Question Is it appropriate for the mother of the bride to wear a black dress? If not, what would you advise? I don’t want to wear a fuddy duddy suit as everyone seems to be suggesting. Sue Thomas, via email. Answer Traditionally, black would not be the ideal colour for the mother of the bride. […]

Question I am going to the beach on the weekend and I haven’t lost any weight since I having my baby so I am quite large. What should I wear in the water? My thighs are covered in cellulite and I am a size 18. Brianna, via email. Answer Stripping down to your swimmers can […]

Question What colour and style heels would best suit a pale yellow, shimmery cocktail dress? Kim, via email. Answer Sounds like you need a strappy, gold or bronze shoe. Silver could also work if you had some silver jewellery to tie it all together. Look in stores like Zu, Betts, Mollini, Myer, David Jones, and […]

Exclusive extract from Love and Other Impossible Pursuits by Ayelet Waldman. In the Olivia books, it still doesn’t matter if the little white pig is not at all sleepy. She still has to take a nap. William, however, is under no such compulsion. His mother has decreed that since William’s imagination is so “activated,” since […]

With so many sweet treats, party pastries and those extra glasses of bubbly, the silly season is certainly the key time of the year that challenges your healthy eating goals. The key to keeping in shape over summer is to tweak your daily eating and exercise habits to allow for the extras – not miss […]

Yogic breathing techniques teach you to expel as much air as possible so that inhaling is, in fact, the reflex action – not the other way around. This exercise adds an easy spinal twist to awaken your energy and release physical and emotional tension. For an even more invigorating experience, try practising it outside in […]

One way to keep in shape this summer is to keep active during your holiday break. You can still enjoy the holiday feel-good factor while you improve your fitness.

Question: How do I keep my eyeliner from smudging? I wear good foundation and concealer, but my eyes look like they have been out all night, while the rest of my face is glowing! Anna Cosic, via e-mail. Answer: “To start, you need to determine if it’s actually your eyeliner or your mascara that’s smudging,” […]

Question: What is the best treatment for removing vertical lines on your upper lip? Sue, via e-mail. Answer: According to Sophy Dennett, from the Avana Clinic in Bondi, Sydney, “The latest treatment that’s giving the best results for ridding lines above the mouth is Botox, an injectable substance used to temporarily paralyse muscle function. When […]

Question: I have reddish-brown hair and would like to dye it blonde, without having to spend a fortune at the hairdressers. How can I use home products? Tracey, via e-mail. Answer: It can be tricky dying brown hair with red undertones blonde without going “brassy”. When trying this yourself, the Schwarzkopf Advice Line suggests starting […]