We are really bad at packing for trips. We consistently overpack but still manage to leave vital items at home, usually sitting on our dresser or kitchen counter. This has happened with our sunglasses more times than we can remember.

Which is why we think the Pucci sunglasses loaner program at the Montage Beverly Hills is just what we’ve always needed.

We would rather not buy a fancy new pair of shades when we’ve got a perfectly good pair at home. So borrowing a designer pair from the hotel so that we can sit by the pool all weekend without squinting is a fabulous idea. And we hope it catches on at hotels all over the place. And if you fall madly in love with them, there are new pairs available for purchase.

Now, can someone start a shoe lending program? Because we undoubtedly always bring the wrong pair.

Settled: Woody Allen asked for 10 million, but this morning settled for 5 from American Apparel. {NYPost}

Smells Like Guinness: Daphne Guinness revealed her new perfume, made with Comme des Garcons, at the George in London yesterday morning. A short film will accompany its September launch, because nothing sells without a film apparently. {ShowStudio}

Alice & a Milkshake: Stacey Bendet, of Alice & Olivia, says a McDonald’s Big Mac and strawberry milkshake are her favorite meal. She’s also working on a jewelry collaboration with Erickson Beamon. We believe one of those things. {Blackbook}

So Far So Good: Isobel Lucas in Vanity Fair - the best showing of SS09 Chloe we’ve seen yet. {VanityFair}

Over the weekend, Peter Dundas showed his first collection for Pucci since Matthew Williamson’s exit, and surprisingly, everyone’s talking about it.

Instead of a rolling screech of sorbet-stained glass prints, Dundas showed a promising, if not on-trend collection (neon, big shoulders, over-the-knee boots, and, since Dundas has been head designer of French furrier Revillon since Fall 08, plenty of fur) with several pieces we know we’ll see again at least editorially.

We can’t remember the last time Pucci was relevant beyond Palm Beach, so it’s kind of exciting to have another label to talk about, even if it did seem a bit too Balmain-inspired at times (Hilary’s observation, not ours!).

But will it make it to everyone’s Fall shopping list?

E-Luxury is no longer.

Well, technically it still exists but is transitioning into an “‘E-window’ into the world of luxury, by serving as an information reference for luxury in fashion, art de vivre, leather goods, wines and spirits, watches and jewelry, gastronomy, cars, yachts and services,” instead of a place one can buy luxury goods on-line by this June.

So, it will be a super fancy blog through which parent company LVMH can promote its own brands and speak to those still able to afford all of the above by this summer. Spokespeople for the site say the change has little to do with the economy but is a result of so many brands ushering in their own online retail platforms.

Which means, if you’re the kind of girl who likes to buy her Pucci and her Margiela and her Tod’s all in one place, go now.

No one can stop talking about how bad the retail outlook is. Everyone’s worried that no one will buy everything up this holiday season, and already there are reports that buyers are putting in much smaller orders for Spring 09 as compared to past seasons. So this fact might sounds strange: Online shopping is up. In fact, overall, it’s up 12% over last year.

WWD attributes this to consumers saying they can find better deals online, can do more comparison shopping, and that the price of gas has informed how much/far they’re willing to go for a party dress. Indeed, one could even attribute designers suddenly offering up previously unavailable e-commerce opportunities to their customers (Lutz & Patmos just launched a shopping component to their site, as well as Pucci, and Net-a-Porter continues to score site-exclusives from designers like Preen and Richard Nicoll) as an accommodation to this trend.

But we have another, not at all scientific theory to propose: Shame shopping.

As speculated for weeks, Peter Dundas is officially in at Pucci, starting October 1st, just as soon as Matthew Williamson’s three-year contract expires.

Matthew’s going to focus all his time on his eponymous label, and Peter will continue designing all things furry at Revillon.

It’s no secret we’ve never been fans of Pucci’s prints - but the buzz is already that Dundas has experience with prints of his own, having come from D&G and Roberto Cavalli.

So does this mean we’ll see a little leopard at Pucci come February? That’s probably about as likely as a mink stole on the back of a printed maillot…