Taco Bell, the paragon of haute Mexican cuisine known for such gourmet offerings as the Doritos Locos Taco, is testing a new $1 category, described on a conference call as their low-end menu.

That’s right, if you’ve ever walked into a Taco Bell and thought “I wish there were something available for less refined palates,” the company understands your need.

Ironically, there are already $0.79, $0.89 and $0.99 items mixed into the existing Taco Bell menu, so the $1 low-end offerings will actually come at a higher price tag than some of the menu items currently available.

{via Business Insider}

Alexander Wang Orange Rocco Bag, $850

Black studded leather may be the standard for jackets, but from Manic Panic hair to pinned on patches, the only thing that’s protocol for punk fashion is a look that’s loud enough to catch attention from anywhere. While the black version of Alexander Wang’s Rocco bag may be the one to be considered an instant classic, the orange is enough to make it glaringly obvious that there’s nothing classic about your style.

Under $50

Emperia Red Small Studded Faux Leather Crossbody Bag, $42

Isabel Marant Studded Red Stretch Leather Dress, $3295

Can something be punk with a 4-figure price tag? While there is some question about Vogue’s decision to accurately pay homage to punk’s influence in fashion, it could be argued that if punk is as much a way of life as what someone wears. After all, Vivienne Westwood, largely regarded as the Queen Mother of punk fashion maintains staunchly rebellious messages among dresses that reach into the mid 4-figures.

So consider this week’s red dress an homage to the notion that even luxury fashion doesn’t need to conform.

What’s the reward for an investment in red carpet arrivals?

Unless you’ve been living under a fashionless rock, you’re aware of the approaching Met Gala: fashion’s fanciest theme party. This year’s theme is Punk: Chaos to Couture, and given the heavy influence of Vogue and powerhouse editor Anna Wintour, it’s safe to assume the red carpet looks will be more couture than chaotic.

One new name to the event is Moda Operandi. The luxury e-commerce site made its name by offering pre-orders of runway looks, giving deep-pocketed fashion fans the ability to buy clothes at the same time media attention to the looks is at its peak. As we noted in the update re: Gwyneth Paltrow’s sheer dress, they’re now taking on the red carpet in the same way they took on fashion runways. And what better red carpet, than one which is entirely about what people are wearing?

Surely, a rhetorical question for Moda Operandi who will be a co-sponsor of the event, and offer not only a livestream of the arrivals, but the ability to purchase select dresses as well. Seems like a smart match, but not everyone is convinced.

Still, in this instance I’m just not convinced it’s a worthwhile endeavour, either in terms of publicity or profits.

For starters, are the Moda Operandi A-list clientele – aka women who can drop between $5-50,000 on a single purchase – really the types to be sitting in watching a video live stream on a Tuesday night? I doubt it and imagine (though of course can’t predict) that the sales figures will reflect this.

Secondly, some industry figures say that the ‘celebrity factor’ holds less clout with the 0.1% elite than with the rest of the 99.9% luxury buying masses. {Material World/Financial Times}

For a few reasons, we respectfully (but vehemently) disagree, and think it’s a brilliant investment for Moda Operandi to have made.

First, we’ve tuned into Net-a-Porter’s live shopping map, and have been surprised to see Rick Owens, Miu Miu and other fashion insider brands popping up in shopping baskets from Champaign, Illinois to Marlton, New Jersey, and small towns around the world. These are places where the internet is the local fashion capital. Sure, the woman in Champaign could go to Chicago, the woman in Marlton to New York. But whether they’re making dinner for the family, or preparing for a meeting the next day, tuning into a video for a few minutes on Tuesday night could be the perfect way to see new fashion offerings without having to make an entire day of it or wait for the weekend.

Second, red carpets, much like runway shows, have almost always been about publicity on multiple levels. Most fans won’t be able to buy the exact same dress that their favorite celebrity is photographed wearing, but they will remember the brand. At the makeup counter, or when choosing a new handbag, that association may be part of the push that drives purchases. When it comes time to sell to wholesale buyers, the suggestion of “cool” that comes from celebrities wearing the brand could push bigger buys in anticipation of stronger demand.

For Moda Operandi, it’s similarly building a brand association with consumers and the industry. When the next Oscars ceremony rolls around, which site do you think brands will turn to for pre-selling celebrity looks, and their runway counterparts? Which site do you think consumers will remember as the one where they can shop the red carpet? Oh, and “by the way,” Moda Operandi will remind them, “you can also come here to shop fashion shows and current season items.”  We’ve already seen the little Moda Operandi shopping symbols pop up next to runway show coverage on Vogue.com, how long until they’re showing up on Vanity Fair or People?

