ImageSellsYou.com - The Professional Image Resource | Style and Substance

Style and Substance ™
By Diane Parente, AICI, CIP

Another year watching the Academy Awards showing the stars tripping down the “Red Carpet” with their on-loan sparklers dripping from their earlobes and plunging necklines, with hair teased and curled to the max, all taped and strapped and poured into some mega-designer’s newest see-through creation.

I started to crave something of substance, and began wondering, “Where are the true role models in all of this?” Aren’t we all just sick and tired of the fluff stuff we’re being fed ad nauseam? Who really cares about airheads like Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and Nicole Richie?

Think of the timeless stand-outs who oozed Style and Substance out of every pore; Actress Audrey Hepburn, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Princess Diana. Each of these women was impeccably groomed, dressed appropriately for her lifestyle, physical characteristics and personal coloring, all of which matched her personality and position. Yes, each was glamorous and in the media spotlight, but each was an incredible human being and left behind immortal legacies.

Audrey Hepburn was the ambassador of UNICEF and worked in the field, nursing sick children and reporting on the suffering she witnessed first-hand. At age 31, Jackie Kennedy was the youngest first-lady ever to enter the White House. Her love of historical accuracy in interior design led to the restoration of the White House rooms, providing a prideful showcase for all important visitors and guests who entered. The elegant Princess Diana gave much of her time and property to charities and critical causes, from AIDs to the abolishment of land mines.

So, did style and substance disappear after these women left the planet? Certainly not! Style and substance has no ending. It lives on in a variety of women. We intend to focus on some spectacular examples of living role models of S&S today and tomorrow!

This time, Carly Fiorina is our modern-day Joan of Arc. Why her? Let’s take a look at her stats: She has been featured among the world’s most admired and powerful business leaders by a host of publications, including Forbes, Fortune, The Wall Street Journal and Financial Times.

She was president and chief executive officer of Hewlett Packard from 1999 to 2005. During this period, she had the daunting task of reinventing a company worth $40 billion, which was in decline in both sales and scope. She moved quickly to acquire Compaq Computer, which was not without its challenges, but succeeded in making HP a powerhouse to rival IBM.

Splat! She was fired! Now, more than a year later, Fiorina is firing back and has landed on her feet not only as a speaker/author with a new best-selling memoir, Tough Choices, but also as a sought-after board member and unofficial technology ambassador to Washington.

Her new book talks about her career, her views on what makes a leader, how women can thrive in business and how technology is shaping our world now and in the future. The essential elements describing her vision of leadership are character, capability and collaboration. She believes that no one learns who they are without risk and without making mistakes. To us, these values SCREAM Style and Substance™!

And . . . the lady has oodles of style. Let’s take a quick look and we’ll give you our expert opinions!

Carly Fiorina Speaking

Carly, like all the other style icons in the past, is impeccably groomed, selecting clothing that is appropriate for her position, lifestyle and physical character-istics. Like many women who hold top positions in male-dominated corporations, she knows that projecting a professional image is appropriate in the structured environment to gain trust and respect.

Carly the corporate CEO was known for wearing beautifully cut Armani suits holding true to the Elegant style with flawless fit and understated accessories. Her highlighted short contemporary hairstyle and polished makeup enhanced her professional image.

Her emergence as an independent businesswoman shows that Carly no longer has allegiance to a corporation and matching suits. She’s incorporating more separates that mix and match, creating a modern professional image with the tweed jacket, black slacks and white tab-collared shirt, completed with a softer look to her makeup. This gives her a more contemporary edge and youthful appeal, and conveys the message that she is a distinctive leader who takes firm control of a situation.

Being a big fan of Carly myself, I have to give her first prize for Style and Substance™.

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