I haven’t even thought about packing; the money tin still sits full on our kitchen bench and I estimate having about 3 minutes of free time before getting on a plane on Saturday. I haven’t printed any of the documentation. My planning spreadsheet sits unfinished and the suitcase is still in the top of the spare room cupboard. This is so not like me.

Part of me still doesn’t believe that I have a plane ticket bound for Paris this weekend. I’ve only known for a little over 2 months that I’d be going – planning that usually takes place over a much longer period than that. I didn’t have much to do with booking the flights, and the accommodation was largely looked after too – sometimes it all feels like a dream – the kind you wake up from and have to think twice or three times to work out whether it was real or not.

Sitting in the sun in Melbourne makes it hard to believe that this time next week I’ll be rugged up with scarves, gloves and boots, freezing in a Parisian winter. Different websites indicate a temperature range from two degrees to eleven. Stark contrast to the balmy thirty degrees we are playing in today.

I am truly the luckiest girl in the world to be able to go on this trip, a very generous gift from my partner, and to be able to go with a friend who is as passionate about Paris as I am. I am so blessed that we can work while we travel; that I can keep in touch with my partner and family and friends via email and skype, and still have this most amazing experience.

It’s hard to believe its a little under two years since I was last in Paris. Guess I should go pack!

Birthday Month is totally a thing – and mine starts today.

In just one week, I’ll be 29 – the last year of my 20s! – and I see no reason (this year or any before it) why I shouldn’t spend all 28 days of February celebrating the awesomeness that is my birthday.

I’ve already started enjoying the privileges that come with Birthday Month. This morning, I didn’t make the bed. And when I went out for coffee, I had a full strength latte. I’m definitely living on the edge. 

I’ve decided to have next Friday off ‘work’ (given as most of my days seem to off, I’m not too sure how this will differ) but so far my plan includes a mani pedi and a trip to the Ballet and Fashion exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria.

Any other birthday (day or month) suggestions are welcome.

Tell me what you do to celebrate your birthday – are you a Birthday Month kinda girl? Or more a DON’T TELL ANYONE IT’S MY BIRTHDAY person?

So, there are just 17 days til I get on a plane and head back to Paris.

Yep – time flies when you are looking forward to something!

Tell me where I should go, what I should see and who I should meet.

But most importantly – where should I shop?!!?

Right now I should be sipping an Aussie beverage and throwing some snags on the BBQ – it’s the Australia Day Public Holiday and traditionally a time to rest and be really Aussie (which usually means doing not a lot).

But today is officially the last day I can say I’m not working at full capacity yet. Because tomorrow, January 27, truly signals the end of the summer holidays and a need to do all those jobs I have been putting off since before Christmas. 

It’s time to work at the desk instead of at the kitchen table. To only go out for coffee between 9 and 5 that involves meeting a client. To not use one meeting in the city as an excuse to check out the stocktake sales for four hours.

One bonus of this is getting dressed to work again. As I mentioned in my post last week, wearing a dress and heels means I get more work done at the kitchen table than I do in trackies on the couch, but sometimes a meeting will call for something a little more corporate.

Today we are looking at Target’s on trend work looks – colour pops and peplum frocks. A little bit of colour goes a long way to improving your mood – and the mood of those around you! Black might be on trend in Melbourne, but if the sun is shining, you should be too.

A pattern or print top can really bring out the colour in your eyes – I look to blue or orange to make my blue eyes pop, but think about what colour is opposite your eye colour on the colour wheel and really make those peepers stand out.

The peplum has been doing its thing (making us all look thinner!) for a while now and it’s clear its not going anywhere in a hurry. Lace is a great option for when you have after work activities and these skinny capri pants will make you look taller when paired with a heel. Taller AND skinnier? Yes please.

I think the important thing to remember is comfort and affordability. You can find all these great pieces at Target, for around $100 an outfit. They are versatile (mix that print top with the capri pants! Grab the clutch to wear with the peplum. Black heels go with EVERYTHING!) and you can easily go from office to dinner without changing too much.

Happy back to work 2013. Only 10 months and 29 days til next summer holidays!

Outfit One: Colour Pop
City Dressing Peplum Waist Skirt in Blue $49
City Dressing Pleat Front Top $39

Outfit Two: Peplum Lace
City Dressing Woven Sateen Crop Pant $45
Limited Editions Lace Peplum Top (with belt) $59

January is one of my favourite months of the year. The weather is great, it’s a wonderful time for new beginnings and setting a course for the year ahead, and most of the time, there are holidays to be had.

But all good things must come to an end and Australia Day usually heralds the end of Janaury and a return to the mundane 9 to 5 that most of us endure.

Even though I am very lucky to work for myself, one of the most important parts of my day is getting dressed – just because I’m working on the couch doesn’t mean I can work in my trackies!!

