Bodkin isn’t high fashion but alternatively we would call it urban-chic.  Wardrobe essentials for the urban girl, but they are in no way plain white tees. Each number has a unique structural and modern design twist that turns them each into a piece of art. Keeping sustainability in mind at all times, all of Bodkin’s cotton is organic and in addition she uses Tencel and post-consumer recycled fibers. She also tries to keep from dyeing fabrics. She searches the planet for the most sustainable materials for each collection. Her drive and determination as well as the care she puts into each piece makes her a designer to watch.

For spring/summer 2011 we are head-over-heels for Bodkin’s Sassafras dress. The ultimate must-have LWD for your wardrobe, pair it with sandals and a bangle and you are ready for a music festival, lunch on a patio or a stroll down the boardwalk.

Hartman started her career as a staff fashion writer for Vogue and Teen Vogue as well as a fashion features editor at NYLON. She started a column at The Washington Post about the environment while studying under her father William McDonough, the “green architect”. Architecture ended up being a major influence in her designs as well as science, modern art and Scandinavian street style.

Now wearing eco-friendly, organic clothes can be stylish and we can feel better knowing that our cute outfit is going to help save the environment. It is a win-win situation!

You can purchase Bodkin worldwide in boutiques, visit www.bodkin.us for locations.

His sudden international success and demand on his time has not in anyway lessened his creativity and attention to detail. Each and every piece of Dion Lee clothing is cut to perfection and truly shows how much time and concentration goes into his design process. This was seen in his most recent fall 2011 collection of shape hugging dressed and separates in sultry reds and black.

This spring 2011 season Lee’s silk-chiffon dresses and structured jackets are absolute wardrobe staples. Ice-blues, lavenders and apricots color the collection, the most anticipated of Rosemount Australia Fashion Week at Sydney’s famous Opera House, of figure flattering pieces and minimal styling for a clean overall appearance. The silk tuxedo jacket and Rorschach printed organza dress is the perfect spring outfit that can take you from the desk to the dance floor. Although Lee expresses a very modern vision, his clothing is extremely wearable, and this season has a very sporty feeling with the addition racer-back tanks and t-shirt dresses.

The coolest part of the spring collection were the Rorschach prints, Lee wanted these to represent an uninhibited reaction to fashion. The prints were an opportunity to do something unexpected and catch the attention of buyers and fashion lovers who have their own unique sense of style. He definitely achieved his goal. We are all waiting to see what he does next.

Diane Kruger opts for a fedora while spending time in Saint-Tropez, France.

With a surplus of styles, from fedoras to wide-brims, there’s a stylish way to tame those flyaways, protect your skin and extend the life of your hair color in an utterly easy way.

Toronto’s very own Big It Up recently launched its spring collection of hats; styles worn by red carpet A-listers such as Wyclef Jean, Hayden Christiansen, Cameron Diaz and Usher. Stunning selections of Panama Hats, ranging from $125 – $140, are made of authentic hand-made straw that originates from the pacific coast of Ecuador. Their extensive and oh-so-stylish selection is complete with only the finest of fabrics, materials and shades, making it the must-have accessory this season. It is hard to know what kind of hat complements your face shape, however the team offers major attention to detail helping their customers find the flawless style and fit, helping you channel your inner 70s flower goddess this season. The company stays true to its original vision: show respect, take pride and make great products. Through this vision, Big it Up has made a name for itself as Toronto’s top purveyor of stylish, well-made headwear.

Big it Up heralds “The Summer of the Panama”!

What to wear it with…

Day Time Look Pair a light shaded hat with a casual maxi dress and bangles or a cropped shirt and boyfriend jeans for a boho chic feel.

Night Time Look For an evening out, try a darker style with a florel dress, a cropped leather jacket and a sky high platforms.

Big It Up Locations

Head Office – 58 Spadina Ave (Toronto)

Store Locations – Eaton Centre, Toronto; Yorkdale, Toronto; Vaughan Mills, Vaughan; Square One, Mississauga; Brimz – 321 Queen St. West, Toronto.

