Top Fashion Moments of 2012

It's been a hell of a year for fashion. Here are some of the highlights:

Diane Kruger: Queen of Cannes

Diane Kruger in Vivienne Westwood at Cannes

I've always been a devoted fan of Diane Kruger, but since she took the world by storm at this year's Cannes Film Festival, everyone seems to be a Kruger fan. Most starlets have as many hits as they do misses when it comes to fashion decisions, but Kruger has proved herself to be one of the most consistently-stylish women around. No wonder Karl Lagerfeld can't get enough of her!

Raf Simons Takes the Reigns at Christian Dior

After over a year of scandal and rumor regarding the departure of longtime Dior designer John Galliano and his replacement, fans of the French couturier can rest peacefully knowing that Raf Simons has taken over. His stunning Fall 2012 couture show, with its floral wall runway and "New Look" silhouettes harkening back to the style that made the label famous, has done much to reassure worried fashion followers that Christian Dior is in good hands.

Blake Lively Becomes the New Bombshell

Blake Lively in Zuhair Murad Couture at the Savages LA Premiere

Another personal style icon of mine, Blake Lively, turned heads everywhere at the Los Angeles premier of Savages this summer. The hair, the makeup, and damn that dress!- everything is just flawless. Gossip Girl may be over, but I know this girl's got a bright future ahead of her, and certainly more stunning red carpet moments.

The 'It' Sweater of the Year

image from Upper Attitude

Each season there seems to be one "It" item that every off-duty model and fashion editor seems to fawn over. This year it was the Kenzo Tiger sweater. It's just loud enough to make any outfit stand out, and it's comfy enough (it is a sweatshirt, after all) to actually be a practical statement piece. Some may be sick of the sweater by now, but I still dream of wearing a tiger of my own.

London Takes the Gold

2012 was a heck of a year for London. A new future queen, a Diamond Jubilee for the current queen, and, oh yeah, the 2012 London Olympic Games. The city pulled out all the stops for the opening and closing ceremonies and made sure to include British achievements in all areas, including fashion. One of my favorite parts of the closing ceremony was watching the top British supermodels -Kate Moss, Stella Tennant, Naomi Campbell, and Lily Cole, to name a few- strut out in designs by Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, Christopher Kane, and more (all in gold, of course) to David Bowie's "Fashion". It was an iconic moment that I will never forget.

Carrie Who?

the cast of Girls for Glamour magazine

It took me time to warm up to HBO's new series Girls, heralded as the "Sex and the City for the new, younger generation, but I finally have found a place in my heart for these four strange, misguided, and hopelessly beautiful women living in New York City and trying to find their way in the world. Each girl is an individual and each one has her own distinct style, but don't try to fit them to a Sex and the City character: these four girls are all there own.

The New 'It-Girl' Bag

Lana del Rey is the new songstress and muse. She's sung for Chanel shows and done a collaboration with H&M, and now she has her own 'del Rey' bag designed by Mulberry. Perhaps it will be the new Kelly or Birkin? Either way, you know you've made it as an icon when you get a bag named after you.

What were your favorite moments of 2012, fashion-wise?