Getting together with friends this week, I heard many a laughing comment that various and sundry New Year’s resolutions had already become a lost cause. Even as individuals find that some resolutions may have overreached, the January issues of magazines and television shows are full of tips for helping people become new and better versions of themselves. A fresh start on one’s image is the underlying theme of many a resolution and many a self-help recommendation.

I’d like to suggest a resolution that is easy to keep and will work wonders on improving one’s image: Wear jewelry.

Of course, be sure to wear jewelry appropriate to the situation. Wearing jewelry is not appropriate to certain other New Year’s resolutions that may be on your list. For instance, don’t wear jewelry in the swimming pool or when running on the track or treadmill. Don’t wear jewelry when clearing out the clutter and giving the house a thorough cleaning. Don’t wear jewelry when going in for that colonoscopy that you’ve been putting off. Don’t wear jewelry when pampering yourself with a massage or a session in a sauna. However, wearing jewelry is likely to make you feel more attractive as you cut calories, stop smoking or join eHarmony in the search for true love.

Jewelry is the finishing touch to an ensemble, a detail that says to the world that you care enough about your image to add that bit of a thoughtful finish to an ensemble.

Consider this bit of advice from Project Runway mentor and fashion guru Tim Gunn in the January 2011 issue of Marie Claire to a high school art teacher who seeks tips on what she can “wear in class that will transition from the studio to a meeting with the administration and/or parents.”

Gunn’s first suggestion is what any image consultant would advise: Add a third piece to the ensemble; or, in Gunn’s more specific words, “Don a blazer.” He recommends that the blazer or jacket be navy or black, as either of these hues “signifies seriousness.”

Gunn further counsels the teacher: “If it suits your taste, have a stash of stackable bangles or a cuff on hand to take your look to an even higher level.”

Take your look to a higher level this year. Whatever your style, jewelry can provide an instant image upgrade.

JCK