Big it Up Hats can also be purchased online at http://www.bigitup.com/home.php and at specialty retailers across Canada

If you’re anything like me, the announcement that new episodes of “Mad Men” will not be returning until 2012 was completely devastating. I’m obsessed with the show’s portrayal of the glamorous style of the 1960s, and it’s safe to say I’m not the only one. The team behind Lundström Collection could have easily called this offering “Betty Draper-Francis Goes To Canada.”

The show opened with a group of cozy sweater coats and vests in faux Mongolian wool with oversized shawl-collars in black and ivory. If you’re a ski bunny (or just aspire to dress like one) this would be the perfect uniform for sipping après-ski cocktails in front of a roaring fire in a mountainside chalet.

Lundström Collection is known for their outwear and this season they upped the lady-like feeling with belted jackets and swing coats in an array of colours (cranberry and camel were standouts). Adding to the ‘60s vibe, many of the coats featured bracelet-length sleeves styled with matching leather gloves and fur Cossack hats. Under the coats were tweed trousers, skinny leather pants and mod wool dresses. And come next holiday season, keep an eye out for Lundström Collection’s flirty cocktail dresses in black chiffon and tulle. They would make any party a little more festive

Highlights – The mottled velvet pajama pants looked so chic and cozy. A great alternative to more traditional trousers.

Lowlight – The stylist seated next to me, who completely blocked my view of the runway by throwing her camera in front of my face to get shots of each look. She did apologize once she noticed me leaning around her arm to see the show, although she didn’t actually stop doing it.

If you have never been backstage at a fashion show, trust me when I say it is chaotic. There are hair and make-up teams are fussing over models, journalists and photographers scrambling to capture the perfect quote and the perfect shot, PRs barking orders into headsets, and harried designers supervising every aspect of the production. But when I met with RUDSAK’s founder and creative leader, Evik Asatoorian moments after his bow on the runway, he was calm, cool and collected.

Asatoorian embodied the too-cool-to-care “easy rider meets urban lifestyle” vibe he sent down the runway. Like many of designers, he looked to the 1970s for inspiration for his Fall collection. But these were not high-glamour disco queens or all-natural flower children; the RUDSAK muse is a tough-as-nails, badass motorcycle babe.

“This collection has a ‘70s vibe, but that doesn’t mean it’s for hippies,” Asatoorian says. “There are no hippies here.”

Described as “a city-dwelling lifestyle, marrying classically elegant pieces with a relaxed biker chic edge,” the collection (consisting of men’s and women’s outwear, footwear, handbags and accessories) was a blend of tough and sexy, masculine and feminine. There were cropped leather jackets and cozy down coats with full fur hoods for women and slim-fit leather motorcycle jackets for men. There were office-perfect satchels and messenger bags as well as no-nonsense boots for both sexes.

As for the styling, RUDSAK’s models looked like they just hopped off the back of a motorcycle after a cross-country ride: aviator sunnies and fingerless gloves for the boys and perfectly tousled waves and expertly smudged smoky-eyes for the girls. And just to drive the “Easy Rider” theme home, models carried brightly decorated motorcycle helmets, which added a refreshing pop of colour to an otherwise neutral runway.

Highlights: The fur and leather aviator hats were amazing and completely covetable. They’re the perfect blend of fashion and function.

Brandon Dwyer certainly knows how to set the mood. “It’s BASCH, bitch” echoed in the runway room at LGFW, mixed in between choruses from Rihanna and Christina Aguilera. If the theme of this show could be summed up in one word (okay, two words) it would be “bad girls.” These are not clothes for wallflowers; the BASCH girl wants to be noticed and she wants you to want her.

Dwyer said this collection was inspired by Toronto. While these may not be the kind of clothes one would wear to an office on Bay Street or vintage shopping in Kensington Market, these are the kind of clothes that would be right at home in a club on King Street. There were enough micro-mini hemlines and shiny satins to satisfy any girl’s inner Blake Lively. There were even a few completely sheer pieces that look exciting on the runway but don’t really translate to real life (unless your real life involves Lucite heels and a brass pole). But for those of us who might want a more subtle sexy, there were some beautiful Grecian-goddess draped cocktail dresses in olive and violet.

