Cold. Dark. Weird. Three words you probably don’t associate with Australian tourism. But since 2012, cult arts festival Dark Mofo has changed the way Tasmania is viewed – making it the coolest destination for winter. How has this unlikely festival put the state back on the mainstream map?

The stereotypical image of a holiday masks a much larger variety of desires and options, connected to states of mind, emotions, personal interests and idea of leisure and enjoyment. How much do we still identify with white sands and blue sea?

Much of the appeal of holidays lies in the fact that they present us with opportunities for being who we want to be for a short time, rather than who we feel we must be. This helps towards the creation of modern, faceted identities.

Picking up a last-minute party dress is easier said than done for plus-size women. The likes of Lululemon and Urban Outfitters don’t make clothes above a US 14, and the industry is losing out on as much as $14 billion by failing to serve this market. So what do curvy women want from their clothes?