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"  Style Tips of Women Who Always Look the Part Think back to Washington circa 1998 and recall the case of Paula Jones. Yes, that Ms. Jones \u2014 she of the infamous Easter culottes, frizzy hair, and sexual-harassment litigation against then-president Bill Clinton. When she first appeared in our collective consciousness, she looked like an overgrown teenager who blasted her high hair with clouds of Aqua Net. After much cruel commentary, Jones got herself a fairy godmother, a.k.a. a stylist. She sat for a nicely layered sleek haircut. She lowered the voltage on her flashy makeup by a notch \u2014 or 10. And she got rid of the garish clothes, the frumpy silhouettes, and the cheap accessories.  Her story didn&amp;#039;t change. But now it was being told by a woman with smooth, classic locks, a well-cut pantsuit, and good posture. In short, she learned the importance of dressing for success.  Over the years, others have followed her example. Nicole Richie cleaned up her image with the help of a minimalist black dress, a new haircut, tasteful jewelry, and a few well-placed pounds. Model and pop singer Carla Bruni-Sarkozy slipped into her new role as France&amp;#039;s first lady with a refurbished wardrobe of Dior suits, simple sheaths, and a collection of flats that keep her from towering over her diminutive head-of-state husband. When Hillary Clinton shifted from first lady to candidate, she traded in warm-and-fuzzy pink skirt suits for no-nonsense black pantsuits. Whether a woman is dressing to take on the next phase of her life, survive a singular event, or prove that she needs neither rehab nor a marriage counselor, today&amp;#039;s parameters allow a lot more creativity and ease than the 1970s, when women were just beginning to flex their clout and were essentially advised to dress like men. The writings of John T. Molloy \u2014 Mr. Dress for Success \u2014 had women relying on floppy bows, dowdy skirts, and boxy jackets to declare themselves &amp;quot;in charge.&amp;quot;  Yves Saint Laurent helped myriad women get through that dark period by popularizing the pantsuit. His creation was a perfect blend of machismo, sex appeal, and feminine drama. And it was irresistible to women who loved fashion as much as they enjoyed breaking barriers. Then Giorgio Armani came along and gave women a feminine uniform: a graceful suit in a neutral color. It was a shield made out of fine Italian wool crepe, and it has been worn into battle by the likes of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who, with her signature Tahitian pearls, is often cited for pitch-perfect business style. Others who get it right? Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, NBC Universal exec Lauren Zalaznick, newswoman Katie Couric, and potential first ladies Michelle Obama and Cindy McCain. Who gets it all wrong? Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin. Her mop-top hairstyle, fusty blazers, and schoolmarm spectacles give her the appearance of a forgettable middle manager, not someone campaigning to help lead the free world. Perhaps Cindy McCain will rub off on her. Where Armani once stood alone, now there are a host of style-smart labels. Rice&amp;#039;s affection for Akris has made it a go-to brand for professional women. Others find security in the fashion cachet of a Chanel jacket. Hugo Boss and Narciso Rodriguez are favored because of their exquisite tailoring. Bottega Veneta is attractive because of its luxurious understatement. And Alber Elbaz at Lanvin provides women with clothes that have a well-balanced blend of confidence and femininity.  Philanthropist Deeda Blair swears by the classics: Chanel, vintage YSL couture, and Ralph Rucci. What does she reach for when she has an important meeting? &amp;quot;Usually not something new but something familiar, dependable, very simple, and not distracting,&amp;quot; she says.  Among women who have puzzled out dressing for professional success, there are a few rules of thumb. A jacket always shouts authority. Heels should put a confident swagger in your step, not a hesitant teeter. And to ease the nerves, it always helps to have a good-hair day. When CBS News correspondent Erin Moriarty knows she&amp;#039;s walking into a situation in which she&amp;#039;ll get the once-over, &amp;quot;nothing makes me feel more confident than a professional blow-dry and manicured nails,&amp;quot; she says. &amp;quot;Smooth, perfectly coiffed hair trumps a designer suit any day.&amp;quot; As for jewelry, it doesn&amp;#039;t have to be real, just fabulous. (Thanks, Alber!) Like many other women, Alexandra Lebenthal, a New York-based wealth manager, relies on jewelry because it gets her noticed. &amp;quot;I wear a lot of vintage costume stuff that is big and chunky,&amp;quot; she says. &amp;quot;It&amp;#039;s like armor to me, especially when I&amp;#039;m meeting with successful Wall Street men who think they&amp;#039;re more powerful than anyone else. As a short woman, I&amp;#039;ve also found that a flash of metals and stones is like a bird with bright feathers. People know they&amp;#039;re seeing something, and they look around and notice me.&amp;quot; Michele Norris, a Washington journalist and host of NPR&amp;#039;s All Things Considered, also turns to jewelry &amp;quot;that helps me tap into the inner warrior queen I hope lives within my soul,&amp;quot; she says. Is it a surprise that two of Wonder Woman&amp;#039;s key weapons were her bullet-deflecting cuffs? On the subject of accessories, two words consistently come up: &amp;quot;Great shoes,&amp;quot; advises Lee Rolontz, senior vice president of original music production at VH1. Adds Lebenthal, &amp;quot;People tend to check you out from top to bottom, and shoes make the final statement.&amp;quot; While Madame Sarkozy incorporates flats into her wardrobe, most women agree that heels are key to feeling powerful. Kathy Thornton-Bias, general manager of retail for the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, relies on heels by Manolo Blahnik. &amp;quot;They make the ordinary extraordinary,&amp;quot; she says. Adds Dawn Brown, vice president of publicity for Barneys New York, &amp;quot;Manolos intimidate the hell out of whoever is sitting across from me \u2014 at least I hope so.&amp;quot; Just make sure you can walk, preferably run, in them. Moriarty likes Cole Haan heels with Nike Air technology, just in case she has to literally chase down a source. Norris buys in multiples when she discovers a pair of comfortable heels, which she defines as those you could wear to &amp;quot;run fast down five blocks to chase the guy who grabbed your purse.&amp;quot; Powerful women do not sacrifice their desire to perform superhero feats for their sense of style. The notion of dressing for success has evolved. And for that, women are grateful. It is no longer a soul-sapping chore, a way of proving you deserve to be in a position of power. Today it&amp;#039;s an invitation to dress in a manner that makes you feel comfortable, confident, and happy once you&amp;#039;re there. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/trends/a342/dressing-for-success-1108/>