Runway vs. Red Carpet: Who Worked It Best?

If you're not a model, socialite, buyer, or designer, New York Fashion Week's runway shows are less about wearing sunglasses indoors and sitting front row, and more about openly gawking, ooh-ing, and ahh-ing at what comes down the catwalk. A runway show is a show after all, and while we can appreciate a quality splurge every now then, we're not exactly planning to fill our online shopping carts or completely restock our closets with these pricey pieces.

Instead, tuning in to the live streams and clicking through the hi-res photo galleries is more about gathering inspiration, trend spotting and, my personal favorite, the judge-y, cathartic "Who would ever wear that!?" moments. Fast-forward a few seasons into the calendar year and I get my answer: Celebs, that's who.

Yep, the premieres, photo calls, and award shows of the following season are when all that couture and ready to wear get some action on the red carpet. And while celebs and starlets get grouped in the "Insanely Gorgeous" category with the models of fashion weeks, it's always interesting to see how different the same garment can look when you subtract the designer and add in a stylist and public persona.

Still think models make the best models? Click ahead to see what a difference styling, hair, and makeup can make, then tell us: Which look do you prefer?