InStyle's 2015 Style 100: The Year in Fashion Hits, Misses, and Hashtags
Over the past 12 months the headline-making fashion news has been coming nonstop: an Oscars-gown heist, a parade of celebrity burlesque, and all those extraordinary red-carpet creations. That's why we're dubbing this the Year of the Dress.
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Sunshine State
Everything's coming up daffodils...and marigolds and buttercups. Shades of yellow—like those seen on Jennifer Hudson in Romona, Léa Seydoux in Prada, and Charlize Theron in Dior Haute Couture—made on irresistible bouquet of brights.
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Peek-a-boo Dresses
The friendly competition to create the most naked red-carpet spectacle reached new highs (or lows?) at the Met Ball, where even Lady Godiva would have blushed. Beyoncé, in Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci, took it by a bugle bead, followed by Jennifer Lopez in Atelier Versace and Kim Kardashian in Roberto Cavalli by Peter Dundas.
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High-Style Rollers
Imagine the stakes when Kristen Stewart and Julianne Moore were among the guest stars hitting the craps table at the Chanel Haute Couture show in Paris in July. I'll see your Twilight and raise you a Hunger Games.
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A Fashion Festival at the Movies
Between two YSL biopics and docs about designers (Dior and I is a must), there were enough stylish films to fill a multiplex. Clockwise, from left: Iris, about 94-year-old fashion icon Iris Apfel; The Artist Is Absent, about Martin Margiela; Jeremy Scott: The People's Designer; Saint Laurent; Dior and I; and Yves Saint Laurent.
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Double Take
Watch your back, Tom Ford. Rodarte sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy are directing their first feature, Woodshock, starring Kirsten Dunst.
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Altuzarra's Sultry Lace
Rising star Joseph Altuzarra had a breakthrough moment with his prim and perverse fall collection.
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Caitlyn's Fresh Look
For her first major appearance, at the ESPY Awards, Caitlyn Jenner donned custom Atelier Versace. "It was like every fantasy of my life come true," she said.
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Amy Schumer on the Red Carpet
An intentional face-plant was one way to draw attention in a roomful of famous folks, even when they didn't get the joke.
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Blondes Do It Better...
A sign of the times? Kim Kardashian and Jared Leto went platinum on the same day.
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...Or Do Brondes?
Has a better ring to it than babylights, right? Olivia Wilde wears this year's fave shade. Is it right for you?
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All the Buzz
Newly shorn model Ruth Bell rocked the runways with military precision.
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Bag Envy
The slimmest and subtlest It bag we've seen in years, Chloé's Drew owes its success to its versatility, its '70s flair, and its appeal to street-style stars everywhere ($1,850; nordstrom.com)
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A Proper Send Off
When Alexander Wang bade farewell to Balenciaga after a three-year stint as creative director, his famous friends came along for one last ride in his all-white-and-ivory collection. From left: Suki Waterhouse, Zoë Kravitz, and Nicola Peltz.
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Prada's Sweets
Miuccia Prada's freighted foray into polite macaron pastels proved to be one of the most powerful runway statements of the year.
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Mad Men Comes to an End
The pressure is off. Navigating the advertising scene of the '60s for seven seasons was enough to send Don Draper to a hilltop meditation retreat. Or was it?
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FAUX HOLIDAYS BECAME A THING
Bikini Day... Argyle Day... Floppy Hat Day... where does it end?
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Lupita Nyong'o in Calvin Klein Collection
Her Oscars dress was made of 6,000 pearls (faux, as thieves would discover...)
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Julianne Moore in Chanel Haute Couture
This gown required 27 workers, 987 hours, and 80,000 sequins to make.
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WHY, YOU DON'T LOOK A DAY OVER...
Fashion anniversaries are like birthdays: a cause for celebration. Designers marked milestones by collaborating with friends and reissuing classics. Among them (from left): Betsey Johnson’s golden jubilee of 50 years running was a runway tribute to Blondie, Nicki Minaj, Edie Sedgwick, and her own dance teacher. The best gift Giorgio Armani could give fans for the last 40 years was an update on his styles called the New Normal, and Brazilian jeweler H. Stern introduced galactic designs for its 70th anniversary, playing off the translation of its name ("star" in German).
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Fuzzy Wuzzy Was a Shoe
The surprise hit of the Gucci reboot was a horse-bit slipper lined with kangaroo fur. Sales are hopping ($995; gucci.com).
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The Arrival of Alessandor Michele at Gucci
The once-hidden talent chose quirky elegance over flash.
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Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski's Designs for Hermés
She brought knowing touches to the ultimate luxury label.
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Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant Short Start at Courréges
Their simple approach, with just 15 styles, was a crisp start.
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Guillaume Henry Takes on Nina Ricci
His femme-noir take on lightness added a winning twist.
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Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne Take DKNY
Pinstripes defined their spin on an N.Y.C. landmark.
