The Look for Less: Mossimo vs. Chanel

A special shout-out to The Budget Babe for finding this gem. Covet the look of the popular Chanel cap-toe flat espadrilles (shown on top) but cannot stomach the $800+ price tag? Then head over to Target and pick up these lookalike ones from Mossimo (shown below) for just $24.99.

Please make it stop...

The other day at Target I was horrified to see a whole rack of women's overalls.  I realize this fashion trend had come back recently - last Summer Stylist said overalls were "back in a big way" - but I had hoped the look had peaked and everyone had moved on. Apparently, that's not the case. Let me be clear: overalls are not flattering. At best, overalls are for toddlers. End of story!

Double-Take: Merona vs. Topshop

It's time for another double-take, where we take one item from Tar-shay and match it against it a pricier designer piece. Today we have two crew-neck gray pullover sweaters, both with jewel embellishments scattered on the front. But one of them is from Topshop (as seen in Real Simple Magazine) and retails for $92, whereas the other is from Merona (at Target) and is on clearance at 40% for just $16.78 (and is even cheaper in stores!). Which one is which? The answer appears in the comments section below.

Everything old is new again...

As I stated in my post the other day, Target seems to be recycling their old signage (for the past 2 years!) for their Great Save event. Well that's not the only thing they're rehashing. If you were a fan of their shoes last Spring, you'll be happy to know that they're bringing back exact replicas of two popular styles:

• The Meredith Zipper Wedge Sandal is an exact replica of the one I blogged about last April.
  
  
• The Mossimo Ida Footbed Sandal is a carbon copy of last year's Liza model. Ironically, the Liza sandal is still available on Target.com and is on clearance for $15.38.

AVA & VIV Lookbook

Refinery 29 has posted the entire lookbook from AVA & VIV, Target's new plus-size line. You can view the slideshow - all 100+ pics - here on their site.  Prices for each piece are also posted. And in this particular shot, I also noticed that these Sam & Libby "Ashland" silver-studded sandals were also featured.

Coming Soon to Target: AVA & VIV

Target has just announced the debut of a new plus-size line called AVA & VIV. Arriving next month, the line is designed by Target’s uber chic in-house design team and features stylish basics along with trend-driven statement pieces that fashionistas will love. Similar to Target’s other apparel lines, AVA & VIV will be updated monthly, with prices ranging from $10 to $79.99.

“Target is synonymous with great design, and with the launch of AVA & VIV, we’re stepping up our fashion game for our Plus-size guests,” said Stacia Andersen, senior vice president, merchandising, apparel and accessories, Target. “From stylish original prints to the attention to detail and fit, this line is meant to impress and we can’t wait to share it with our guests.”

In anticipation of the launch, Target invited top fashion bloggers Nicolette Mason, Chastity Garner and Gabi Gregg (shown here) to its headquarters in Minneapolis to preview the line. Not only did they get a sneak peek of AVA & VIV, these trend-setting gals had a chance to offer their stylish two cents on designs that were in progress for the fall. If Chastity's name sounds familiar, it's because she's the blogger who publicly boycotted Target's Altuzarra collection when it failed to include plus sizing. More recently, she shared her support of the decision to include larger sizes in the brand's Lilly Pulitzer collaboration.

To preview AVA & VIV - plus hear the blogger's commentary on the new line - check out this video on A Bullseye View. AVA & VIV will hit all Target stores in mid-February through March. The line will be available on Target.com on Feb. 22. 

Back at Target: The Great Save

"The Great Save" (or whatever Target is calling it these days) is back, taking up the space usually reserved for seasonal merchandise. Target introduced the concept back in 2010 in order to set up a "warehouse-club experience" in stores, similar to Costco or Sam's Club. The intent is to draw more store traffic with deals on necessities, and offerings include a selection of bulk-packaged, family size, and bonus pack items from brand names like Pepsi, Huggies, Lysol, etc. This promotion usually sticks around until late February, when Target swaps it out for their Garden & Patio section.

I didn't cover this section last year, but oddly enough it looks like Target is using the exact same signage they did in 2013. In fact, my snapshot from 2 years ago and today (shown here) are almost identical.

Fab Find: Merona Roll-Sleeve Tunic

Yesterday at my local Target store I was lucky enough to nab two of these versatile tunic tops by Merona in Black (no longer sold online) and Beige. Dressier than a sweatshirt - but long enough to wear with skinny jeans or leggings - this is going to be my new "go-to" top for the weekends. It also has a really cute exposed-zipper detail in the back. And best of all? It was marked down on clearance to just $6.78!

My store didn't have it in Gray (shown here) but I will definitely be searching the clearance racks at other Targets to try to find it!

Target to close in Canada...

USA Today reports that Target is pulling out of Canada after only two years. The U.S. retail giant announced today that it plans to abandon its 133 stores in Canada, which have suffered from poor supply chain management and a misguided pricing strategy. In total, the operation has lost more than $2 billion since the expansion was announced in 2011.

The Canadian business is seeking court approval to begin liquidation, the Minneapolis-based retailer said in a statement. The move will lead to a $5.4 billion write-down. CEO Brian Cornell said in a statement that the holiday season wasn't strong enough to bolster Target Canada's chances for success.

