It’s officially the last day before winter begins and I am officially in denial mode. Here’s what I have done so far:

1 - Woken up with a toasty tan thanks to a slathering of self-tanner (Palmer’s Natural Bronze) last night

2 - Covered myself in a coconutty body moisturiser (thanks, The Body Shop)

3 - Mixed a bronze-ish highlighting cream (one of those Revlon Bare it All ones) into my sunscreen and smeared it all over my face and neck

4 - Dabbed a Bobbi Brown coral-coloured cream blush onto my cheeks and lips

5 - Dusted a Bloom gold powder around my eyes

6 - Spritzed a salt spray into my hair - it was John Frieda Ocean Waves

7 - Stuck one of my last flowering frangipanis into the base of my newly short ponytail

8 - Painted my toe nails hot pink (Fuchsia Girl by CoverGirl)

9 - Went out for a walk in flip flops to dry my pink nails

10 - Got cold feet. Literally

11 - Decided denial can’t last for much longer. Booked a ticket to Byron Bay

Really though, who could blame me for my state of season-denial? I mean, the seasons themselves don’t know if they’re Arthur or Martha right now. Where I live, most days still feel summery more than anything. It definitely doesn’t feel like winter is one day away. I read yesterday that knits and coats aren’t selling at all. I’m pretty sure that would mean sales of woody fragrance and super-hydrating serums are down too. And who really wants to load ourselves up with parkas and dark green smoky eye shadow when every paparazzi pic shows some celeb frolicking around Cannes or LA in a new spring frock and hot pink lip gloss. Thank heavens for al those photos of poor Lindsay Lohan - because no matter how much we do let ourselves go a little this winter, we’ll probably never look as messy as she does.

Can we just talk about this latest US Harper’s Bazaar cover for a minute? First, why are Paris and Nicole even on it? And second, it really is true that people look like their dogs, huh? Paris and her puppy with their long noses and general boniness; Nicole and hers both with their lolly-pop heads and fluffy hair. Which reminds me, I have been told a lot lately that I am looking more and more like my dog, Daisy - pictured right. I can’t see it, and I’m not sure how I feel about the comparison, but I will admit that my fringe does sometimes do strange flyway things like hers. Something you might want to keep in mind if you’re about to buy a dog (I’d stay away from poodles if I were you - perms will never make a comeback for human heads I am boldly predicting).

I mentioned yesterday that I’ve had my hair cut. Not earth-shattering news, no. But when you write about beauty and it’s the first time you’ve had your hair cut in at least five years and you get about a ruler’s length chopped off, well I guess it’s worth a little screen space. So this is my new hair. I’m actually really surprised with how unfreaked I am about having shorter hair. Long hair was my thing. But it recently dawned on me that it was the first thing people would say when they met me. Once it was, wow your hair is so beautiful. Then it became, oh your hair is so … long. I was three cats away from being the crazy lady with hair down to her knees and a fluffy koala glued on her sloppy joe sweater.

Some tips if you’re thinking of getting a hair change. Go see a hairdresser who has good word of mouth. And take photos as reference points. I went to East Sydney hairdresser Dario Cotroneo, who does the hair of several other beauty girls I know (who are very gorgeously coiffed, which happens to be a word that I love and is too underused). And I took a heap of shots of Sienna Miller. Not the Factory Girl, platinum-cropped Sienna. But the tousled boho Sienna-before-the-nanny-episode Sienna.

Hairdressers always say photos are just a starting point because that hair may not suit you. Dario suggested I’d be better with a Goldie Hawn. I’d never considered Goldie before, although I had thought about her daughter Kate, ageist youth-obsessed person that I am. But Goldie not only was the Sienna/Kate of her time - she has grown with the look. It’s a cut that ages really well and can be tweaked for a finer or thicker fringe (always good when you’re having a bad forehead moment, which increasingly happens with age, girls). Which is why I now find myself channelling Goldie and renting out the Goldie section of my DVD shop for styling ideas. Although I’m still trying to get the styling right. It’s a whole new world of product and I’ve always been a bit of a lazy wash-and-go kind of hair girl. You actually need to put more work into hair the shorter it is. My favourite version of the look is the half-up half-down, with a peekaboo fringe, with a fancy clip at back of head. A nice excuse to do some accessory shopping (when oh when will Tiffany release hair clips please) - and there’s no guilt involved when it’s primarily such practical shopping.

