Greatest Hits

You could say that fashion trends serve as a kind of time capsule: a point of reference irrevocably linked to the bigger global zeitgeist. Every decade has its high (and low) points, and, so far, recent years have hardly disappointed. Here are some of the best reasons to remember 2007—on and off the runway.

Through clever permutations, what began as little more than a nod to a menswear extra has turned into a full-fledged wardrobe staple. Alexandre Herchcovitch turned his vest into a sharp double-breasted dress and Erdem paired a diaphanous gown with white cropped one—a look that's far more Chrissie Hynde than Annie Hall.

This year marked an about-turn for eco-awareness, so it makes sense that designers are taking cues from America's original keepers of the land and integrating Native American motifs into their collections. From Balenciaga's color-block Meso-American prints to Rogues Gallery's simple feather silk-screened shirt, designers are evoking their inner shaman. Jewelry designers Lisa Levine and Elizabeth Yarborough included similar iconography like graphic beadwork, sun-catchers, and feathers, too.

Top coats coordinate with the fashions of the times, and as silhouettes get looser and more dramatic, coats are closely following suit. With increasingly uncertain winter forecasts, coats must communicate a personal sense of style in a single sweep. From unstructured blazers to Preen's crisp white toppers to Luella Bartley's double-breasted trench, designers are making the coat a statement piece once again.

The influx of luxurious sportswear options are enough to regret years of frumpy gym clothes. From Dries Van Noten's tangerine track pants to 6267's tailored track jackets with careful piping, designers are swapping out rayon and polyester for silk and chiffon. When you kid the gym after New Years, why not wear outfits that transform the treadmill?

From left: Dries van Noten spring/summer 2008, 6267 spring/summer 2008, via style.com

Womenswear is now getting the tailor's treatment with a return of impeccable suiting. The men's suit originated from a utilitarian purpose—the white collar uniform—but the once monolithic aesthetic has been revamped and rethought in a range of moods, from Bruce's loungey fits and Alexander Wang's 2-piece Kate Hepburn-inspired separates to Marc Jacobs' various odes to the '70s.

Like all worthwhile trends, this year's penchant for cropped, super-sized trousers challenged the skinny jeans epidemic of seasons past. Going a few steps beyond man-tailored or palazzo, these full-cut bottoms stand out as a curious cross between Oliver Twist and '80s working girl. And with labels like Chloé, Marc by Marc Jacobs, and 3.1 Phillip Lim on board, the popularity of this brazen silhouette is sure to carry through winter and into spring.

The current of artistic influence coursed through collections from designers like Marni to Vena Cava this year. Provocative painterly and architectural themes ran the gamut from pop-laced geometrics to Bauhaus and the Bloomsbury group: layered in high-octane hues and free-form strokes and sketches, runways came alive with color, fantastical shapes, and patterns galore.

What was only a subtle rumbling on the runway in 2006 became a full-fledged roar in 2007, when indie designers like Camilla Staerk, Erin Fetherston, and Grant Krejecki of Grey Ant ushered high-waisted garments back into the fashion vernacular. Literally cropping up in everything from short shorts and wide-legged trousers to pencil skirts and pedal pushers, this year's throwback to the natural waist is part of a larger trend toward sleeker, more elegant silhouettes.

An obvious nod to all things mod, and one of the year's most pervasive trends, color blocks popped up on everything from shoes and accessories to eveningwear, getting bolder with each passing season. Both Chloé and Miu Miu previewed streamlined shifts in jewel-toned hues for spring '07; for 2008, Marc Jacobs took the trend more literally with his collection of Lego-inspired accessories.

Tailored waistcoats, dressage boots, and gleaming, buckled hardware crossed over from the stables to the streets, and along with them brought a fetish for trim-and-dandy elegance that characterized the year's aesthetic vibe. Replacing the flashy, bohemian-styled excess of bygone days, 2007's tendency toward restrained, grown-up glamour and luxe materials perfectly embodied in the obsession with all things equestrian.

Our favorite looks and trends of 2007.