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So you’re an established graphic artist. You have an awesome portfolio and your own business. Does still matter how you dress?

How many times did you hear that one should not judge a book by its cover? Do you?

If book covers didn’t matter, why does every book have one? Why not just write out the title and author all in the same font? Hemingway’s books might get away with that…

The truth is that we are highly visual creatures. We judge things by their appearance, whether we want to or not. Let’s face it – if how things look didn’t matter, we’d be out of business!

If a book has a poor cover, who’s going to care what’s inside?

The first thing people see is what matters the most. It influences how they judge all that follows.

Will clients judge you by how you’re dressed or by your portfolio?

How you’re dressed IS part of your portfolio!

Because of our profession we have a little bit of lenience. You don’t have to stuff yourself in a business suit. In fact I would not recommend that. Show off that you’re a creative spirit!

There is a lot of advice out there on how to put together a portfolio. And how the first item should be the very best, as it sets the tone. Well, I believe that, in reality, how you look is your first portfolio piece. Treat is as such.

And one word of the wise; this is an advice I heard a long time ago but it makes a lot of sense: “Never drive a more expensive car than your client.” I believe the same rule would apply to wardrobe also.

Some women fantasize about a Cinderella-esque destiny, others make it their goal to conquer the professional world and a few hope to make it big as a singer, writer, actor or artist. Then there are women, oftentimes 20 or 30 somethings, who strive for the elusive title — and all that comes with it — of a leading socialite. The main question regarding this, of course, is how does one actually become a socialite?

Various outlets, including New York Magazine, New York Social Diary and Allure Magazine, have compiled lists of current and former mega-socialites. But what qualities, characteristics and factors does a socialite make? How do they decide who makes the cut?

We’ve scoured these lists of leading socialites, many of which include women such as Jackie O., Olivia Palermo, Tinsley Mortimer, Pippa Middleton and, begrudgingly, Paris Hilton to determine the characteristics they all share. Based on that information, we’ve created a checklist of four qualities a woman must possess to be crowned a true socialite.

Money

It’s crass to say it, but a socialite has got to be loaded. You simply can’t wear today’s hottest designers or go to the most expensive parties without a bloated bank account. Oftentimes, the money doesn’t belong to the socialites themselves. While it’s not always the case, their lifestyles are almost always funded by their parents or a lover. At least until they’ve built their name up enough to become successful “entrepreneurs” themselves.

Connections

A socialite’s address book is one of her most prized possessions. After all, it’s her key to party and gala invitations and meet ups with other big names. And, in order for a socialite to be talked about, she’s got to be seen out and about. And it’s kind of circular: the more she’s talked about, the more connections she’ll build.

Confidence

Have you ever seen a socialite who doesn’t stand tall and proud? Confidence is vital to the survival of a socialite. Without it, she’ll be far more likely to crumble under criticism. Not to mention, confidence makes any man or woman look more beautiful.

Looks

Again, this one’s crass, but an unattractive person just doesn’t bode well under the media spotlight. The good news is that socialites, as discussed above, have many dollars at their disposal. This allows for copious trips to the plastic surgeon and also secures the very best style and beauty team (heaven forbid a wrinkle or pimple appear).

By Wendy Rose Gould

The world of public relations has always had a somewhat controversial reputation. Some in the writing/journalism world consider PR writing a cop out (though they’re probably just jealous of the higher salaries). In addition, those in the PR field also get dogged on for being the “high school mean girls” of the business world.

Speaking from a personal standpoint, I’ve worked with many PR representatives and the overwhelming majority have been great to work with. Some are a little pushy, no doubt, but it’s their job to push as hard as they need to in order to earn their client a little media love. The Stylish City’s experience with PR firms has also been excellent and other media outlets would probably agree.

Still, the PR world just can seem to shake their mean girl reputation.

According to a recent post by The Grinding Stone, that reputation could stem from the way PR personnel treat others in the PR world. They are, after all, often in direct competition with each other. And in a field where 70 percent of the population is female, a little cattiness is bound to reveal itself.

“Even before you begin your career, you start feeling like you have to guard contacts fiercely and make sure no one is ‘stealing’ your clients,” says Raj Thandhi on The Grinding Stone. “There is also this stereotype that if you don’t have ‘balls of steel’ you won’t make it in PR. It seems like the young women entering the PR world are just mirroring what they see the successful ones before them have done.”

Thandhi said he’s even had potential clients turn him away because he doesn’t seem tough enough to handle their accounts.

With the influx of PR positions thanks to online networking sites such as Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Facebook, more and more women are considering PR as a potential career. After all, a PR person’s job looks glamourous — planning parties, mingling with celebrities, wearing the newest clothes from the best designers.

According to a recent poll, though, the PR Executive job is the 7th most stressful job in the United States. That has many wondering if the seemingly glamourous lifestyle is worth the stress. Do you think it is? And, more importantly, do you have the tenacity and mean girl tendencies the field often requires?

By Wendy Rose Gould

Here are a few facts that may shock (and perhaps even anger) your senses: In 2009, a female’s average weekly earnings were only 80.2% of the men’s weekly average income. Women who were African American, Hispanic, Asian or of another race experienced even a larger wage gap. While some think it’s a difference of professional and perhaps even degrees, that’s not necessarily the case. Female attorneys earned 25% less than their male counterparts, female teachers earned 14% less than male teachers and female nurses earned 5% less than male nurses. The same gaps exist even between those with doctorate degrees, says Pay-Equity.org.

While these numbers are frustrating, the good news is that it’s sparked dialogue about wage disparities. In addition to discussing these issues and working toward a solution, women can also take control of their paychecks by using everything they can to their advantage. That includes the skills learned while obtaining their degrees, hands on experience at internships and, yes, their wardrobes.

Sheri Cole, the executive director of The Career Wardrobe, told Forbes.com that “it’s important to understand the culture of the company you work for, especially any quirks and expectations the company has regarding wardrobe.”

Cole suggests studying what the powerful women in your life wear. That woman could be your boss, a future boss, a colleague or even the CEO of a major company. You’ll likely learn more about dressing professionally from these women than you will from a fashion magazine.

Invest in wardrobe staples and basics that are timeless and flattering. They’ll give you the most bang for your buck since they’re less likely to go out of style. Other tips include: wearing quality, polished shoes, a tasteful bag and darker colors. Always err on conservative over sexy and don’t be afraid to add a few low-key elements that add personality to your look.

By Wendy Rose Gould