And while affluent women shopping for their next benefit gala gown may not want the exact same item that the star of the moment wore on the red carpet, they will know that they can find similar items – perhaps one that’s more unique, at Moda Operandi.

Will there be an overwhelming, immediate flood in sales? No, but as it stands there’s no massive rush on stores after red carpet events anyway. Fashion, particularly luxury fashion, is a long game. Moda Operandi’s ROI won’t be calculated in sales the day after, but in return visits, increased partnerships and the kind of mindshare that sales alone can’t always buy.

Jason Collins made history, with a personal essay in Sports Illustrated.

It begins ‘I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay.”

While there are a handful of openly gay and lesbian athletes, most aren’t involved in team sports, where the risk of intolerance from fellow players – not just fans – is a concern. The reactions from the league itself, as well as NBA players past and present, has been largely supportive.

Statements of support were issued from NBA commissioner David Stern and Nike, the only company with which Collins currently has an endorsement.

“As Adam Silver and I said to Jason, we have known the Collins family since Jason and Jarron joined the NBA in 2001 and they have been exemplary members of the NBA family,” Stern said in a statement. “Jason has been a widely respected player and teammate throughout his career and we are proud he has assumed the leadership mantle on this very important issue.”

Nike showed similar support of Collins’ decision to come out.

“Jason (Collins) is a Nike athlete. We are a company committed to diversity and inclusion,” the statement read. {AOL Sporting News}

More reactions came in on Twitter, where the messages of support extended to baseball (the Boston Red Sox offered Collins first pitch at a game) and tennis (from openly lesbian stars Billie Jean King and Martina Navritilova). While it’s incredibly encouraging that the support reaches beyond basketball, the most heartening reactions came from current and former greats of the game, which gives hope that other gay players will be able to be open about their sexuality without fear of finding themselves in a hostile environment.

Twitter responses to the news of Jason Collins’ essay coming out:

Jarron Collins

(Jason Collins’ Brother, and fellow NBA player)

http://t.co/CPAecC2Hk6 very proud of you @jasoncollins34

April 29, 2013 7:05 am via Twitter for AndroidReplyRetweetFavorite

@jarronctwin

jarron collins

Kobe Bryant

Proud of @jasoncollins34. Don't suffocate who u r because of the ignorance of others #courage #support #mambaarmystandup #BYOU

April 29, 2013 8:01 am via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@kobebryant

Kobe Bryant

Earvin “Magic” Johnson

Jason Collins has announced that he is gay. I know Jason and his family well and I support him 100%.

April 29, 2013 10:53 am via WhoSayReplyRetweetFavorite

@MagicJohnson

Earvin Magic Johnson

Manu Ginobili

All my respect & support to JasonCollins. Thanks to his courage perhaps someday an athlete's sexual preference will be irrelevant. Congrats.

April 29, 2013 12:11 pm via TweetCaster for AndroidReplyRetweetFavorite

@manuginobili

Manu Ginobili

Dwayne Wade

Jason Collins showed a lot of courage today and I respect him for taking a stand and choosing to live in his truth. #nbafamily

April 29, 2013 10:24 am via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@DwyaneWade

Way of WADE

Steve Nash

The time has come. Maximum respect. RT @Baron_Davis: I am so proud of my bro @jasoncollins34 for being real. ... http://t.co/7t29rY3rU3

April 29, 2013 8:08 am via EchofonReplyRetweetFavorite

@SteveNash

Steve Nash

John Amaechi

Congratulations to Jason - society couldn't hope for a more eloquent & positive role model: http://t.co/PpLbCmiQq8

April 29, 2013 7:20 am via BufferReplyRetweetFavorite

@JohnAmaechi

John Amaechi OBE

Garrett Temple

Much respect to my teammate @jasoncollins34 for being #real

April 29, 2013 9:15 am via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@GTemp14

Garrett Temple

Zaza Pachulia

Jason is one of the best teammates that I’ve ever had. He was a great presence in the locker room and an even better person. #NBAFamily

April 29, 2013 9:11 am via EchofonReplyRetweetFavorite

@zaza27

Zaza Pachulia

TechCrunch Disrupt, the startup conference held twice a year in New York and San Francisco, kicked off their spring edition with a 24-hour hackathon. The $5000 top prize (just a note hackers: Decoded, the fashion focused hackathon associated with the conference, had a top prize of $10,000, so consider fashion tech a serious option for your next hack) went to a web app that helps users map their purchases.

