No matter how ‘shallow’ it may seem, in the professional world first impressions do count. So, if you want to make it to the top of your game you need to have an image that matches your ability. If you’re in an industry where everyone wears suits, your haircut can really make or break your style and standing out from the crowd is only a good thing if it’s not because people are mocking you. So, to help you to avoid any fashion faux pas and slide up the career ladder with ease, we share the styles that are a definite no go for those who want to make it big in business.

1. The Mullet - The mullet is one greedy hairstyle, wearers want the professional esteem of a slick do on top while literally ‘letting their hair down’ and being a party boy at the back. As far as business goes, you really couldn’t pick a worse style. This dual cut look will make you appear indecisive, confused and self-indulgent and in all honesty, more suited to a life of chasing squirrels than making money.(See www.mulletjunky.com for more great mullet discoveries.)
2. The Slick Rick -Wow, there’s something distinctly untrustworthy about a man that looks like he’s rather too fond of the mirror and comb. While you may think you look sharp everyone else is simply wondering when you had an accident with a vat of oil. Treading a very fine line between gangster and car sales man the slick rick look is smarmy rather than suave and makes the wearer appear immediately unlikeable. So, if you’re looking to earn big money in the world of business be warned, donning this style is the equivalent of professional suicide.
3. The Surf Dude - A dreamer’s style through and through, those found sporting the surf dude do appear to be more at home chilling on the beach than cooped up in the office. Because of this, while the laid back, ‘long blond locks’ look does give the impression that you’ll remain calm (or more particularly “chilled”) in a crisis, it doesn’t make you look like a hard grafter. Instead, potential employers are just going to assume that you’ll spend more of their time counting minutes until you can ‘escape’ for the day than you will working. Unfortunately, fun as it may make you look; the surf dude isn’t a cut to help you get taken seriously in the business world.
4. The Combover - Sporting a comb over is a clear sign that you just can’t let go. Yes, you may be losing your hair but if you’re unable to accept that you can be equally as successful with or without hair, how can you expect anyone else to either? Having said that, whatever you do don’t be tempted to go down the toupee route. This will just give your colleagues reason to giggle behind your back because no matter how well matched the colour is, toupee’s never look like the real deal. Your best bet is to bite the bullet, go bald gracefully and say hello to success and money as you mature.(Visit Slickville for more slick hairstyles)
5. The Lothario - You’re a ladies man, we get it; but how can you honestly expect anyone to take you seriously in the business world when you look like you’re about to start spouting poetry at any second? Maybe if you were an artist or something equally as ‘romantic’ then your luscious long locks would be ok (quite fitting in fact) but if you’re looking to make a success of yourself in a more corporal pursuit then face up to the fact that it’s time for a chop.
6. The Mohican - This is definitely a look to get you noticed and by defying gravity with you hair no one can say that you didn’t take the time to get ready for work. However, while it may be an impressive style for when you’re out and about with your mates, things start to go wrong once you put on a suit. Think of it as ‘image confusion’, but as they were traditionally worn as a symbol of rebellion, mohicans don’t exactly create the impression that you’re going to be a ‘trustworthy team player’. If your boss isn’t a favour of the ‘alternative’ you’re probably better off banging your head against a brick wall than turning up sporting one of these on Monday morning.
7. The Homer - As favoured by the great Mr Simpson himself, the ‘almost bald but not quite look’ is one favoured by middle aged men the world over. While I can appreciate that you want to make the most of the little hair that you have left, this is really not the best way to do it. Sporting this neither here nor their style simply makes you look past it, not exactly the kind of candidate clients want to tackle their big money accounts. Instead, keeping it short and simple (especially on top – those few straggly, stranded hairs on your crown do you no favours) will help you to look like you’re on the ball and able to deal with anything. Proving that while you may have a similar amount of hair to the famous yellow klutz, that’s where the similarity ends.
8. The Bowl - I’m not entirely sure when it stopped being acceptable to have your Mom cut your hair but I’m pretty sure that the DIY look isn’t going to help you make it big in the world of business. Quick, cheap and simple the bowl cut (or pudding basin as it’s called by some) may be but professional it definitely isn’t. More mommy’s boy than high flyer, ‘the bowl’ makes you look immature, irresponsible and worst of all like you’d be more interested in watching a game and drinking a beer than sealing deals in the office.
9. The Morning after the Night Before - ’Now while this ‘do’ may leave your colleagues drooling over the juicy details of your social life (if they dare get close enough for fear of being poisoned by alcohol fumes), lets be honest, it’s not going to score you a promotion any time soon although, if you rock up to work with this hairstyle often enough it could well see you getting the sack. Slightly crumpled and really looking like it could do with a wash, this ‘style’ screams “I need a duvet day”’, something that doesn’t tend to go down too well with employers or clients either for that matter. So, if you’re looking to make your way up the career ladder its probably worth giving this one a miss, even if you did large it up the night before.
10. The ‘Donald - ’The Trump’s beautiful bouffant is nothing short of an inspiration. How one man can get that much height from so little hair (apparently without the help of a stylist) is almost classifiable as a miracle. However, while the man himself somehow manages to pull off what has affectionately been dubbed ‘The Donald’ (an extreme sweep-back comb over combo fashioned in varying shades of orange for those who aren’t familiar), it’s absolutely inexcusable on anyone who doesn’t have his wealth or success. Maybe it’s a style that only billionaires can get away with as wannabies that try and emulate his ‘distinctive’ do simply end up looking sappy and misguided. So, if you were even considering it, take note; adopting Donald’s alternative style is definitely not the way to earn your place on the rich list. Having said that, it hasn’t exactly hindered his attempt at world domination so if you’ve got the goods to back up this ‘do’, why not go with it and see if it brings you the same fortune!

