Mode : Road

Hey, Ms. Sales Executive, What’s in Your Bag?

It’s spring! So put away those drab, boring suits and slip into some chic separates. You’re sure to make a lasting impression packing these colorful accessories.

The Goods

Afraid of color? Then pair a khaki sheath dress with a splashy bag or a bright sweater. As our interview with marketing coach Tsufit (below) points out, you don’t want to “blend into the woodwork.” You want to stand out. You want to make the sale!

1. GET AHEAD BY GOING ABROAD A Woman’s Guide to Fast-track Career Success, $24.95, by C. Perry Yeatman and Stacie Nevadomski Berdan, published by HarperCollins. Anna Catalano—former group vice president of global marketing for BP—and other female execs share lessons about advancing their careers by going overseas. (www.harpercollins.com)

2. HARTMANN 22-inch Expandable Mobile Traveler, $695, in Chocolate Polka Dot, from the Luxe Collection. Trimmed in rich English bridle leather. (800-331-0613, www.hartmann.com)

3. J. CREW Coated-canvas laptop case, $178, in Botanical Green, with leather handles and adjustable leather shoulder strap. Comes with an interior laptop sleeve. (800-562-0258, www.jcrew.com)

4. NICOLE MILLER Sheath dress, $300, in khaki, with slenderizing seams at waist and hips. (888-300-6258, 323-325-9842, www.nicolemiller.com)

5. ON A ROLL Blue Kimono jewelry roll, $60, in authentic Japanese chirmen kimono fabric, by Cris Notti. Hand-printed in the centuries-old tradition. (www.crisnotti.com)

6. TALBOTS Patch Pocket Cardigan, $68, in Vivid Green on the dress and (top to bottom) Bright Fuchsia, Sun Ray yellow and Orange Crush. (800-825-2687, www.talbots.com)

7. LE SPORTSAC Large Bowling Bag carry-on, $395, in Purple Gray. Limited-edition collection by Stella McCartney. Made from 100 percent recycled fabric. Zip-around bottom pocket stores work files. (877-397-6597, www.lesportsac.com)

8. STUART WEITZMAN Fever pumps, $250, in kid leather with 4-inch heels, in Brass. (310-860-9600, www.stuartweitzman.com)

Got Gadget?

9. CHAT 50 USB PLUS Personal Speaker Phone from ClearOne Communications, $179.99 (800-945-7730, www.clearone.com). After I’d finally figured out how to snap the power clip into the AC adapter—duh!—to plug this thingie into the wall, I was ready to toss my cell-phone headset into the trash can. It’s easy connecting the Chat 50 to a laptop and launching Skype. At best, it sounds as if the person on the other end of the line is in the same room, especially since you can both talk at the same time and be heard. And did I mention connecting it to an MP3 player to crank up the volume? Sweet.

—Waynette Goodson

You Do Have to Be a Star, Baby

What do Willie Nelson and Erykah Badu have in common? An immediately identifiable look, according to marketing coach Tsufit (“sue-feet”), author of Step Into the Spotlight! ’Cause All Business Is Show Business! A Guide to Getting Noticed (Beach View Books, $19.95). Dressing professionally isn’t enough, says Tsufit. (“Just one name. It’s enough for Madonna and Sting.”) “The problem for a lot of people in business is that either they blend into the woodwork,” she says, “or, if they do experiment once in a while, there’s no continuity.” Her recommendations for crafting your business persona:

CASTING CALL “Ask yourself, ‘What is authentically me? Am I a Lamborghini or a Volkswagen? Am I Simon Cowell or Paula Abdul?’ It starts with how you really are, as a person,” Tsufit says. Being your own casting director means figuring out the role you play in business and life from the inside out—from philosophy to catch phrases to clothing.

SCRIPT Among Tsufit’s catch phrases, in a callback to her former career as an attorney, is “You may approach the bench.” It makes people laugh.

COSTUME Fonzie expressed his inner self with a motorcycle jacket, Johnny Cash with head-to-toe black. Tsufit uses the slogan “I bring color to business.” She admits, “I looked outrageous in my colorful stuff. At first, people would come up to me and give me helpful tips [on dressing professionally]. But after a while, they started putting me on the podium teaching them to stand out.”

STAR POWER “The one thing you’ve really got to wear is confidence. If you don’t feel it, just fake it, because you will start to feel it as you get the response.”

CUE APPLAUSE “Not everybody will like you, and that’s kind of the point. If everybody likes you, it means you’re middle of the road.” And no one becomes a star that way.

—Sophia Dembling