It's Not Really About The Shorts

First Lady Michelle Obama is taking a lot of heat about wearing shorts to visit the Grand Canyon. People might be taking about her shorts, but the shorts aren’t really the problem. The outfit doesn't work because she doesn’t look like the First Lady in it.

(PHOTO - Dana Felthauser, AP)

Image is tricky, it's a form self expression and communicates your place in society. For an outfit to really work it has to honor your sense of style, flatter your body, be practical for the occasion, and represent who you are.

There’s no problem with the outfit Michelle chose, per se. It’s flattering and perfect for a mom on vacation. The sticky part is that she isn’t an “ordinary” mom, she is also First Lady and her outfit ignores the formality of her official role.

Just like the President, she is “on duty” 24/7. Right or wrong, the American people expect her to look like the First Lady... always. The President looked like “The President” on vacation at the Grand Canyon. She looked like “Alice America” instead of “The First Lady.”

(PHOTO - Reuters)

Being the First Lady requires a formal element, even if the occasion is casual. A more formal pair of shorts (tailored walking shorts or starched capri pants) and a slightly dressier shoe (sport loafers/Keds) would have made all the difference.

We “regular” women face the same judgement everyday, it’s just not discussed on a national scale. We encounter the same distinction when dressing for the office picnic versus a family vacation. There is a level of formality, professionalism, and modesty that is expected at a business casual event.

Michelle can be comfortable, express her personal style, be a Mom, be a fit and fashionable woman, represent Change and a New White House, and represent her official role as First Lady. All women face the same challenge. It’s possible to create an image that works. And no one said it was easy.

The Hat & The Power Of TV

What were people talking about after the Inauguration? Aretha Franklin’s hat! It upstaged Michelle Obama’s outfits, the cutest first children, The Oath, Revs. Warren and Lowry, and Aretha’s rendition of "My Country "Tis Of Thee." Some people liked "The Hat," some didn’t and EVERYONE was buzzing about it.

For comedians, The Hat was the subject of jokes that lasted for days. Some even wore even bigger and more exaggerated versions of The Hat.

For fashionistas and Hollywood stylists, it was an opportunity to express their expert opinions about whether The Hat was the height of fashion or the faux pas of the century.

For Newscasters, "man on the street" comments about The Hat were breaking news.

For African-Americans, The Hat was the greatest "church hat" ever; a crown and symbol of a matriarch’s status in her community.

By January 28, Designer and Milliner Luke Song of Detroit, MI who created Aretha’s signature one-of-a kind hat, had more than 3000 requests for The Hat. His replicas are selling internationally like hot cakes for the cool price of $179 each.

Luke Song and Ann Coulter will both tell you…you don’t have to be liked to get on tv and sell lots of stuff. The power is in presenting yourself in a way that gets you noticed, generates the buzz, and the leverages the media attention.

Set Yourself Apart With Video Chatting

Video phones (aka video chatting) are finally here! Now you can have face-to-face conversations in real-time from anywhere in the world (with internet access). Offering business associates the option to work with you remotely is another way to demonstrate you’re on the cutting edge and accessible to Gen XYZ.

Video chatting programs like Skype (have you seen it on Oprah?), ooVoo (cool visual effects), and iChat (a fav of MAC users) make it easy and economical to stay in touch with distant family, meet with business colleagues, record webcasts, and deliver video messages. Some programs even let you conference with up to 6 people at the same time, making virtual business meetings and sharing family events a breeze.

All it takes is a little know-how to avoid the common pitfalls that make you look unnatural. Here are some tips to make your calls go smoothly and make sure you look good to the person on the other end of the call.

The Programs

Programs like Skype (http://www.skype.com/), ooVoo (http://www.oovoo.com/), iChat, and Yahoo! Messenger provide the medium for video-chatting. Many are free (Skype and ooVoo) while others are bundled with other software (iChat) and services (Yahoo! Messenger). They are designed to simulate face-to-face conversation across a table – you look into a webcam and watch the other person on your computer screen. Some programs even let you conference with up to 6 people at the same time, making virtual business meetings and sharing family events a breeze. Once you download your program and create your user name, you just need a couple accessories and you’re ready to chat.

