Here I usually post about the styles & trends that I see during my occasional weekend trips into New York City, but since the city was all abuzz over fashion, I decided to place this blog under this category b/c the streets will never be the same again…

Late designer, Alexander McQueen was honored this summer with a very special exhibit at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Featuring his unique vision with looks from the last decade or so, it was called Savage Beauty. The opening kicked off the Costume Institute Gala back in May (see Red Carpet Review & Gala pics here), where stars like Sarah Jessica Parker, Salma Hayek, Gisele Bundchen, Christina Hendricks, & Naomi Campbell shared their love of the designer by wearing his gowns.

Upon the closing of the fashion event, crowds & crowds of fashionistas & art lovers drew into the thousands, wrapping lines from 82nd Street, all the way down to 78th on its final day. This was very notably comparable to when DaVinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’ was temporarily housed at the Met in 1963 & everyone flocked to see the once in a lifetime exhibit in New York.

Lucky I was an early riser with the companionship of my stylish gal pal Stacey, to wait in line in the rain, preparing to be awed. Although no photographs were allowed once inside the exhibit (& btw: make friends on lines for places you really wanna get into b/c you never know if they can help get you in sooner.  Case in point: Stacey & Me!), I warmed up my ‘photo ninja’ skills & decided to share some of the greatest pieces of the exhibition with my Style Darlings.

Of course, I believe in the integrity of the exhibition, but how can you be there & not want to document everything? I turned off my flash & did manage to get some amazing shots in the darkly lit rooms of gowns, ensembles, head pieces, & jewelry, all of which I knew were especially blog-worthy. I’m simply doing my part so that everyone gets a chance to experience the wonder, darkness, & genius behind the lost, but not forgotten legend that is McQueen.

This tartan collection was especially amazing to see b/c McQueen was celebrating his Scottish heritage, trying to dispel any negative connotations about the culture. The last dress all the way in the back was the runway version which Sarah Jessica Parker wore while accompanying McQueen to the 2006 Costume Institute Gala, just a year before his death.

You think you’ve worn some crazy headbands?  Take a look at these!  In the wall display, there were pieces which recalled a very aggressive, but vixen nature, including a red lace mask like the one worn by Lady Gaga in 2009!

As soon as I saw this dress (sorry it’s blurry), I had to do some serious style thinking & eventually remembered that Debra Messing wore it to the 2002 VH1 Vogue Fashion Awards.  She caused quite a stir, but helped make the fashion world see that McQueen’s designs were daring works of art.

These were two of my favorite dresses, so very visually interesting.  The one on the left is made from neck to floor from pheasant feathers. The leather bustier dress to the right had some much detail in the skirt, you get lost in it!

The first dress below to the left was part of McQueen’s final collection last spring.  The pattern may look familiar to those who saw Salma Hayek wear a mini on the cover of In Style, as well as at Vanity Fair’s Oscar party last March.  Also, Demi Moore wore his dress & shoes on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar last year.

For more on the history of McQueen on the red carpet & in fashion, check out In Style. Also, check out the official website to see where the future of the fashion house is headed, now under the direction of Sarah Burton (designer of Kate Middleton’s wedding gown)!   Happy Styling!