The end of another year is fast approaching. Where the hell did it go?

Over the space of the year, there has been hundreds and hundreds of skins submitted but some have stood out more than others, for me anyway. So, in an attempt to be awesome and clever I have selected my favourite 25 skins from the course of the year. Why 25? I hear you say. Christmas is on the 25th. That's where my attempt at being clever falls into play I don't really need to attempt to be awesome, that comes naturally.

Please note that this list is not in any particular order.



Phunk'n by ~CrystalPhoenixStudio

MSN users got a sleek, modern and universal skin when this was released. It actually made me re-install MSN.
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Greyhound for Objectbar by =PoulNyrup

I don't know what I can say to do this justice except that this is probably the closest you will come to having and experiencing a mac's taskbar on windows. It stepped customisation up a notch.
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Vienna 3 Rapture by ~vStyler

This could have been Vista's darker side. It's possibly one the best and most useable darker themed skins there is.
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The ORNG and GRN Skin Suite by =blueslaad

One of the most useable and sleekest winamp classic skin's there is. It's the kind of skin that will use regardless if it matches with your setup.
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MobileME for Styler by *RaatsGui

Xp and Styler users were given a whole new way to experience a toolbar when this was released. I really really wish I could use this on Vista.
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Tool Big by =aroche

I actually re-installed cursorxp for this. It's well rendered with awesome animations. The ability to use it with any setup also makes it a winner.
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XDJ Skin by ~Pureav

Perfectly made with perfect graphics, I loved this as soon as I saw it. I loved it even more when I tried it and saw the animated decks.
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cPro - Insomnis v2 by ~zrco

Crisp, clean and well designed made this a winamp skin that everyone must have. I still can't decide on my favourite colour scheme.
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W.V.S by *lypnjtu

This skin made me do what I hardly ever do, and that's use the same skin for more than a week. I can't pay it a bigger compliment than that
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DEUCE by =invaderjohn

Possibly the best visual style for vista so far. I don't really need to say anymore after that statement
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Plastic Fantastic by ~vStyler

This came 2nd in the GUI's 08 but this is my winner from the winning 3. I'm still trying to find something wrong with it but it's just so damn flawlessy made.
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Azenis 2 VS by ^yingjunjiu

One of the most popular windowblinds became a Visual Style and finally gave VS users what they had been missing.
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Christmas Holidays Theme by ~adni18

This is one of the first windowblinds I tried back in the day. It's still the only Christmas based skin I will use and it got a makeover and update this Christmas to keep it as my fav holiday skin.
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ThaWall-DLX by =OtisBee

CD Art Display went in a whole new direction with the ability to have a full screen experience with this skin. Choose 1 of the 10 supplied wallpapers in your resolution, and you have what could be a party centre peice.
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Grass Blades by =badboythemer

Totally crisp and clean and really looks like a mini Vista. If I had a Sony Ericsson, this would be my default skin that other skins would have to try and turn me away from.
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GAIAmini08 by =jg-visuals

This is part of the biggest suite and collabs I know of. GAIA was a project to promote awareness on climate change and many many artists took part and created countless amounts of application skins, themes and icons. A minamilstic and stylish look was achieved but it is the community involvement that sets this one apart for me.
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Dusk Pekwm by ~thrynk

I would try Linux if only just to use this skin. It's just simple and clean and that's all you need for something to be a good skin.
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Oxide by =TYCUS

The animations on this is what made me love it but the design makes it a winner too. I could actually see myself creating a theme for this
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Hydrangea Visual Style by ~lassekongo83

I don't use Visual Styles but if I did, this would be my default choice. It's highly useable, sleek and compact and, in my opinion, could have been an official XP sub style.
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DarkMatter: Solar Flare SE by *skinsfactory

Officially the sexiest media player widget there is. Don't expect anything other than awesome animations, perfect graphics and amazing execution.
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Dreaming by *toyotaTRD

Take one awesome photomanipulation, create perfectly matching graphics around it and you have a outstanding Sony Ericsson theme. Highly useable and fuctional made this an instant fav of mine.
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SteelFlash Final by =Steel89

Vista based skins are more than plentiful. There is so many of them, all offering nothing really new but this one stood out in the crowd. I would even go as far as to say that if this was an updated version of Vista, I wouldn't have thought twice.
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Symbian S60 Prototype Theme by =Flahorn

With over 300 icons created, this is possibly one of the most complete Symbian Nokia themes there is. Now that's some theme!
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Klodset by ~Soundy

These are the first iPhone/iPod icons that actually feel like true icons and not buttons. They have perspective and depth and brilliant detailing. This was a skin that offered something new and unique for the iPhone/iPod.
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Teledock 2.1 by $endosage

Simplicity shone here. A simple and solid looking mac dock that would fit anyones config. Sleek with perfect fitting indicators and seperators made this full of win. Seeing an admin active in the skinning community also made his full of double win.
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So there we have it, my 25 selections of 2008. I know for a fact that I have more favourites so please don't feel bad if I didn't show you here. Your all awesome and I look forward to seeing what 2009 brings