Getting back out into the dating scene is the perfect excuse to give yourself a makeover. Having a fresh look that reflects the real you will give you confidence, an inner glow and a bigger smile - all highly attractive.

Maybe a full overhaul is needed or just a tweaking, maybe something in the middle will make all the difference to how you present yourself to the world. Appearance isn't all about physical looks, it is also how we present ourselves, the image we give of our own character. Physical appearance is made up of hair and makeup, fashion, shoes, handbag, eye wear and jewellery as well as body shape and size. We each have a huge say about our physical appearance, we just forget sometimes that we have trundled along the same little path for way too long.

Having a fair critical look at your appearance helps you reconsider what you're doing with your looks and how they can be tweaked for improvement. Here are 7 tips to get you started:

1. Do a stocktake of your presentation and appearance. Take some makeover photos of yourself in our favourite clothes, date outfits, work clothes, outfits you wear around the house, out shopping and doing errands. Be sure to do your hair, makeup and accessories as you normally would. This may sound a bit strange but it will give you a reference point to start with - it's the Before photo. Have a friend help you out and make it a fun thing to do.

2. Make a list of your strong points and not so strong points. Be kind to yourself and realistic. There's no upside to being too critical, so don't beat yourself up thinking you're being humble. This isn't about ego, it's about being realistic. A sincere and kind friend can always help too. Consider smile, eyes, eyewear, skin, hands, legs, hairstyle, hair colour, figure, breasts, bottom, face, nose, teeth, height, figure, fitness, voice, fashion, jewellery and accessories. By looking at each point you can then decide where you strengths are so you can highlight them, make them a feature.

3. Next is to get a story board, scrap book together of what looks, colours, fashion styles, hair styles, makeup, jewellery, shoes, handbags, eyewear and perfumes you like. This will let you get to see what you like, what reflects your true self and to look around with an interested eye. From here you can compare your Before photos to what you want to have in your life - is there a difference? Most of us would probably answer YES! Don't beat yourself up, instead plan out how you can make the current you more into the authentic you.

4. What's happening with your hair? How long have you had that colour and style and how well is it working for you? Are you getting compliments for it? Could a freshening up of the hair colour and hair style be over due? Get some ideas for styles and colours by doing some simple people watching, take note of what you like and what you don't like, check out the magazines and have a talk to your hairdresser. When someone has been cutting your hair for a while they'll know what your hair is like and how you are with looking after it so they can be great with giving them the chance to give you a new look that you can make the most of. If you want to try a new hairdresser make sure you have a talk about what you need, what your skills are with doing your hair at home and the reason for getting a fresh look. Give things a go, be bold.

5. When was the last time you spent time with a make up artist learning new skills and makeup tips? Getting my makeup done for a wedding was a real eye opener to a handful of new tricks. I decided to go to one of the cosmetic counters and getting a free makeup makeover. This let me ask heaps of questions, learn how to apply different types of makeup and see how the latest makeup style are applied. Being able to test different colours to see how they worked with my tones was really liberating. I also found out how just to freshen up my look. I finally figured out that I could go to a range of cosmetic counters to test out the products and style techniques. Now every year or so I go off and give it a go and learn something new each time. Give it a go yourself, either at the cosmetic counter or by booking time with a makeup artist for a home visit and lesson.

6. How is your figure going? Have a couple extra kilos sneaked on to add just that little bit more to the curves? For most of us getting into a better health and exercise routine will bring really positive results, including more compliments and a greater level of confidence about our bodies. Men do care about whether we look after our bodies or not. They don't mind the natural curves of women - that is all part of the attraction - but they do read too many extra kilos as a sign of self-neglect. So be kind to yourself, look after yourself and look to get to, and maintain, a body shape that reflects your true character. Walking for 30 minutes a day, 3 - 6 times a week is a great habit to develop to get your figure to where you want to be. Once you're use to consistent exercise you'll find it a heap easier to do more strenuous, results delivering activities.

7. Is your fashion story 10 years out of date? Does your wardrobe reflect where you are in life now or where you were 10 - 20 years ago? After watching Trinny and Suzannah tear through outfits and giving lessons on what works for individual body shapes I got to thinking I needed to look at my clothes. I've ended up spending time with a stylist to work out a more contemporary look that works with my personality and lifestyle. A stylist knows how different looks work, what shape clothes look great on which figures, how to add or take away colour, listen to what you say about what you like and don't like and give you a selection of clothes to choose for your new look. It is so much easier working with a stylist at a favourite store than trying to work through all the clothes racks struggling to go out of your comfort zone to test out different looks and pulling it together cohesively - just let a stylist do it for you, it's fun and easy.

You'll find through this process there's a lot of valuable lessons in looking after yourself and stepping out of the past into your future. Giving yourself a fashion makeover is a great reason for getting a facial and a massage to make you feel like a new woman as well as look like a new version of yourself.

Remember to accentuate your best features, let go of old styles and embrace a fresh look.