Being a fool for wienie dogs, I’m always on the lookout for dachshund-inspired objects and books, but my amazement at Fuzzy Nation Couture’s faux-crocodile red dachshund ($180, pictured), Burrberry chihuahua ($59), and bronze pug ($140) handbags has led me to several wacky animal-inspired fashions. If you’re saying, “But what will I wear with those nutty handbags?” Fuzzy Nation also offers newsboy hats ($32) and brooches ($12) to complete your ensemble. Carnaval and Mardi Gras 2008 may be over, but Halloween costume parties can give you reason to wear Laurie Jacob’s Blowfish Bra ($250) from her Spiky Bras collection. The padded push-up bra is made of 100 percent breathable synthetic, and the designer promises that “proceeds from all sales will go to my eventual analysis.” Over at Etsy, artist Neile’s Butterfly Wing Jewelry combines fine silversmithing with an eye for design and a love of butterflies. “The butterflies I use are farmed all over the world, and harvested after their natural death. No butterflies are killed for my use,” Neile reassures, for guilt-free shopping. Also at Etsy, check out the Cool Kitten Skirts like this one ($43.95) by Koosi, an artist from the Netherlands, or this “seriously cool” one from Kinchi ($43). Cool? I don’t know about that, but they’re awfully cute if you’re into kittens. Whatever species you adore, go get your wacky animal groove on.

You know what’s tough about shopping for antiques in Paris? Having to pay the airfare. Kinda turns that $35 bargain lampshade into the most expensive thing in your living room. Enter Paris Hotel Boutique, which isn’t actually in France at all (it’s the web outpost of San Fran vintage shop Past Perfect), but it does stock treasures rarely found together in one place in the States. Some of the shop’s wares, like this $1,100 pair of 19th-century chairs, are bulky enough to require bend-over-backward special shipping arrangements, but plenty are easily shipped. This beautifully deteriorating cast-iron mirror ($255), for instance, or a jeweled crown ($585) that’s thought to be around 100 years old and, though originally designed for a statue of a saint, might make some lucky mortal queen for a day. Full pages are devoted to an array of china and silver goods bearing the mark of various fine hotels, but few are as distinctive as a cute tiny frying pan (pictured) evidently sold as a souvenir by Paris’s Restaurant Lasserre ($75). Try explaining that goodie to guests who know you’ve never had a passport in your life.

I belong to a wine club of about a dozen of the prettiest women you’ve ever met. Somehow, perhaps because this is an alcohol-centric activity, at least one of us seems to be pregnant at any given meeting. One of the most recent members to make the transition to maternity wear showed up at a meeting wearing a smashing white wrap top that we all ooh’d and ahh’d over; when she pointed out that the wrapability would allow it to grow along with her little basketball of a belly, we were all swooning and scrambling to write down the name of the designer. Turns out Isabella Oliver makes tons of brilliantly designed, chic, sexy maternity clothes. While the wrap-around top (pictured) is what initially won us all over, the puff-sleeve and cutaway variations are equally amazing. A kimono-style wrap can be worn open or with a sash to accommodate your bump throughout your pregnancy, and the adjustable-waist Garbo trousers will take you through your whole 9-plus-month journey. The prettiest floor-length wrap dress is almost (almost!) enough to make me wish I were pregnant again. And we love the fact that most of these fashions are now on sale. But it’s the ingenious “Bump Band” set (just like the now-ubiquitous Bella Bands) that really make me wish I’d waited the extra four years until they’d been invented before having kids.

For centuries, birds have served as inspiration to artists of all mediums. But this year, two particular black birds — similar in shape and size — have flown straight into the hearts of designers. To quickly peruse several things that are raven- and crow-inspired, your first visit should be to Etsy.com where you can find, among hundreds of handmade wares, a beautiful sterling silver and turquoise pendant featuring a raven perched in a tree. For something on the practical, yet silly, side, a set of two raven mugs from Spirit and Kitsch is a nice salute to the bird who many consider to be a powerful spiritual guide. For a traditional, homespun touch, Crow’s Nest Trading Company gives a nod to its namesake with a stylish throw pillow featuring a crow on a limb. For the bird lover raising little chicks, a crow-inspired onesie by Nikki McClure is the perfect fit. And for the big bird of the house, a fashionable long-sleeved gray, white and black raven T-shirt by Blueflavor fits the bill. And how about curling up to read (or re-read) The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe, while snuggled underneath a gorgeous Pendleton blanket featuring — you guessed it — a raven.

The producers of Bravo’s Project Runway TV series have a knack for finding promising design talent from every corner of the United States. With Season Four in full swing, we wondered what some of the previous contestants are up to today. The winner of Season One was the colorful Jay McCarroll, who recently moved back to his hometown of Philadelphia; he’s selling handbags at Mew Gallery and Topstitch Boutique. According to Philadelphia Magazine, the big news is that he plans to sell a new line on QVC at the end of February. But the real breakout from Season One is Austin Scarlett, now a bridal designer with Kenneth Pool. We recently caught him outfitting one of The Real Housewives of Orange County  (another Bravo series) for her upcoming nuptials. Season Two’s Chloe Dao had some stiff competition from the wildly gifted runner-up Daniel Vosovic and the charismatic Santino Rice. But she came out the winner, and quickly became a mini-style mogul back home in Houston when she launched LOT 8, offering everything from salon services to fashion. Another Season Two alum is Emmett McCarthy, who has launched EMc2, boutique with a wide range of chic looks. His EMc2 design team created the Tim Gunn talking bobblehead – a must for the design fanatic in your life who needs the occasional “Make It Work” or “Carry On” to inspire greatness. Season Three’s Malan Breton left early but went on to produce a deceptively simple, utterly luxurious Spring 2008 collection; his online boutique features some of the prettiest frocks and sexiest bags from any of the Project Runway alumni. But it was Jeffrey Sebelia who won the big prize at the end of Season Three and put his company, Cosa Nostra, on the map. The online boutique has a limited offering of men’s and women’s apparel, but you can see Jeffrey’s 2008 Spring/Summer Collection which has his signature “I’m a rock star. I just rolled out of bed” look along with several pretty dresses for the girliest of girls.

Sometimes, a single website is worth its weight in trendy little gold clutches, and Stylehive.com is one such place. It is kind of a Facebook for style and fashion junkies of all stripes – from clothing to purses to makeup to home furnishings to artful décor and on and on. It features the web wanderings of its busy style-bees as they continue their never-ending search for the coolest new thing to buy or admire. If you want to check it out, you can look at the day’s most tagged, or most popular, items spotted on the web by the hive’s bees in lots of categories – from furniture to fashion. Yesterday, for example, folks tagging items in the fashion category liked a cute sequined tank dress by Abaete on sale at Bergdorf  Goodman (and it’s marked down to $248). In the Unique category, there was a bit of buzz about a cute little owl ring that’s for sale at ReVision Jewelry for $24.99. You can look at words of wisdom from the hive’s most popular members and what they (and their followers) are coveting today – like Lisanne816, who has more than 100 followers and yesterday was showing them all a zingy pair of mouse-faced Marc Jacobs slingback slip-ons that are $325.