image you want to convey. Your personal identity – your personal brand – is expressed in your personal appearance. We help you create it; you make it work for you.

And to quote one of my favorite designers

 

I don’t understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little – if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that’s the day she has a date with destiny. And it’s best to be as pretty as possible for destiny. Coco Chanel

Continuing our New Year’s resolutions – With Style & Grace Harnessing your Curiosity This 2013

I Grace Gallo here and now declare that I am proud to say I am and always been passionately curious, My father tried to vehemently discourage and break this part of my personality. Thank goodness. He did not succeed. His thought, having too much curiosity was not suitable or fitting for a women. And my ex-husband tried too. He used to call me a “sticky nose”, because I took interest in people, life and everything around me, I always asked questions, questions and more questions. He labeled me a “Sticky Nose” infuriating me. I used to tell him I am not a sticky nose, just a very curious person. I then found and read a great quote on curiosity by Samuel Johnson.  I memorized this wonderful quote and waited patiently for him to call me that awful name, “Sticky Nose” I then recited this wonderful curiosity quote. “Curiosity is one of the most certain and Permanente characteristic of a vigorous intellect”. Well let’s just say I did not get the reaction I thought, he laughed and laughed as he did not think or ever considered that being a curious person meant that you were an intellect. I knew then and I know now that he was so wrong.

If you were asked what was your greatest strength, what would you reply?  In the case of John F. Kennedy, he said “My curiosity.”  Now, that’s an answer you wouldn’t expect.  And then there’s Albert Einstein protesting, “I have no special talents.  I am only passionately curious.”  And even Eleanor Roosevelt said, “I think, at a child’s birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift would be curiosity.”

What’s so great about curiosity?  Actually, it’s something we humans share with the entire animal kingdom.  It’s a necessary urge to find out about our environment, find food, to survive.  But for humans, it’s so much more.  Curiosity leads you to explore new ways of doing things, solve problems, and investigate possibilities.  It keeps the sense of wonder that you had as a child alive.  When your curiosity is keen, you can grow and expand your life to fit your dreams.

And don’t worry that “curiosity killed the cat.”  Remember the rest of that proverb – “but satisfaction brought him back”!   : )

Harnessing Curiosity This 2013. Explore and be Passionately Curious.

With Style & Grace

With Style & Grace – New Year Resolution Enthusiasm

When was the last time you were carried away with the sense of excitement — when you felt so pumped up and involved that time just whizzed by? Your mind working in overdrive, and your spirits totally caught up in the moment. If you can’t remember, what you need is a dose of

Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm is a sense of inspiration. The word comes from the ancient Greek, meaning – connecting to your inner power and bringing energy and excitement to all you do – a feeling of being truly alive and working on all your cylinders. It’s that “little something extra” that puts you ahead of the pack. An enthusiastic person is charismatic — you can’t help but respond to their enthusiasm and catch some of their “fire” as well. And an enthusiastic person is a successful person. As Walter Chrysler, the founder of Chrysler Motors, has said, “The real secret of success is enthusiasm. Enthusiasts are fighters. They have fortitude. They have staying qualities. Enthusiasm is the bottom of all progress. With it, there is accomplishment. Without it, there are only alibis.”

If you’re not getting as much out of life as you should, it’s time to recharge your batteries with enthusiasm. Playing “as if” will help you to jump-start this process of developing your own inner fire. Even if you may not feel naturally enthusiastic, anytime you act “as if” you are, you start to take on that quality. Surround yourself with positive, enthusiastic people. After all, enthusiasm is contagious, and it’s one “virus” you want to catch!.
Take an interest in something. Learn all you can about it. Dust off your curiosity and follow where it leads.

Stay tuned. Next Blog Curiosity!.

With Style and Grace