The Style 100: See the Looks, Trends, and Pop Culture Moments that Defined 2014

The color story of the year? All of them, as a spectrum of shades helped brighten our mood.

At Moschino, Jeremy Scott spoofed McDonald’s uniforms.

Pop music met pop fashion during the Prismatic tour of Katy Perry, whose smash hit “Firework” lit up the stage in dramatic bursts on a Todd Thomas gown. And Jennifer Lopez danced (again) in a reimagined Versus Versace number featuring an oversize golden safety pin.

The Icon and the Iconoclasts project opened the Louis Vuitton logo to outside interpretation, like a shopping trolley by Christian Louboutin.

The Downton Abbey actress worked a show-stopping, embellished Oscar de la Renta gown at the 2014 Golden Globes.

Bold fashion came roaring back on red carpets, as exemplified by Allison Williams' Giambattista Valli Haute Couture gown.

Seen at the Spanish retreat this summer: Kate Moss, Riccardo Tisci, and (now, now, boys) Justin Bieber and Orlando Bloom.

A memoir–cum–advice manual from someone who endorses sharing your bed with a heating pad and an empty bag of pita chips (plus the love of your life). Lena Dunham is our kind of girl.

Emma Stone in Atelier Versace, a spirit-soaring vision of sunshine.

As the grande dame of Fashion Police, Rivers, who died Sept. 4 from complications during throat surgery, could shock or awe and cause offense or a guffaw, and no one was safe from her razor-sharp wit. Will the red carpet ever be the same? Oh, grow up!

That we’re so turned on by the fashion on a show ostensibly about what happens when clothes come off attests to costume designer Ane Crabtree’s eye for detail. As the series transitions from the ’50s to the ’60s, note how subtle changes apply to even the knickers.

Eye-catching graphics, dazzling color combinations, and Italian craftsmanship made break-through handbag designer Paula Cademartori a label to covet.

Coca-Cola reversed an 11-year sales downturn with bottles customized to feature popular names. Direct marketing: It still works like a charm.

“They’re the lowest they’ve ever been and the highest they’re ever going to be.” Uh, she was talking about her cleavage.

Hedi Slimane refreshed the super-slim, superchic evening suit at Saint Laurent, while Madonna credited her son David with selecting their matching Ralph Lauren Collection looks at the Grammys. No one came forward to claim credit for her gold grill.

Utilitarian and elegant, the sleek style introduced by Rachel Mansur and Floriana Gavriel last fall inspired more wait lists (and imitators) this year than you could fit into, well, a bucket.

Miuccia Prada’s spring collection would look just as amazing in a frame.

These famous daughters came into their own—as a moral exemplar (Cobain; top right), on the catwalks of Paris (Jagger; top left), on the big screen (Kravitz in Divergent; bottom right), or as an in-demand DJ (Richards; bottom left). Perhaps they should think about forming a band.

The twisted plot of Gillian Flynn’s revenge novel got a film rendition courtesy of David Fincher and Ben Affleck.

For him: Richard Linklater’s nostalgic coming-of-age story was filmed over 12 years, with actor Ellar Coltrane growing up before our very eyes.

The style became the surprise off-duty hit of the summer, as seen on modern cow-girls like Rita Ora, in Adam Selman, Blake Lively, in Rag & Bone, and Jessica Alba, in Current/Elliott.

The detail barged onto the runways, including some exotically plumed birds from Valentino’s fall collection (worn by Keira Knightley).

The publication by former city slickers now working in Hudson, N.Y., won a National Magazine Award in its first year in print.

Cyrus introduced her latest pet project on Instagram. Goes by the name of Bubba Sue.

Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, and Gisele Bundchen started raising poultry. “My husband is a very healthy and environmentally minded person, so we grow food at our house,” Roberts said in the September InStyle. “We raise chickens for eggs.”

Chicken Coops became hot real estate. Some birds demand the best brooders from the Williams-Sonoma Agrarian collection.

Once again, Celine’s Phoebe Philo set the tone in outerwear.

The breakout success of the Orange Is the New Black star served as major empowerment for the transgender community. It’s not just because she can rock a designer gown that she made the cover of Time.

There’s no reason to be jealous that Karl Lagerfeld’s cat, Choupette, has alreadyspurred lines of makeup and accessories. Unless, of course, you’re a dog person.

Her magnificent range on-screen was matched by the diversity of her unfailing fashion-gorgeous in Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci regalia, a Ralph Lauren Collection column, or Armani Privé lace.