The Camera

Many new computers come with web cams built in to the very top of the computer housing. They are convenient and provide basic functionality. However, the positioning of these cameras makes for unflattering transmissions and discomfort for the person on the other end of the line. The problem – when you watch your colleague on your computer screen, they just see your eyelids…instead of experiencing real eye contact with you.

A separate web camera mounted to the side of your computer screen simulates more natural conversation. Mount it at eye-level, right next to your screen so you can quickly look back and forth between the camera and screen. This simulates natural eye movements that occur in normal natural conversation.

I’ve had the best results with the IPEVO Pointer Cam ($40, www.ipevo.com). It’s independent and has light spring-loaded clamps, so you can mount it anywhere you want. The other great thing? You can also pick the camera up and adjust the focus to show the caller something in another direction, give a close up of details, or even play with unusual camera angles. Now the caller can see everything you see instead of being limited to a view of just your face. This might seem insignificant. After you chat a few times, you’ll really appreciate this feature.

The Lighting

Most room lighting comes from the ceiling. Down lighting literally creates a “horror show.” When the light comes from above, it creates shadows under our eyes, nose, and chin like a Freddy Kruger movie. Not the best look for you the first time your grandmother or potential employer sees you! The best lighting for video calls is soft filtered light coming straight into your face. Position yourself in front of a window with indirect light. Or use two clamp-on work lights from a home improvement store with frosted low wattage day-light bulbs. Aim the light straight into your face (the low wattage/filtered light keeps you from getting blinded). The IPEVO Pointer Cam allows you to adjust brightness and color settings for a flattering and natural look.

The Sound

Most new computers come with built-in speakers and microphone. These don’t work for video-chatting because the conversation from the speakers feeds-back into the microphone so the other caller hears themselves instead of you. You need a microphone that can’t “hear” your speakers.

A headset is an inexpensive way to solve this problem. The draw backs to a headset - you’re tied to the computer by wires, it can be uncomfortable for long calls, it messes up your hair, and only one person can participate in the call at a time.

I’ve had great results with the IPEVO TR10 Speakerphone ($79, separate models for PC and iChat). It has echo cancellation for natural conversation; hands-free so you have freedom to move around, works as speaker phone or handset for private conversations, and you don’t have to wear it so your hair stays perfect.

Want to test it out? Give me a call via Skype at sarahshah and see just how easy it is! Or, click on the link below to watch it all in action. http://www.tampabays10.com/video/default.aspx?maven_playerId=articleplayer&maven_referralPlaylistId=playlist&maven_referralObject=960096029

Set The Tone With Color

Colors are emotional. They can express, reflect and affect your moods. You can use color to express how you feel, change your disposition, or influence the way others feel in your presence.

Color can embolden a shy person, calm an anxious person, or excite a quite crowd. Here are some general themes associated with each color so you can choose colors to help yourself and others navigate sticky situations or enjoy experiences more fully. Tips for incorporating color into your outfits are included at the end.

The Colors

Red increases heart and respiration rate. It’s aggressive, grabs attention, intensifies emotions and stimulates conflict. Wearing red with black or white intensifies the harshness of the color and makes it more aggressive, dominant, and demanding (this combination is great for sports). To make red friendlier, pair it with brown or gray or wear it in a feminine fabric and style.

Burgundy embodies security, safety and gives the impression of richness, elegance, and luxury. The color itself is very safe, so traditional combinations such as black, gold, or cream, can easily become boring. To keep your look fresh, choose updated styles or pair it with brown, gray or white.

Rosy Pink feels innocent and dreamy and stimulates trust and acceptance. The color itself is soft, so pairing it with cream and gray or choosing feminine prints and ruffly styles will make it feel even more delicate. To maintain strength in the look, pair it with black or brown, choose tailored styles, or choose high-tech fabrics.

