The Cumming Storm: Our favorite Scottish pixie swings from a disco ball and makes it rain champagne. We’d like to think he was celebrating his recent MOTH win. [NYPost, 3rd Item]

Low Profiles: According to our boy David Coleman, “Fashion Insider Ken” is a boring dresser. [NYTimes]

Model T: Redefining luxury by redesigning a time-worn staple. [Coolhunting]

Bra Snap: The Lingerie Bowl has been canceled! Now what are we going to do on Sunday? Oh, right… that. [TMZ]

…Like a Polaroid Picture: Andre 3000 says he doesn’t really follow fashion. Having run into him in camouflage safari gear a couple times, we’d agree that the man blazes his own trails. [NYObserver]

Billions Served: McDonald’s will be getting new unis courtesy of one of Princess Di’s favorite designers. So long as Ronald gets to keep his socks, we’re cool with this. [FemaleFirst UK]

Political Phrenology: Width and length battle it out in the primaries. [Material Interest]

Ghost Rider: This is everything we ever wanted for Christmas. [PSFK ]

Among all the rising greenery, mopeds may have been lost in the shuffle. Without the Mediterranean charm of a Vespa or the simian appeal of the Segway, we’d almost forgotten they were out there. Luckily, a clever designer was out there to remind us.

This Derringer model sprung from the mind of Adrian Van Anz, modeled off the board track racing motorcycles of the 1920s. After a few extra modernist curves and angles, he ended up with a Parisian style peddler that just happens to get 150 mpg. Of course, like Segways, this gadget is primarily a West Coast operation, so if you want one you’ll have to head out to their shop in West Hollywood.

Pictures and an address after the jump»

Since the bicycle was invented, bike clothes have been uniformly embarrassing, and with bikes and scooters on the rise, it seems like material-minded designers have their work cut out for them.

These aren’t perfect, but they meet the challenge of producing a good biking pant better than anything else we’ve seen. They come from Outliers, a brand-new Brooklyn marque devoted to performance over form. In this case, that means pants that repel water, grease and stains and can stand up to the grinding gears of the average bike commute. It’s mountain climber stuff, but they’ve managed to fashion it into a slim pant that won’t look out of place at the office. It’s hardly a triumph of style, but as far as bike-safe clothing goes, it’s a big leap forward

More close-ups after the jump»

Revolution #9: Daniel Day-Lewis gets Sophia Loren and an Alfa Romeo, also known as paradise circa 1962. [NotCot]

Pigeon English: Add pigeon smuggling to the list of recession-proof industries. [BBC News]

Leave the Seat: Bike valets start to take off…possibly reviving the green tuxedo. [PSFK]

Send Me a Postcard: Walker Evans as seen through vintage postcards. Call us crazy, but kind of prefer the postcards…[Men.Style]

Naturally, versatility can be a mixed blessing, but if you’ve got the right tailor on board things tend to turn out ok. And it’s hard to make bike clothes uglier than they are already…

Rapha Performance Roadwear recently commissioned traveling tailor Timothy Everest to make a suit designed for bicycling, and the result is surprisingly palatable. The jacket’s lower flaps can be fastened to the pockets to keep them from flapping, and an extra length of sleeve can be rolled down to keep the wrists covered when the rider leans over the handlebars. Best of all, the pattern is a simple gray check that won’t announce itself too loudly. (Don’t be fooled by the zebra stripes; that’s just the camera).

Think of it as just one more example: tailors can do anything if they put their minds to it.

We see a lot of bikes on our daily RSS trawl, and as strange as they get, they all get at least one thing right: function comes first. It’s not a car, and it’s not a tie. Let’s not overthink it.

For instance, by covering it with fake fur.

With bikes are well on their way to becoming status symbols, it might be time to consider upgrading to something a bit more European…

This Opa from Dutch Workcycles sports a sprung leather saddle and powder-coated frame for an old world look, but the touch that sets it apart from the Schwinns of the world is the covering on the back half, including the encased chain, that lets you hang saddlebags over the back—or an adventurous companion, if you’ve got company.

Just watch out for thieves.

If you don’t feel much of a yen for nostalgia bikes, there’s always the futuristic option.

Of course, there’s all manner of moped out there, but this Ultra Motor Bike is the first one we’ve seen put its lithium battery on proud display. The white metal replaces the usual old world charm with a more technological aesthetic, and you’ll have to adjust your biking gear accordingly. We’d say a little less corduroy and a few more synthetics. At the very least, they’ll keep you dry.

Is it too late to land Kraftwerk for a sponsorship deal?

These days trendspotting is as easy as finding the right flickr set. Of course, it helps if you’ve got some Victorian nostalgia handy…

Re-introducing the Penny Farthing bicycle, already available from various boutique manufacturers. Truth be told, we’ve already seen a couple on the bike-friendly streets of Bushwick, but we’re not sure how much farther the trend can go. It’s hard to cross over when you’re stuck with a tag like “bone shaker.”

If you were looking for a new bike, you’ve probably already found it by now. But we’re guessing it could use a few accessories…

These saddlebags from Brooks come via the UK, where bike culture has been in bloom for a bit longer, so they’ve got a few tricks you might not expect. For one, they can fold into inconspicuous rolls when you’re not using them, only to unfurl the minute you’ve got groceries to haul.

And of course, it’s always good to have a bit more waxed cotton around.

Something to Ad: Suddenly, the advertising business doesn’t seem all that complicated. [The World’s Best Ever]

Sounds of Summer: Ex-punker Richard Hell’s favorite summer love involves drug use and S&M. [NYMag]

For the Planet: Because it’s made of the cheapest, most plentiful wood on Earth, the bamboo bicycle retails for $3000. [PSFK]

Being Frank: $15 million (and another five in repairs) could buy you one of the most iconic Frank Lloyd Wright houses in the world. Any takers? [Luxist]

Our enthusiasm for biking has been dampened by one simple, easily overlooked fact: Bike helmets tend to be incredibly ugly. Luckily, a few newer models have started taking a pointers from the flatter skateboard helmets and—in this case—worked in some actual fabric.

This Lacoste helmet manages the difficult trick of being both eco-friendly and sartorially accomplished. The first count comes from subbing in soft cork for the usual styrafoam. The second comes courtesy of our old friend the flat cap, which they wisely adopted as a style guide. Naturally, this one’s a bit beefier. It’s got a job to do.