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Reese Witherspoon in Tom Ford
At the Oscars, Ford picked up on Witherspoon's signature style for sleek and clean gowns with this icy blue dress, to which he added broad bands of black. It was just a little bit unexpected, and a perfect frame for her natural beauty look for the night.
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Cara as Actress
Her well-received role in Paper Towns, opposite Nat Wolff, was enough to show where Delevingne's heart really lies.
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Antonio Banderas Enrolls
Studing at a London design school, the Zorro star half-teased he wants to make capes.
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Match Made in Heaven: Empire + Saks Fifth Avenue
The Lyon-approved collection of designs inspired by the show included gems from Alexis Bittar. Where else would Cookie shop?
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Match Made in Heaven: Target + Lilly Pulitzer
Palm Beach color combos aren't just for preppies anymore. The designs were so popular, they promptly sold out.
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Match Made in Heaven: H&M + Balmain
Olivier Rousteing's admirable embrace of diversity in his model castings finally applied to prices as well. Now we can all dress like the Jenners.
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Match Made in Heaven: Giambattista Valli + MAC
Was there ever a designer better suited to pick the perfect shade of pink? Valli often jokes his second career would be as a florist.
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Match Made in Heaven: Uniqlo + Lemaire
As spare and sophisticated as Christophe Lemaire's previous work for Hermès, this pairing proved that quiet design also has mainstream appeal.
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Royal Baby No. 2
Born on May 2, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana has been described by her father as "a little joy of heaven." She seems unreasonable only in the degree of her adorableness.
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Gaga, Is That You?
Every little monster secretly has the heart of an angel. Lady Gaga's newfound classicism owes to the direction of stylist Brandon Maxwell, but, of course, she couldn't resist the lobster-catching gloves.
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Miss Jackson Is as Strong as Ever
Janet Jackson's Unbreakable reminded 21st-century pop stars who's really in control.
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The Biebs Is Full of Surprises
The answer to the question "Where Are Ü Now" is, ahem, online looking at pictures of Justin Bieber naked.
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The Weeknd at Fashion Week
Abel Tesfaye went from underground darling to front-row fixture.
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Marni's Geometry
Consuelo Castiglioni's circle play gave us reason to actually look forward to thinking about primaries next spring.
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Vuitton's Arctic Chill
The brushed sheepskin coats that opened Nicolas Ghesquière’s fall collection for Louis Vuitton would make a polar bear jealous.
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Paint It Red with Louboutinize
Christian Loubouin's Louboutinize photo-filter app put rose-colored glasses on any picture taken with an iPhone.
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Dior Funny Pages
Telling the story of Christian Dior in comic-book format was delightful—until he died. The end.
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Blow-outs for the Face
A New York makeup salon from the artists of MAC? Why didn't we think of that?
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News in Brief
Celebrity six-packs never get old, especially those in the category of Who Knew? Thanks are in order to Emporio Armani for uncovering the secret talents of Calvin Harris, and to Tommy Hilfiger for introducing Rafael Nadal to the sport of strip tennis.
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Spin Art
Putting a new twist on paparazzi posing, stars introduced twirling to their red-carpet repertoire. Chiffon never had it so good.
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Depp Did Dior
In a new commercial for Sauvage Johnny Depp played guitar, took a road trip, encountered a buffalo, buried some jewelry, wore eyeliner, and generally behaved like Johnny Depp.
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DINERS CLUB ACCEPTED
Art was in the details in the world of Karl Lagerfeld, whose extravagant brasserie set for his fall Chanel collection stayed on point even in a clutch shaped like dinner plates.
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JUDY BLUME
Beloved by adolescents, the author penned a novel focused on events from her own childhood.
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HARPER LEE
Atticus, what happened to you? At least you didn’t disillusion us about your power to sell books.
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DONNA KARAN
The designer came to terms with her success, beginning to end.
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Women Who Should Be on the $10 Bill: Emily Blunt
When the Cannes Film Festival reportedly enforced a high-heels-only standard, she said, “Everyone should wear flats.” But she lost points after the Republican debate for joking that her U.S. citizenship was a mistake.
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Women Who Should Be on the $10 Bill: Patricia Arquette
“Wage equality once and for all,” said the best actress Oscar winner.
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Women Who Should Be on the $10 Bill: Barbie
A redesign with articulated ankles meant that, after 56 years, she could finally walk in sneakers.
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Women Who Should Be on the $10 Bill: Army Rangers
“We can handle things physically and mentally on the same level as men,” said Capt. Kristen Griest.
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Women Who Should Be on the $10 Bill: Ronda Rousey
The mixed-martial-arts champ said, “If anyone calls me fat one more time in my life, I’m going to kill them.”
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Women Who Should Be on the $10 Bill: Megyn Kelly
She drew the wrath of Donald Trump by exposing the candidate’s Achilles heel: his own quotes.
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Women Who Should Be on the $10 Bill: Viola Davis
“The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity,” said the first African-American to win an Emmy for best actress in a drama.
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Women Who Should Be on the $10 Bill: Misty Copeland
She’s the first African-American female principal of the American Ballet Theatre.