As obsessed as we've become with how things look in this modern era I find it fascinating that nothing is quite as easy as personally falling into the trap of freezing in a particular look - and one that just might not show us off at our best (or is our best, but our best from another era).

I've been thinking a lot about "freshing up" ones look this week. For one thing, I've finally started to see some of the newer slim leg trousers that I'd actually look decent in and I've suddenly decided I hate the fit of all of my t-shirts. For another, a good friend of mine needed to have a new headshot taken for her upcoming book. She was unhappy with the first set she'd had taken, so I recommended she work with my friend Christina Von Messling who is so very talented, and so kind and fun to work with, and I recommended that she make peace with the process, that rather than dreading it and that she consider embracing it and allowing it to be a celebration.

Very few of us are blessed with being naturally photogenic. I'm not. I've learned to accept that having a good headshot is a process, and I will be personally involved in that process as long as I want to be in the public eye in any way. I've touched on this before, but I want to revisit it again because it's a really important part of your marketing and PR efforts unless you decide to hide under the bed and never be a public face for your company. If you don't control your own image others will do it for you. In many cases the media will run a photo that you provide, so why not make sure it's something you feel good about?

For this reason I cannot stress enough working with a photographer you feel comfortable around, someone you can laugh with and be very honest with about what you want in a photograph, and who can hear your concerns and fears. We all have a better side, we all have preferences, and we all have an ego - find a photographer who really listens to you about what you'd like to achieve and works with you to do just that - but be open to their ideas to. They'll bring in some new ideas and new ways to see yourself.

I also highly recommend you work with a makeup artist and/or stylist - even for men (though we call it "grooming" for men so it sounds acceptible). Here again you need to be comfortable with this person and work out a look that is modern but you feel comfortable in. You also often need a second opinion because many of us just don't know how to look at ourselves in the mirror clearly. Self image is an emotional thing. We often hate a part of our body that no one else in the world has a problem with - but everyone else might wish we'd update our outdated hair, an unflattering lipstick choice, or image of ourselves from two careers ago. For the first few years that I was in the gift design industry I still dressed like a corporate drone. No one had a clue I was an artist.

I always work with a makeup artist for photos because I have challenging skin. I still break out like a teenager at time. I am very fair and very ruddy and unless I have on full makeup I just don't show up well in the photo. But for my last photo session I made the mistake of using a self bronzer first to give me a little too much color (I hadn't tested it out first! Mistake!) and the makeup artist had to use foundation etc. that was much darker than I normally wear. When I saw the photos I realized it didn't make me look fresh, healthy and rested - it just looked a bit fake. There was really only one good shot that could be used (and didn't make me look like I was trying to be Malibu Barbie) but I really liked that one shot (my current photo in my about section is by the very talented Matt Fukushima), and that one shot is often all you need.

But it needs to be modern. I recommend that people don't use a headshot that's more than two or three years old. For one thing it's not fair to the photographer if you keep using a photo (unless you've bought an extended license), and for another, you want to make sure your headshot shows you at your best now. You don't want people not to recognize you when you walk in the door!

Think you're too old to be caring about your image? Think again. The above photo is of the modeling icon Carmen Dell'Orefice (who sadly has been wiped out financially by Madoff) not too many years ago walking the catwalk. Dell'Orefice is now 78 years old and is still showing us how it's done. She works all the time.

Keeping your image fresh and vital isn't about trying too hard, trying to be something you're not, or too young for your age. Keeping your image fresh is about putting your best self forward in the current age. You might be the type that finds it easiest to wear a particular "uniform" because you hate thinking about clothes too much. Fine! Just make sure that the uniform is of colors and cut that flatter you - and every few years update the cut so you look like you're not pulling out your old clothes from college. Yes, some things are classic. Some. Actually very few, and just because a style comes around again doesn't mean you should take it up.