Lugging Camera Is Less Than Picture-Perfect

At receptions, proms or any memorable event, you’ll see women, dressed in expensive dresses, carrying cameras to record the festivities. Although they may be excellent photographers, those who carry around a 35-millimeter with a zoom lens and flash ruin the picture of themselves they’re trying to create.

“Lugging around a big camera all evening is fine if you’re not that interested in making an impression,” says Stephanie Grani of Stephania in San Juan Capistrano. “But if it really matters and you want to take pictures, get the smallest camera you can find.”

Make sure your evening bag is large enough to carry your camera, even if you have to remove the lipstick, pager and tissue. If that doesn’t work and you still want to take a camera, try the old trick of letting your escort carry it around. Let your date commit the faux pas.

Out of pocket: There’s been the past few years a conspiracy in the clothing industry worthy of an Oliver Stone movie. Someone has decided that men don’t need pockets in their sport shirts, and now it’s become harder than Hades to find a place to keep your sunglasses when you’re indoors.

The fact is, when you stuff that golf shirt full of tees or pencils or even a pocket phone, you’re not looking your best. But guys continue to search out those few pocketed polo-style shirts and fill their pockets to the top with junk.

“It’s a passe look, one that goes in and out of style from time to time,” says Chris Lockwood of Pendleton Sport Shop in Laguna Hills. “It may be out now, but it’s sure to return.”

If you have to have that pocket for your polo, try looking through golf wear catalogues. But don’t make the mistake of thinking it’ll transfer easily from the fairway to the real world.

The curse of Anna: Just about the time she made it look as though buxom was in again, model Anna Nicole Smith began to grow in other directions and continued wearing those tight-enough-to-peel-off dresses. Other women are following her lead.

“It’s not a pretty sight to see a woman who’s wearing a dress that’s too tight,” says Susan Shaw of Dancegear in Newport Beach. “You need to use some discretion when wearing form-fitting clothes. You need to look at yourself and say, ‘Do I really look good in this?’ ”

A convenient yardstick to see if a dress is too tight is to hunt for bulges. If your bra and panties are clearly defined, or if, good heavens, a stomach pouch is visible, it’s time to let Anna be the only Anna while you get a larger size.