The best parts of my new job are my Starbucks' discount, and my regular trips to Holt Renfrew to pick up various items. Next in line, and more useful than the aforementioned two, is all the research I get to complete for various stories.

There are numerous members-only websites to which I have been granted access in order to preview collections and photos, otherwise unavailable to the public. In addition, I'm required to keep up with current blogs and countless assorted magazines, from Women's Health to Martha Stewart Living to Vogue, old and new alike, in order to generate ideas, and also to ensure that our stories aren't copycatting those already covered by other publications.

Despite my obsessive addiction to magazines, I actually enjoy researching online more. While magazines cover and write about the most current in-store collections, browsing websites, like gorunway.com and nymag.com, allow me to view the collections, accessories, shoes, make-up, and hair styles in an unbiased way, thus permitting me to form my own “un-Vogue-ified” opinions in regards to what I think is “hot or not.” Although my sentiments are still slightly biased (the stories for which I'm conducting research are based on what our publication wants to report and therefore favours), I am free to see ALL that is offered from the likes of Karl, Marc, John, and Christian.

Although this year's spring collections have already been presented, and some have even received brief coverage in the media, until they actually start hitting the stores in February and March and the reviews start pouring in, I feel that I am free to make my own judgment calls and imaginary shopping lists. From one insider to the next, here's what's ranking among my top three:

Au Natural:
The toned-down “natural” look has been a spring staple in makeup for years. This spring, the colour palette is taking a slight shift towards textile, yet remains surprisingly versatile and sexy. Wearable as a matte sheen, embellished or simple, wool or silk, or any other way presented by the multitude of designers who went “au natural,” from Givenchy to Moschino to Armani, the trick is to find the shade that enhances your skin tone (whether nude with a slight peach undertone, or cream with light brown singe), without washing you out. Once you've got the right hue, it's all about the attitude; I mean, you are practically “in the nude.”

On Display:
Forget peek-a-boos! These sheers are the bolder, fully-exposed version of paneled or merely semi-transparent “translucents” from season's past. Entire dresses and bodysuits crafted from the finest and flimsiest, debuted the runway, this season.

Able to evoke everything from gothic to boho, layering is the key to this look, but must be done carefully as the wrong combo may prove tacky. Prime examples of those who get it right include: Nina Ricci, who paired her see-through long-sleeved bodysuits with fuller, balanced skirts; Roberto Cavalli, whose artful ruffles and seams tactfully covered naughty places, while still leaving little to the imagination; and Galliano, who utilized his embroidery skills in order to allow his garments to reveal and conceal all the right places. One tip offered up by all the designers of these threads: don't forget your underwear!

One and You're Done:
I defiantly avoided the “onsie” for many seasons now, mainly because, in my view, they conjure up the image of a car mechanic, or worse, a girl wearing a car mechanic's uniform and trying to look sexy in it. This season, however, I may finally cave and slip into a jumpsuit for the first time in my adult life. The defining difference that has had me sheepishly admitting they are not as hideous as I once declared: their construction.

Cinched at the waist, sliming, and ankle-length, Proenza Schouler's version looked polished, while Armani's structured take exuded professionalism. But, what really got me converted was the draping of Derek Lam and Dries Van Noten's. The bonus: no stressing about matching!