Hayley Bloomingdale is the editorial and social media editor for Moda Operandi.

@Instagram is not for everyone. If you make the decision to join this unique social network, please be sure to carefully read the rules and proceed with caution. And note: Just as it is often applicable in the fashion-sphere, the classic proverb "the rules are made to be broken” holds up in the case of the Instagram as well.

What is an Instagram-Worthy Picture?

In short, anything beautiful, awesome, hilarious, or amazing that evokes emotions including but not limited to: laughter, appreciation, jealousy, inspiration.

Bear in mind: Unless you are a food blogger, pictures of food should be used sparingly. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself: “Will this make someone hungry, or will it make them want to throw up?” If the answer is throw up, do not post the picture. We have all seen avocado toast. Every single one of us. It is indeed very tasty. But unless yours comes with gold flakes, there is really no need to share that picture. Coffee art should also be used sparingly. Facebook is a better platform for coffee art: You’ll get plenty of likes from the middle-aged mothers.

hayley bloomingdale's instagram rules Photo: Courtesy of Hayley Bloomingdale / @hayleybloom

Pictures of cheesy quotes are absolutely forbidden (e.g., “You Have as Many Hours in the Day As Beyoncé” or any quote that instructs someone to “Keep Calm and _______”). Pictures of yourself that were published on a website with a watermark are never acceptable. Try pinning the picture to Pinterest instead, or just get over yourself.

Do not post the “circle of feet” (or hands) picture. It isn’t a good ’gram. Unless everyone has on spectacularly unique shoes, people will just assume you wanted to tag people but your friends are ugly. (Note: Pictures that include faces get 38 percent more likes than those without.)

hayley bloomingdale's instagram rules Photo: Courtesy of Hayley Bloomingdale / @hayleybloom

Frequency

Never post more than three photos a day. There are a few circumstances where this rule can be broken: Fashion Week, on a particularly fantastic vacation, or your birthday. If you do post three photos in one day, you cannot post a photo the next day. If you want to #regram a picture that a friend has just posted, under no circumstances is it acceptable to #regram at the same time. Wait a few hours. You have the same followers, no one wants to see that twice in a row on their feed.

hayley bloomingdale's instagram rules Photo: Courtesy of Hayley Bloomingdale / @hayleybloom

Filters

A filter is not always needed, but is a good idea 80 percent of the time. Many girls adhere to the old adage: “I look amazing in Valencia.” Note that the Kelvin filter is to be avoided at all costs. If it really does make a picture better, it is to be used sparingly and with extreme caution. Never, under any circumstances, may the Kelvin with border be used. Fun fact: Black-and-white filters help hide everything from a bad sunburn or spray tan to red wine lips.