I've held off posting this one for a while as it didn't seem right to be cheerily discussing wine and celebrations with half the country on fire. But as my friend Jenni says, "it's okay to be okay" so while my thoughts and donations are with the victims (both human and animal) of these catastrophic events, I'm also enjoying my summer.

I know I'm not the only one sitting here on 12 January 2020 asking where 2019  - and in fact, the last decade - has gone.

2019 brought a new job, new friends, fresh outlooks, SNS nails, major surgery, a sharp spike in skincare interest and many other things I've probably forgotten but relatively speaking, it's been a good one. So what better way to go steaming into 2020 with a nice glass of something to celebrate?


Just before the New Year, I was kindly sent a bottle of prosecco to try. While the only real differences between prosecco, sparkling wine and champagne are the types of grapes used and the location it's made in, I think we can agree that wine with bubbles goes great in summer and is perfect for celebrations. The Dean & Monroe Prosecco is made in the King Valley in Victoria and while I often struggle to identify any of the tasting notes often promised on wine labels (chocolate box???) you can definitely pick up the crispy fruity vibe with this one. The Style Series limited edition bottle also features leopard print, a trend that is looking to compete with skinny jeans in terms of longevity.


Speaking of leopard print, the bottle was sent to me along with a matching leopard-print wrap which I have already taken to to the beach and the pool and thought myself very stylish in doing so.


I was also sent a bottle of Noble Fellows Baron Betsy Pinot Gris, which hails from Marlborough in New Zealand. Obviously, my preference is to support South Australian wines (now more than ever) but hey, the Kiwis don't do a bad drop either. This wine also had noticeable fruit-based characteristics, but don't expect me to tell you what they are, just know that they were there, okay??


Both Dean & Monroe and Noble Fellows wines can be found exclusively and affordably at BWS stores, so why not check them out next time you're browsing?

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Wines provided by Bay PR for review and consumed responsibly. No payment received. Some images supplied. All opinions mine. Please see my PR and Media policy for more information. 

It has been a long time between drinks around these parts . . . so I thought I'd perform a little CPR and show the blog some love after recently picking my socials back up.

So what's been happening since September last year? Here's a tidy recap.

I had a significant birthday, so I can no longer refer to myself as a thirty-something blogger, but I had a rad 90s themed party.


I went to Sydney and met up with old friends and met blog friends IRL.


I reclaimed shorts.


I tried a new make-up brand, Fenty Beauty. It's nice. You should have a go.


Did the 10 year challenge.


Bought some new clothes.


Wore some old faves.


Went to Port Lincoln for a family holiday.


Rode an e-Scooter.


So that's about the gist of it and I can't make any promises as to when or what the next post might be, but do keep an eye on FB and / or Insta for more timely updates. I'm also still open to collabos and product reviews, so check out my PR and Media page for more info on how to get in touch.

What have you been up to?

For any mum, grandma, favourite aunty or maternal figure in your life, there's a gift to suit for this coming weekend and if you have access to a mid-sized shopping outlet, you'll be able to score these items this week, avoid the Saturday crush and be the favourite. Or, if you're like me and tend to shop for ALL the gifts, my own included, simply buy it for yourself and reimburse your account . . . no worries about random guesses at sizing!

Here are some picks that will get you guaranteed brownie points . . .

Suzanne Grae Limited Edition Jacket



Give her the gift of cosy this Mother's Day with this gorgeously warm shearling style aviator jacket. I absolutely abhor being cold so I usually sacrifice style for warmth but now I don't have to! The soft pink is so on trend for AW18 and . . . AND ! Functional pockets!! I can't tell you how happy this makes me. (Seriously, what is up with faux jacket pockets, it should be illegal.) Style tip: a bulkier jacket should be paired with a slim silhouette on the bottom so tell your Mum it's skinny - not Mom - jeans all the way.


Natura Siberica Bath Time Treats

If you can't afford to splash out on a expensive spa treatment, give Mum the spa experience at home with this beautifully packaged selection from Natura Siberica, featuring relaxing bath salts, moisturising bath foam and scented foot cream. Bonus points if you rub the cream into her feet. Conveniently and affordably available at Chemist Warehouse.


