#1 THE BLOGGERS WEAR PRADA
After Time Magazine so famously proclaimed all of us the person of the year for 2006, it helped confer legitimacy on content created by blogs (at a fairly steady rate of 1.6 million fresh new posts daily, according to Technorati). And this year, fashion & lifestyle bloggers really solidified the fashion blogosphere as a viable alternative to the old-school fashion & beauty mags for both advertisers & readers...and created a new form of fashion media in the process.
Instead of needing the right social connections just to get a lowly assistant editor job in fashion publishing at a big-name print magazine - and a trustfund to survive on an annual starting salary of somewhere around $25,000...in NYC (!) - fashion bloggers succeed the democratic way: talent, taste, and the hard work it takes to update with quality content daily.
Not only can a successful blogger make a living at it, but many are widely read & influential enough to have regular columns in publications like Washington Post Express (The Manolo), to author books (The Budget Fashionista), regularly appear as experts on national television (Coquette on The Early Show), frequently appear in major publications (My Fashion Life in InStyle; Fashiontribes in USA Today), and can make or break a handbag in the market, and possibly the brand behind it (The Daily Mail UK about Bag Snob).
The fabulous shoe mastro Manolo Blahnik even sponsored Blog.mode Addressing Fashion, an exhibition at the Museum of Art's Costume Institute looking at the intersection of fashion & blogs. And when a major old guard behemoth like Harper's Bazaar bothers to devote an entire article to trashing you, you know you're doing something right.
The revolution will be fabulous & it will be blogged.
#2 PSST! GOSSIP GIRL
When Sex & the City ended, you feared the worst: that there might not be such fun & fab style like that again on the small screen. Until the surprise appearance of an unbelievably fashionable and addictive show, tailor-made for fashionistas - and incredibly trendsetting.
#3 MARC JACOBS STIRS IT UP AT HIS SPRING 2008 SHOW
From staging his fashion show in reverse, to the ultra-sheer garments, vintage-inspired bags with a roomy coin purse affixed to the outside, and those crazily reconfigured shoes, Marc Jacobs knows how to create a stir. More than just clothes that fill holes in a stylish girl's closet, this collection reflects many of the main fashion trends of the year, including vintage, layers, and heels vs. the new chic flat.
#4 REESE WITHERSPOON SHINES AT THE 2007 GOLDEN GLOBES
Flaunting her newly single status in a cheery lemon yellow Nina Ricci frock and a chic new layered bob, Reese Witherspoon probably single-handedly helped spark the recent craze to crop (which My Fashion Life recently addressed in To Bob or Not to Bob?) And the buttercup-hued frock proved perfectly in synch with another strong trend for 2007: jewel tones. (photo: FabSugar).
#5 iPHONE RINGS
As the #1 googled term of the year, this tiny gadget created giant buzz. Much of the brouhaha was focused on on its sleek good looks, demonstrating the degree to which fashion has influenced the tech world. Look for the intertwining of fashion and technology to continue as a strong trend indefinitely. (iPhone skin - GelaSkins.com)
#6 KATE MOSS ROCKS HIGH WAISTED JEANS
Although this photo was actually taken toward the end of 2006, the full impact became clear in 2007. Snapped while everyone else was still snugly encased in their dark wash super-skinny jeans (a trend she also helped spark), the high-waisted, wide-legged pant proved the pant story of the year. (photo: Denimology)
#7 POIRET: KING OF FASHION RULES AT THE MET COSTUME INSTITUTE
Attended by almost every fashion world A-lister, this Balenciaga-sponsored look at the man known for the iconic silhouette who liberated the ladies from restrictive corsets, created scandalous pantaloons & reputedly threw some of the best parties ever - influenced the runways & fashion in general with lavish layers, controlled volume, and exotic touches like turbans and elaborate jewelry.
#8 ZAC POSEN TOTES FOR TEACHERS
For every one of these totes sold, DHL will donate 100% of the proceeds to Teachers Count, an organization dedicated to creating a permanent culture of teacher appreciation. Like Lancome's limited edition Rag & Bone tees to benefit Carbonfund, Thakoon, Peter Som & Jovovich-Hawk partnering with Glamour to fight malaria, and H&M announcing it will be teaming up with stars like Ziggy Marley & Rihanna to fight AIDS in 2008, this was a year when more big companies & brands (other than just Bono) used their reach & resources to put fashion to work for the greater good. May this trend never end.
#9 SIENNA MILLER CLUBS SANDWICHES NOT SEALS
Instead of clubbing us over the head with her views (hello Pam Anderson), Miller makes it chic to care (and wear message hoodies)...because every Club Sandwiches Not Seals hoodie sold benefits the Humane Society and their efforts to end the seal hunt.
#10 CHRISTIAN DIOR SPRING 2007 COUTURE SHOW DAZZLES
One of the great joys on the fashion calender is John Galliano's theatrical extravaganza for Christian Dior Couture. Although his collections have enjoyed an uneven reception over the years by critics and the fashion press, like the actual shows, they are extravagant, fabulously entertaining...and never boring. However this stunning collection of Madame Butterfly-influenced prints, layers, colors, silhouettes and kimono/obi/geisha varations was Galliano at his flawless best...and what die-hard fashionistas live for.
...& a special mention: COCO ROCHA DANCING A HIGHLAND JIG ON THE JEAN PAUL GAULTIER FALL 2007 RUNWAY
Just the kind of fabulous frivolity that gets fashion tongues wagging.
And for comparison, be sure to check out My Fashion Life's list of Top 10 definining Fashion Moments for 2007.
- Lesley Scott
(runway images: style.com)
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