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"  A lawyer friend recently remarked over dinner that her office desperately needed my help. It was full of smart, accomplished women, but they just couldn&amp;#039;t get their clothes right. Look at Michelle Obama, she continued, who, when she was an associate at a Chicago law firm, didn&amp;#039;t trade her style for credibility. She&amp;#039;s certain Michelle was the picture of chic, elegance, and authority. (And hell, she landed her husband at that firm!) My friend had a point: Why have working women put style on the back burner?  As her profile has risen, Michelle has in some ways become a reluctant style hero at the same time that she&amp;#039;s ushered in a new era in political fashion. She&amp;#039;s the ultimate career mom who, balancing success with family in Jimmy Choos and J.Crew, raised the workplace fashion stakes. Will the messages of style hope and sartorial change reach the young women who will now be working at the White House? My next challenge!  Two days after the inauguration, I headed to DC to style seven of the smart, successful\u2014and let it be said, beautiful\u2014women from this new administration and, in doing so, illustrate the new rules for how to dress for work. DC has long been in a style recession. My No. 1 rule? Break all the rules\u2014which is why I dubbed them &amp;quot;The No-Hose Administration.&amp;quot;  From what I&amp;#039;ve seen over the years, getting it right at the office can be tough. It&amp;#039;s a daily high-pressure game: You want to appear authoritative and professional but not look like a career drone. Employee handbooks may highlight terms like business casual and corporate attire, but what does it all mean? How do you start to decipher these complex codes that can ultimately get us hired, fired, promoted, or just plain noticed? April being our Work Issue, I am offering my own get-ahead guide to How to Look Good and Still Succeed in Business.  Leather Report  Name: Mona Sutphen  Age: 41  Hometown: Milwaukee  Position:  Deputy chief of staff to President Barack Obama  Presidential Points of Interest: Spent a decade in the Foreign Service and owes a lot of her style to her husband, who has great taste.  How I would style it: I just advised a friend to consider a leather jacket as an alternative to a blazer and she was horrified. &amp;quot;That seems a bit too naughty for work, don&amp;#039;t you think?&amp;quot; On the contrary! Yes, leather has always had that rebellious street appeal, but now designers are taming that look into something more elegant and refined. I love Mona&amp;#039;s Alexander Wang leather jacket with its couturelike shoulders and just the right amount of toughness to give it a stylish spin. There&amp;#039;s really no argument: Mona will get the job done in this takecharge look!  Star in Stripes  Name: Heather Higginbottom  Age: 36  Hometown: Binghamton, NY  Position: Deputy director of Domestic Policy Council  Presidential Points of Interest:  Served as Obama&amp;#039;s campaign policy director. One policy she&amp;#039;s not crazy about: the unofficial stocking rule at work.  How I would style it: My No. 1 pet peeve of office attire is women trying to look like men. Yawn! Men&amp;#039;s suits are sleep-inducing enough\u2014why emulate their style? My advice is to borrow, not steal, from the boys. Take Heather&amp;#039;s reimagined use of pinstripes: a dress from Michael Kors that&amp;#039;s inventively draped and feminine but hardly revealing\u2014the pinstripes still command respect. Complete the look by throwing on a graphic coat and accenting with the perfect oversize saddlebag.  Not Just for Casual Fridays  Name: Katie McCormick Lelyveld  Age: 30  Hometown: Chicago  Position: Press secretary to Michelle Obama  Presidential Points of Interest: Despite her petite stature, wore only flats on the campaign trail, when she worked in the same capacity for Michelle. Has traded up to 3&amp;quot; heels.  How I would style it: Denim has always had a bad reputation for work, but change is in the air! Recently, designers have been juxtaposing denim comfort with professional polish. Katie&amp;#039;s take on the classic tweed jacket and wide pant is so chic despite being all denim (and all American!). And it sleekly defies Oval Office stuffiness, especially when finished with a classic Kelly bag and the other DC prerequisite: two BlackBerrys (one classified, one personal).  Round the Clock  Name: Sarah Hurwitz  Age: 31  Hometown: Wayland, MA  Position: Speechwriter for President Obama  Presidential Points of Interest:  Received a Harvard Law degree and went on to become Hillary Clinton&amp;#039;s chief speechwriter during her presidential campaign.  How I would style it: Moving through a busy 16-hour schedule usually means making the switch from day to night with the addition of only a few accessories. It&amp;#039;s one of the oldest tricks in the book! But why not go backward? Take something that may be more appropriate for after 5 p.m. and dress it down for day. Sarah, who told me she works alongside suited men, was a bit nervous about donning the white tiered Jason Wu dress I put her in, but once it was on, she said it felt &amp;quot;magical.&amp;quot; We shattered the myth that certain dresses can only be worn after sundown. When wearing a night look all day long, pair it with a simple cardigan and belt to &amp;quot;day-ify&amp;quot; your ensemble.  Running Mates  Name:  Samantha Tubman  Age: 29  Hometown:  Willingboro, NJ  Position:  Associate Deputy to the Social Secretary  Presidential Points of Interest:  Once had a job in a factory disposing bad cherry tomatoes; sees herself working for the state of Pennsylvania in 10 years.  How I would style it: Whoever said that suit pieces should match is clearly living in the Roosevelt era (the first)! The beauty of today&amp;#039;s work wear is that changing up jackets, skirts, and pants can give your wardrobe flair while creating multiple options in your closet. Samantha&amp;#039;s Chlo\u00E9 suit successfully complements the blue wool jacket with the gray flannel pleated pant because the textures are similar. Try combinations you never thought would work: a navy skirt with a black jacket or brown shoes with a black skirt. And the finishing touch: the classic lady Dior bag!  Bold Ideas  Name:  Jen Psaki  Age: 30  Hometown: Stamford, CT  Position: Deputy press secretary/ special assistant to President Obama  Presidential Points of Interest:  Campaign highlights include staying up late on the plane with the Obamas playing board games and eating junk food. Was formerly an ice cream scooper for Baskin-Robbins.  How I would style it: It takes a daring personality to pull off a bold color. Even fashion diehards have a difficult time with it; hence, our all-black uniform. But when times are bleak, or just plain uncertain, color can be an uplifting way to move through the day. Call it closet therapy: The boldness of Jen&amp;#039;s blue Versace outfit is a welcome antidote to the Capital&amp;#039;s greiges. But if head-to-toe color seems overwhelming, start with flashes of it\u2014a belt or handbag\u2014and then work your way bolder using neutral tones to play off strong hues. Just remember: Stay away from the colored hose. They defeat the purpose. Any purpose.  Press Brief  Name: Semonti Mustaphi  Age: 27  Hometown: Crystal, MN  Position: Deputy press secretary to Michelle Obama  Presidential Points of Interest: Works 60 to 70 hours a week and juggles three BlackBerrys, but never gives up date night with her fianc\u00E9.  How I would style it: Drifting hemlines have long been the subject of debate\u2014and gossip!\u2014in the workplace. (Who can forget Amanda&amp;#039;s skirts on Melrose?) And when it comes to office respectability, flashing a knee can send some straight to HR purgatory. (I had an intern last summer who came to work in a bikini top and denim mini. Not appropriate. Ever.) But hem length doesn&amp;#039;t have to carry the conservatism of a schoolmarm, either. My basic rule: Keep it tasteful. You know when you&amp;#039;ve crossed the line. If you can go short at the office, opt for ladylike silhouettes and classic shapes. And if you have to worry about matching underwear, it&amp;#039;s too short. 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