Cleavage, or décolleté, has its place. Bikinis, bathing suits, strapless gowns and party dresses are all cleavage-compatible. And with the Academy Award nominees just announced, thoughts turn to the annual revealing review of starlets and celebrities as they stroll the red carpet.

That said — cleavage has absolutely no business in the boardroom. Yet, it’s a recurring theme whenever I’m asked to address the topic of appropriate business attire. Doesn’t matter whether I’m presenting to financial institutions, law firms, government agencies or large corporations — invariably, my clients will reinforce the importance of discouraging ‘distracting décolleté.’ Deeply cut necklines create a discomfort-zone for everyone in the office.

When women in the public eye violate a sense of decorum with ‘indecent exposure,’ the media moves quickly. I remember when Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister, The Honourable Maxime Bernier attended the Cabinet Swearing-in Ceremony, with his scantily clad girlfriend. I was inundated with media calls.
When a blazer didn’t add dignity
And my observations

During this controversy, designer Andrea Clair, the creator of Wink Intimates Inc., contacted me. She had read my remarks in the Toronto Star and wanted me to see her so-called 9to5 Bra, specifically designed to cover cleavage, or in Andrea’s words, “a business bra”. Initially, I was skeptical but Andrea was well spoken and convincing. I became intrigued and agreed to meet.

Andrea brought her 9to5 Bra and I immediately realized she had truly designed a problem solver to address business attire, plus, the ideal solution for well-endowed clients. With my penchant for multi-tasking, it swiftly occurred to me that here was the ideal underpinning for Diane von Furstenberg’s ubiquitous wrapped dresses — regardless of body type. And I’m not alone. Monika Schnarre, former supermodel and actor calls her 9to5 Bra a ‘must-have’ and recording artist Jann Arden praises the comfort factor.   Take a look

Last year, Andrea confided that in search of investment capital, she had taken her 9to5 Bra to the prominent TV show, Dragons’ Den. She was sworn to secrecy until the episode aired.
Intriguingly, the male Dragons — and captains within the corporate world’s boardrooms, I might add — didn’t get it. They vocally embraced the concept of cleavage and flatly turned Andrea down. Conversely, Arlene Dickenson, CEO of Venture Communications and the only female Dragon, was ready to jump in and invest $150,000 — providing she assumed 55% ownership of the company. Andrea declined.   Watch the episode.

Maybe you’ve witnessed a fashion faux pas or misstep —in the boardroom and beyond. Please let us know your thoughts.

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And this is where Melmira, North Toronto’s wonderful bra boutique comes into play. It was time to take Liz on her first shopping trip: destination Melmira, www.melmira.com. 

I explained our mission was to find the right pieces to enhance her figure and ultimately, form a base for her wardrobe. Undergarments play a key role in improving both the look and fit of clothing. Equally important is the psychology of lingerie — almost like a secret security blanket. A woman’s confidence increases when her underclothing holds everything in place and feels superb next to her skin.

I had made an appointment with Holly, one of Melmira’s owners, for a custom fitting. There is no substitute for expertise and experience when it comes to fitting bras; everyone on staff is a trained professional at fitting undergarments and swimwear. After a warm welcome, Holly ushered Liz into a large, private fitting room. We discussed Liz’s lifestyle, colour palette and wardrobe plan before Holly left to select a range of bras. Our goal was to address Liz’s basic undergarment needs and help her become more discerning about fit. As Holly showed Liz the difference between bras to avoid and flattering choices, it was a true “before and after” experience. The entire process took about an hour and included some tips from Holly on fit, quality and care. Liz made a final selection of two bras that are ideal for her immediate needs — both flattering and supremely comfortable!

Liz has the last word:
“The staff at Melmira is phenomenal. I’ve never experienced such amazing customer service. I don’t have a large bust and was skeptical that I’d see any difference between a new bra and what I owned. I walked out with two!

The bras are so comfortable I feel as though I could go for a run and they aren’t even sports bras. I tried on a jacket in an old bra, and then changed into a new one. The jacket looked so much better — I was pleasantly surprised.”

Stay tuned!   (Note that you can now have our blog posts delivered to your Inbox by clicking on the Subscribe link on the right side of this page.)

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How Is Your Personal and Professional Image? 
Is your style congruent with your brand? Are you confused about what suits YOU best, how to manage trends, dress age appropriate?

Join me for my FREE, 55 minute pre-training class:  Style for Women Virtual 4-part course where I will share tips on how to create your own look of success!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010, 3:00 pm Eastern, 12:00 pm Pacific

Register Now!

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