How to be Smarter: Never travel, especially on a bus or an airplane, without a cozy, lightweight scarf. It can be wrapped around your neck if this temperature inside is cold or the air conditioning is blasting, it can be used as a pillow if you want to take a nap,  and, in general, it is just a snuggly little item that will remind you of home.

How to be Prettier: Fourth of July is coming up soon–get those outfits ready. This is one holiday where you must wear the appropriate colors–red, white, and blue. 

How to be (less) Awkward: After the predicable relationship meltdown and breakup, it is never okay to ask a friend, “are you still not over him?” It sounds uncaring and, after hearing someone ask that, most people will shut down and not tell the truth anyways. A better way to phrase it, if you must ask, is “how are you doing these days?” In general however, I advocate people coming to you with their thoughts.

How to be Smarter: When sending someone (especially a boss or co-worker), an article from a web page, include both the full text of the article and a link to the article. Otherwise, if someone looks at the email on their phone but can’t click on the link, they may forget to check it at a computer–making the email, and the article you deemed relevant, lost forever. 

How to be Prettier: Never wear high-tops with shorts. 

How to be (less) Awkward: If you start talking during a job interview or a presentation, and you realized you have messed up the question or statement, pause, take a breath, and say “let me try this another way,” or “here is an example that may work better.”

How to be Smarter: Interesting fact: You are limited to 5,000 facebook friends.

How to be Prettier: You are so pretty and confident because you got your looks and your personality, in part at least, from your mom. Send her this personalized video to thank her.

How to be (less) Awkward: Never chose the stall directly next to someone else’s in the bathroom.

How to be Smarter: If you unsubscribed from an organization’s list server after the second email they sent you, the organization would probably assume you weren’t that engaged in their cause anyways and move on. So if someone unsubscribes from your life after the second date, count your blessings and move on –they weren’t going to be loyal supporters of you to begin with.

How to be Prettier: Pearls reflect light onto your face. Throwing on a pearl necklace or earrings when you are tired makes you look more awake.

How to be (less) Awkward: Lean slightly forward in your chair during a job interview—you look more interested. Follow the same rule on a date or during a business meeting.

How to be Smarter: You have about 24 hours to respond to a personal email. If it goes longer than 48, you look rude. For business, during the course of a normal business day, I would shorten this time to say you have six hours to respond, maximum. 

How to be Prettier: My little sister had this in her shower when I was visiting her, and, since using it, I can’t use anything else. It really does exfoliate AND leaves the nicest scent behind AND makes my skin feel so soft. Hooked. 

How to be (less) Awkward: If someone you love is going away, sneak “Safe to Say” by Valencia onto their iPod and tell them to listen to it when times are hard.

How to be Smarter: Get a hobby–and “going to the bar” is not an appropriate one. Have something that you do just because you like to. The most interesting people are ones who enjoy interests that are uniquely their own. 

How to be Prettier: It is the summer, and it is okay to be a little more crazy than normal, clothes (and boy) wise. I like striped cardigans over floral dresses. Its nice if the cardigan has the same colors as the dress, but you can also go slightly mod with a black and white cardigan over some pretty pink flowers. 

How to be (less) Awkward: If a man walks by you and he is wearing your old boyfriend’s cologne, pay attention to the very first thought that goes through your head. This microsecond thought will tell you a lot about how you feel about the ex–for better or worse.

How to be Smarter: I Feel Bad about My Neck by Nora Ephron is my most highly recommended book in a long while. It is a quick, smartly written memoir–an especially good read for people that are in love with New York City. 

How to be Prettier: Keep a pair of cheap street flats under your desk at work to wear to and from–something comfortable but more stylish than sneakers. Some good options: elegant white, black patent, and these are a favorite of mine.  

How to be (less) Awkward: There are people in your life who you can eat a salad with your fingers in front of, and people in your life who you can’t. Know the difference, and try to respect it.

No post today. Get ready for Monday when a new look for Smart Pretty and Awkward is being launched!

How to be Smarter: Great article from reader Alisa.

How to be Prettier: I have recently switched to brown mascara, instead of black, for my daytime summer look. The color is lighter on a summer day than black. 

How to be (less) Awkward: Doing magic tricks for an audience are really only appropriate at your niece’s third birthday party or on a street corner for cash. Anywhere else (crowded party, a first date) and you look kind of silly and weird.

How to be Smarter: For most big purchases, see it at the store, try it out, decide on a color—then go home and find it cheaper online and have it delivered. 

How to be Smarter: Lots of facts to make your smarter are available here.

How to be Smarter: If you need a word defined, go to Google and type in “define: word” and all the definitions of the word on the internet pop up.

How to be Smarter: Take comfort in the knowledge that no one is a good dancer–and the few that actually are usually look like huge show-offs on the dance floor. Be grateful you’re just a normal dancer and get up there and dance. While smiling. 

How to be Smarter: Don’t store tomatoes in the fridge unless they are already cut up–ruins their flavor.

How to be Smarter: I would advise trying to snatch up your name the hour this goes live.

How to be Smarter: Woot.com for incredible, once-a-day deals.

How to be Smarter: In order to make sure your life is progressing in a positive direction, you need to be disappointed once a week.

How to be Smarter: In an interview, have a decent pen to use. Not like a white bic pen, but a substantial pen that has black ink (maybe one from your college’s bookstore).

How to be Smarter: I usually hate movies. A lot. However, I found He’s Just Not that Into You surprisingly insightful for girls AND guys everywhere. I rented it on iTunes for like 4 dollars, and it was a good investment.

How to be (less) Awkward: Can you help me be less awkward? All my friends are bragging about their twitter followers and I’ve over here with barely thirty (http://twitter.com/smartprettyawk). And I always follow back so your friend count will go up as well