Cotton On & Co
Cotton On & Co (which includes Cotton On, Rubi, Typo etc) have a huge selection of Mother's Day gifting, ranging from cozy scarves, scented candles (nice ones, not gross ones), personalisable ugg style boots, slippers, dressing gowns, loungewear, earrings, stationery and accessories so you are bound to find something cute for Mum. In fact, I have found several cute things for myself, and I'm a Mum so that's okay.


Peony Parcel Subscription Box

Shipping for the Mother's Day edition has closed but you can still hook your Mum up with a Peony Parcel subscription or a one-off gift box. Beautifully presented and delivered to your (or her) door, the bi-monthly parcels feature the best of premium Australian brands; including skincare, cosmetics, accessories, candles, snacks and more. Pictured above is the Rose edition, inspired by the Barossa region of South Australia.

Remember, the best gift you can give your Mum on the day is your time, so familial relations and circumstances allowing - pick up the phone, catch up for lunch or a coffee or just let her know you care in some way. If you're a Mum yourself, enjoy the day with your loved ones. If you don't get into the whole Mother's Day situation for whatever reason, then have a nice weekend regardless.

What are your plans for Sunday?

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This post contains affiliate links and gifted items. Please see my PR and Media policy for more information.

Recently I was contacted by the team at the Bondi Beach Tea Company to have a try of some of their range of teas and report back to all concerned.

I chose the 14 day B-Slim Tea Detox Program which included both the Bondi Slim and Colon Cleanse teas and they kindly sent me a cute strainer and tank top too!


Now, before we go any further - let me make it clear that neither I nor the Bondi Beach Tea Company claim this as any kind of miracle-working quick fix weight loss concoction. It is designed to support and maintain a healthy lifestyle rather than magically combat the effects of burgers and chips. I read up on their website first before agreeing to this review and was satisfied that it wasn't a gimmicky or dangerous product and was something I would be happy to share with my readers.

Positive benefits may include:

• Lowering inflammation and acid in the body
• Better digestive health
• Speeding up metabolism
• Reduced bloating
• More energy
• Immunity boost
• Feeling generally clearer and lighter

I'm also conscious of the word "detox" in the title as that's what our various organs are for but I get the concept. They say, "our most famous tea blend is packed with antioxidant-enriched ingredients for an energy uplift, to enhance the body’s natural detoxifying powers, reduce inflammation, and promote healthy weight."

The teas do not contain laxatives like many other detox teas on the market, which is good to know.  Instead, they are made up of all sorts of natural, organical and ethically-sourced ingredients that are associated with the benefits above, including green tea, dandelion leaf, acai berry, yerba mate, flaxseed, cinnamon bark, cacao nibs and fenugreek seeds.

How we drink tea on Instagram

I followed directions, boiled the kettle and took the tea. It was surprisingly easy to work it into a routine, especially the one first thing in the morning. The flavour was mild and easily drinkable. I did not use the Colon Cleanse tea at the same time because it needs to be consumed in the evening and I was doing a teeth whitening program at the time and wearing mouth trays when recommended to drink it. Admittedly, I was also terrified at the thought of unscheduled toilet stops. I have issues. I did try it later on its own and it wasn't like an instant laxative effect so that's good to know.

How we drink tea in real life

So how did it work?

After two weeks, I had lost about 2 kilos, 7cm from the bust, a cm from the waist and 2 cm from the hips.

BUT

(and, as approved by Sir Mix-a-Lot, it is a BIG BUT, and I cannot lie)

I undertook the tea test in conjunction with the start of a proper healthy eating plan and an increase in daily exercise. Which is what they recommend in the instructions for optimal results. I felt like I had more energy, I enjoyed the drinking of said tea and building into my routine a hot drink that didn't include milk or sugar.

At the moment there is a 22% off storewide sale with code SUGARFREE, so if you're interested in trying these teas for yourself, now is the time!

