New fashion magazine Twelv recreated Alexander McQueen’s infamous rainbow feather dress for their debut issue, but with 50,000 gummy bears! This dress is not only breathtaking, but also looks incredibly yummy!

Here’s the Alexander McQueen original:

The big winner at last night’s Academy Awards was The Artist, but our eyes were on the red carpet (and Angelina Jolie’s leg). Here’s our pick of top Oscar gowns:

Jessica Chastain. This bold black and gold strapless gown by Alexander McQueen was a perfect choice for her striking skin tone and red hair. Her castmate Octavia Spencer may have taken home the trophy, but Jessica took home best dressed.

Milla Jovovich. For her first ever Oscars appearance, the model-turned-actress was sleek and sexy in a white one shoulder look by Elie Saab. She was one of the first on the carpet and she set the bar high for a very fashionable evening.

Gwyneth Paltrow. Always the minimalist, we loved the clean white look she chose from Tom Ford, and the built in cape says “I’m here to have fun.” She was all business later, dropping the cape and baring her shoulders to present with Robert Downey Jr.

Along with ice-skating, extravagant window displays are part of the holiday tradition in New York City, with millions of tourists and locals passing by the big department stores every year (turns out out it might actually be worthwhile – a new study suggests that the best displays do in fact attract shoppers). If you’ll be in New York for the holidays, here’s our rundown of the top window displays:

Barney’s is betting big on its Gaga’s Workshop concept, with a fantasy Lady Gaga Boudoir, Gaga’s Cave of Crystals, and an entranceway that feels like you are walking into a deck of cards.

Macy’s Herald Square has dedicated their windows to the Make-A-Wish foundation, merging the fantastic with the futuristic in a white and navy blue series of windows. On-lookers can also design ther own holiday ornament and take it home on their mobile phone.

Saks is accompanying its windows with a holiday light show projection inspired by the book “Who Makes the Snow,” and will feature dresses by designers Stella McCartney, Marchesa and Alexander McQueen.

Bloomingdale’s is revisting its own holiday shopping bags from seasons past as inspiration for this year’s designs.

But perhaps our favorite is Bergdorf Goodman’s “Carnival of the Animals” theme. Windows include a brass metalwork menagerie, a sparkling undersea world of fish made with rhinestones and sequins, and a white upholstered Arctic scene called “Breaking the Ice”.

The Victorian period falls under Queen Victoria’s reign in England, from 1837 to 1901, when fashion was characterized by big bell-shaped sleeved dresses with lots of lace and detailing, corsets, large hats and bonnets, and the occasional parasol. Now obviously we can’t walk around nowadays with enormous dresses and feather hats, but that doesn’t mean we can’t reinterpret the fashion of the day. To get a Neo-Victorian look, start with a flare pant in a solid, neutral color. Here we have the HABITUAL Harlow Flare in Grey, and pair it with a draping blouse to evoke the movement and continuity of a dress. Add some English flair with an oxford high heel, and bring in Victorian era detailing and color with vintage jewelry or earrings. We caution against taking it any more literal than that, unless it’s Halloween, or you happen to be Lady Gaga.

Pants: HABITUAL Harlow Flare in Grey
Earrings: 1928  Red Cranberry Vintage Drop Earrings
Top: Alexander McQueen Silk Pussy-bow Blouse
Belt: Barney’s Co-op Tapered Equestrian Belt
Shoes:  Yves Saint Laurent Tribute Lace-up Bootie (left),  ALDO ‘Horvath’ Oxford Wedge

We can’t really call this one Required Reading, since there isn’t anything to read, but here’s a cute little coloring book by Carol Chu and Lulu Chang, featuring 50 different fashion designs and looks to color. Perfect to keep the kiddos occupied during holiday layovers or road trips. Who knows, you might discover you have a budding little fashion designer on your hands!

We finally made it to see the Costume Institute’s tribute to the late Alexander McQueen, the aptly named Savage Beauty, now on exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

If you have had any doubt as to McQueen’s influence on the creation of fashion, look no further than this exhibit. Appropriately stationed at the Met, Savage Beauty is more art than anything else – no need to work in fashion to appreciate the gravity of these works. Guests wind through room after room of McQueen’s designs, spanning a career from his first collection as a graduate student, through his time at Givenchy, up to his final couture collection under the McQueen label.

The signature motifs of his work are on full display: inspirations from the natural world, unconventional materials, altered silhouettes and shapes, and the shocking techniques he used to make people “fear the women he dressed”. Also evident is the enormous pressure he created for himself, each collection setting an expectation of shock, spectacle, and beauty that kept the fashion community constantly wanting.

The curator, Andrew Bolton, has arranged the exhibit in 6 distinct sections, each with it’s own thematic feel and sound derived from McQueen’s frequent inspirations, under the through-line of Romanticism. In Bolton’s own words, “McQueen doggedly promoted freedom of thought and expression and championed the authority of the imagination. In so doing, he was an exemplar of the Romantic individual”.

The Romantic Mind - The first section of the exhibit showcases the impeccable construction and craftmanship McQueen learned while working as a tailor on Saville Row. Highlight: The “bumster” pants and gowns, which were lowcut in the back to exhibit what he considered the most attractive part of a man or women, the bottom of the spine (and the accompanying cleavage of the rear end).

Romantic Gothic – Murky mirrors bring you inside an Edgar Allen Poe poem (McQueen referred to himself as the Poe of Fashion). Perhaps the darkest section of the exhibit contains his elaborate leatherwork inspired by bondage costume, and extensive use of bird feathers. Highlight: The centerpiece of the show is the Cabinet of Curiosities, a room containing some of the iconic pieces of several collections, the most elaborate accessories, and filmed segments of his most famous runway moments.

Romantic Nationalism – Drawing on his Scottish heritage and British identity, his exploration of tartan is on one side and regal attire on the other.

Romantic Exoticism – It’s a walk into a life-sized music box to view the fine detailing of his embroidery, which stemmed from his exploration of Japanese, Chinese and Indian culture. Highlight: A Japanese inspired straight-jacket robe with a giant windowbox hat.

Romantic Primitivism – Largely containing work from the collection Irere, which told the story of a shipwreck and consequent landing in the Amazon jungle. Highlight: The film by John Maybury shown on a screen on the ceiling depicts a model swimming in silk and water, and originally played as the backdrop of this runway show.

Romantic Naturalism – Inspired by nature, a constant throughout his work, these pieces utilize everything from feathers to flowers. Highlight: Take special note of the iconic armadillo boots, made famous by Lady Gaga.

The Exhibit has been immensely popular, so consider going at an off time, in the morning or during a weekday. The museum cattles people through the exhibit during rush times, and you will not be able to take in the whole exhibit or see the pieces up close. Savage Beauty closes on August 7th. See more of the exhibit on the Met’s blog.