Coral embodies vitality and stimulates exuberance and courage. The color is bright, so mixing it with high-contrast colors like white, black, brown or other bright colors will intensify the exuberant quality. To calm it down, mix it with cream, beige, gray, or olive or choose feminine fabrics and styles.

Orange literally says rescue and safety and stimulates optimism, confidence, and tolerance. Wearing it with brown or black turns it into a Halloween costume. Pairing it with white, gray, tan, navy or denim makes it work for real life.

Peach feels peaceful and inviting and stimulates relaxation. Maintain the soothing feeling by pairing it with tan, gray or other soft colors. To toughen it up, wear it with brown, black, or choose tailored or masculine styles. Make peach luxurious by mixing it with gold and choosing sensuous fabrics.

Yellow is welcoming and energizing and stimulates communication, wisdom, and intellectual clarity. Wearing it with black can turn it into a bumble bee costume. Pairing it with white makes it crisp while gray, tan, brown or denim calm it down.

Green is the easiest color for the eye to see. It feels restful and renewing and stimulates harmony and healing. Bring out the natural feeling by pairing it with brown, beige, or gray. Bright colors and white bring out green’s renewing qualities.

Forest Green is conventional and evokes prudence and traditional values. Traditional pairings such as black, gold, or cream, can easily make you vanish into the background. To keep your look modern and visible, choose updated styles or pair it with brown, gray or white.

Teal is refreshing and effervescent and stimulates rejuvenation. Mixing it with white or bright colors or choosing high-tech fabrics magnifies teal’s ebullient qualities. Pairing it with softer colors brings out its exotic, care-free and soothing character.

Dark Blue is dignified and strong and inspires reliability, trust, and faith. Classic pairings like white or cream or masculine styles feel authoritative. Unexpected pairs such as brown, gray, or other colors and feminine styles feel lighter and more spiritual.

Light Blue reduces blood pressure and is soothing and steadfast. It encourages integrity, patience and contentment. Light blue is a neutral and can be mixed with any color. Pairing it with black, brown or other dark colors encourages a feeling of integrity. Mixing it with gray, tan, or other light colors brings out it’s restful and cooling qualities.

Purple is magical, joyful, and regal and stimulates intuition and loyalty. Mixing it with neutral colors brings out the strength while mixing it with other colors brings out the joyful and magical nature of the color.

Magenta is energetic and daring and stimulates action. Mix it with brown, tan, or gray to mellow the impact, mix it with black, white, or other bright colors to pump up the intensity.

A Note About Neutrals

Brown is a warm and friendly alternative to black. Use brown to create a modern, natural, or relaxed look.

Gray a soft alternative to black. Use gray to create a modern or soothing atmosphere.
Tan works well in warmer seasons. Use tan to soften a color or make an outfit more casual or classic.

White is crisp and clean. Wear white to intensify a color or make an outfit more exuberant.

Cream is soft and classic. Wear cream to make an outfit more feminine or conservative.

Black is the most common neutral color. Wear it to intensify an emotion or create a formal, harsh or judgmental impression. Black can be softened by feminine styles or soft fabrics.

Wearing & Mixing Color

The colors you wear will affect you and the people around you. When you wear big blocks of color, such as a suit or dress, you will have a major effect on your mood and dominate the mood of your group. Small accents of color, like accessories or jewelry, will have a more subtle effect.
Here are some other ways to intensify or soften the effect of a color:

- Soften a color by wearing it with gray, tan, or brown.
- Strengthen a color by wearing it with black, white, or cream.
- For a creative and spontaneous impression, mix several colors with several neutrals. Bright or contrasting colors will intensify the impression.
- For a safe and traditional impression, wear one color with one neutral.
- For a warm and friendly feel, wear fabrics with a texture that feel good to the touch.
- For a gentle and laid-back feel, wear feminine styles and flowy fabrics
- For a severe and formal feel, wear tailored styles or shiny fabrics

Let me know what you tried and what worked for you! Contact Sarah at (713) 686-8587 or sarah@sarahshah.com.

