New York Fashion Week is always my favorite fashion show of the year. It features the top designers debuting the hottest trends and coolest colors for the upcoming season. The Project Runway finalists also present their collections for the television show’s finale. New York Fashion Week Spring 2009 did not disappoint, but some of the styles were a bit surprising.

Jumpsuits, No Really
I admit it, some of these trends are probably not ideal for the average person, but it is always exciting to get a glimpse of the next hot trend. Ralph Lauren, Max Azria and Proenza Schouler are just some of the designers who featured jumpsuits. I normally associate jumpsuits with Joe the plumber, but these were very elegant and fashionable. Tyra Banks wore a jumpsuit on a recent episode of her hit talk show Tyra and, thanks to her height, looked very stylish.

Ruffles
Look for more ultra feminine ruffled fashions in stores next spring. Oscar de la Renta, Betsey Johnson and Carolina Herrera unveiled beautiful ruffled gowns. Some styles were sophisticated and accented with ruffles for added femininity. True to her eccentric reputation, Betsey Johnson’s creations were bright, youthful and over the top.

Floral Prints a la Wisteria Lane
Dresses from Oscar de la Renta and Badgley Mischka featured daring floral prints. The color palette and flattering, body conscious cut of the dresses made them fun and modern, unlike floral prints of the past. This hot trend is perfect for the real world, and I expect to see women of different body types wearing it well.

All American Attire
Michael Kors and Marc Jacobs paid homage to the American flag with red, white and blue fashions. That sounds like a perfect clothing choice for an inaugural year.

Metallic Fabric
Shimmering metallic fashions were also popular with designers including Calvin Klein, Vera Wang, Donna Karan and Ralph Lauren.

Project Runway Showdown
Bravo’s Project Runway season five finalists Leanne Marshall, Korto Momolu and Kenley Collins faced off at New York Fashion Week. Their diverse collections also featured ruffles, floral prints and metallic garments. Leanne Marshall ultimately walked away with top honors, but it was very exciting to watch the finalists create a clothing line and participate in a major fashion show.

How can you talk about fashion without mentioning “Sex and the City?“ When the London premiere of the “Sex and the City” happened on May 12, all eyes were on Sarah Jessica Parker and her hat. She must have been channeling her character, Carrie Bradshaw, or else she just wanted to really stand out. Along with a strapless green Alexander McQueen dress, she wore a Phillip Treacy hat that resembled a person’s garden. It even came with a huge flower and two butterflies planted on the top. What I wonder is how did she last all night with that thing on her head and who had to sit behind her during the premier of the movie?

The other three other stars of the movie also attended the London premiere, but Parker’s headwear might have out-shined everyone involved…. Kim Catrall, who plays Samantha Jones in the movie, wore a stunning red Vivienne Westwood dress. She was also appropriately dressed to match her character’s personality in a vibrant red cocktail dress. Cynthia Nixon, who plays Miranda Hobbes wore a sleek, long black dress from Calvin Klein . The dress was cut down low in the front, but she still looked very elegant in the dress. Kristin Davis, who plays Charlotte York in the movie, donned a vintage bright red dress. With her long brown hair down and her ruby earrings she looked gorgeous on the red carpet.<p>For the actual movie, the well-known stylist Patricia Field returned to dress the cast. You can be sure to see the famous designer’s clothing , such as Dior, Vera Wang, and Oscar De LaRenta, make an appearance on the women. In fact, the wedding gown that Sarah Jessica Parker’s character, Carrie Bradshaw, is wearing in the advertisements for the movie is a satin Vivienne Westwood creation. In other parts of the advertisement, Carrie can be seen wearing a Burberry belt and sporting a Chanel handbag. In one of the most visible advertisements for the movie, Carrie is seen in a white Ralph Lauren vest and pants with a pink top and black tie.

Anyone wanting to stay on top of the oncoming fashion trends for the oncoming seasons, might want to pay close attention to this flick….keep your eyes peeled!

What does a designer to do when her name is synonymous with one of the leading bridal collections, designs many thriving ready-to-wear lines, has flourishing fragrance deals and mattresses, to name a few? Besides realizing she’s at the height of success, take advantage of that by bringing her high-end designs to the masses.

Simply Vera by Vera Wang for Kohl’s promises to do just that. The line not only includes standouts like ruffled cardigans, short sleeved brocade coats, shift dresses, skinny pants and oversize sweaters that exemplify Wang’s style. You can wear the pieces as Vera shows you in her online look book under the Women’s category at Kohl’s or mix and match the pieces to find your own eclectic fit.

Now, thanks to Kohl’s, everyone can afford a little Vera Wang.