Everybody smile! How many times have you heard that lately? Chances are you or your friends are constantly clicking away with cell phones at parties, events or just goofing off at home taking one selfie after another. And if you've got kids ... well, the photos can be endless, right? But what if you were a celebrity and you KNEW you were always going to be photographed at any time, at any moment? You'd try to be prepared as much as possible.

Chances are you'd also hire a stylist to help you look your best. Rachel Zoe, stylist to the stars, and author of "Style A to Zoe: The Art of Fashion, Beauty and Everything Glamour" has some tips on striking the best pose.

"It's no fluke that nearly every starlet appears in magazines photographed standing in a similar way," says Zoe. "How you pose for a picture can be the difference between looing your best or looking like a slouch with ten extra pounds you don't even carry. Worse, it's freeze-framed in a snapshot forever after."

So how do celebrities make sure they take the most flattering photos? It's all about the angle, says Zoe. "The reason most red carpet poses appear to be angled from a side or three-quarter viewpoint is that it gives the appearance of smaller hips," says Zoe, who also suggests the trick of crossing your ankles works too.

"If seated, push forward slightly to keep the bottom half farther away from the lens. Bend your legs at the knee and push your feet slightly back," she adds.

And yes that beauty pageant pose of one hand planted on a hip with the other arm straight down really does work, too. "It not only gives a woman something to do with her hands," says the stylist, "it also causes her to consider how the rest of her figure appears."

But most top fashion magazines prefer more natural poses, says Zoe, with their hands hanging relaxed at the sides of the body or one hand holding an evening clutch while the other arm hangs down relaxed and palms facing the thigh.

The stylist always takes pictures of her clients during their fittings with her. "Balance and proportion become more obvious when framed in a photograph." Then you can see if the lines of the clothes are flattering or if they are just exaggerating figure flaws. You can also tell if the color works for you or not. "Your friends might lie, but the camera never does," she says.

And then there's always the close-ups ... selfies, anyone? Zoe has some tips for face poses, too. "A chin tipped slightly up can stretch out a double chin. But don't overdo it," she warns. "Or you risk an uninvited view of your nostrils. Or tip your head down, and the focus is on the eyes."

Instead, she suggests keeping lips partially open or smiling generously. "Vamp it up, but never to the extent of appearing like a caricature of a drag queen or beauty pageant contestant."

And when in doubt ... always smile! "Any flaws in your outfit or your pose will disappear when you look like you're having a great time," says Zoe.

It's all about the angle. Strike your best pose for photos on and off the red carpet with tips from stylist Rachel Zoe.

To find out more about Sharon Mosley, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.