Style hits & misses of 2007

(Michael Gottschalk/ AFP/ Getty Images)

When fashion scholars look back on 2007, it seems inevitable that the year won't be remembered for John Galliano's wonderfully flowery, romantic spring collection for Christian Dior, the return of Boston Fashion Week, or for Rodolphe Marconi's incredible and unprecedented documentary on Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld (yes, the white ponytail is real). Instead, sociologists will look back and scratch their heads, wondering why there appeared to be an undergarment shortage among young female celebrities in Los Angeles, or why the diminutive Olsen twins were dressed to engage in gladiatorial battle this summer in their ridiculous knee-high sandals. It wasn't all bad - just mostly bad. Here's our highly subjective list of the style hits and misses of 2007.

Could Scientology dictate unusual hair styles for men? While John Travolta experimented with dangly hair pieces, Tom Cruise grew out his bangs like a 6-year-old who refuses to get a hair cut. As Tom overdid it with conditioner, his wife finally crawled out of Dawson's Creek and made herself over in the image of her new idol - Victoria Beckham.

It's taken a while - OK, too long - but the luxury health club phenomenon is creeping further into Boston with the arrival of this chain of fitness clubs that look more like boutique hotels than the poorly lit interiors of the Gold's Gyms we’ve been enduring for years. It smells better than Gold’s, too. The juice bar, the spa, and the power yoga make this our favorite new spot to work out, and, yes, lollygag.

A pairing as unlikely as the short-lived Ashley Olsen-Lance Armstrong romance, the collaboration between Thom Browne and navy-blazer supplier Brooks Brothers had the potential to be as appealing as a double feature of "License to Wed" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks." Instead, Browne turned out a collection of classic suits and dresses that appealed to Brooks Brothers' buttoned-down patrons, and attracted more stylish shoppers to the store.

Interior designers had a field day (pun intended) adapting natural elements to the great indoors, beginning with faux bois, then moving on to squirrels, insects, owls, deer, and finally diving into the undersea world. The impetus sprang from an appreciation of fleeting nature, but the hippie-dippy sentiment was kept in check with design smarts from Loyal Loot and Eleanor Grosch.

Every time Sharon Stone was photographed on the red carpet, she was toting the pelt of some poor deceased animal on her back. It's one thing to accent evening wear with an occasional vintage fur, but Stone must have been dating a Canadian furrier this year given all the mink, chinchilla, rabbit, and lord-knows-what else she was wrapping around her shoulders. C'mon Sharon, only Eskimos and woodland creatures should be wearing fur coats that often.

Sure the Pats QB looks great in the ad, but hold up, partner. This is New England. We don't wear cowboy hats in these parts. Come to think of it, we also don't wear stinky cologne. Star football players who earn millions may use Stetson to freshen their cat's litter box, but definitely not as cologne. While we're on the subject of Brady, what's happening with his hair? Is he planning to transfer to the Bruins? Mullets belong on the ice, not on turf.

After a couple of seasons of orange on everything from rugs to throw pillows, another color made a comeback this year: red. The rosy hue showed up on high-end furnishings as well as the more affordable stuff. Fashionistas got caught in the crimson tide, too. Looking for a hot handbag? Nothing’s hotter than red.

New retail arrivals are attempting to become more than stores, they want customers to stick around and socialize. The most successful example of this hybrid is L.A.B. in Allston. By day, the store sells limited edition T's, hoodies, artist-designed toys, and vinyl. At night, tables and racks are rolled out of the way, and the space becomes a gallery, or club, or whatever owners like it to be.

It should have been a dream date. Vogue editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley hand-picked a dress for Oscar contender Hudson. Instead, the dream girl looked like a fourth member of LaBelle circa 1975 in a crazy space-age bolero jacket.

Gwen Stefani's LAMB runway show
Fashion week can be a nightmare of pretentious concepts and over-the-top displays of self-importance. But singer Stefani effectively knocked the stuffing out more established designers with a show that was as fun as the clothes she sent down the runway. It wasn't cutting edge or breaking new ground, but her soundtrack of swinging 1960s mod music and the dazzling black-and-white video display was tastier than cotton candy.

Green as a marketing tool
It's lovely that the nation is finally recognizing the fact that polar bears are losing their icy home, but it's not so lovely that corporations are jumping on the bandwagon by touting items with minimal amounts of recycled material as environmentally friendly. Instead of spending the money marketing their home products and fashion as green, these folks should be spending their cash on reducing waste in packaging, or investing in new, energy-saving technology.

The high-waisted jean
Assisted living facility fashion finds its way to the young ladies of major metropolitan areas, and the results are pure disaster. Did the AARP pay Jessica Simpson and Mischa Barton to bring granny chic to the masses? It seems like the only logical explanation for these hideous trousers. Here's hoping that the fragrance industry doesn't follow suit by bottling Eau de Icy Hot.

Deval Patrick's inauguration party
Kudos to the new governor for opening up his inaugural ball to the masses. But shame on the people of Massachusetts for having no clue how to dress. Jeans, kilts, and stiff taffeta bridesmaids dresses were as plentiful as passed hors d'oeuvres. For the record, "creative black tie" does not mean wearing a business suit with a Ziggy tie.

Marc Jacobs keeps them waiting
The designer's spring 2008 line wasn't polarizing because of the clothes - the black bugle-bead evening dresses and trompe l'oeil underwear were conceptually enthralling. But fashion writers, editors, and Fashion Week organizers were livid at Jacobs' two-hour delay in starting the show. Given that the rest of Fashion Week featured staid spring fashions displayed against stark white runways, it was worth the delay to see Jacobs stage his backward spectacle.

Catherine Deneuve's ads for Louis Vuitton
The 64-year-old actress is resplendent in adverts for the Vuitton bags. Unlike, say, Tom Brady and Stetson cologne, it's entirely believable that Deneuve would be traveling through Paris with armloads of luxury suitcases.

Heidi Klum's derriere cleavage
About as sexy as a rat in a bikini, Klum decided to show a little bit of backside at the afterparty for this year's Victoria's Secret fashion show. The dress looked like it was cast out by Carol Channing after she backed into a paper shredder. Pardon the pun, but it's time that someone told Heidi that crack is indeed whack.

Britney Spears's disregard of undergarments, Britney's baldness, Britney's hats, Britney's hair weaves, Britney's MTV Video Music Awards outfit
Enough said.

Sam Mendoza's JeTom clothing line
The Boston University senior combines his sardonic sense of humor with his love of couture on fashions that are crafted from curtain fabric found in the trunk of his grandmother's car, and upholstery fabric discovered at a clearance sale near his Houston home. The silhouettes are striking, and the self-taught designer turns his limited sewing abilities to his advantage by leaving zippers and hems as visible parts of his designs.