Have you tried a detox tea before? How did you go?

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Products kindly supplied for review by the Bondi Beach Tea Co. All images, opinions and colons - cleansed or otherwise - are mine and genuine. For more information, please see my PR & Media policy.

So this week marked the blog’s third birthday – that means three years of blogging, Instagramming, Facebooking and attending events all under the Almost Posh banner and let me tell you, it has gone so super quickly!

RAISE THE ROOF!


via GIPHY
I don't know who those girls are but they look like they're having fun.

I’ve read a couple of articles that reckon the average blog is dead in the water after 100 days – that’s about 3.5 months. So I’ve well and truly beaten the average which is heartening considering I started blogging not really knowing why or how or the actual point of it all and have picked up things along the way.

If you’ve been with me for a while, you’ll know that I started off blogging at work and was able to bust out three posts a week without any trouble. However, after I left that job and took up a new position that required me to actually, you know, work for the company, it dropped to two a week, then one a week, then the kind of ad hoc position we’re in today. I still do enjoy blogging when I have something to blog about but I’ve found there seems to be a bit of fatigue out there at the moment and I’m wondering – do you even blog, bro? Would you rather read stuff on the platform you’re on – like Insta or FB without popping out to a separate site? These are the things I’m considering; trying to get the most value for Almost Posh with my very limited time that doesn’t allow for a lot of participation in link-ups or commenting on other blogs.

I’ve been lucky enough to receive some bits and pieces and be invited to fun things over the years and, not going to lie, that is also quite an enjoyable perk but as I have no doubt mentioned before, blogging and the associated socials have opened up a world of meeting new people and making some real-life friends that I have hung out with on a number of occasions. This has been the number one highlight because let’s be real, it’s hard to make new friends when you’re over 30 outside of work and when it’s people who are into the same stuff (like blogging, social media, fashuns, beauty prodz and not judging you for putting your outfits on Insta) then it’s a win-win.

The fashion inspo and motivation to bust out decent outfits is also a big plus, even if I have a defined lack of decent photo wall at my house. Behold: my trademark arch . . .


As for the future direction of Almost Posh, I am hanging in there! Keep on hanging with me and many genuine thanks for your comments, likes and shares over the three years so far.

What are your thoughts regarding the future of blogging?

Today (give or take allowances for time zone differences) marks the 10 year anniversary of our Las Vegas wedding, so I thought I'd share the story of the day with you.

2017 is looking to be a big year for me and mine; the theme tune "Ch-changes" by the late and very great Mr D Bowie has already been pre-selected.


After nearly 11 years at my current employer, I'm moving on. My role has been made redundant which has given me the push to explore a new opportunity I've got in the works that I'm super excited about. It will see me move away from administration and into business development. It will also mean returning to full time hours after three years of part time and a year on maternity leave, so my "full-time tastes on a part-time budget" tag line will also become redundant. AND my daughter is starting kindy next week. I KNOW, I KNOW.

As you might know, I'm continuing to track my expenditure and I've invited y'all to join me in the #StyleCost2017 challenge by downloading the spreadsheet and playing along. It will be interesting to see if a return to full-time pay (YASSS I'VE MISSED YOU) has an effect on my totals. I have a feeling it might do but I will always be about the bargain. I've changed up some of my affiliate partners to reflect this so stick around as I continue to bring you all the cute for less of the loot.


I'll also be embarking on the #NeverSayNever2017 challenge of my own design; in which I try out or wear things that I'd previously shunned, including white pants, spray tans, the colour yellow and more. Feel free to join in by using the hashtag on things you never thought you'd try, use or wear again / ever !

Right now, I don't know what impact these changes this will have on my blogging activity. I am going to strive to maintain two posts a week but I may not be able to keep up the same level of commenting and interaction on other blogs as previously when I had more time on my hands (mostly at work if I'm honest). I will do my level best as I feel like it's an important part of blogging and enjoy the sense of community it brings.

Cheers to that!


