Before selecting vintage pieces to add to your wardrobe, think about the style elements that you look for in clothing and accessories. While dressing in vintage clothing lets you expand your fashion horizons and experiment with different styles, you still want to look and feel like you. If you don't feel comfortable and confident in your vintage finds, likely, you won't end up wearing them. Working out your fashion style will help you select vintage pieces that you can easily incorporate into your wardrobe. When shopping for vintage, consider what you already own and how well each vintage piece will fit into your current wardrobe. Try looking at different styles on Pinterest and fashion blogs to help you identify what style elements match your aesthetic. This can give you ideas about what to look for when you are shopping for vintage pieces. If you want to avoid looking like you are wearing a costume, select vintage pieces in classic cuts that never go out of style. These pieces come in timeless shapes and colors that you can seamlessly incorporate into your wardrobe for years to come. For example, while fashion trends come and go, a classic vintage black shift dress, a statement-making vintage leopard swing coat, or a silk floral or neutral-shade tie-neck blouse will always be in style. When selecting vintage pieces, first check the tag to see what materials were used to make the item. Higher quality materials, such as cotton, silk, and wool, can withstand several cleanings and hold up well over time. While synthetic materials are fine for a statement-making piece or for special occasions, avoid synthetic materials if you plan on incorporating your vintage finds into your daily wardrobe. If you find a vintage piece that no longer has a tag, there are a few tricks you can use to assess the quality. The easiest way is to feel the fabric by rubbing it gently between your pointer finger and thumb. If the material feels sturdy yet soft to the touch, it is likely of higher quality. You can also compare the material with items that do have a tag to determine if they are the same material. Check carefully for stains, tears, or missing parts, as these can indicate that an item is of lower quality. Read fashion magazines, look at fashion bloggers' sites, and/or peruse your favorite online retailers' inventories to assess what styles are trending. When selecting vintage pieces, look for items with the same or similar characteristics. Most contemporary pieces are inspired by styles from the past, so what better way to show your fashion savviness than with a trendy item that is vintage and, therefore, totally unique. Each decade has particular styles that are characteristic of that era. Learning to identify some of the styles attributed to the various eras of vintage can make it easier to select items that will generally look good together. While some experimentation is necessary (and fun!), learning the basics of vintage styles can give you some general rules of thumb to follow so that you can create vintage looks that are both unique and cohesive. The 1910s, for example, brought about the trench coat and lace-up boots. This era generally mixes well with the wide brimmed hats of the 1930s or rocker tees from the 1990s. To prevent clashing, however, avoid mixing 1910s vintage pieces with a 1920s beaded flapper dress or a 1980s neon tunic. Some decades, such as the 1940s and 50s, produced many now-classic styles in neutral tones. These styles, including 1940s cigarette pants and 1950s leather jackets, tend to mix well with each other, as well as many styles from various other eras. A 1950s leather jacket, for example, can look great with 1960s bell bottom jeans or a 1970s flowy, floral dress.

Summary: Choose pieces that reflect your personal style. Look for vintage pieces in classic styles. Focus on finding vintage items made of high-quality materials. Look for trendy vintage items. Learn the basics of vintage styles.

There is nothing worse than listening to a presenter with a monotone voice. Entertain your audience by showing your enthusiasm for the topic. This will make your presentation more fun to listen to and will help keep the attention of the audience. Use inflection in your voice, be excited, incorporate hand gestures and move around the room. Your enthusiasm for the topic will rub off on audience members. Even if you are presenting on a perceivably boring topic you can help make it fun by being enthusiastic and dynamic. If you are standing on a stage there's nothing stopping you from getting off and walking through the audience as you present. Be aware of the volume of your voice. In a large auditorium you may need to speak louder in order to be heard in the back. Presentations are always more fun if you can find a way to insert a little humour, but this is not an easy task. Here are a few things to consider when adding a joke to any presentation: Know your audience: You should know the general age and interests of the audience members in order to ensure that the joke is not offensive and that they will understand the joke. For example, avoid making references to the television show Frasier if you are presenting to high school students. They will not get the joke. Use safe humour: Avoid using the audience as the butt of the joke or dividing the audience (ie joking about women or blondes), or using offensive language. Instead you can use gentle self-deprecating humour. You could say "I know you all rushed here to listen to a presentation on making photocopies." This joke allows you to acknowledge in a sarcastic way the dry nature of the topic you are presenting on. Integrate the humour into your presentation: The best way to include jokes in a presentation is to stay on topic. Try and make sure the joke relates to the material being presented. Rehearse the joke: Practice the joke as part of your presentation and test it out on other people before presenting. This will allow you to get the timing right and ensure that the joke with get a laugh. Making eye contact with your audience is a great way to hold their attention and provide an effective and entertaining presentation. If you are presenting to a small group you should try and make eye contact with all audience members. For larger audiences try and make eye contact with each section of the audience. Avoid only making eye contact with the people you know in the audience or with the person who is assessing the presentation. If you can find a way to make the topic you are presenting meaningful to your audience it is more likely to have a lasting impact. For example, try and tell a relevant story or current event and connect it to the topic of the presentation. This will get your audience thinking and will make your topic more relatable. Alternatively you could try providing a local connection. For example, how does this topic directly impact the people in the audience? For example, if you are presenting to a group of high school students about bullying and social media you may want to draw their attention to a few examples of young celebrities using social media to attack one another. This could help to make the topic more relatable to the young audience by connecting to a story they are familiar with.
Summary: Be a dynamic presenter. Provide a humorous observation or anecdote. Make eye contact. Make a personal connection.