fall

If you're not planning on making the dessert for a holiday party or for Thanksgiving dinner, it's better to go all-out and get a top of the line cake than to buy a less-than-average supermarket pie and try to pass it off as your own. This Autumn Harvest Cake qualifies as over-the-top. Inside the white chocolate Limoges-style box, which has been topped with elegant grapes, leaves, a kumquat and two chocolate truffle pears, there is a Bourbon vanilla cheesecake with a macadamia nut crust. The cake is elegant and the combination of flavors is wonderfully decadent. The oval cake weighs 5.3 pounds and you'll probably get more than the recommended 8-10 servings from It, especially since people are usually fairly full following the main course of a holiday dinner. Price:$150.

Need a casual jacket for fall? Cole Haan's Suede Baseball Jacket seems perfect for keeping the chill off and looking sharp in general. The jacket is lightweight and made of soft, supple suede with an acrylic/cotton knit lining. It has a form-fitting, elegant cut that makes it suitable for general wear, as well as for wearing out to an informal dinner or to late night party, but it is kept from looking too dressy by the raw edges. The jacket zips up the front and has a barely-there collar. Honestly, it looks best when it is left open, but this is the kind of jacket that will be flattering to almost anyone. Price: $495.

[via uncrate]

Neiman Marcus has identified what they feel are the top ten fall trends in women's fashion. They stuck with broad categories, rather than picking individual items, so it's easy to pick out items that will fit in with the trends and your personal tastes. Of course, a top ten list isn't going to cover every single fashionable item (they're missing bows and animal prints, for example), but it's a good place to start. The list includes:

• Black/Gold Handbags
• Red Accents
• Belts
• Tunics
• White Shirts
• Skinny Pants
• Gold Jewelry - and lots of it
• Black Leggings
• Booties and Boots

The only real question here is why they don't offer the same type of list to men, too.

How much would you pay for a hat by designer Nic Ghesquiere of Balenciaga? After seeing it in so many editorials over the last few months, the Balenciaga riding hat was featured in the New York Times, complete with commentary. It was a relief to see that, even after all that seemingly positive photo coverage in the fashion mags, that it was accurately described as "bulbous", "alien" and even light bulb-like (in white). The NYT also mentioned that it is priced at $1,175 - steep for headgear that sort of floats above one's head.

You'll have to visit a boutique if you actually want to wear the thing.

The Jean Paul Gaultier Metallic Satchel is a bright accessory for fall. The cross-body handbag has a soft, wide shoulder strap that you'll actually want to have across your shoulders. Wearing it across the body seems to put less strain on each individual shoulder, so you'll be able to carry the bag comfortably for longer periods of time without having to resort to the familiar shoulder-switch move. It is available in metallic anthracite and a light bronze, both with matching hardware. The bag is adorned with long tassels at both ends and a delicately braided trim on the front. Price: $1,495.

Bottega Veneta has recently introduced an iPod Nano case as part of its fall accessories line. It is great that more designers are taking note of the fact that people have more to carry than just a wallet or a cell phone these days, and this case is a perfect example of how to carry the delicate music player with style. The supple leather case comes in multiple colors, including the burnt orange shown here, and has a removable strap that can be used at need, if you prefer to loop you player around your neck than tuck it into a purse or carry it in-hand. Price: $390.

A Chloe bag without a padlock on it? The understated Gina Evening Bag is a soft, naturally-textured leather in a nude color that contrasts with the darker fall day bags that we've seen. It is accented with ruching, which looks as though it might disguise the location of a clasp, but the magnetic closure is actually at the top of this bag. The black chain strap gives a slight edge to an otherwise delicate bag, and the color is further marked by dangling black leather straps and two black beads at either end of the bag. Price: $1,105.

Real fur has long been one of the materials of choice for the cool-weather clothes of the well dressed and the well-to-do. Even in the face of protestors, it has retained its elegance and you are guaranteed to see many women in furs out in New York City, for example, in the winter. Juicy Couture is trying to bring fur down a little, judging from the look of their Reversible Fleece Hoodie with Rabbit Fur. The cotton fleece hoodie has a drawstring hood and distressed seams, which contrast with its fur vest lining. Though reversible, even having the soft rabbit fur clearly visible does little for the look. Let's face it: you can't dress up a fleece hoodie no matter how much fur you put into it. The only question is to whether pieces like this one will spark a trend of more casual uses of fur, possibly eliminating a lot of the prestige associated with its use, or not. Price: $650.

The Asymmetric Shoulder Bag by Celine is a great purse if you're looking for something more unique than the relatively standard shapes of most handbags. With one squared end and one rounded end, the bag is subtly attention-getting, enhanced with gold and wood accents on the outside and a red-lined interior. The bottom of the mahogany-colored bag is reinforced and has small gold feet to prevent scuffing the leather.

The only problem with this bag is not in the item, but in its description from Net-a-Porter, which suggests using it to carry a small umbrella. With a purse this nice, it is best to carry the umbrella in hand and not risk getting it wet. Price: $1,550.

As fall rolls around, tall boots come into fashion for women, and this year the tall boots are in style for men, too. Gucci's black leather motorcycle boots are taller than most, rising up to calf-height. The boots are made of black leather, with a leather sole, and a boot pull stitched onto the inside to help you slip them on easily. They have a rounded toe, small heel and a silver equestrian-inspired chain draped around the ankle, a classic design from Gucci. There is no question that the boots are stylish, but what will you wear them with? Price: $995.

The Cervo Antic Drawstring Tote is one of the pieces from Prada's new fall line, and though it is still on pre-order, the bag is already in high demand. Bucking the trend of going for ultra-dark chocolaty tones, the tote has an antiqued finish, which gives it an aged look and a much lighter color. The soft gold hardware helps to bring out the metallic hues in the leather. It is made of fine deerskin and has a tassel drawstring and removable ID tag for added interest. With supple double handles, the bag can be carried in-hand or slung over the shoulder and at 14"x16"x"14", almost anything will be able to fit inside. Price: $2,120.