Are you back in the swing of things for 2017? What do you hope the new year brings?

Well, I'm not sure how that happened but it looks like we've pretty much reached the end of 2016 so it's time for the obligitory year in review post.

I provided a mid-year review on where I was at with my wardrobe, my blogging and my business so let's check in on how I went from there:

Wardrobe

I'm calling it, the #AlmostPoshStyleCost project is done and dusted for 2016. You can read the wrap-up here if you missed it last week, including my best and worst buys for the year and if you're interested, you can check out the month by month play here. I'm super proud of myself for sticking with tracking my expenditure on clothes, shoes and accessories for the whole year and fully intend to keep it going into 2017 where you will be welcome to join me. Prepare yourself now for the new year by downloading the cost tracker spreadsheet and be ready to start adding up! I'm even adding a Cost Per Wear column to really get into the forensics. Now we're getting serious.

I was pretty diligent in clearing out things I wasn't wearing and will continue to turn my new velvet flocked hangers around every six months. I'm much happier with the content of my wardrobe these days and the fact that I have much greater visibility on gaps.

Blogging

It's been my second full year of blogging and it's coming along nicely! From meeting heaps of new friends interstate and locally, attending cool events and getting opportunities to work with brands and businesses, I've been overall happy with the direction and growth of Almost Posh in 2016. Sure, there have been times when I've wondered what the point of it was or become frustrated that I'm not yet an internet celebrity or super rich but I'm satisfied that I've remained authentic, transparent, ethical and true to the voice of the blog throughout and that is something that's important to me.

Business

You may know I started a small business this year, Writemate, to legitimise both the blog and the side gig work I was doing for friends and other businesses in document preparation, formatting, editing, CVs, cover letters, copywriting, internetty help and the like. I've had small jobs here and there throughout the year which has been great and it has paved the way to open more doors in the future. More on that as it comes to hand early in the new year. Exciting.

Life

With world news, election results and departing of music legends aside, 2016 has been pretty good for me and mine with health and happiness at acceptable levels. I wish the same for you and your family as we head towards the new year.


Almost Posh will be closed for the Christmas and New Year break and return late January 2017. I'll still be on socials and sharing some of my archived stuff so keep an eye out on Facebook and Instagram.


Wishing you and your loved ones all the best for a super Merry Christmas and an awesomely Happy New Year, with thanks for all your support, comments and readership over the year! Any plans?

A little while back I did a 10 Random Facts About Me post and one of those 10 facts was that I had written and recorded a song that received commercial airplay on Nova 91.9 here in Adelaide.

That generated some interest and a few people asked about it. Since the ARIAs were on this week and I should have attended the 2007 ceremony, I thought I'd share the full story with you.
*wavy flashback effect*

The year was 2007, back when I used to listen to the radio before work in the morning and the Nova breakfast crew; Fitzy, Jules and Lisa announced a competition for listeners to write a rap about their suburb and send it in.

As it happens, I had an illustrious background as a lyrical gangster that started in high school where I performed oral reports in rap form (including the groundbreaking "Erosion" in Year 11) and went on to write joke songs, parodies and toilet-shaming ditties for various friends and workplaces. So this was totally my jam. Much like Eminem, I smashed out some verse in a tiny notebook about my then-burb, Brahma Lodge (Adelaide's 8-Mile equivalent) on the train on the way to work, typed it up, emailed it in under the stage name of MC Bethamphetamine and went about my day.

I was soon contacted by the station, who loved it and was invited to come in and record it in the studio! OM actual G. Here I am laying it down with Fitzy popping in to throw up a quick gang sign.


Note: This was before I learned to smile without losing my top lip. Also, dat fringe.

Recording was super fun and then I got to sit in the studio after while their sound guy put it to a backing track, laid some effects on and basically made it sound like an actual song. Fun fact: said backing track is basically a "stock photo" of the music world so I've heard it in advertisements and television promos since. Yes, I freestyle when I hear it, what of it.