Music is a big deal today. It always was but more people are starting to form sentimental attachments to certain songs. They identify with a particular tune for the best, and worst, moments of their lives. OK, so they can make us feel happy again but they can help us feel unbearably miserable as well. It’s fair to say that we’re all masochists and rejoice in reliving our past painful memories, but what about the ones you’re making right now? What about the struggles that most of us are having with some form of debt? Why haven’t we got an anthem for that?

Well now we can! To get us started, I’ve compiled a list of songs below that could possibly be used as theme tunes for our financial struggles at the minute. All of them could be anthems that would forever remind us how we felt. You never know, one of the anthems might inspire you to avoid debt like the plague in future! Well, wherever possible anyway!

1. “I Will Survive” – Gloria Gaynor – Only a few of us tend to believe that there are bigger and better things in our future than exist at present these days. Optimism used to be the order of the day but there are more cynics around today that there would have been in the past. Taking a leaf out of Gloria Gaynor’s book and believing in her assertion that she will survive no matter what happens may help you to get over your debt and see the light at the end of the tunnel. This applies when you’re sober as well as drunken ladies (we all have experience of tipsy women belting it out on karaoke)!
2. “Here I Go Again” – Whitesnake – You can guarantee that anything that can go financially wrong when you’re in debt will. An emergency at home, an emergency when you’re on vacation, an emergency appointment at the vet’s for your dog, your car breaks down and you need a new engine… You name it, it will go wrong! I guarantee that you’ll get to know that sinking feeling when you realise that you have no money left and have to get further into debt to cover the emergency, and get to know it well!
3. “Fight For Your Right (To Party)” – Beastie Boys – We all like to let our hair down from time to time, but when you have nothing, not even a penny to your name, it’s difficult to be able to go and join your buddies at the local bar, pub or club. You’ll get a little resentful of your friends and your debt because you can’t live life as you want to… especially after you’ve sold all of your saleable belongings for previous nights out. Fighting through the lack of money is hard but at least you get a decent night out on the odd occasion that you manage it!
4. “Harder To Breathe” – Maroon 5 – Feel suffocated? Trapped? Embarrassed about your situation? If you check all of those boxes then you have absolutely nowhere to turn because you aren’t going to confide in others. Getting help can be hard as well because you’re stubborn and often not man enough to admit that you’re in trouble with debt! Unless your friends are in the same situation then you’re basically going to get judged, but at least they’d provide an outlet for your frustrations and provide you with a little chink of light at the end of the tunnel!
5. “Up” – Shania Twain – If you don’t want debt to drive you insane then you have to believe that something better is waiting for you. Call it fate, call it destiny, call it whatever you like. The main thing is that you believe that you will not be perpetually in debt. This is really hard to do, especially when you hit rock bottom and can’t see any way out of your mounting debt, but you have to remain positive. Of course, Ms Twain’s perkiness may annoy you, especially if you’re a rocker, but t isn’t a bad anthem to remember when you need to call on it!
6. “Keep The Faith” – Bon Jovi – Ah, the version of “Up” for rockers! “Keep The Faith” is obviously all about staying positive no matter what you’ve been through or what you have to face. It’s al about staying positive and clinging on because things will get better. When you’re in debt it is hard to do that but you can make it through if you really try.
7. “The Long Road” – Nickleback – The long road back from debt is a hell of a lot more rocky than the smooth slide that you head on down whilst getting into debt to begin with, but it is a path you have to travel to get out of debt, unless of course someone dies and leaves you enough money to be able to do that in one go! Or you win the lotto! Anyway, most of us aren’t that lucky, unfortunately (with the latter and not the relative dying bit obviously), so you have to claw your way out of the black hole slowly but surely.
8. “Life Goes On” – LeAnn Rimes – It is a fact that life goes on no matter what happens to you. The world isn’t going to grind to a halt just because you’re in debt. You have to change your priorities and cut down your expenses to be able to claw back enough money to pay off your debts because life goes on. While debt shouldn’t stop you from living your own life, it should stop you spending as much so make sure that you reassess your life in general if you want to get it sorted!
9. “Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems” – Notorious BIG - I’ve just thrown this one in to remind you that having more money and no debt isn’t always a good thing, just to put a different slant on it all. We all assume that having enough money to enjoy ourselves is a bed of roses but it isn’t at all. In fact, it can cause more problems than a little debt because there are always people expecting handouts from you. If you’re in debt then they don’t! This might not seem a positive if you owe credit companies thousands but it’s worth bearing in mind!
10. “Livin’ La Vida Loca” – Ricky Martin – Finally, a song to remind you what got you into debt n the first place! When you do get rid of your debt you have to remember not to get sucked back into the same way of life as you had before the debt because you could end up straight back in the shit in no time at all. You have to learn from your debt and become stronger as a result of the experience. Once you get out f it, resolve never to go back!

The most exclusive credit card in the world is the American Express Centurion card, otherwise known as the “Amex Black Card,” which is known for its elitist standing of mythical proportions. (Many think you can charge a private jet onto an American Express Black Card.) It is reserved for the supremely rich, and just owning the card creates automatic celebrity status.

Known for its legendary perks, such as instant access to VIP places, first class everything, and a slew of over-the-top bonus services (like private concierge assistance and personal shoppers), the Amex Centurion promises royal status to all those who own one. As Britney Spears hands the card over to pay for rehab, and Donald Trump uses it to buy bride after bride, the rest of us sit and ask ourselves: how can we get special treatment, but without the top-tier income?

In this article, we review the next best thing: three exclusive credit cards that provide comparable services, but don’t require spending $250,000 a year, like the Amex Black. So go on, try these on for size; you can always return ‘em.

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