A STRATEGY FOR SURVIVING YOUR CLASS REUNION.

Byline: Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje Houston Chronicle

So you may not fit into your size-4 drum majorette uniform. So your head is so bald that light refracted off it occasionally disrupts satellite transmissions. So your crow's-feet are so deep that actual crows consider landing in them and making nests.

You can still have fun at your high school reunion and make a good impression. The key is in the planning, says Gayla Silva Bentley, owner of Gayla Affairs.

And Bentley, a well-known Houston fashion consultant also known as ``Dr. Styles,'' should know: She spent months carefully planning for her own 20th-year reunion in Rhode Island. The results? A night that exceeded her wildest expectations.

``I had such a wonderful time, mostly because people didn't recognize me,'' says Bentley, a former high school wallflower who now gives image tips on radio and TV.

In preparing for the Big Event, Bentley took the same advice she always offers clients. It helps, she says, to allot about two months to get ready, but don't let the fact you've procrastinated stop you. Many of these things can be done in a pinch. Just do them and go.

Keep in mind that feeling good is as important as looking good, if not more so.

``If you look good AND feel good, then you'll project a confident image, which is what you want to project at a reunion,'' says Bentley.

How you feel in your clothes directly influences the vibes you give off. Don't merely follow fashion. Be realistic. ``Miniskirts may be popular, but if you're a size 16, don't wear a miniskirt to your reunion,'' she says.

Look in your closet first. Is there a dress (or suit) you've always felt smashing in? Consider wearing it. If it's too old or you just flat want something new, try to buy in that same style.

Have a ``dress rehearsal'' with the outfit you plan to wear. That's right, put it all on - the clothes, the shoes, the jewelry, even the hairstyle. This is a trial run, folks. Even do it twice, so that by reunion night you're totally at ease. Wear comfortable shoes for dancing and the endless hours spent standing, chewing cocktail weenies and hearing about So-and-So's gifted children.

When it comes to jewelry, less is more. Don't try to overimpress.

If you can afford it, have a professional facial once or twice before the reunion. And start exfoliating two months out. Exfoliants slough off dead skin, give your face a nice glow and help makeup go on evenly. You can spend big bucks on the expensive brands or pick up an inexpensive one at the pharmacy.

Have a make-over done at one of those department-store cosmetics counters. Bring in what you plan to wear and have the makeup artist coordinate the lip color, eye color and nail color to go with it.

Start moisturizing your hands early on. Get a professional manicure before the event.

Details matter. Bentley spent hours searching for ``the perfect black bra'' to go under her black velour jumpsuit, even though no one was going to see it.

If you're going to try a new hairstyle, do it two months out. That way, says Bentley, you'll have time to recover if it's a disaster. Go to a recommended stylist and ask him or her what your most flattering hairstyle would be.

Many reunions these days are three-pronged affairs, with a cocktail party on Friday evening, a Saturday picnic and a Saturday-night dance.

The first outfit is essential, says Bentley, because first impressions are always the most important.

Don't overfragrance. Lightly apply cologne or perfume below the chest area, before you put on your clothes.

Carry breath mints. You don't want to go to all this trouble only to end up smelling like garlic cheese spread.

And finally, relax. Have a good time. Smile. Don't try to pretend you're something you're not. Like your mother told you in high school, just be yourself.

And take comfort in the fact that everyone else is as worried as you are.