"The Target Canada team has worked tirelessly to improve the fundamentals, fix operations and build a deeper relationship with our guests," Cornell said. "We hoped that these efforts in Canada would lead to a successful holiday season, but we did not see the required step-change in our holiday performance." Cornell also said that "we were unable to find a realistic scenario that would get Target Canada to profitability until at least 2021."

Camila Alves hearts Target...

Camila Alves - wife of Oscar®-winning actor Matthew McConaughey and Target's new beauty and parenting advice partner - stunned on the red carpet at Sunday's 2015 Golden Globe awards. And while you may not be able to afford her pale pink Monique Lhuillier gown, you can copy her pastel pout because she wore a lip color found only at Target!

Camila matched her lip color to her gown with Pixi by Petra’s Tinted Lip Brilliance Balm in Baby Bare. “Even if I’m in a rush, I always spend a few minutes exploring the beauty aisles when I’m shopping at Target,” said Camila. “I love that I can stock up on basics, while also finding something new and unexpected around every corner – all at great prices that busy moms everywhere can appreciate!” You can read more about her red carpet beauty transformation here on A Bullseye View.

Sale Alert: Orla Kiely for Target luggage

Attention Orla Kiely fans! Those of you who have been waiting for her luggage/travel collection at Target to go on sale, you're in luck. This week The Bullseye has all Orla luggage - as well as her yoga/fitness gear - on sale for 20% off. I've seen these pieces in store and they seem study and well made, so this discount might be the incentive I need to finally buy some of it!

Fab Find: Mossimo Moto Jacket

I'm always on the hunt for cute, stylish jackets I can wear to both work and on the weekends. That's why I was thrilled to find this Mossimo Moto Jacket on Target.com. I'ts made from a soft cotton/poly blend that almost feels like sweatshirt material. And don't let the description of "quilted fabric" put you off: the "quilting" is actually just a pattern in the fabric, and the construction isn't bulky at all.

The color I bought (shown here) is a deep red called "Cranberry Sauce" (which is very similar to Pantone's Color of the Year, Marsala). It also comes in Black and Deep Gray, and I plan to snap it up in those colors as well. On clearance for just $17.48 (regularly $34.99) it's a real steal. And don't forget to use the promo code EXTRA10 for an extra 10% off!

Lilly Pulitzer for Target plus sizes will only be sold online...

One caveat to the upcoming Lilly Pulitzer for Target collab: the Plus Size offerings will only be sold online, and will not be available in stores. This fact was clarified over Twitter yesterday, and some customers weren't at all pleased. You can read some of the angry Tweets here on Racked.com.

More on Lilly Pulitzer for Target...

The folks at Racked.com attended the press event announcing the Lilly Pulitzer for Target collab, and have posted lots of preview pics (which you can view here).  Racked reveals that 15 prints were designed exclusively for the collection, and that prices will range from $2 to $150, with almost 200 items under $30. They add "The collection is true to the Lilly Pulitzer aesthetic: a mid-century Palm Beach visual blowout of bright colors, shift dresses, swimwear, and fabric napkins. We were impressed by the sturdiness of the dresses—less so by the flimsy coverups—and charmed by the barware, which includes cocktail stirrers topped by tiny gold pineapples. Other favorites included a pair of high-waisted shorts in a blue fish print, a green-and-white jumpsuit, and a pair of gold sandals with a pink tread sole."

Lilly Pulitzer for Target

As The Budget Babe just reported over Twitter, the next Target designer collab will be with legendary print purveyor Lilly Pulitzer. Here's hoping it will be on par with Missoni or Liberty of London. @TargetStyle calls it "250 exclusive resort chic items for home, apparel & more." And bonus: this collab will include plus sizes for once!

For more information and preview pics of some of the merchandise (taken at today's press event in NYC) check out A Bullseye View. The Lilly Pulitzer for Target collection debuts on April 19th.

Target to announce next designer collab tomorrow...

Tomorrow - January 6th - Target will announce their next designer collaboration. And apparently, there is wild speculation that it will be Kate Spade. This rumor isn't so farfetched, as the KS brand has already produced multiple collections with Keds, has teamed up with Gap Kids, and just debuted a new line for West Elm. Notice I say "brand", as this would be more of a brand-collab (like Liberty of London) vs. designer collab (like Phillip Lim) as Ms. Spade sold her namesake company back in 2006 (although she allegedly is still "active within the brand" and retains the rights to create some brand extensions with the name).

Whaddya think, readers? Would you be excited to see a Kate Spade X Target collection?

Target's C9 "Get Fit" Event

Target.com is running a "Get Fit" event on their site. Using the promo code GETFIT, you can get up to 20% off all regularly priced C9 by Champion merchandise for men, women and children. Plus, when you spend more, you save more: spend $30 and get $5 off your order, or spend $50 to get $10 off.

Target is also having a separate promotion on their clearance merchandise, so it's worth checking out C9's clearance section as well. Use the code EXTRA10 to get an additional 10% the clearance price at checkout.