There’s no doubt Valentine’s Day can bring out the best in office relationship gossip. But with love topics buzzing around our head quarters this month I’ve discovered it can also do the opposite.
You see when your colleagues are largely female you get to hear a lot of chit chat, a lot of hilarious dating talk and a lot of general moaning and groaning about the opposite sex. But aside from trivial tales you also get to hear a hell-of-a-lot of heart breaking stories that could stop you sleeping soundly for the next month. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not about to launch into a man-bashing column (as tempting as that is) but instead a realisation I had after hearing some horrendous tales of adultery, deception and cruelty.
Here were women who had been through hell and back with their relationships (I’m talking scenarios even Hollywood couldn’t muster), and had come out the other side with themselves, their career and their strength in tact. Most importantly, they had emerged with whole hearts just full to the brim with love. Overcoming an aftermath of pain, trust issues and financial woes they had held their heads high and soldiered on – resilient, caring and passionate women till the end.
They refused to carry past issues into current relationships and rather than passively aggressively pour out their hurts they actively sought, help, guidance and practical measures to truly heal themselves.
To say these women are inspirational is an understatement – in fact for me, they serve as a pillar of strength and solid proof that no matter how bad things get, you can always drag yourself up from the rubble and carry on. And after all that’s what women do best.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
 

If you're anything like me, the next day after a reasonably decent sized drinking sesh involves three things: 

1. Hours lying in bed awake after only 4 hours of shut-eye attempting to go back sleep.

2. Arm stretched out, awkwardly fumbling for that cup/bottle/jug of water you took to bed with you the night before (or just a few hours ago).

3. Trying to figure out exactly what food it is that your body is craving.

For me, item number 3 is by far the most pressing issue on the day after the night before.

I can spend hours lying in bed, debating in my head about what I'm want to eat (regardless of whether I got the Taxi driver to make quick detour via Maccas enroute to my home at 3am).

 But the puzzling phenomenon is - nothing, and I mean nothing - seems to leave me satisfied.

I've tried the healthy route, with  banana, peanut butter and honey on a thick slab of crunchy, grainy toast. Super tasty, but to no avail.

 The alternative is to take the greasy path.

 My housemates love a bit of yum cha, which again is delicious, but does mean someone has to drive somewhere. Which also means you have to get out of your pyjamas. And, unless things have changed since the last time I went 12 months ago, there is no drive thru at yum cha, which also means that once you get there, you have to sit down and eat. Plus, you have to get there by 11, or else all that will be left is a couple of soggy pork buns and a plate of cold, deep-fried chicken feet (which is completely unappetizing at the best of times).

A big old fry-up, with bacon, eggs, mushrooms and decent sized squirt of barbecue sauce is the breakfast choice of many. However, it can feel a little heavy in the gut, and I usually immediately regret it. Not so much because of the large amount of calories I've just ingested, but because I now spend the next couple of hours thinking about what else I can eat (on top of having already consumed such a large amount of calories).

And it doesn't matter whether or not I've achieved a feeling of fullness; it's about achieving a feeling of satisfaction. The search for food that satisfies after a big night seems to be a perennial pursuit.

In my early 20s, hangovers rarely seemed to affect me. I'd get up in the morning feeling pretty much fresh as a daisy,  and head outside for a 10k run. And I'm not even joking.

I'd bound down Latrobe Terrace, wind in my hair, smile on my face, thinking about digging into a big bowl of lightly steamed leafy green veg when I got home. (Disclaimer. I do still love my green veg - I just down yearn for it after a big night out).

I haven't re-tested this routine in the last few years, but in these last few years, the hangover seems to be hanging over at my place a lot more.

So, what I want to know is, what's your hangover food of choice? Do you have a never-fail go to meal that works a treat? Go on, help a girl out!

Mmmmm.....breakfast at Ruby Cafe, Paddington.

By Alexandra Codd

It's Christmas time again, Friday nights are now filled with champagne and tinsel, summer has the temperatures rising and so to are our hemlines as we turn to our faithful party dresses to get us through the 'silly season'. One event where our old favorites just wont do however, is New Years Eve and it's fast approaching!

What we all want? To look great and feel it too. This season we look to the past for our fashion inspiration which urges us to try "sexy" in a whole new way.

The scandalous Mad Men series, in recent times has popularized 1950's-60's glamour, by showing us that lust and allure is not just created by raunchy skirt lengths or 'body con' attire.

With the use of full A-line skirts, structured bodices, pop colors and feminine florals, the Mad Men look achieves a conservative sexiness by favoring garments which enhance the female shape, not the female 'assets'.

