There are a lot of roundups of, oh, everything this time of year, but we always look forward to the awards from the blogger community, and HotelChatter’s list has some fun, quirky nominations that get at the heart of what we love and hate about traveling.

Probably the utter pinnacle of the socially-conscious hipster concept made good, Daniel and Markus Freitag created their first recycled bag out of truck tarpaulin back in 1993, and are now a full scale phenomenon.

True, there are some style signatures that are internationally chic, but if you want to get a sense of what’s on the ground where you’re going (or what may be coming to your city next) check out these international style influencers.

Almost exactly one year ago today, we introduced you to Lady Gaga's cobbler of choice, Noritaka Tatehana. Although the Japanese designer was a local avant-garde hero pre-Gaga, he became a global fashion phenom after the pop star first stepped out in his 9-inch, heel-less footwear. Now, on the, er, heels of his success, Tatehana is back to introduce a new range of gravity-defying platforms that have more to offer than a lesson in balance.

From coffin hotels to talking bras, the island nation of Japan never fails to deliver the most hare-brained inventions known to mankind. Continuing in that vein, Tokyo Milk has announced plans to release a line of Lip Elixirs in eight flavors typically reserved for cocktails and desserts, including Cherry Bourbon, Salted Caramel, Absinthe, and Smoked Salt.

The mere mention of Japan sends my mind a flutter. It makes me think about movies like Kill Bill and The Cove. I think about cartoon porn. I think about weird gadgets and remote-control toilets. Oddly, the last thing I think about is my actual visit to the country. Blame it on the speed-shopping during my short, three-day visit to Tokyo. You can't hate. The city is, after all, the fashion capital of Asia. Everyone knows this, including Triumph, a Tokyo-based lingerie maker that recently unveiled a "Welcome to Japan" bra to help boost tourism. There are even buttons on the undergarment which, when pushed, play messages that say "Welcome to Japan!" in English, Korean, and Chinese. From everything I know about the country, and all the crazy fashions I saw, I'm not the least bit surprised.

London - Feathered Caps: Fusing the commonplace with the unexpected, the catwalk inspires high-street: A contemporary update on the burlesque ideal, feathered caps capture the exuberance of the circus. Givenchy’s visor is complete with oversized feathers; Miss Selfridge’s features an explosion of ostrich feathers. Pearl and sequin embellishments add an appropriate decadence, recalling the excess of the 1920’s.

The first two Japanese cinemas scheduled to show Oscar-winning documentary The Cove have canceled their plans under pressure from right wing protest groups. The film depicts the hunting of dolphins in the Japanese fishing town of Taiji. While it drew critical claim and wide support from environmentalists and animal rights groups, some Taiji residents called it inaccurate and culturally ignorant. It was set to open at two theaters in Tokyo later this month, but after protesters lined up outside of the distribution company's office and the house of its president, it now it looks like the controversial doc won't play in the capital city at all.

The term jet set used to mean something. For two decades following the 1952 introduction of passenger jet service, it described a privileged sliver of the traveling public seen as superior to the unwashed masses because of their ability to jet off on frivolous trips to exotic locales once reachable only by road, rail, or steamship. But by the mid-1970's, airline deregulation and cheap oil made jet travel available to everyone. Just like that, air-kissing poodle walkers on their way to the Côte d'Azur had to share the departure lounge with women in flowered housecoats and guys in sauce-stained wife beaters. The indignation at the interlopers was both righteous and palpable.

London: Kielty Tongue Clog - An indication of Chanel’s country hoedown aesthetic reaching street and store, classic clogs experience a return to fashion favor. In brown leather and suede, a chunky wooden sole anchors a leather rivet studded mule. Finished with a kielty tongue flourish, as seen on the Prada men’s and womenswear Fall/Winter 2010 catwalks, this rustic reminder covers two trends in one knee-slapping swoop.