© Sarah Shah, Imagine Unlimited 2008, All Rights Reserved

Tattoos - Taboo And Evolution

Tattoos - Taboo and Evolution

Tattoos are as varied as the people who wear them - private and deeply personal or a public declaration to everyone we encounter. More and more, tattoos are aaccepted as artforms, appreciated for their beauty and as a form of creative expression for the artist and the wearer.

"Ink" has been part of human culture for thousands of years. Tattoos commemorate rites of passage, mark the achievement of milestones, indicate membership in a group, express individuality and values, and decorate the body. Today, tattoos are also used as permanent cosmetics and for medical markings.

Body art isn’t good or bad, right or wrong. But there are some logistical challenges associated with tattoos and some cool "no commitment" options. Some are familiar and some are more unexpected.

Cosmetic Tattoos
Makeup styles keep changing, but the tattoos don’t (well, not that way anyway). Since "permanent makeup" or cosmetic tattoos are permanent, we loose the ability to keep up with trends and can appear out-dated and old-fashioned as makeup styles change and evolve over our lifetime. Exaggerated cat-eyes, white eyeliner on the top lid, and harsh black liner on the bottom lid were once the height of fashion and have since faded into history.

As we age, our skin sags and moves. Permanent eyeliner, eyebrows, and lipliner can move to locations we didn’t expect – they can sag and droop or even worse, move to totally unexpected places after "a little work" on the forehead, eye area, or lips.

Like all tattoos, permanent makeup will fade to olive greens and blues over time. These tattoos require constant touch-ups to correct the color or you’ll have to cover or just tolerate the unusual colors when they develop.

Physical Changes
Tattoos on the torso, upper arms, and upper legs can stretch and deform during pregnancy or significant fluctuations in body weight and skin tightness.

Business Environments
Traditional tattoos that are visible on the extremities, face, or neck are not typically accepted in formal business environments. If our tattoos can be seen in these environments, we may not be viewed as professional, trustworthy, hard-working, or reliable. In these environments, visible body art can be a career killer.

Personal Evolution
Tattoos are permanent. As we develop and evolve overtime, the tattoos we chose 10 or 20 years ago may not resonate with or be practical for the latest version of ourselves. Our choices are to tolerate, cover, remove, or change our tattoos in some way to make them work for us as we grow and change.

The Next Generation Of Tattoos

Our fascination with and appreciation of tattoos has inspired a whole industry of temporary tattoos and tattoo-inspired accessories and apparel. If you love and appreciate tattoos, but aren’t ready for a permanent commitment, check out these cool options!

Faux Tattoos – They Look Like The Real Thing

Artist to the stars, Christien Tinsley, has created a line of reusable tattoos. Full torsos and "sleeves" are printed on transparent nylon mesh fabric so you can just slip them on and off at your pleasure. You get the look of full body art without the commitment. Get "tattooed up" for the evening or weekend and then you’re back to the Boy Scout look for the office during the day. Click this link to see how they work. http://www.vampfangs.com/Tinsley-Tattoo-Sleeves-s/9.htm. Here are some more options http://www.sleevesclothing.com/.

Tinsley has also created realistic temporary tattoos for special events or weekends. They are more sophisticated than the Cracker Jack Box version, but they work the same way. These individual tattoos come in different styles (tribal, vintage, military, etc.) and sizes and can last up to a week. Check them out at http://www.tinsleytransfers.com/index.htm. Here are application instructions http://www.tinsleytransfers.com/temporary-tattoos.htm.

If you want a unique or one-of-a kind tattoo, most tattoo shops also apply temporary tattoos. Mehndi tattoos, Indian body art made with henna, are also an option. Henna designs last one to four weeks. All the art without the pain!

Tattoo Inspired Jewelry

Jewelry can give the impression of a tattoo either literally or figuratively. Look for pendants or bands (cuffs, collars, anklets, rings) with intricate metal work, laser-cut filigree, or colorful enamel. Here are some examples.

