While most of us are still enjoying our to-die-for fur vest from the holidays, or that killer cape purchased for 50% off on December 26th, the fashion world is already busy at work, deciding which pieces we will be vying for next fall. New York just hosted Fall 2012 fashion week and the trends did not disappoint!

Next fall’s palette is a rich one. Big trends in color include deep reds; from Jason Wu’s crimsons and wines to Diane von Furstenberg’s burgundy played playfully with pink, it’s safe to say red is the new black. Also hot for Fall 2012? Plums and blues. So, how do you best wear these bold colors? Paring complimentary colors, once thought to be taboo, is another big trend for Fall 2012. A more sophisticated version of Spring’s color blocking, we saw blues paired with blacks. Carolina Herrera and DKNY seamlessly combined these two hues for a perfectly ladylike look while Prabal Gurung stayed true to his edgier look with black and blue graphic print dresses and suiting. Narcisco Rodriguez and Thakoon offered beautiful combos of burgundy and orange, red and magenta and plums and violets. The key to taking this look from the runway to real life to is play with different shades of the same color.

Remember when wearing white after Labor Day was a serious no-no? Well dare to wear white past September and suddenly you’re now the chicest woman alive! Those beautifully breaking the rules include Alexander Wang with his chunky knits, Derek Lam with a white piece in almost every look and 3.1 Phillip Lim skillfully contrasting white with black.

Always chic for the colder months is the look of luxurious leather. A go-to fabric for Fall, this time around it is much more sophisticated. Both Thakoon and the Rodarte darlings stunned with peek-a-boo leather dresses demure enough for daytime. Helmut Lang, long revered for their perfectly fitting leather jackets and pants, added fitted leather sheaths to their collection. Michael Kors and Derek Lam paired their leather pieces, blouses and a pencil skirt, with more conservative touches to show that anyone can wear leather. If head to toe leather is a bit too dominatrix for you, single out just one piece of leather per look. Opt for a sleek pencil skirt with a silk blouse or try a fitted jacket with a t-shirt, your favorite skinny jeans and heels.

After seeing all these fabulous fashions, now’s the hard part… waiting another 6 moths to get our hands on them!!!