Having modeled in my early career, I follow these tips to ensure my photo looks like me and shows me in the best possible light.

In a professional photo, check to see if there is a makeup artist tied to the studio that you can use. Otherwise, engage one for the shoot. The artists use a makeup especially designed for the camera.

Begin practicing by moving your mouth up and down at least 10 minutes before the photo shoot so you look relaxed when you smile. If you have any neck wrinkles they will be less noticeable if you stretch your chin out a bit. Your hair style should be natural. If you wear glasses all the time, your photo should include them.

When standing in a group photo, a sideways pose is best for a slimmer, thinner look.

Following these tips will help your photo turn out picture perfect.

A recent Facebook posting showed a woman having one foot up on the arm of the seat in front of her. Please! But maybe the women had a leg problem. I would have asked the flight attendant to move her to a row where there was an empty seat so she could put her foot up.

This brings me to men who take off their shoes and have a pronounced odor coming from their feet. I get it if is a long flight but ask for a pair of slippers or bring a pair with you.

Food smells are another problem. If you are going to bring food on the plane to eat choose items that do not have a strong odors. Be a good airline travel pal.

Recently, I worked with a middle manager who wanted to be considered the next Director in her group. However, she has a challenging time when receiving or giving critical feed because she cries easily.

A tip that helped her was taking a deep breath when she felt the urge to cry coming on. She partnered with a colleague to practice this technique which has helped her tremendously. Within six weeks of three times a week practice, she got dramatically better at managing tearing up during difficult conversations.

Cropped slacks are still much in the scene. I, myself, am not in favor of them for workplace. First of all, they can make you look shorter and cause your legs to appear stumpy. I understand the popularity of them, especially when you think about the nuisance of hemming pants. A nice alternative is the slim ankle length pant where you do not have to worry about the length. They can give the illusion of height and make you look at least five pounds thinner.

Three-quarter sleeves are pretty much the norm when looking for a long sleeve shirt, especially in the summer time. They are a great alternative to short sleeves. The best three-quarter sleeves are when the width of the sleeve is not tapered. It conveys a more professional look. Nordstrom’s Foxcross label is a favorite of mine, especially in white when paired with black linen slacks.

Is it appropriate to wear a white tuxedo jacket for a black tie event in the summer time? In the northern states black tuxedo jackets are still more the norm. An exception can be when that attire is requested. Also, in some country club settings, a white jacket is a favorite. The ones that are the most popular are the Shaw Collar styles. In the Caribbean, as you see in James Bond movies, white jackets are worn by most. When you are in doubt, check with the host of the event.

Men’s styles used to change every eight years or so. Today, that’s not the case, they change as we speak!

Most men are comfortable with the blue button down collar oxford shirt for business casual and for a dress shirt, a blue fine pinpoint one. Now, men are becoming more fashion conscious and are willing to move away from the blue shirt.

White and blue shirts now come with various stripes, wide and thin. Shades of blue, red and burgundy are just a few color variations. For the man who tends to be a bit laid back, a stronger color will help set the tone of a meeting. For the man who tends have a great deal of influence and who can be intimidating without saying a word, a soft color will work best to make him more approachable. Use these guidelines and you will get more impact on how color choices can make any situation work best for you.

Sleeveless dresses and shirts have become very popular due to Michelle Obama starting the trend since becoming first lady. However, not all office environments are appropriate for sleeveless dresses or shirts.

A wonderful item I found that makes the sleeveless option work is the Dress Shug at Talbot’s. The reason I favor this shug is because it is short and current looking. It does not have an old lady feel to it. In fact, I wore one over my black sleeveless dress to see Motown on Sunday with my sisters and their friends! http://www.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi32204

The question often comes up about whether or not you should color your hair. Coloring hair has become very popular for both men and women. And it is not just about covering the gray. Recently Michelle Obama was on the cover of Parade Magazine with golden highlights in her hair. Years ago, it was considered a theatrical move when an Asian or African American that colored their hair blond or red. Today it is just about a variety of looks.

The color one choses for the conservative environment is best when it is close to the natural look. For those who want to be more fashion focused, chose a color close to your color temperature. If you tend to be warm, going jet black may not be favorable to your skin or clothing choices.

Another example is that if you are very cool in color temperature, selecting a very warm hair color may look cheap. When Elizabeth Taylor when blond for a short period it did not enhance her natural skin tone or the color of her eyes.

It can be difficult to purge when we hold on to clothing pieces because they may bring back good memories or we think they are in good condition and we will wear them again. My rule of thumb is that if you have not worn piece of clothing in the last three seasons, it may be time to say goodbye to it. The only exception is formal wear.

Pack your clothing items for the season and then review them the following year. If you have not worn a piece – get rid of it. I took my own advice, cleaned out my closets and gave way numerous pairs of pants, tops, sweaters, coats and handbags. Goodwill cried because many were on hangers and in great condition!

Now, instead of crowding my closets, the clothing and accessories are going to hopefully bring success to those who end up owning them. It was not easy to do and it took two people to help me. But in the end, it felt wonderful. I even created an itemized list with pictures so I can claim a deduction for them.