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>>  Up, up, and aweeeeee!  This balloon dress (or puffball or bubble or pouf or tulip or egg dress) has so much volume, you might have to tether yourself down to keep from getting whipped up in the wind.  And the shape is most definitely reminiscent of that seen on the Marc Jacobs Fall/Winter runway -- a shape that has had to grow on me.  But it's all funky, and egg-shapey, and me likey.   

>>  So after all the back and forth will she or won't she, looks like Kate Moss is definitely included in that calendar famous for its provocative photographs, the Pirelli Calendar.  J. Lo, Karen Elson, Natalia Vodianova, Gisele Bundchen, and Guinevere Van Seenus are all also featured in the calendar, which made its debut yesterday in Paris.  All the pictures were photographed by Mert and Marcus in the French Riviera.  The rest of the pictures can be viewed here, but be forewarned, there is nudity, hence the calendar's reputation as "provocative."

>>  In light of the mood of my last few posts, I thought I would put together a lookbook of sorts of the neogothic editorials that are popping up everywhere.  Hope you're prepared to look at black, black, and more black...and take some inspiration from it all.

Lookbook

>>  So again on the Victorian influence I've been feeling:  their emphasis on the waistline is really starting to filter its way into my dress.  Which is why I've suddenly become obsessed with with these big, wide belts -- corset belts, to be exact.  AMA Handmade has some beautiful waist cinchers (left), and from what I can see, ebay has some interesting stock as well.  Perfect for feminizing that shirt dress we were talking about the other day. 

There's another waist-centric accessory that has been intriguing me -- the bustle.  Also Victorian influence, bustles have been in the back of my mind ever since I saw this YSL one in Nylon back in March.  I came across this taffeta belt (right) today at Yoox -- kind of a modern-day bustle.  I'm really tempted, but I'm not sure it's a $75-down-the-hole type of temptation.  I guess I'll just leave it the decision in limbo for a while more.   

>>  I'm on the hunt.  I want.  Need.  Must have.  A cape.

**sources: w

>>  I've been noticing shirt dresses cropping up a lot lately -- most recently for the December issue of W, but also as part of the Stella for H&M collection, and Prada's S/S line, to name a few.  I kind of like the look -- belted, I think.  It's so open, airy, different.  Sexy, with the implications that usually come with wearing such a masculine-cut shirt.  But I'm not sure I could pull it off without some kind of leggings or tall boots.  I'm curious to see what you all think about this look.  Thoughts?   

>>  In the eye of this beholder, these little clutches by Barbara Rourke of bells&whistles are beauty incarnate.  Why?  They take silhouettes from nature (something I love), use them as appliques on clutches (who can't resist those?) and use lovely complimentary color schemes to top it all off.  La pelle bellissima! 

>>  You know, Target.  Yes, that's right, since today we're speaking about designers at discount prices, Luella Bartley is doing a line for Target that will kick off in February.  Everything about the collection has been off the record, on the QT, and very hush-hush, but lucky for us, The Daily's spy scooped up some dish:

My favorites were citrus-colored skintight jeans, like stovepipe jeans, and they had Luella heart embroidered pockets on the back, really cute.  Bright Hello Kitty-colored fitted polo shirts with the little Luella crest on the breast, black and white striped denim jackets with denim skirt, but it’s a really thick hand-painted stripe, and the skirt was mini.

There were amazing high-waisted little bubble skirts, really crazy, they sit right on the waist and they’re like only 13 inches, very small, bright colors and a really wide waist band with belt loops shaped with little arrows, gathered around the waist and puffed out. It was very YSL from Stefano Pilati’s first collection.

I also liked the little checked short-sleeve puff blouses with big bow collars; you tie them to make a bow at the neck, they were sweet. A leather jacket for $120 was the most expensive piece, and the cheapest piece is like $16…I don’t know what it was, maybe those little polos.

As for accessories, she did little tote bags with cherries on them, and little pencil case bags with cherries or apples. I know she uses apples a lot, but she was really into cherries this time.

But the thing most like her runway collection were these amazing black and white striped sequined tank tops, like fully sequined in thick stripes, just like from her last collection when she did a dress like that for the runway.

Oh, and there were two prom dresses, little taffeta side-ruched prom dresses with a side bow across the bust.

It was a really short collection, maybe 10 looks, but I loved it.

Sounds fabulous indeedy do, especially after Luella's spectacular Spring collection.  Cheers!

>>  Matrioshka dolls are so cute I just want to pinch their cheeks...too bad they're wooden and already have really red cheeks as it is.  In any case, I happened upon this adorable little bag by Ivana Helsinki and promptly melted.  Yeah, I know it's a little hokey, this bag, but I like it anyway -- we all have our weaknesses every once and a while.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find it for sale anywhere on the internet, but there's a store listing on the collection site.

>>  Apparently that's what it was yesterday at H&Ms 'round the world.  As one shopper told Gawker:

"One mad shopper pulled an empty metal rod and started hitting a display which had sweaters that were out of arms reach. Not even the mannequins were safe — people tore the samples from them."

Aww jeez.  I'm not even close to an H&M right now, but I don't know that I would have even gone if I was.  No need to scratch and bite for a skirt.  Besides, the collection is already popping up on ebay. 

**sources: IS, papermag blog