Forget the little black dress this NYE and look to labels such as Laura Ashley's summer collection, so beautifully reminiscent of this era. Featuring royal colored silks and pinned waists, these are a few of our favorites:



Once you have channeled the 'old hollywood movie star' style on the outside, why not heighten your confidence with some gorgeous lingerie. It's amazing the difference that can be made with the right undergarments. We are loving some of Puritan's selections as shown below, which will allow us to feel 1960's glam, even when the clothes come off.



So remember this year, on your party frock endeavors, that (as inspired by our favorite Mad Men stars) true mystery and seductiveness really does come from what is left up to the imagination.  

By Cassandra Laffey, beauty writer 

According to Beauty Directory (http://www.beautydirectory.com.au/news-items/2012/january/2011-beauty-trend-report/) last year nail lacquers inched out lipstick to be the new recession-proof cosmetic. I've blogged about the celeb trends we loved (Shellac, shatter-look topcoats, motifs) and weren't too sure about (Gaga's talons, Katy Perry's nail art) and it seems coloured nails in all hues made us smile every time we looked at our fingers and toes in 2011.

Well colour us happy in 2012! With change from a tenner and made in Australia, the new Australis nail colours at only $7.95 each make good cents! The eight new additions take their cue from the catwalk with Kick the Bucket, a Chanel-esque mushroom tone, and the shimmer-saturated Foil Spoil. Summer's block brights in Jellybean (vivid orange), Sky's the Limit (bold blue) and Manic Panic (creamy purple) will pop against a faux tan - alternate colours on digits á la Rihanna or wear alone. There's also edgy colours like Mates Rates (a deep shimmering green) and Rabid Revenge (a dark shimmering purple-ly brown), that look amazing on nails, and every bride needs the ballerina pink of Sinfully Sweet. 

Why not try a updated French mani with Kick the Bucket and Foil Spoil?

The crown has been passed! The Pheromone Queen has found that special someone and moved onto greener pastures or at least pastures lined with candles, roses and an abundance of heart shaped chocolates. She's left poor old single me to take the reigns and participate in some man-handling.

So what's my story. I'm 25 and newly single after being with a guy I thought could be 'the one' (whatever that is)! Sounding a little bitter? Ha not at all. No really, I'm back on the dating scene, embracing my single status and putting myself out there as the new year approaches. It's a year filled with opportunities and new challenges and I'm choosing to embrace them and move forward full steam ahead. So get ready Style readers and fans of all things a little sassy and far too sexy cause the Promiscuous Princess will be setting Brisbane on fire and sharing all the racy deets (except the ones that occur under the sheets) with all of you!

My last relationship was a beautiful one and didn't end badly but the experience did teach me that sometimes love simply isn't enough. This new found enlightenment has made me rethink the choices I make in men or at least up until now, boys! Older men seem to be the answer as to why I'm experiencing a lack of lasting love in my life because men/boys of my generation (generation Y) just don't seem to have "figured" themselves out (like who has). After too many wines and many conversations with my girlfriends and gay friends who have all had similar experiences I think the new mid life crisis for many men is at the age of 25. They just seem to get scared! So therefore, my mother and I have decided my next big relationship should be with an older man. My father is 13 years older than her and they've seemed to make it work so I'm going to put her theory to the test especially considering the predicament I've recently found myself in since being back on the dating scene. 

The predicament is and the question I'm putting forward to readers and please comment as I'd love to hear your thoughts is why are guys of my generation not asking girls out? It appears chivalry is dead and asking a girl to 'hang out' or 'come over and watch movies' is the new thing. Excuse me men of Brisbane, I'M HUNGRY and it's not for love but simply a meal cause you all seem to have forgotten food in the dating equation well even organising a date to begin with. Also how am I supposed to write a dating blog when you're not asking me out on a proper date; hang outs and watching movies in your bedroom do not count. I don't need to be wined and dined, a simple classic chicken wrap meal from Nandos, extra hot with lots of peri peri dusting will suffice, as long as it's going in my belly and we're having a decent conversation. I don't want to go over to a guys house I hardly know, meet his flat mates who idly ogle at me for a few minutes until they return to playing their video games, then my date proceeds to lead me to his smelly bedroom where there are 'socks' all over the floor to watch a movie.. all this and not even a cocktail and my extra hot classic wrap meal. What am I thinking? So please ladies tell me if this is also happening in your world cause I'd hate to think I'm the only one! I'm looking forward to a break over Christmas where I'll be soaking up some rays back in my hometown of Noosa and then off to Sydney to ring in the New Year. Perhaps a change of scenery will do my love life a world of good. Until 2012 ladies...