Don't Let Summer Sabotage Your Style

Summer is almost here and the warm weather probably has you peeling off your layers and pulling on your shorts. Yet as the temperatures rise and you begin to break a sweat while simply sitting on the porch, don't let your style suffer.

In many areas, warm weather can be synonymous with casual clothing. Just think about it - head to the beach and chances are your mode of dress barely consists of more than a tank top and shorts or a simple dress teamed with a pair of flip flops or thongs. Or if you're at home you may be wearing the exact same thing and wishing you were at the beach. It's summertime and the living' is easy. Yet don't let the more casual of seasons sabotage your style or your credibility. With a few tips you can tweak your chic while keeping your cool.

1. Business Casual does NOT mean Casual - There is a fine line between business casual and casual dress, and often times it can be confusing to know what's appropriate. Generally speaking, avoid anything that you'd wear to the beach or around the house such as flip-flops, logo tee shirts, sheer and voluminous dresses, jean shorts, tops and dresses that are strapless or have spaghetti straps, and shorts in general are no-no's when it comes to the workplace. Rule of thumb: if you're not sure, the answer is 'no'!

The Fear of Becoming an Invisible Woman Once You Turn 40

Is invisibility the only choice for women over 40?

In a recent article in my weekend paper about women over 40, one particular participant was bemoaning the fact that she was now invisible to younger men. She was sharing one of the greatest fears of baby-boomer women. It is the fear of losing your attraction to others. Whether it is your size or what you are wearing, many women feel unnoticed and bypassed both in their professional and personal life.

Here are two questions for you to consider? Who are you dressing for? What do you want to do with the rest of your life?

Read on for my views on whether invisibility is the only option for business and professional women over 40.

Is Invisibility the Only Choice? Yes!

Invisibility is the only option if you choose to take that option. If you decide to retreat from contact from others, wear dowdy clothes, slouch and look unhappy, you will be invisible to everyone and not just young men.

The Secret Lives of Your Clothes

With tears streaming down my face, a bundle under my arm and a box of matches in my pocket, I headed towards our backyard incinerator hoping mum would not see me. I did not want to be asked what I was doing.

Clothes are more than pieces of fabric hanging in our wardrobes. They all have stories. Stand before your open wardrobe and you could tell each item's story whether it be love, hate, embarrassment, shame or indifference.

Recently I read an article on How Clothes Can Boost Your Mood. This article talked about the things we women demand from out clothes. It also resonated with me as I have written about how hard it is to get rid of some clothes that bring up strong emotions in us.

Here is my guide to the good, the bad and the ugly of the secret lives of your clothes.

The Good

These are often favourites in our wardrobe because every time you put them on you feel good about yourself. They may be clothes or accessories and you wear them often. It might be the colour, the style, the fit, that it reflects your true personality or even all of these. Sometimes when these clothes start to fade or get a little worn, you still keep them. You are reluctant to throw out the memories of compliments and scared that you will never find anything like it again.

How to Use the Colours of Black, White and Grey to Add Interest and Diversity of Your Life

Most of us would hate to live in a world that is only black and white and shades of grey. We need colours that are pure, strong, rich, muted, soft, cool and warm to give our lives the richness and diversity we enjoy. Without black, white and grey, all the colour variations we enjoy would not be possible.

Black and white are usually considered to be non-colours although black is the absence of colour and white is made up of all the colours. Grey, of course, is the mixing of black with white.

Every colour has both positive and negative emotions and perceptions attached to it and black, white and grey are no exception.

Here is my short guide to help you use the western world's view of black, white and grey to add richness and diversity to your life.