Tattoo Art Apparel and Accessories

If you love tattoo art, but are looking for a more sophisticated way to wear it, try some of the tattoo-inspired clothing and accessories. Here are some examples. For more, put "ed hardy ____ (shoes, handbags, scarves, bikins, etc.)" in your search engine and look out for the flood of options.

Don’t let anyone convince you that your love of tattoos or any trend is an image liability. It’s always possible to make what you love work for your image. Send us your burning image question. It might just inspire our next article!

© Sarah Shah, Imagine Unlimited 2008, All Rights Reserved

Seven Deadly Underwear Sins

The Seven Deadly Underwear Sins*

Wearing underwear that actually fits is the single most powerful thing you can do to improve your wardrobe and your body image. The correct underwear can literally create the body of your dreams! Here are the seven most common things women do that kill a great outfit and solutions to keep you looking your best.

1. Cups Running Over
Most of us are wearing a bra that is too large in the band and too small in the cups. When the cups are too small, breast tissue “voluptuously” spills over the top and out the sides of the cups. You will actually feel thinner when the breasts are fully contained in the cups and the band is snug enough to lift the girls up above your waist. Try a bra one size smaller in the band and one or two sizes bigger in the cups. You might need to take a trip deeper into the alphabet than you ever imagined, but it's worth it.

2. Wrinkles and Dents
We tend to wear our bras long after their intended lifetime is over. When a bra gets old, the cups get dented, stretched, skewed and wrinkled. A new bra will give you a new lease on life. Extend the life of your bra by hand-washing it. The easiest way is to wear it right into the shower. Wash it along with the rest of you, then lay it flat on the bathroom counter (or on top of the dryer) to air dry.

3. Unintended Visibility
Plunging necklines, tank tops, camisoles, and halter-tops can expose bra straps, bands, and cups. All bras aren’t for all outfits. New technology and materials have made it even easier to find a bra that stays concealed under the most revealing tops. Look for styles with plunging necklines (i.e. U-Plunge Bra), transparent straps (i.e. Invisible Options Demi Bra from Maidenform), straps that cross in the back or connect across the back of the neck, or bras without any straps or band at all (i.e Nu-Bra).

4. White Bras With White Tops
White bras practically glow under white tops and distract from your overall beauty. Nude underwear (i.e. the same color as your skin tone) is the best choice. It will be virtually invisible under white and light-colored clothing.

5. Bulges And Rolls
Underwear or clothing that is too tight causes more bulges at the site of the squeeze (aka muffin tops, back cleavage, visible panty lines). Clothing made from clingy fabrics make these bulges even more noticeable. Choose underwear that lays flat against your skin and smooths imperfections. Hanky Panky stretch lace thongs and boy shorts are the best invisible panty out there. If you want a full coverage brief, Soma Intimates High Leg Vanishing Edge Brief is a great choice.

6. Mis-Shapers
Some body shapers squeeze out more than they control. They can create more problems than they solve – boob-squeeze, thigh cilice, and muffin-tops. Look for a body smoother instead of a shaper. The Body Wrap high waist long leg panty makes your body smooth and firm through the torso, waist and hips.

7. Thongs & Skirts
If the skirt is loose, it can easily go where it doesn’t belong! A full coverage brief or boy-short is the best defense against booty-cleavage.

Who knew changing your underwear could change your life? To see "make unders" of real women, click here to watch the segment that appeared on Great Day Houston on May 30, 2008.

Sarah Shah is an Image Artist, Media Coach & Speaker. Contact her at (713) 686-8587, sarah@sarahshah.com or http://www.sarahshah.com/.

* This article was inspired by Good Housekeeping, British Edition, April 2007. The original sins were amended by Sarah Shah, May 2008.

© Sarah Shah, Imagine Unlimited LLC May 2008, All Rights Reserved

Image Dynamite

Panty Hose: Image Dynamite

Panty Hose. One pair can blow the whole look, the whole meeting, the whole negotiation, the whole opportunity. Can you believe something that costs so little can cost so much?

Have You Been Panty-Hosed?