Where Dwyer really shone, though, was in his eveningwear. An unexpected shot of electric blue in the form of a floor-length gown with a slit up to there got the biggest reaction from the crowd.

Highlight: The model that opened the show kept singing along to the club-worthy soundtrack. Yes, it was distracting, but sometimes it’s nice to see the girls having fun on the runway.

Lowlight: The lack of separates. Mini-dresses are fun but sometimes (namely, from December to March) a girl just needs a pair of pants.

Non-Fashion Highlight: The soundtrack full of jazzy covers (including an amazing version of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army”) had me dancing in my seat.

Non-Fashion Lowlight: I could have done without the couple sitting behind me who felt it necessary to talk (loudly) throughout the entire show. I could have forgiven them if they were discussing the show, but they were more concerned with people watching and gossiping. Take it to Starbucks, Chatty Cathys.

Actress Elisha Cuthbert walks the runway during the Heart Truth Fashion Show.

Lights, Camera, Fashion!

Fusing fashion and a charitable cause together creates the must-see attraction during Toronto’s LG Fashion Week. Each year, the Heart and Stroke Foundation attracts a variety of Canadian personalities to strut down the catwalk sporting non-other than Canadian designers’ unique crimson ensembles.

The group of Canadian celebrities graced the runway for The Heart Truth Fashion Show to raise awareness, educate and empower Canadian’s about heart disease and stroke.  With an audience of over 500 people packed downtown Toronto’s Carlu Thursday March 24, Canadian personalities put their day jobs on hold, stepped outside their comfort zone, and put their fiercest stride to the test.

“The heart truth is that heart disease and stroke now kill more women than it does men,” says Bobbe Wood, CEO and President of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. “We tend to ignore the symptoms and put our own heart health last. Up to 80% of the risks can be mitigated by the lifestyle choices that we make.”

Participating models for Heart Truth this year included actresses Elisha Cuthbert and Andrea Martin, television personalities and Dina Pugliese and Rick Campanelli, National Ballet prodigy Chan Hon Goh, and So You Think You Can Dance judge Tre Armstrong, just to name few.

Since its initiation in 2008, female Canadian A-listers have taken part in the magnificent cause, however for the first time ever, Wood purposed that men take part in the annual affair as well.

“Men have a very important role to play in encouraging and supporting the women in their lives to take the necessary steps to protect their heart problems.”

ET Canada's Rick Campanelli walks the runway during the Heart Truth Fashion Show.

Actor/Comedian Colin Mochrie was inspired to play a leading role in the fundraiser, as family members have been affected by heart problems in the past.  “It’s all about awareness,” says Mochrie. “One in three women die of heart disease and it is something that can easily be overturned with education and the right life choices.”

Tre Armstrong shimmied her way down the runway in a Joeffer Coac frock that featured a detachable layer to reveal a show-stopping mini.  “We need to start caring about ourselves,” says Amstrong, whose close friend has suffered from heart problems in the past. “It is a number one leading killer for women and we just don’t hear enough about it.”

Retired Leafs player, Jim McKenny switched his hockey skates for polished loafers, as he walked the runway to help spread his heart truth to women worldwide.

“It’s a disease you don’t associate with women,” said McKenny, who has two young grand daughters. “It is known as a man’s disease, but more women die from it. Something has to change.”

Since its inception, each March the red dress has come to life on the runway with the support of the Canadian fashion industry as a symbol of courage, passion and power for change as they share the truth and raise awareness with others.

“We are reaching Canadian women with this lifesaving message: it’s time to take charge of your heart health,” says Wood.  “Make healthy lifestyle choices, monitor your cholesterol and blood pressure levels, and advocate for the care you need from your doctor.  And to Canadian men, we say support the women you love to protect their heart health.”

Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Max Irons, Virginia Madsen, Shiloh Fernandez, and Director Catherine Hardwicke at the premiere of "Red Riding Hood" in Hollywood.

