Preview Pics: The Cos Bar at Target

Preview pictures have arrived for The Cos Bar, part of the soon-to-be-launched Shops at Target.  Check out the full gallery over at BettyConfidential. 

The Cos Bar at Target collection offers affordable, limited-edition beauty items designed and co-created by the shop owners, Lily Garfield and her son Oliver. They opened their first store in Aspen in 1976 and have expanded to eight states.Their budget-friendly collection for Target includes body care products, bath accessories, beauty and manicure tools, and cosmetic bags in a signature bright leopard print.

While I appreciate that Target's Cos Bar collection is priced from just $1 - with nothing over $20 - I'm afraid that as was the case with Privet House, I'm underwhelmed.  The one thing that caught my eye (and I might buy) is the wrapped soap, available in Orange Citrus, Blueberry White Tea and Cucumber Melon; at just $4 each, they'd make cute hostess gifts. Other than that, I'll probably pass on this collection.

Double-Take: Dolce Vita vs. Mossimo

It's time for another double-take, where we take one item from Target and match it up against a lookalike (and much pricier) designer piece.  This time we're looking at summery-slingback espadrilles.  Now both pairs are gold-tone with a wedge heel, but one is by Dolce Vita and will cost you $78, while the other is by Mossimo and will only set you back $29.99. 

Can you tell which one is which?  The answer appears in the comments section below.

Target's 2012 Earth Day Bag

As in years past, Target will be giving out reusable bags on Earth Day, April 22.  This year, they'll be giving out 1.5 million of them, and the new design is shown at left.

The stats are impressive: if you use a reusable bag just ten times, you save 25 plastic bags from going to a landfill. Over a lifetime that equates to about 22,000 plastic bags per person.  This is a small change that can make a big difference in reducing waste and saving money.

The new bag, which encourages you to “fill, refill, repeat” will make your shopping trip a little less routine and a lot more stylish and sustainable. If that wasn’t incentive enough, did you know that you also get a 5-cent discount at the checkout counter for every reusable bag you use during your Target shopping trip?  Target's had the 5-cent discount in place since late 2009 to encourage Target guests to bring in their own bags.

New at Target: The Typography Collection

Target has a new home furnishings line based on antique typography, and when I first saw it in the store the other day, I thought that perhaps they'd put out their Privet House collection early.  As stated in my last post, Target's own home line rivals anything I've seen from the Privet House preview pictures, and this new Typography assortment is no exception.  Target uses symbols like ampersands, faded letters and bold numbers to adorn pillows, posters, vases and more. And materials with a vintage-vibe like burlap, metal, wood and zinc help add a modern twist to an aged aesthetic.

Preview Pics: Privet House at Target

Preview pics for the Privet House collection (part of The Shops at Target) have surfaced; check out The Budget Babe for the full photo gallery.  With two locations in Connecticut, Privet House offers antique and vintage furniture, artwork and housewares with a Parisian flea market appeal. Target's take on Privet House will be more "shabby-chic" and wallet-friendly than the original version, with prices ranging from $3.50 to just under $80.

IMHO, I'm not that impressed - at least not by the pictures.  Target makes plenty of cute housewares and home furnishings under their own label; this doesn't look like anything special or "new" to me.

Bridesmaid dresses on a budget...

Several weeks ago, Target made the news when the cast of Glee used cheap & chic dresses by Merona for Rachel Berry's wedding scene.  [You can read a recap here on The Recessionista blog]. Now the Bullseye is officially getting into the bridesmaid business by offering a whole collection of dresses in a variety of colors and sizes, ranging from 2-28.  You can view the entire selection on Target.com.

Double-Take: Target vs. Design Within Reach

It's time again for another double-take, where we take a designer piece and pit it head-to-head with a lookalike item from Tar-shay.  Today we have two sleek, modern black leather chairs vying for your attention.  One is the "Swan" chair from from Design Within Reach for a whopping $7,410, whereas the other is the "Xenia" chair from Target and is waaaaaay cheaper at just under $400.  Which one is which?  Check the comments section for the answer.