Every year has its share of significant style moments, when beauty and fashion become the news -- for better or worse.

This year was no exception.

Here are 10 of the most memorable fashion moments of 2007:

Influential people in the U.S. fashion industry finally began talking openly about the unicorn in the kitchen that everyone had been ignoring: sickly thin female models. Concern had become so great that pressure to explore the matter resulted in a public discussion in February during New York Fashion Week -- even if the industry chose to talk about raising awareness rather than taking concrete steps to address the problem. After the deaths of several emaciated models, organizers of fashion weeks in several countries adopted specific regulations to block work for too-skinny models. The issue continues to get attention with women's advocacy groups and TV show host Tyra Banks, keeping the discussion alive.

Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham had American fashionistas quivering in their stilettos the minute word got out that she and soccer-star hubby David would be moving to the United States from Spain. Always dressed to kill, the sexy 33-year-old mother of three instantly raised the bar on fabulous when the family arrived July 12 and moved into a $22 million mansion in Beverly Hills. Since then, Mrs. Beckham has launched a line of fashion eyewear and denim, made cameo appearances on hit TV shows such as "Ugly Betty" and sold thousands of paperback copies of her updated style tome, "That Extra Half an Inch: Hair, Heels and Everything in Between."

In May, Miss USA Rachel Smith slipped on stage and fell flat on her derriere during the finals of the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico. As millions worldwide viewed the telecast, she quickly regained her footing and was the picture of poise during the remainder of the competition. Three months later came one of the ditsiest moments in the history of televised beauty contests when Lauren Upton, Miss South Carolina Teen USA, gave a rambling, incoherent answer to a simple question in the final round. Then, in November, newly crowned Miss Puerto Rico Universe Ingrid Marie Rivera became embroiled in controversy when it was reported that she was sabotaged with pepper spray during the competition. The incidents didn't do much for the reputation of beauty pageants, but they could improve sagging ratings. It's probably just a coincidence that all three pageants are owned by master of self-promotion Donald Trump.

Top designers made high-fashion and top-shelf labels more accessible to the masses via lower-priced lines. Isaac Mizrahi is the most visible example through his collections designed for Target stores. Vera Wang introduced a line for Kohl's, Roberto Cavalli delivered a line to H&M, and actress Sarah Jessica Parker debuted her "Bitten" brand at Steve & Barry stores, with each piece priced less than $40. The implications for traditional department stores could be troubling.

After 23 days in a California lockup for a probation violation, Ms. Hilton emerged June 26 looking like a Teen Vogue cover girl. More than ready for her close-ups with waiting paparazzi, she sported skinny jeans from her soon-to-debut line, a cropped jacket over a simple white tee and white pumps. With minimal makeup and a single braid draped casually over one shoulder, the heiress looked like a modern Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. Her triumphant saunter turned the sidewalk into a runway, in the process setting a new standard for celebrity jail releases.

Yes, summer was stylistically significant. Haute hijinks in politics continued July 28 when the unexpected again occurred: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the leading Democratic presidential candidate at the time, wore a cleavage-revealing top as she spoke on the Senate floor. It wasn't necessarily an issue of poor taste. The black top, worn under a pink blazer, showed only modest cleavage. It's just that Mrs. Clinton is one of the last women one would expect to make such a dramatic declaration of fashion independence. She isn't known for sexy style statements, and the look defied the conservative fashion aesthetic of Capitol Hill -- a conservatism that as recently as the 1990s barred women from wearing pants in the Senate chamber, Washington Post fashion writer Robin Givhan reminded us.

This one is so big that it counts as two. In a year when hairstyles went super-retro and got a lot more interesting, the power of the coiffure was epitomized by a desperate pop princess, a teenage reality-show contestant and another Democratic senator running for president. Britney Spears' radical transformation from blond to bald for a hot minute in February before retreating to a series of dime-store wigs was a long shrill whistle on the even longer train wreck that her life had become. If a woman's hair is her glory, then Ms. Spears' appearance suggested that she was in the depths of despair. On the other hand, "American Idol" contestant Sanjaya Malakar parlayed his silky raven locks into a seventh-place finish. Never mind that superior singers fell by the wayside as he survived round after round. From slicked back and tousled to wavy and mohawked, his hairstyles in March and April created such a buzz that hairstylist Dean Banowetz posted how-tos on the show's Web site. Meanwhile, the campaign committee of presidential hopeful John Edwards reported in April that it had paid $400 apiece for two haircuts in January and February for the former North Carolina senator. The required public disclosure quickly became a political hot potato, and Mr. Edwards reimbursed his campaign, saying a mistake had been made. Mr. Edwards' camp explained that Joseph Torrenueva had to leave his Beverly Hills salon on those occasions to hook up with the candidate-client on the campaign trail. With travel time and expense, the stylist had little choice but to up the normal fee of $175.

It was impossible not to notice the former first lady at the July 14 funeral of another former first lady, Lady Bird Johnson. Nancy Reagan wore white. That's a breach of etiquette, with black and dark clothes more symbolic of respectful mourning. Mrs. Reagan's attire, a sharp contrast to other attendees, was no doubt a topic of society gossip. It brought to mind the flak the New York native took for keeping expensive designer clothes during husband Ronald Reagan's two terms in the White House. Noticeably frail at the age of 86, Mrs. Reagan gets a pass for the faux pas. Perhaps white was more comfortable in the Texas summer heat.

Clothing and other items derived from organic, sustainable and naturally cultivated materials are finding their way into fashion and beauty as concerns about global warming and the environment continue to mount. Specialty brands have been at the forefront, but a number of major retailers and mass-retail brands began offering clothes made from natural, chemical-free and recycled materials. The beauty industry also climbed on board, with such certified-organic skin-maintenance lines as Care by fashion designer Stella McCartney and Origins Organics. Whether the movement is just another fad remains to be seen.