The year of dressing dangerously; From quirky mavericks to elegant swans-from the chapel aisle to the red carpet-Vogue's best of 2005 brought fashion to life with eclectic choices and personal dynamism.

Byline: Hamish Bowles

What a glorious year for fashion chameleons!

Think of Sienna Miller, barefoot en route to her As You Like It matinee, with a skirt belted Empire-high and worn as a minidress; then picture her stepping from a Venetian gondola in the shapely Roland Mouret "Galaxy" dress, and you have a sense of the vast sweep of fashion options out there in 2005-and of how Vogue's galaxy of style mavens have made each look their own.

From the prettily blooming, jeune fille tulip skirts of spring through the sweeping boho Gypsy skirts of summer to the svelte, mid-century pencil skirts of fall, fashion in 2005 exemplified choice, a new focus on proportion, and a delight in dress-up role play. "I am not holding a mirror to the world," Marc Jacobs declared. "Fashion is about fantasy." Looks for all, then-and our favorite die-hard fashionistas (calling Lisa Airan) have worked every one. As Miuccia Prada told us, "Clothes should always represent your vision of yourself . . . even if it's only for one night."

Vogue celebrated the designers behind the trends, saluting Alber Elbaz's "ineffably wearable" clothes for Lanvin, which "forced stars to actually shop." We applauded individualists like Nicolas Ghesquiere, Marc Jacobs, and Narciso Rodriguez. We cheered Stefano Pilati's debut at YSL and his declaration that "this is the moment for a woman to show her legs again." Meanwhile, Olivier Theyskens's ethereal vision at Rochas heralded the return of Art Nouveau trains and Victorian crinolines and, improbably, made

Scarlett O'Hara a credible fashion icon for ultramodern twenty-first-century girls. The lithe, toothsome beauty Lauren Davis worked his Second Empire bell skirts, and Miranda Brooks trailed his beetle-wing ruffles at the Met's Costume Institute ball. This was surely the Party of the Year for fashion watchers. In celebration of the institute's Chanel homage, stylemakers and -shapers exemplified the glorious panoply of fashion choices, from Miuccia Prada's eccentric vintage rummage to Cecilia Dean's foaming Chanel couture camellias. There were surprise turns, too; Anne Bass turned Bohemian in Lacroix couture, while Daphne Guinness made Chanel's belle epoque couture all her own with a panache of feathers in her hair and Amanda Brooks wore fresh gardenias in hers-and added a prom-favor bracelet to match. (Talking of accessories, it was also the year of the unexpected shoe; witness Sally ...