Rainbow Brite

While prints, florals and stripes are obvious staples each spring, this year, bold, bright colors are a must-have for any girl's wardrobe. Yes, even for New Yorkers - so set aside those drab transition pieces that you call your spring wardrobe, and invest in the following fun items:

1. J Brand 11" Ankle Skinny Jean, $176 -- Kim Kardashian has been spotted in these on both coasts - available in a variety of colors, these are a great way to spice up a neutral top.

2. ASOS Belted Kimono Top, $44 -- At an extremely reasonable price, this gorgeous green piece works best with white denim or shorts, and honestly compliments any body shape with it's cinched waist.

3. Thayer Flow Tank, $171 -- Perfect for a weekend on the town with white flared jeans or easy to make casual for daytime by layering over a bikini at the beach.

4. Melie Blanco Top Handle Bag, $65 -- For those tentative to fully embrace bright colors, this moderately sized bag is the perfect accessory to brighten up an otherwise neutral outfit. It comes in orange, lime, yellow and white.

5. OPI Brights Collection, $33.50 -- Going on a spring getaway? Work in a non-corporate job that encourages creative expression? You're in luck. OPI has designed a collection of bright polishes that will keep you smiling all day long.

Friday Fashion Fete

As a midwesterner who loves fashion, my "live" shopping opportunities were fairly limited to our (fantastic yet repetitive) local mall and select boutiques in town. Enter - New York City. The home of Fashion Avenue, "Project Runway", $30 "designer" bags on Canal Street three blocks from $3,000 bags at Chanel Soho, world renowned vintage stores, and - an event I've been looking forward to since I moved to the city - Fashion's Night Out (http://fashionsnightout.com/). On Friday, September 10, boutiques and stores throughout the world (New York is the largest participant) celebrate fashion by holding in-store events with DJ's, cocktails, celebrities, stylists and most importantly great deals on in-store styles. For the purpose of those who don't have time to scan the hundreds of store-based events throughout the city, I thought I'd list my top picks for a fabulous night out here:

Diane von Furstenberg (440 W. 14th Street - http://www.dvf.com/.dvf.com/) - DVF will host the "experience lounge" at her store where you can sip champagne with actress/model Molly Sims and Olivia Palermo from The City. Get photographed in DFV fall fashion looks while enjoying the beats of DJ Elisa. Your photos will even stream live on giant screens throughout the store for your very own VIP fashion moment.

Tory Burch (38-40 Little W. 12th Street - http://www.toryburch.com/) - Tory is hosting a block party outside her Meatpacking District shop and DJ Cassidy will be spinning the turntables. Best perk of this one? Shake Shack will be serving burgers on-site! So try on some new Reva flats for fall, kick back and enjoy.

Bergdorf Goodman (754 5th Avenue - http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/) - If you want some top-notch celeb sightings combined with outrageous shopping at one of New York's most infamous shopping institutions, this is definitely a good bet. On top of a bevy of in-store competitions (make-up and karaoke to list a few), celebs including Mary J. Blige, Nicole Richie and Victoria Beckham.

And last, but certainly not least, my favorite online shoe site, Piperlime (http://www.piperlime.com/), has established a Soho pop-up shop in honor of Fashion's Night Out. The store is located at 93 Mercer Street and will be open today through October 3, highlighting fall's top styles in clothing and shoes alike. My favorite quirky celebrity stylist, Rachel Zoe, will even be on-hand from 8-10pm during Fashion's Night Out to offer styling tips to lucky attendees looking to ramp up their style. This is most likely where you'll find me after work this Friday. Happy shopping!