The track, "Drama Lodge" was played during the breakfast show the next morning and people rang in to give feedback. Other people laid down their tracks for their suburbs and we all got played throughout the duration and uploaded to their MySpace page (which shows you how long ago it was, lol).

For my troubles, I won a 30GB iPod Classic which was worth about $400 at the time and which is still the primary music storage device at home. Shortly after, I headed off overseas to the US for my wedding / honeymoon trip and thought no more of it.

Until a few months later when they announced they were running a competition and throwing the tunes open to a public vote, where the winner would get a trip for two to the ARIAs.

THAT TRIP WAS MINE!

I enlisted an army of family and friends from around the world to vote and we started hammering away. These days, for such a thing, you'd have to enter an email address or some other kind of validation and get one entry. This was set up so that one click = 1 entry so it really was a case of who could smash out the most entries. There we were beavering away legitimately when Dodgy Dave from Morphett Vale seemed to be climbing impossibly higher. I consulted my IT friends who posited he had set up a macro on computer to auto-vote.

"Make it happen", I whispered and soon two of the IT computers here at work were doing the same.

It wasn't enough though, and as the competition drew to its final hours I knew I'd been done and I was MAD.

Nova announced the winner the next morning and threw in some comments about rigging computers and overloading the servers but STILL WENT AHEAD AND GAVE IT TO HIM ANYWAY despite my loads of legit votes from different people. Nearly ten years later and the pain is still real.

As a small consolation, a bunch of friends and family took it upon themselves to call and email Nova and tell them what for, most notably my friend Stacie who said, and I quote:

You'd be crazy to send Dodgy Dave to represent Nova and Adelaide at the ARIAs. I'm not talking Gnarls Barkley crazy, I mean baby danglin' Michael Jackson crazy. I'm talking head shavin' Britney Spears crazy!

His rhymes are weaker than the drinks at the Richmond. He has less flow than the River Murray*

His rap is more wack that Whitney Houston on crack. He makes Vanilla Ice look like Tupac.

* then in severe drought.

So I didn't get to go to the ARIAs but I did write and perform a song that got commercial airplay in Adelaide.

Oh, you still want to hear it?


People actually still remember it which I find funny. And you better believe I sing along when it comes on shuffle!

Ever been on the airwaves or won a radio competition?

I've always envied those people who climb into bed and nod off within minutes (*cough* husband *cough*) because falling asleep has always been an issue for me. If I don't latch onto those first few moments of relaxation and the wheels start ticking too much, it's all over for anywhere up to two hours.



Here's a little taste of what goes through my mind of a night time . . .

Me: [gets into toasty warm bed] "Ahhhh, that's nice."

[Fuzzy sleep feelings begin]

Brain: "So. What do you think you'll wear tomorrow?"

Me: "I don't know, I'll work it out in the morning."

Brain: "No, you need to think about it now or else you'll be mucking around too long and end up being late."

Me: "It's okay, I've got some fail-safe outfits."

Brain: "Fail-safes are boring. How are you meant to Instagram something you've worn a million times already?"

Me: "I dunno, I'll change my shoes or something. Now, quiet."

Brain: "You've got that new dress, you should wear that."

Me: "Okay I will. Now, shush."

Brain: "But with a belt."

Me: "Alright, whatever. It's sorted."

[silence]

Brain: "OMG, I have the best idea for a blog post. You need to write the whole thing mentally in your head now or else you'll forget all these great lines."

Me: "No - I'll think about it tomorr - okay, you're right, that's brilliant."

[thinks about blog post]

Me: "Right, that's enough now, I'll finalise it tomorrow but it's locked in there, I've got it."

Brain: "Okay."

[pause]

Brain: "Did you say you decided on an outfit for tomorrow?"

Me: "Yes. All sorted."

Brain: "Oh yeah, that's right."

Body: "Hey. Can we move? I'm sick of lying this way."

Me: "Yeah, alright."

[rolls over]

Body: "OW, OW, THE SHOULDER, ABORT MISSION, RETREAT, RETREAT."

Me: "That really hurt."

Body: "Right?? You need physio."