Panty Hose. Two little words, so much passion. It’s the most emotionally charged image subject of our time. It even beats visible thongs.

There is no right or wrong. There’s just what is. If you want to survive, you better be able to navigate the minefields.

There Are Two Camps; The Believers And The Unwrapped

The Believers. They believe women can’t leave the house, go to work, attend an important event, or even wear shoes without pantyhose. To them, panty hose are a sign of respect, that you take yourself seriously, you mean business, and you’re “dressed.” If you aren’t wearing panty hose, then you are seen as a slacker, unkempt, crude, an amateur, and poor-mannered. In fact, the Believers are so distracted by the absence of panty hose that they are unable to hear what you are saying or recognize your accomplishments.

The Unwrapped. They believe there is never an excuse for pantyhose. Period. If you are wearing pantyhose, you are seen as uptight, antiquated, dull, unable to keep up physically and mentally, and unworthy of their time. The Unwrapped are so distracted by the presence of panty hose that they are unable to hear what you are saying or recognize your accomplishments.
Fashion Rules

The status of pantyhose is changing. We see signs of this in fashion magazines and in Corporate America. Fashion magazines have been telling us to stop wearing pantyhose for more than 5 years. In 2007, after 44 years, the conservative Mary Kay Corporation relaxed it’s dress code requirement to allow the sales force to go without panty hose. This event is equivalent to a 9.5 earthquake in the beauty and corporate worlds.

None of this means you necessarily have to stop wearing them. If you wear pantyhose here the rules –

• Pantyhose should be the color of your skin. The sheerer and nuder, the better. Suntan panty hose are never an option.
• Traditional pantyhose don’t work with open-toe shoes. Wear toe-less pantyhose anytime your toes show.
• Control-top and shaping panty hose often squeeze more out the top than they control. Opt for “regular strength” to get the smoothing benefits without the abuse.
• Opaque tights can be worn when it’s cold (temps below 65 degrees). They look best when they are solid, dark, and in a shade similar to your closed-toe shoes.
• Very fine, sheer fishnet panty hose in a nude color are an updated alternative to traditional panty hose. No, not those fishnets. Check out the hosiery section of the department store and you’ll see nude, fine gauge, fishnet pantyhose with a grid-size of about 1/8-inch. Your legs will look smooth and pretty without the “old lady” look. Skip the seams so the Believers won’t think you’re “trashy.”

Tights and fishnets are a great compromise for both the believers and Unwrapped. To the Unwrapped, they imply that you are forward-thinking and open to new ideas. To the Believers they imply that you are professional and productive.

If you’re open to trying a bare leg, but you’re concerned about the look of your legs. Here are some pantyhose-free options:

• Treat your legs as wells as your face. Exfoliating and using your facial skincare on your legs will go a long way towards maintaining or improving the look and feel of your legs.
• Sunless-tanner and bronzing lotions smooth out skin-tone and tone-down blinding paleness. Be sure to exfoliate before using sunless-tanners so you get smooth and even application.
• “Spray-on” pantyhose such as “air stockings” give lightweight coverage and can cover scars and spider veins.

Navigating The Minefield

In the world of Image, an effective image is comfortable for you and puts the person you are with at ease so they can get to know the “real you,” the person inside. A “bad’ image is one that distracts the person you are with so they can’t or don’t want to get to see the real you.

The key to surviving the pantyhose dilemma (especially in a business situation) is knowing who you are and who you are going to be with. If you are a Believer and meeting with an UnWrapped, it would be wise to rethink the pantyhose. If you are an Unwrapped meeting with a Believer, considering pantyhose may be key to your success.

You don’t have to like it, but now you know the truth. You can choose to act or not, it’s up to you. One last word of warning - beware, men are hide among the Believers and Unwrapped.

Sarah Shah is an Image Artist, Media Coach & Speaker. Contact her at (713) 686-8587, sarah@sarahshah.com, and www.sarahshah.com.

© Sarah Shah, Imagine Unlimited 2008, All Rights Reserved