Donna Tartt’s must-read novel was so vividly painted, it should appear in the next edition of Janson’s History of Art.

After a stellar run in London, the exhibition combining his fashion, music, and art is now wowing audiences at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.

Rita Ora in Lanvin, bringing luster and lust back to metallic shine.

A phenomenal woman as impactful in her life as she was in her poetry. “She celebrated black women’s beauty like no one had ever dared before,” said First Lady Michelle Obama.

For once at Paris Fashion Week, Kendall Jenner got all the attention in the family (unless her niece North West was sitting in the front row).

Move over, Katniss-Queen Elsa had the hairstyle that brings all the fun to the front. Of course, it’s hard to re-create those snowflake embellishments in real life, so glitter works swell if you’re trying this in fine weather.

Designer tomes offered some inspirational escape, from candid insight into Vivienne Westwood’s endlessly fascinating history to Tory Burch’s principles of color and even Valentino’s table settings.

In the film Hector and the Search for Happiness, Simon Pegg plays a psychiatrist who travels the world in pursuit of the meaning of life.

Whether you’re the glass-half-full or glass-half-empty type, you’ve likely been splashed by frigid water during an ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. At least Donatella Versace had the good sense to be doused by shirtless hunks.

Jeremy Scott reprised a Franco Moschino smiley print for his first men’s collection for the house, turning many frowns upside down.

Anya Hindmarch’s take on the optimism trend was a subtle, emoji-worthy perforation on a lightweight tote.

The feel-good Instagram trend of the year: stars without makeup. A natural glow always shines brightest, as demonstrated by Drew Barrymore, Beyoncé, Ciara, and Cameron Diaz.

The booty-is-beauty message of Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” was truly infectious, a musical call to arms against Photoshop.

Clap along if you can’t get “Happy” out of your head. No wonder nothing can bring Pharrell Williams down.

Rodarte’s Kate and Laura Mulleavy found inspiration in an unlikely muse: C-3PO.

Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, raided the royal vaults for a showstopping Cartier diamond necklace, on loan from Queen Elizabeth II. That’s a great grandmother-in-law.

Who needs BFFs when you have so many BFBFs (boldface best friends)? Taylor Swift, queen of selfie posing, left a trail of Instagram envy with her coterie of celebrity pals.

Her Atelier Versace gown featured oodles of doodles.

Rather than doing the same old runway routine, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim handed over their show to Jonah Hill and Spike Jonze for a one-act play that climaxed with a rendition of Drake’s “Hold On, We’re Going Home.” Bravo!

Your kids know all the words to the Oscar-winning song, yet John Travolta somehow introduced Idina Menzel as “Adela Dazeem.”

Nicolas Ghesquiere made a mighty return to fashion, taking the reins of Louis Vuitton with a debut collection that sparked a revival of ’60s minidresses.

Nicola Peltz in Balenciaga, the fresh new look by Alexander Wang.

Not that we needed proof that this actress epitomized a bygone era of glamour, but her death means that all 16 legends roll-called in Madonna’s “Vogue,” from 1990, have now left us.

Consider it a compliment when your dress kicks off a social media meme. Jennifer Lawrence’s Dior Haute Couture gown had fans like Bryanboy bundling up in bedsheets.

One at a time, please! From Emma Watson at the Valentino Haute Couture show to Taylor Swift on the cover of InStyle, stars decorated just one lobe as a way to turn heads.

Zac Efron and Justin Bieber found a new way to silence critics ... It’s hard to argue with abs.

Her “Fancy" duet with Charli XCX “won” song of the summer, partly by paying pitch-perfect homage to "Clueless" in the video.

Scott Studenberg and John Targon, of Baja East (right), whose luxurious cashmere sportswear has been flying off the shelves at Barneys. Brunello Cucinelli (left) came up with looks that were all about comfort, like sweatshirts so chic you would never dream of sweating in them.

The two gave new meaning to the term “color commentators” at the Sochi Olympics with a star-making turn rinkside—they practically edged Scott Hamilton right off the ice.

Couture sneakers embellished with crystals, beads, and laces made of lace. “You can be in fashion without being a victim,” said designer Karl Lagerfeld.

Federer débuted a tennis-appropriate version of the Air Jordan, tagged with his own RF logo, as Michael Jordan watched from the stands.

Treadmills became a running runway thanks to Net-a-Porter, which introduced a shopping portal for designer workout gear, fittingly called Net-a-Sporter.

Sandra Bullock in Alexander McQueen, draping done divinely.