Me: "Maybe."

Body: "Seriously, get me some physio."

Me: "Alright, just let me see how pilates goes tomorrow."

Body: "I like pilates."

Me: "Me too."

Body: "Then why do you keep blowing it off for lunches?"

Me: "Shut your face."

Body: "Speaking of which, our clothes are a bit tight lately and I'm pretty sure I saw a double chin in the - "

Me: "I said, shut your face."

[pause]

Brain: "Hey remember when you had that argument ten years ago? Here's what you should have said."

Me: "Oh thanks for that."

Brain: "Better late than never. Why don't you practice saying it?"

Me: "No."

Brain: "Go on."

Me: "No! Look, just shut up, will you?"

Brain: "If you want me to shut up, maybe you should play the meditation app on your phone."

Body: "Don't do it! It's a trap to make you look at your notifications! Before you know it you'll be watching Carpool Karaoke on YouTube until midnight."

Me: "YEAH, you can't trick me!"

Brain: "Ah, you got me." [pause] "By the by, are you sure your alarm is set?"

Me: "Yes."

Brain: "It wasn't on Monday."

Me: "I know, I don't know what happened there."

Brain: "I'd check if I were you"

Me: "No. No phone, no nothing. Now, everyone be quiet."

[pause]

Body: "I need to go to the toilet".

Me: "SERIOUSLY? We just went before bed!"

Body: "I know but I really need to go."

Me: "Can't you just - "

Body: "Nope."

[shuffles off to the toilet]

[gets back into bed]

[fuzzy sleepy feelings]

Brain: "HE-LLO AND WEL-COME TO OUR WIGGLE TOWN!!"

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Do you have internal monologues that keep you awake at night?

Can you believe it's Olympics time again?

The 2012 London Games seem like a world away, possibly because my life has changed in oh so many ways during those four years; pregnancy, resultant parenting, house move, change of role at work and starting a blog.

One thing I remember about those games is all the hype around our swim team and how it all ended badly. Poor performance was blamed on social media and whatever else was going on. This year, the athletes seem to have wound their necks in and are concentrating on their sport rather than the tickets on themselves, so I'm looking more forward to cheering them on over the coming weeks. I'm also totally looking forward to my four-yearly dose of gymnastics (all disciplines) and diving!

Now, on the subject of hype, it's something I've had to battle since starting a blog and increasing my social media participation. Not so much believing in my own, but that of other things.


You know I love blogging. It's opened up a whole new world of people and ideas and things and I've made actual friends, it's all quite jolly. However, it's really super easy to fall victim to hype; namely, buying stuff. Whether it's a product or a service or an event, when it's all you're seeing over your Insta feed or in your blog reader, it's hard not to get sucked in. I must admit, I have dropped bucks when I couldn't really afford it just for the sake of being in with the cool kids or getting that "must have" new product. When you blog about stuff like fashion and beauty, the self-propagated pressure to buy can be so very real and when you're not gifted on the regular, that can hurt the old PayPal account.

Sometimes, hype is justified - I got a lot out of attending the Little Blog Big and Bloggers United events in Adelaide. However, I sold my ProBlogger ticket even though I'd decided I was so totally definitely going this year because I realised I wouldn't get the value out of it that I needed (plus the associated expenditure of flights and accommodation on top of the ticket). I'm not saying ProBlogger is overhyped and I know people who have benefited enormously from it, but it wasn't right for me at the time and I could have easily got badly burnt on the ticket cost. I just wanted to go because everyone else was going - or so I thought!

I recently purchased an item of clothing from an Australian online boutique popular with some bloggers I follow. It was a flash sale announced on Instagram for a matter of hours so, dizzy with excitement, I clicked "add to cart" and eagerly awaited delivery, mentally planning a blog post around it, so excited was I to be a part of the action and have my very own piece.