Rambler, created by William Hockey, Zach Perret and Michael Kelly, is a web app that lets users view their credit and debit card transactions on a map. During the dev process, the team tapped the Foursquare API for locations and the Plaid API to access user spending data. {TechCrunch}

Though FourSquare can’t seem to get a lot of love from investors, who want to see more revenue growth from the company, it remains an API favorite at hackathons and with developers building location aware apps.

Rambler’s team is also behind Plaid, which already has an app connecting Foursquare data with Square swipes, so the win isn’t a completely new idea, but should serve as a bit of a boost for the existing startup.

Learn to Drive, a virtual driving instructor app, and Radical, an embeddable calendar, were first and second runners up.

The Egg White Delight and Big Breakfast with Hotcakes from the McDonald’s breakfast menu

Would you like to be able to order an Egg McMuffin at lunch time?

The question is getting some big buzz because McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson said he’s entertaining the idea.

And, well, when this mega restaurant chain is involved, it’s also because there are a lot of people out there who might like to order a McMuffin or a Sausage Burrito at noon or at dinner time.

But for those who might be salivating at the thought, don’t hold your breath. {Christian Science Monitor}

So, if all day breakfast is such a growth opportunity, why hasn’t it happened yet? A blogger quoted in the article suspects it might be something about supply and demand – if you can have your Big Breakfast all day, you won’t want it as much as you do when you have a limited time to get it.

We think the answer is a bit more logistical: more menu items means more prep time. A place like Denny’s or IHOP can get away with it, because diners are generally already seated and would find a 5-10 minute wait reasonable. The person going through the McDonald’s drive-thru might not.

Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Studded Flag Well-Worn Hi, $64

You may have heard that the theme of this year’s Met Gala is Punk. Which seems a bit odd at first, considering the event is organized by Vogue editor Anna Wintour, whose standard look of sheath dresses and Chanel glasses  is way more prim & proper than punk.

Then you have the fact that Kanye West is rumored to be the performer, and Beyonce (she of the sparkly bodysuit nipples) one of the celebrity organizers. Both musicians have their rebellious moments; West, on multiple occasions, Beyonce’s “I’m not bubblegum pop” attitude of late telling other singers to Bow Down to her NSFW tromp l’oeil costumes. Still, even the risk takers are more fashion punk than OP (original punk).

We’ll bite though – while Wintour’s type of fashion doesn’t seem like the most likely pairing, movements have to evolve to stay alive. The fact that punk has lived long enough to become a point of inspiration for the unlikeliest of editors, to break into the unlikeliest places says something for the strength of the original idea.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s sheer Antonio Berardi dress turned heads at the Iron Man 3 Premier, but are those thin, flesh colored shorts we see?

Recently named People‘s Most Beautiful Woman (and Star‘s Most Hated Celebrity), child bikini promoter Gwyneth Paltrow got tongues wagging with a conversation starting dress that likely garnered attention from those on both sides of the fence.

At the “Iron Man 3″ premiere, Paltrow stepped out in an Antonio Berardi dress that took on so many trends at once (color block? check! sheer? check! put a peplum on it? check!) it’s hard to classify. While we think the overall look came together quite nicely, the question of just how exposed the 40-year-old star was did come to mind.

It’s difficult to tell for sure, but in one photo there is a faint line against Paltrow’s thigh that suggests she wore either very thin, flesh colored shorts or a slip. Thanks to cookbooks, sometimes overly detailed interviews, we know that the actress is extremely selective about what she eats, and extremely diligent about workouts; so it’s not that she needs them, but perhaps even the most beautiful women in the world are just a bit more comfortable with a little bit of support/coverage. Surely, if this is part of Spanx’s new line made of silk derived from gluten free silkworms and vegan rubber (for the elastic), the secret will be revealed in a future issue of GOOP.

UPDATE: Moda Operandi, apparently not satisfied with being the first option for runway looks you love, is seemingly now taking on the red carpet. The same dress Paltrow wore is available for pre-order at $4660. Highly sculpted body, and nearly nude shorts not included. There’s also a less revealing top and skirt option from the runway available for $3060.

If you’re inspired by the look, but aren’t ready to go quite so sheer, here are a few sheer insert dress options that are equally suggestive but slightly less revealing.

Staple Paradise Pigeon T-Shirt in White, $28

Pigeons don’t get the admiring glances of exotic birds, or elicit the type of admiration that eagles, falcons and large birds. Common to almost every major city around the world, pigeons are the Rodney Dangerfields of the bird world. Familiarity not only breeds contempt in this case, but  often even worse – indifference.

Which is why we really love this tee. An ordinary bird, on the most ordinary kind of t-shirt, but something different that reminds you there can be a something worth admiring in the everyday things that don’t often draw a second look.