Adorned took a stroll down memory lane Wednesday March 9 with Twilight Director Catherine Hardwicke’s modern day adaptation of Red Riding Hood.  Throw in a red carpet beauty, a couple of mouthwatering male heartthrobs and a big bad werewolf and you’ve got yourself a love affair tinged with danger, angst and enough psychosexual tension to fill a high school gymnasium.

But my – what a gorgeous cast you have!

American Apparel's take on the red hood ($28).

Amanda Seyfried plays a magnetic role as Valerie, better known as Red Riding Hood, who is reluctantly engaged to village blacksmith Henry, played by the charming Max Irons.  But as all teen movies go, there’s always a perplexing love triangle.  Valerie is falling for Peter, an orphaned woodcutter, played by the handsome rising star Shiloh Fernandez.

Final Verdict?  Audiences should expect an entertaining and mystery-packed fantasy fix with a twilight-like script and a stunning cast.  Should these actors start polishing up their acceptance speeches? Not quite.  Hardwicke simply took a popular childhood tale and gave it a sexy makeover.

But while the cast sure was yummy, I was distracted by something even more visually appealing: the fashion!

It is no secret that fashion trends tend to coincide with blockbuster movie releases.   Black Swan’s ballet inspired look is making a stomping effect on runways, while Leitmotiv’s celebrated Alice in Wonderland designs for Furla last spring. And Red Riding Hood is no exception!

Let’s start with the film’s strongest asset – the iconic cape. Red Riding Hood’s were spotted everywhere during Paris Fashion Week, except these fairytale characters came in the form of towering models.   Medieval-like floor-sweeping dresses with a demure cut are also especially “right now” in the fashion world revealing both femininity and practicality.

And was I the only girl in the audience mesmerized by Seyfried au natural appearance? The no make-up make-up look has been on our radar for a while, but makeup artists used this years runway shows to seal it as a major trend.  With bare eyes and a stained lip, the actress channeled the Collette Dinnigan models during Paris Fashion Week.

Collette Dinnigan Ready-to-Wear A/W 2011

Elie Saab Ready-to-Wear Autumn/Winter 2011

Lanvin Ready-to-Wear A/W 2011

Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but when Victoria’s Secret Angel Lily Aldridge arrives in Toronto, it is a blatant reminder that it never hurts to have risqué intimates, Bridgette Bardot bedroom hair and legs for days.

In an exciting new launch from Victoria’s Secret, Angel Lily Aldridge was out to promote the Incredible collection and new fragrance at the Eaton’s Centre March 3.   Said to be the most comfortable and figure-flattering collection to date, the colorful rainbow hued bras can be worn five different ways.

The silhouettes include the Demi, Push-Up, Front-Close Demi plus two brand new styles: Front-Close Multi-way and Front-Close Push-Up.  “It’s the perfect choice for any occasion,” says Lily. “There is just no better way to describe this bra than Incredible!”

The virtually seamless design and ultra-soft fabric offers a luxurious feel for the maximum comfort experience that shapes, smoothes and extenuates minus the dreadful bumps or lines.  The highly innovative self-adjustable straps allow for the ideal customized fit that is truly Incredible.

When asked what makes her ooze courage and confidence while bearing close to nothing on camera, Lily says her best friend and co-angel Erin Heatherton makes her feel her sexiest.

“Being with my friends at a shoot makes me feel most happy and self-confident.  We understand that every woman is born differently and you just need to learn how to love who you are,” says Lily, who envisions fiancé Caleb Followill when strutting her stuff down the catwalk.

The Incredible fragrance, also debuting today, adds a cheerful radiance with its luscious blend of sparkling pear and vanilla lace.

“Waking up and seeing the word Incredible on your perfume bottle is just so inspirational.  It makes you feel incredible!”

To our relief, the ever flawless and blissful super model reveals that when she’s not modeling four times a week, she likes to hang up her negligee and live an ordinary life.  The self-proclaimed “foodie” loves to try new restaurants, serenade at concerts and watch movies in her jammies – Victoria’s Secret brand, of course!