Getting dressed for work can make you feel more confident and in turn, you can be more productive. I know I get more done wearing a dress and heels at my kitchen table than lying on the couch with the laptop in my PJS; and in your office, throwing on a bit of colour or a fab shoe can make the Back to Work that much easier.

Target are a great place to find some back to work essentials that you can wear to the office, and continue on into the night should the mood take you. This season is all about the Peplum dress, a pop of colour or a fantastic print – and you can find them all at Target.

My essential criteria when finding a work outfit are that it has to be comfy enough to work from home in, but still dressy enough that if I have to pop out to meet a client, or work from a clients office, I don’t need to change my whole ensemble.  I also attend a lot of fashion events so an outfit needs to be on trend, but not over the top.

This grey knit dress is lightweight enough for the warmer days but super comfy for working at my kitchen table. A pair of black pumps will dress them up, but the dress won’t be out of place with ballet flats for when there is running around to be done.

And you can’t tell me this frock would look out of place in a bar when you have a clutch and a bangle paired with those heels.

As an added bonus, it comes with the belt (wear it with all your other things!) and come winter, I can thrown on some tights and a singlet underneath for added warmth, pop on a pair of boots and ta-da! Transseasonal appeal!

Hot Options Textured Skater Dress with belt $49
Patent pumps $20
Hardcase Clutch purse $35
Tights 200 denier $20

TOTAL $126

Next week we’ll look at bringing in some colour to your work wardrobe.

Psst!! While I was shopping up a storm at Target to find some Back to Work pieces, I also spied this gorgeous Tokyo Girl frock that is just perfect to wear to a wedding I’m attending in March. It’s sold out online, but they are still in stores – and on sale – along with lot’s of other summer pieces that are being cleared. What are you waiting for?

When I was a kid, ‘what’s for dinner?’ was usually the first thing my brothers and I asked upon greeting Mum at the school gate at 3.30pm. Her audible sigh usually told us she hadn’t decided yet, and we were all quick to put in our two cents worth about what we might like to eat that evening.

‘I think we should have meatloaf’
‘I think we should have pizza’
‘I think we should have ice cream’

We would call past the supermarket on the way home, and, as we should, often ended up with meat and three veg. A chop or a piece of chicken, accompanied by a potato, carrots and broccoli was easy and quick (AND nutritionally balanced!). After all, its not like Mum didn’t have other things to do, like running a business or cleaning the house.

When I first moved out of home, I used to cook a lot. I even used recipes. I had a housemate who didn’t mind my cooking and a job not so far from home that it was a stretch to cook every night. And I liked it! You might even remember that when I started this blog, nearly 4 years ago, I posted recipes and about how much I loved food. And then I moved into a house by myself.

Over the past years, my capacity to cook diminished. My social life took over and on the nights when I was at home, throwing a box in the microwave was about all I could muster. A little part of me felt like I’d failed as a girl. A la Carrie Bradshaw, I was far more likely to keep sweaters in my oven and there was an entire shelf of my pantry dedicated to 2 minute microwave Thai. I was a traitor to my gender.

Now I live with my partner, and I can completely understand exactly how my mother felt when I was a kid. Exactly what the hell am I going to make for dinner? I suspect I won’t be very popular if I serve microwave Thai, or toast (which are my most common go to meals), but I certainly lack the enthusiasm and imagination to come up with something different three to four nights a week (unless I was to put bacon on it. Then I think he’d eat whatever I put in front of him).

Crumbed chicken? Had that last week. Lasange? Planning that for Saturday. Steak? Ate at the pub last night. 

If only serving to worsen this situation is that fact that my partner can actually cook. Really well. He can throw a handful of herbs into a pot and serve up a stunning creation 30 minutes later while i’m still trying to get the lid off a jar clearly manufactured to be sold to someone with more arm strength than I. And I can’t even reach the spice rack in our kitchen. (Clearly a man designed that, too.)

So it comes to pass that I’m sitting here pondering again what I’m going to put on the table tonight. Where are those take away brochures again?

Yes, the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival IS all about the clothes, the shoes, the accessories, the hair, and the make up. But, there is also the business side of the festival, and for anyone in the fashion industry – or who wants to be in fashion industry – these are a must.

They might not be as glamorous as the evening parades, but the business events are smart, savvy, and the ultimate in meeting the movers and shakers of the industry.

I am thrilled to have been invited to work at the business events at LMFF again in 2013, and would love to see you there! The Business Seminar is in its 17^th year, the Marketing Breakfast (while very early!) is well worth it if you only go to one business event and the Fashion Industry Forums – particularly the fashion media event – are my picks for 2013.

Buy tickets individually or to the attend the entire series for $635 (incl. GST).

