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.

1. Iconic trench coat – a sophisticated spring must-have. $139.50 at Esprit. (espritshop.ca for locations)
2. ORIBE Dry Texturizing Spray – for bigger, better, full-on glamourous hair. $44 at DONATO salon + spa. (donata.ca for locations)
3. Yardley London English Lavender Moisturizing Bath Foam – gift Mom with this soothing bath foam that’s fit for the Queen. The Yardley London brand bears the Royal Warrant and the enduring scent of English Lavender. $16.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart, Pharma Plus, Loblaw, and more.
4. ‘Lima’ coin purse – made of super soft leather, designed to hold the essentials for the woman on-the-go. $50 at ECCO Shoes. (eccocanada.com for locations)
5. Spa packages from DONATO + salon – send Mom to the spa for an afternoon or make it a day with special packages ranging from $160 to $255. See attached for full info.
6. Dream Angels Forever EDP – a beautiful new fragrance with notes like blackberry, iris, and amber. Timeless and radiant, just like her. $60 for 75 mL at Victoria’s Secret. (victoriassecret.com for locations)
7. Trompe l’oeil lace print – the subtle juxtaposition of soft lace and dotted prints on the finest silk chiffon. $39 at DANIER. (danier.com for locations)
8. Robert Marc sunglasses – the ultimate frame for a subtle statement of luxury and style. Peppercorn print covers the universally flattering shape. $525 at Josephson Opticians. (josephson.ca for locations)
9. Studded top handle purse – this ivory classic gets a modern twist with studded fringe detail. $169 at DANIER. (danier.com for locations)

Summer is on its way!

As the countdown to the season gets closer, it’s hard not to imagine yourself having lunch on a patio or laying on the beach all day getting that “summer glow”. But before you start planning your dream vacation with family and friends, you need to make sure you’ve got the right facts about staying safe in the sun.

Here’s how to look great this summer and avoid the risks of skin cancer, sunburns, and wrinkled skin.

Wear sunscreen.

Although many of us are ready to trade our sweaters and jeans for a summer dress and flip-flops, we have to remember to keep protected from the sun.
For best results, always apply sunscreen half an hour before you go outside. Since the sun affects everyone in different ways, it’s important to know your skin type so you can find the sunscreen that suits you.

If you have fair and sensitive skin, it’s best to go with a sunscreen with SPF 50 for your face and at least SPF 30 for your body.

When you’re putting on sunscreen, don’t forget to protect your lips and eyelids from the sun and always make sure to check the expiry date!

Drink water.

Beat the heat! It’s important to drink plenty of water every day in order to keep your skin hydrated and to get toxins out of your body. Dehydration can lead to dry skin, headaches, and dark circles under your eyes. Try to have at least eight glasses of water each day to keep your healthy glow!

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Since staying out in the sun for a long period of time will make you tired, it’s important to get an energy boost so you can enjoy those summer nights out with your best friends! Fresh fruits and vegetables will brighten your eyes and give your skin a natural glow. Recent studies have shown that eating vegetables can give you a better complexion than sun tanning; so make sure to dig into as many veggies as you can!

Tips on safely boosting your complexion:

-          Always choose self-tanning products instead of tanning beds or sun tanning

-          Get your dose of vitamins: Evening Primrose Oil is meant to establish healthy looking skin, and can help defend you from the sun!

-           Apply bronzer to your face to add a touch of colour and enhance your glow

-          Exfoliate skin once a week to keep it looking fresh and healthy

-          Apply a light moisturizer after your shower for protection and to give your skin some extra shine

Now that you know how to keep your skin safe and still get that beach-babe complexion the summer while enjoying the sun. What are you waiting for? Grab your girlfriends and head to the beach, or take someone special for a picnic in the park. Just remember to fill up your water bottle and slather on some sunscreen before you go!

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

What was once dehydrated, uneven and damaged skin, thanks to the bitter cold temperatures, now appears smooth, delicate and scar-free!  This Vitamin-E enriched, must-have dry oil is fortified with a host of skin-friendly ingredients designed to revamp and refine the appearance of uneven skin tone, fine lines and stretch marks. The advanced, multi-purpose and dermatologist-tested oil can be used on face and body, and even features a chocolate-like aroma – how decadent!

With the absorption of a body lotion, minus the gooey greasiness of a common oil-based lather, Palmer’s freshest creation yet is the ideal addition to your beauty routine this bikini season.

This preservation-free, lightweight formula contains Cetesomate-E Complex, which boosts the skins ability to swiftly soak up Palmer’s exclusive blend of ingredients, including sesame oil, canola oil and rosehip oil, which consists of 80 per cent fatty acid and a high Vitamin C content recommended for scars and aging skin.

Thanks to Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil my skin has a new BFF.  Whether you are suffering from dry, damaged or aging skin, this miracle worker will fit flawlessly in your beauty regimen and warrants a permanent spot in every woman’s bathroom cabinet.

Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil is sold at most major retail and drug stores, and is available at Walmart (150 ml bottle) for $9.99.

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.