Kate the GreatYES, Kate Moss has been on every list at least a thousand times. I know. But let's review. In 2007, she launched a show-stopping collection for Topshop and went on create "The Big Bang" of 2007 when at least 50% of girls in the Western world took a tearsheet of Kate's now-signature fringe to their local hairdresser. I say she's qualified.
The Other Kate
Once upon a time, Katie Holmes seemed like an ordinary Midwestern girl, who happened to be blessed with not-so-ordinary good looks and a hit TV show. And then came Hurricane Cruise. But forget Tom and the wildly vicious tabloid stories. 2007 was Kate's year. She chopped her hair, later adding bangs. Her makeup became more dramatic. Could that sophisticated, polished stunner really be the same girl who played sweet Joey on Dawson's Creek? That vixen! Somehow, I can't help thinking that her outsides match her insides. Her new look is uber-strong, almost like she's wearing armor, but it's also feminine. And this Kate's showing no signs of stopping in 2008. We say brava! March on.
The Other Olsen
2007 was the year Ashley Olsen stepped out of Mary Kate's long and looming fashion shadow, creating one lengthy shadow of her own. In the process, she ushered in the return of skin (just a slice, thank you) with a pair of modern-minimalist looks from Calvin Klein.
Hell On Heels (But We Like It)
Who knew frayed micro denim shorts could be so chic?
Erin Wasson apparently. In 2007, she paired a Kiki de Montparnasse button-down with the aforementioned shorts to a Cinema Society screening and caused a small fashion firestorm. She also collaborated with Alexander Wang for his Spring 08 collection - one of the most coveted of the season. And if Ashley Olsen hinted that skin is in, Erin Wasson screamed it when she donned an open vest with, yes, those shorts again. It was a look that should have read
trash, but there's only so much ladylike froth a girl can take season after season. I know what "it" is and Erin's it. Give this girl a cover, pronto!
The Mold-Breaker I love women who have an unabashed love for fashion. For
Daphne Guinness, getting dressed in the morning is clearly an art form, and the joy she derives from it is contagious.
The Adventurer
Occasionally, this red-hot interior designer makes a cringe-worthy fashion choice, but in our often overly-editted fashion world, I find Kelly Wearstler's entirely original, ever-evolving style to be unbelievably refreshing.
She's No Zoe-Bot
In Nicole Richie's fashion transformation from PH-Sidekick to Petite Minx, it was easy at first to give all credit to Rachel Zoe. And let's give credit where credit is due. Initially perhaps, Zoe deserved a lot. But with a few extra pounds on her tiny frame, a baby on board, and gobs of style, Nicole dominated 2007 in looks all her own.
The Actress-Muse
Most Hollywood actresses rely on stylists and designers to guide and inform their choices. Jennifer Connelly is not most actresses. She seems to be able to wear anything and make it entirely personal. Which, by the way, makes her perfect for the Balenciaga campaign. Excellent choice.
Pixie Perfect
The OC is over, and Rachel Bilson should be, too, in theory. But this pixie has staying power. Bilson is the antithesis of the vacuous young Hollywood bobblehead. And in case you missed it, she's a super-stylish fashion darling. She knows what works on her petite figure and looks casually perfect day in and day out. All reasons why we love her.
The I'm No Stepford Wife
Politics and fashion do not tend to go hand in hand. I think of dowdy taffeta skirt suits with bad rhinestone buttons. I think of unfortunate pleated pants that make a Size 6 look like 16 and "practical" heels that miraculously transform women's calves into Sherman tanks. But Michelle Obama is reforming my ideas about "fashion" in Washington. Now, I'm sure she has help, but still... Let's calculate. The woman juggles two kids, a campaign and Barack and looks smashing at every single event on the campaign trail. Oh, and she's damn smart to boot.
The EditorsGo back with me for a moment. In Sex and the City, Big's wife Natasha was the cool, lithe beauty that epitomized new-modern New York sophistication. Today, in real life, that part would be played Vogue editor, Kathryn Neale Shaffer, minus the reel-life drams, of course.
My other favorite is fresh-faced Vogue editor,
Jane Herman. Vogue recently featured Jane and her holiday gift picks plucked from the best of her neighborhood Brooklyn boutiques.
La Rose
Marion Cotillard is not yet a household name Stateside, but this French actress is certainly an Oscar contender for her role as Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose. Whether she wins or not, expect her to kill it (quite possibly in Chanel) on the Oscar red carpet, assuming of course that there is an Oscars.
One Hot MamaI love the Richards sisters, but it's their mom, Patti Hanson, that blows me away. By my calculations, she's either 51 or 52, but looks like she's in her 30s. While many rock star wives manage to eventually look like the drag queen versions of their former selves, Patti Hanson just looks, well, hot. Not hot for a fifty year-old. Just plain hot. She has a flawless face, miles of legs and loads of rockstar style.
Top Mother Daughter Duo
Donna keeps getting better and better, and her body is ridiculous. How does she find time to design clothes, when surely she is spending every waking moment in the gym? Daughter Gabby Karan de Felice looks equally spectacular and exudes her own unique brand of style. Together, the Karans are an unstoppable force.
One You Might Not Know - Yet
I know very little about Keisha Whitaker besides the following: (a) she is married to Forrest Whitaker and (b) she looks insanely gorgeous in virtually every photograph I see of her (and not just on the red carpet). Her husband may be more famous, but this woman is a fashion star.
Model Models I almost left these two off of the list because they're fantastic year after year, which gets a bit redundant. But that didn't seem fair. Both
Natalia Vodianova and
Liya Kebede seem to look better every time they pop out yet
another child. And they're not just pretty faces;
both are admirably dedicated to their respective charities. Visit
nakedheart.org and
liyakebede.com to see what these model moms are doing. You're sure to be impressed.
Looks from Anne Valerie Hash
From Top To Bottom:
Banana Republic makes some of the best budget-friendly accessories. I love these wooden bangles for spring.
Kate the Great
The Other Kate 
The Other Olsen 
Hell On Heels (But We Like It) 
The Mold-Breaker 
The Adventurer 
She's No Zoe-Bot 
The Actress-Muse 
Pixie Perfect 
The I'm No Stepford Wife
The Editors
My other favorite is fresh-faced Vogue editor, Jane Herman. Vogue recently featured Jane and her holiday gift picks plucked from the best of her neighborhood Brooklyn boutiques. 
La Rose
One Hot Mama
Top Mother Daughter Duo
One You Might Not Know - Yet 
Model Models 
both are admirably dedicated to their respective charities. Visit nakedheart.org and liyakebede.com to see what these model moms are doing. You're sure to be impressed.