BUSINESS SEMINAR

• Evolving patterns in global consumer behaviour
• Transformational store design 
• How to foster creative and innovative teams, products and services
• The emerging digital trend of social curation and rise in user-generated content
• Creative collaborations to improve business performance

Earlybird tickets available until 31 January 2013, $400 (incl. GST). Includes lunch and refreshments.
Thursday 21 March 8.30am
Sofitel Melbourne

Speakers: David Meagher, Marc Worth (UK), Quynh Mai (USA), Emily Bidwell (USA), Ron Pompeo (USA), Hilary Peterson (USA), Simon Goodrich & Bil Donovan

MARKETING BREAKFAST

Topics include:

• The next big thing in the online driven marketplace
• Executing marketing strategies that focus on un-learning the traditional models for doing business
• Leveraging consumer generated content and fostering a two-way conversation with the empowered consumer
• Developing compelling digital content that works both creatively and commercially
• Utilising film as a marketing tool including fashion film

Ticket price: $130 (incl. GST) Early bird offer for table of 10 at $1170 (incl. GST) available until 31 January 2013
Friday 22 March 7.30am
Sofitel Melbourne

FASHION INDUSTRY FORUM 1 – THE DESIGNER’S UNIVERSE

It is clear to most fashion designers that there is more to a successful fashion label than producing an acclaimed collection – but what are the fundamental expertise and skills required to achieve success in the current fashion marketplace?

This forum brings together a panel of diverse Australian fashion experts to provide insights into both the critical knowledge required by Australian fashion businesses and the professionals and mentors that should be part of every designer’s circle of influence.

Ticket price: $40 (incl.GST) per Forum or attend all 3 Forums in the Series for $99 (incl.GST)
Wednesday 20 March 10.30am
Sofitel Melbourne

Speakers:  David Briskin, Glyns Traill-Nash, David Botta, Adam Worling, Yeojin Bae, Kelvin Harries, Al Weekes

FASHION INDUSTRY FORUM 2 – THE TRANSFORMING FASHION MEDIA LANDSCAPE

Digital technology has transformed how media is created, distributed, shared and displayed. A panel of recognised media experts will discuss the implications of these changes on the fashion industry and provide advice on how Australian fashion, beauty and retail businesses can not only weather this storm but embrace the emerging marketing, publicity and promotional opportunities arising from this media revolution.

Tickets price: $40 (incl.GST) per Forum or attend all 3 Forums in the Series for $99 (incl.GST)
Wednesday 20 March 3.30pm
Sofitel Melbourne

Speakers: Rae Begley, Melissa Hoyer, Kim Wilson More speakers for this event will be announced soon.

FASHION INDUSTRY FORUM 3 – THE WOOL RENAISSANCE

Australian merino wool is in high demand on the global luxury market. Increasingly, designers are incorporating wool into their collections, and textile manufacturers are utilising new technologies and applying innovative finishes to further enhance the fibre’s inherent properties. Wool’s long-held but newly recognised eco-credentials have also helped to strengthen its popularity.

To celebrate the Australian wool industries renaissance, LMFF have gathered an international panel of yarn, textile and trend experts to discuss:

– International wool trends and products
– Future markets for textile and knit products
– Consumer insights relating to the re-invigorated interest in natural fibres
– Textile and fibre trends from global Autumn/Winter catwalks and
– The latest international innovations in knit, yarn and textile technology

Ticket price: $40 (incl.GST) per Forum or attend all 3 Forums in the Series for $99 (incl.GST)
Friday 22 March 10.30am
Sofitel Melbourne

So did you hear? I’m going to Paris! In exactly one month. And I’m very excited.

There will be lot’s to take in that I didn’t get around to last time. How about a visit to the Moet vineyard? Or staying in The Marais?

While the sun is shining here (thirtynine degrees tomorrow!!), it’s a little chillier in Paris this time of year, so I’m starting to think about what clothes I should be wearing (this is Paris after all) and how I might keep warm while I am out and about on the streets of the city of lights.

Besides coats, thermal underwear and some fabulous scarves, I think one of my biggest issues will be footwear. Sure, I have plenty of boots – boots built for fashion and sitting down in though, not boots made for walking.

And, most often they are made of pleather and won’t keep my cold toes warm while walking about.

So, the search begins for the perfect boots to strut around Paris in.

They should be made of leather and apaprently the sole needs to be sturdy, just in case it snows. I like black, just cause it goes with everything, but I’m partial to brown as well.

Here are my picks from the current ASOS collection:

Low and simple: the Abacus Leather Chelsea Ankle Boot

Knee high: the Clover Leather Knee High Boot 
or maybe Welligtons? Hunter Original Adjustable Wellington Boot.

Of course, ASOS has LOT’s of boots to suit all kinds of weather, so maybe I’ll take one each of these and throw in some of the heeled variety for watching the Parisian people by.

Audrey Hepburn once said, ‘Paris is always a good idea’.

My boyfriend agreed, and so he bought me a ticket to go there for Christmas.

I am perhaps the luckiest girl in the world.

Paris. February 17 – March 3 2013. 

Watch this space.