A feminine bow blouse meets what I'm referring to as colour contouring at 3.1 Philip Lim Fall '12.

New York Fashion Week has been an absolute whirlwind and, by the end of a long day running from show to showroom all across Manhattan, the clothes almost all blur into one giant collection. Now as I type from the Newark airport reviewing my notes, however, I'm starting to realize that there's another reason for my haze: the thread of trends. Even calmly looking back, it's easy to see how much certain styles overlap between designers.

Trend reports are, of course, what the fashion blogs and magazines base their monthly lineups on and while the spring looks are now unfolding with loads of colour and sportswear chic, I'm going to give you a quick look ahead to which of those spring trends also carry into fall. This way you can be a smart shopper and skip the trends that will only last a few measly months.

With Groundhog Day behind us and spring just around the corner, we are definitely turning our eyes to spring fashion - bright colors, floral prints and, of course, thoughts of warmer days.

Last week, we were able to attend a spring/summer fashion preview for Mark's. As soon as we walked in, we fell in love with the eye-catching colours and super-cute styles.

Here's a closer look at some of our favourites:

DVF's Spring 2012 ad shot by Camilla Akrans, with creative direction from Laird+Partners.

My wonderful aunt asked me recently: why do all models look so angry? As much as I wanted to defend my industry with a quick "no they don't!", I immediately knew what she meant. Not on the covers of magazines, of course - mags 101 teaches us that those need to read "come buy me" with a big bright smile - but ad campaigns and runways are full of pouts. Granted, there are exceptions, like Betsey Johnson whose models often cartwheel down the runway, but for the most part, smiles sell mags and scowls sell clothes. Or do they?

Kate Middleton in the dress that solidified her as a fashion icon-in-the-making.

Prince William and Kate Middleton…Catherine Middleton? The Duchess of Cambridge?…nevermind: their Royal Highnesses announced the itinerary for their upcoming trip to Canada via the official royal wedding website today. Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Charlottetown, Summerside, Yellowknife, and Calgary made the final cut, and while most Torontonians are up in arms, I'm actually quite happy to skirt this security nightmare in light of last summer's G20 debacle.

I am however sad to be missing out on the Duchess' royal attire. She's said to be personally planning 40 outfits for the 9 day excursion, and while I love Kate's do-it-yourself attitude, I thought I'd indulge in a little advice.

Solange Knowles in the season's hard-to-wear headwear

#1 Turbans
I was at a fashion event recently and the entire panel of speakers started to discuss their dislike for turbans, without realizing there was one proud silk turban wearing lady in the crowd. No it wasn't me, nor will it ever be.

  
Would you spend your hard-earned money on a look that's classically DIY or are these shorts destined for the sales rack?

Today I have put aside several hours to spring clean my closet. I do it every season…except for the year I lived in a two bedroom apartment – one to sleep in, one to store my clothes – but gone are those glory days. My method is to toss everything that went unworn the year before into a bag and stuff it under the bed. If another season passes without undoing the seal, it goes straight to Goodwill.

During this process, I also take some time to rethink the design of my throwaways. If I'm just tossing it anyway, may as well see if an inch off the hemline will reignite the love. Needless to say, I end up with a lot of cut off shorts.

Admittedly, in my "will it stay or will it go" haste, I don't always make the most precise cuts, sometimes leading to booty shorts gone wrong. This season, however, I may be in luck.

Looking to add colour and print to your spring wardrobe? Kill two birds with these glass beads!  Add bright navajo prints to any neutral for an affordable hit of energy.

Yuchi Woven Beaded Necklace by nOir Jewelry, available at noirjewelry.com.

Pinkies up! We head over to High Tea at The Windsor Arms Hotel in Toronto in celebration of The Royal Wedding. The event was hosted by one of our favourite bloggers, Jen McNeely of She Does the City and Windows 7. Toronto's fashion and lifestyle blogging community wore their most elegant outfits for scarfing down scones and crustless sandwiches. Sometimes the best part of going to a tea party is getting dressed for one. Here is some of the fun street style that we spotted...

I was thinking about my swimwear collection lately and how long I seem to hold on to my bathing suits. I mean, it's not like I wear them everyday, so they seem to last a good two to three years. So I figure it's a good investment to buy a piece that fits well and that I love. The purge rules apply to bathing suits you no longer wear or don't fit any more. Throw them away and start fresh. You don't want to hold on to something that makes you feel bad. I usually bring three with me on vacation and after spotting the hot picks for this post, I think I need to refresh my collection!

When I think of candy-coloured denim, I think of the '80s. When it was all about really weird washes (hello acid wash!) and crazy neon colours. Well guess what? Coloured denim is one of the hottest trends for spring and an easy way to add some brightness to your wardrobe. Yes, it's back - but not in a cheesy way. The look is more subtle with soft semi-faded washes of pastel shades hitting the retail racks. We previewed a few pieces from Gap's spring 2011 collection and here's what they look like...