Style Goes Beyond the Suit

Make a Bold Statement This Season

(ARA) – As we enter the holiday season, a lot of people are looking for gift ideas, and helping a friend or loved one get ahead in their profession can be priceless.

Ever notice that the “pretty people” seem to get ahead faster in the workplace? Not necessarily the more attractive people, but the ones who do the best job of looking the part.

If you come into a business meeting wearing a color-coordinated suit, carrying a nice briefcase, a pen and portfolio that match your palm pilot case, and a smile on your face, the impression you’ll make on the crowd is worth a million bucks. Whoever said dressing up is the key to success knew what they were talking about; and what better time than the holidays to seek out gifts that will help your friends and family members improve their image.

Clothing says a lot about a person’s style. A fashionable, well-fitting belt, necktie, or scarf to accessorize a suit might be the perfect gift for the cool sophisticate in your life. Or perhaps a gift certificate to a local image consultant, color analyst, or make up artist might say, “I care about you and I want you to be successful.”

Once you have created a wardrobe that spells success, evaluate your accessories. According to New York Image Consultants, you can expand your wardrobe with just a few stylish accessories.

“Get something that will make an impression not only on the person you are buying for, but on everyone around them,” says David Whalen, President and CEO of A.T. Cross. The company, known for its designer pens, has developed a new line of accessories that Whalen calls “functional objects that work either as individual or as coordinated accoutrements to a style-conscious wardrobe.” The new line includes daily planner covers, portfolios, PDA cases, business card cases, letter openers, money clips and stationary gift sets. The accessories are all themed in silver and black, and have the prestigious Cross logo. They range in price from $20 for a key ring to $110 for the daily planner.

Once you are dressed and accessorized, the last area that carries a large impression is body language. How you carry yourself and communicate with your body can complete your cool sophisticated look, or that of a loved one.

The eyes communicate more than any other part of the human anatomy. Maintained eye contact can show if a person is trustworthy, sincere or caring. A smile can change the mood of the room, putting people at ease and setting a tone for success.

A book on the impact your eyes, smile, gestures, and body language have on the people around you would make a great gift for anyone wanting or needing to improve his or her image. You could even tuck the book into the inside cover of the new A.T. Cross portfolio or day timer cover you just purchased for a lasting gift.

For more information, about Cross brand accessories, visit the A.T. Cross Company’s Web site at www.cross.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

EDITOR’S NOTES:

The A.T. Cross Company, founded in 1864 in Providence, R.I., designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of innovative writing instruments and personal accessories. The company also designs and markets time pieces, and manufactures pen computing products.