New interim Go International collection

With the remaining Rogan Gregory inventory now on clearance, it looks like Target has a new interim (read: in between the name designers) collection for their Go International line. And it looks to be…ho, hum, boring. I mean, this look (pictured) is cute and all, but hasn’t the puff-sleeved jacket been done to DEATH by now? And with Richard Chai’s designer duds looking to be a downer as well (read my post tomorrow and you’ll see why) I’m not sure WHEN we’ll have any stylish designs to look forward to at Tar-chez.

Pick of the Week

It's pick of the week time: each week I pick one great buy from Target's weekly ad (in the Sunday newspaper) and highlight it here on my blog. Today's pick is simple, and sweet....because really, it's often the simple things in life that are the best. My pick is Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream, for 3 for $10 (1.5 qt. size) in assorted flavors, on sale this week at Target. That's a pretty darn good price for ice cream, especially since dairy products have been skyrocketing with the fuel crisis (with remote places like Hawaii selling milk for over $6/gallon!). And also this week at Target, you can get a free 1.5 qt. of Dreyer's ice cream with the purchase of 3 12-packs of A&W Rootbeer or Sunkist Soda (of course, quantities are limited, and no rain-checks).

Mmmm.....ice cream on a hot summer day. Is there anything better?

Fashion for our Four-Pawed Friends

Dressing your dog has never been so fashionable. From hoodies and spa robes to sunglasses and pajamas, your four-legged buddy can have it all, making it very possible for your pup to look better than you do.

Some dogs - mostly smaller breeds - have complete wardrobes for all seasons, all occasions and clothing in every color and texture imaginable. Some dogs need clothing to stay warm. The toy dog varieties - poodles, Yorkshire terriers and Chihuahuas - tend to have the most trouble maintaining body heat, so they don't mind wearing a nice wool toggle coat on a brisk day. But the dog-clothing industry has grown beyond the winter months with retailers now selling summer tees, Halloween costumes, and even life jackets.

And don’t be fooled: the pet fashion industry is a huge one. As pet owners continue to consider their animals members of the family, they're spending a staggering amount on services and products - more every single year, in fact. They spent a record $41 billion in the U.S. last year and are expected to fork out even more this year - $43 billion, according to American Pet Products Manufacturing Association.

Target used to carry a great pet line by designer Isaac Mizrahi, but with his collaboration with the company coming to an end, they seem to have phased it out. Savvy shoppers can still scour eBay for select pieces from that line. Currently at Target, you can find both the Woolrich and Boots & Barkley lines for canine apparel that’s off the charts on the adorable scale. From leather-like bomber jackets to frilly formal gowns and clothing for just about every holiday, there's an aisle at Target most dog lovers can't pass by without at least looking. Like this too-cute-for-words doggie “rocker tee” for $19.99 at at Target.com. The band “The Beagles” is pictured (get it??) and also available are “Bone Jovi” and “Notorious P.U.G.”

itso at Target

Target had a new storage solution offering called "itso". According to their web site:

“Itso is a standard-setting storage and organization system based on individual units that are compatible with one another. Easy to assemble and endlessly adaptable, itso is uniquely designed to form to any function, in any configuration, in any space. This modular storage system is designed and engineered around the ways people live and work. A storage and organization system that optimizes space, no matter what life has in store.”

Visit Target.com to check out the full range of itso products for home organization in your closet, foyer, laundry room, kid’s room… and even your home office or dorm room.

Wii Fit coming to Target this Sunday

In case you missed it, Target just replenished its supply of Nintendo Wii systems. They were advertised in Sunday’s Weekly ad for $245. Now I’m not sure about your neck of the woods, but in mine (Northern California) I’m sure they sold out FAST (as usual). They've been so popular that Target just hasn’t been able to keep them in stock. Of course, now that they have the Wii in stock, the Wii Fit package is currently sold out. However, two different Target employees tipped me off that this Sunday (June 29th) Target is supposed to get new shipments of the Wii Fit to their stores nationwide.

Wednesday’s Rave: this Perfect Little Bench

Target’s Global Bazaar came and went many months ago…but a quick search on Target.com today still found over 40 results for the term. Sure, it’s not the selection of hundreds of items first offered in February during Target’s yearly “Global” promotion, but it did produce this perfect little bench at 50% off. This sleek piece would look smart in an entryway or corner, and would be a great accent piece in a living room. You could even add it to your bedroom, at the end of the bed, complete with a lush throw blanket on top.

Target Global Bazaar Dark Wood Bench: $39.99 (regularly $79.99)

Tuesday's Rant: Different Targets = Different Discounts

On Tuesdays I take the opportunity to rant about something I do NOT like about Target …because although I love them to death, they ain’t perfect. Today’s rant is about different discount schedules at different Target stores. Now I understand if, say, Target Store A only has a couple of the cute navy eyelet Isaac Mizrahi skirts left in stock, so they put the last two on sale for 30 or 50% off….whereas Target Store B (just a few miles away) still has almost a dozen such skirts in stock, so those won’t be discounted until later. What I don’t understand is when both stores have OODLES of the same item that have been languishing on store shelves, not budging an inch, and one store puts them on sale for 30% off, and the other immediately goes to 50%. Case in point: as of Friday, one Target store near me had marked down the Joy Gryson handbags (you remember, the ones I hated) to 50%, whereas another store I went to on Sunday only had the bags discounted by 30%. I just don’t get it.

Do Target store managers have discount discretion at their fingertips? A friend of mine once worked at Pottery Barn, and told me that was the case with them; some managers were more aggressive with the markdowns than others. Hence, some stores had deeper discounts and better buys.

I guess the lesson learned is: shop around for the best bargain, IF you’re lucky enough to have more than one Target within driving distance. And, with gas prices as they are, you might be better off just ordering online from Target.com (especially with all the free shipping promotions Target’s been running lately).