Oh and a sign that I’m on the right track: when I was out the other night, a waiter told me I look like Goldie Hawn circa Private Benjamin. Not bad when you’re not wearing cargos and mud on your face.

Finally, a few more hair tips for you … 1 - Go to a hairdresser who cuts on dry hair. It’s a much more effective way to get a cut that will work with the natural movement of your hair. 2 - If you have a fringe, dry it by directing the nozzle from above and behind your head. This way you’ll create a curtain effect of hair, very ’60s sex kitten - as seen here on the recent Valentino couture catwalk - rather than a boringly middle-parted fringe. 3 - A sloping fringe is generally more flattering to a face because it doesn’t close it off as much as one that sits heavy over the forehead. If you’re not in love with your nose (as I’m not - sorry, nose) you should also avoid such a big fringe - it shifts the focus point of your face from the eyes to the nose.

PS - More New Hair!

I’ve known Carmen for years and have seen her go through everything from a long, lustrous flamenco-locked phase to a sweet little Amélie fringed bob moment. But this has to be one of her best looks yet. No mean feat - how many girls do you know who would actually look so adorably feminine with next to no hair? More amazing still: she cut it herself. With a pair of kitchen shears. Let me repeat: kitchen shears. I asked her for some DIY tips for us and she said it was really just an instinctive thing, not even a mirror involved. Now that has to be a real emo cut. (Black dye and a faux mullet? So wanna-be). I wouldn’t recommend this for anyone who isn’t Carmen though. We’ve always said, Carmen could cut a hole in the bottom of a hessian sack, pop it over her head, tie it with a piece of string, and look like she’s in Marni. Same goes for her hair. She looks like she’s paid a few hundred for it. And I have a feeling that if I let my new short-haired love go too much to my head and took out the kitchen shears, I would actually just look like I’ve been attacked with kitchen shears.

The camera really never lies and I both hate it and love it for that. Recently I saw some photos of myself that spurred me into some much-needed beauty action. First of all, it was a photo of me from behind (never a nice thing generally). My hair was straggling right down to my lower back, with one strip in the middle more crinkly than the rest - as in, I can’t be bothered brushing or drying that bit so I’m just going to ignore it. But suddenly my back view was in sight and very much in mind.

It was time, I decided, to stop pretending I could waft around all boho- and long-locked like Elle (which only really works if you’re in a kaftan and in the Bahamas anyway). So I finally, after more years than I can remember, got a cut and dug out my dusty blow-dry kit. (Will post on the cut tomorrow, am being too lazy right now to upload photos from my camera, all my energy this morning has gone into blow-drying - hell on biceps for a Monday morning).

Then, another photo, another hair crisis. I’m naturally pretty fair-haired but if I get too lazy to wash and style my hair enough, it looks like it’s having perpetual PMT - you know: dark, oily, miserable roots - and I should be home curled up on the couch with tim tams rather than going out and trying to pretend I’m glamorous. Which is why I found myself having my hair coloured on Friday.

Anyway, I bring this all up for a couple of reasons. 1 - If you think it’s time for an image makeover, ask a good friend to photograph you from several angles (yes, including behind) so that you can ascertain how you come across. It’s a great way of being extra-critical of yourself, in a constructive, not I-hate-myself-I’m-never-going-to-show-my-face-again way, of course. Apparently it’s what celebs do to keep their image in scrutiny and check. You wouldn’t have much choice really, would you - I mean, look at Kylie here. Imagine going anywhere knowing that a million cameras are focussing in on your butt?

While I was having my colour makeover, my colourist Belinda let me in on up-and-coming hair trend that you might want to know about too. It’s called colour shading and is basically highlights where the foils are only applied to the ends or bottom half of sections. Mid-browns go for caramel tones, while blondes can get honeys, creams, or - where ends are in great shape - bleach highlights. This way you get a lovely floaty flyaway look, and it’s especially great for giving a feel of airiness and volume to the hair. Apparently Daria and Gisele get it done, so too local glamour girls Erica Baxter and Gail Elliott.