When I received it over a week after ordering *side eye*, I decided I could probs size down for a better fit and set about checking the returns policy, where I found that exchanges weren't permitted and any return would be at my cost for store credit only. So if I wanted that same item in a smaller size, I'd be out $50+ to buy it all full price, plus my return postage, plus another $10 shipping fee. How not cute. Even on sale, the item cost more than what I would normally pay (despite it being of obvious quality, no complaints there) so it was meant to be a bit of a treat - but I could have got a more satisfying result going to a retailer with less Insta cred and more customer service focus. I fully accept it's on me to read the returns policy before purchasing but STILL, I mean, COME ON.

Similarly, remember when Sephora was set to open and we all* lost our collective minds, then it was a fizzer? Likewise with their online store that came over a year later, with stuff frequently sold out and a price point that wasn't on par with what we'd been hoping?

So yeah, hype is a thing, so here's some things to think about

• Do I really seriously absolutely need it?
• Have I already got something super similar?
• Am I getting this just to blog about it? What will I do with it after?
• Am I buying this purely for the name?
• Would I buy this from Target or Big W?
• Can I wait a month for it?
• Will it go on sale?
• FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING, WHAT IS THE RETURNS POLICY LIKE??!?!!?!

* well, us beauty bloggers anyway

Finally, in the immortal words of Public Enemy:


Have you got caught up in hype as a result of blogging? How do you avoid it?

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is definitely a thing.

Well, maybe not for you all right now living above the 27th parallel where the sun continues to shine and days rarely dip below the low 20s. SAD is generally associated with "winter blues" although having lived in the Pilbara region I can confirm it applies to hot weather too. Sometimes one would like to wear a jacket and boots for a change and relentless 45 degree days with high humidity can be enough to make one faint in a Subway during a busy lunch time. . . or so I've heard.

So what can you do to beat the seasonal sadness?

Stay healthy

Well, obvs. If you're continually fighting the symptoms of cold and flu and your nose is running like Cathy Freeman in the 400m final of the Sydney Olympics then you're hardly going to be a barrel of laughs. Get your flu shot, wash your hands, hold your breath on public transport, you get the drill. I personally will smash pseudoephedrine at the first sign of a sniffle, no matter how many forms I need to fill in and how much ID I need to produce to assure the chemist I'm not making meth in the spare room. Eating well, staying hydrated and keeping your vitamin levels up all make sense and avoid germy people. If that means your own kids, well, who I am I to judge.

Make an effort

Not going to lie, I spend non-office days during the winter in some pretty high-comfort attire - mainly trackies and jumpers. I definitely notice the lift in my sense of purpose and wellbeing when I get dressed for work or some other kind of occasion. I love winter fashion; jackets and scarves make me look more polished than I actually am plus I like big boots (and I cannot lie). Make up on my face, hair did. The only things I don't maintain are leg hair (why would you bother and they are blonde anyway) and my toenails, which I allow to lie fallow until the warmer months and peep-toe shoes make their reappearance. I must stress the importance of moisturising during these months however; super hot showers and dry warm air means scaly skin and that is not going to make you feel good.

Get up and out

Staying in becomes the new favourite thing; whether it be in bed, a boiling hot shower or the lounge room in front of the heater, borging on pasta and gritty British crime drama. Forcing yourself out of the house (within reason, nobody is suggesting you sit out in the rain in sub-zero temperatures, be real) can provide that boost to your activity level that increases endorphins and has the added benefit of snaring Vitamin D if the sun is playing nice. Rug up and get out. Kids love that shiz. Just take a towel if you're heading to the playground to wipe down any wet play equipment (#toptip)

If it's within your means, heading super north for the winter definitely sounds appealing.

Accor Hotels recently surveyed 1500 Australians to find out how winter weather affected behaviour and the results certainly won't surprise those same people who have been hibernating in front of the heater, borging on pasta and gritty British crime drama. Hypothetically speaking.

Here's the breakdown of the survey, presented in this handy infographic:


What are your tips for beating the winter blues? Do you get SAD during the cold weather? Any plans for a warm weather trip?

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This post brought to you by Accor Hotels. If you're looking for Sydney Accommodation, why not check them out? For more information, please see my PR and Media policy.