Best Style of 2009

Many have called the 00 decade the Noughties and we don't mind. Hopefully people in the future will take that to mean a period when fashion constraints were broken. The best style of 2009 is our roundup and celebration of the women and men, girls and boys who decided fashion can include powerful statements and elements of passion.

The ten years since we partied like it's 1999 have been dominated with people growing up in the public eye, few more than Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Miley Cyrus. During this time we have also seen the rise and fall of Sex and the City, not least in terms of fashion influence.

Style is now inclusive of Rihanna in stunning and elegant black leather, Miley Cyrus as a rock chick, and catwalk models in full goth outfits with attitude to suit. The pretty flower dresses and grey suits of Friends and Bridget Jones still have their place but we also welcome the stronger statements made by Beyonce or Leona Lewis.

For even more fun, Pink, Christina Aguilera and Lady GaGa have set new standards on stages and catwalks, plus joining Paris and Britney in marketing or even producing perfumes and other branded fashion accessories.

The Spice Girls encapsulated the changes which liberated teens and sub-teens, helping empower variation and self-choice for their generation. The Noughties saw those mid-teens to mid-20s test and develop their fashion sense, happy to embrace everything from from WAGs to Twilight.

Just as Fashion Weeks are now as likely in Moscow and Tokyo as Paris or New York, so the street style of Miami or Sydney can be seen by anyone in any country. All that's needed is a web connection and a little knowledge of where to look. Within a few weeks, even days, fashion-conscious teens and 20s the world over can adopt and adapt the style of their hero or icon.

So now the latest experiments of Madonna or David Beckham can be seen in Canada and South America, with international borders or even language no longer a problem. The Noughties is the first time in history that fsshion can be an instant, global delight that encourages flair and passion on every corner.