Tuesday's Rant: Valentine's stuff already out at Target

A year ago, I ranted about Target already having Valentine's Day merchandise out on Dec. 26th. Well this year, the Bullseye started even earlier. Two days before Christmas (Dec. 23rd) I spied this Valentine dinnerware (shown) on the store shelves. I also noticed heart-themed sleepwear in the lingerie department. And by yesterday, Target again had replaced all their Christmas cards with valentines. I don't know about you, but the LAST thing I want to think about in my post-holiday daze is Valentine's Day! Can't we just get to New Year's first??

Product Review: William Rast for Target Biker Jacket

Overall, I found the William Rast for Target collection pretty ho-hum. However, today in a Target store that I don't normally visit I happened upon one of the leather jackets in the collection (shown here). And I have to say, I've definitely overwhelmed by the quality of this piece. I didn't bother trying it on as it was a size small (and normally in Target's designer collaborations I take a large) but I inspected it well and was impressed by the look, feel, and finish. Not only is the leather buttery soft, but it's lined in a rich satin. All the stiching seems even as well, and I love the fact that the jacket isn't too short and cropped.

I've eyed Target's designer leather in the past - like the Zac Posen lipstick red number from earlier this year (too bright a color for me) and the Tracy Feith one from 2009 (which was cut way too short). But both paled in comparison to the William Rast one, and I may just bite the bullet and nab one (IF I can find it in my size, of course!).

Last-minute gift ideas at Target

Are you done with your Christmas shopping yet? If not, here are a few last-minute gift ideas I saw earlier today at my local Target. And as a reminder, Target stores are open today (Christmas Eve) until 7pm.

This Meyer's Clean Day Candle comes in seasonal scents like Iowa Pine (shown) and Orange Clove (which I bought today). This all-soy candle (with 25 hours of burning time) is just $6.99, and is pre-wrapped with a gift-sleeve wishing the recipient a "Clean and happy home".

Although out of stock online, I saw plenty of these Merona Fingerless Gloves in store, in several colors. Fingerless gloves are all the rage now because they keep your hands warm while allowing your digits to be "free" to text with your smartphone. I believe these were only about $12.99, and that there were matching scarves and hats, too.

For nature lovers, give a bit of Spring with one of the Smith & Hawken Paperwhite grow kits, on sale for just $8 this week. They also have a Red Amaryllis kit, too.

And finally, for wine enthusiasts on your list, check out this pair of Pinot Noir Tumblers from Riedel for just under $20. The fun shape - sans the stem - makes drinking any vintage more fun.

Happy Holidays, dear readers, and a very merry Christmas to you and yours!

William Rast for Target hits stores today

The hotly anticipated William Rast for Target line hits stores today, and it is now available online. I was "teased" yesterday into thinking that my local Target store was putting it out early, as they already had all the signage up in the Juniors section. But alas, there wasn't one Rast piece to be had yet, so I couldn't preview anything.

Today we're having crazy weather in NorCal - gale-force winds and heavy rain - so I doubt I'll brave the elements to check out the line in store today. Of course, I could just buy online.... which I was going to do with this spiffy ruched twill jacket (shown) as well as pick up a couple of tees. But then I realized that Target isn't offering their "free shipping with an order over $50" offer on the William Rast line. What gives, Target? Oh well - you just save me some $$, because now I won't be ordering anything.

Target's D-Signed Honored by BNET

Demi Lovato's D-Signed line at Target (which I blogged about back in August) has been named one of BNET's "10 Best Fashion Industry Moves of 2010". They call Lovato's Disney-backed line of tween clothing and accessories a "masterful collaboration" with Target, and add it's "priced just right for parents to pick up while dashing in for toothpaste and TP".

You can check out BNET's full list on their site; they also mention Vera Wang's recent collaboration with David's Bridal.

Double-Take: Sigerson Morrison vs. Mossimo

It’s time for another double-take, where we try to guess which item is from an expensive designer brand, and which one is from Tar-jay. Over-the-knee boots were all over the runways for Fall, as seen by these two gray suede examples shown here. The difference is that one of them is by Sigerson Morrison (at Net-a-porter) and will set you back a whopping $575, and the other is by Mossimo (at Target) and is on sale for a paltry $27.99!

Which one is designer for real, and which is the awesome deal? Jump to the comments section to find out.

Free Holiday Music on Target.com

Are you as obsessed with this Target commercial as I am? If so, you can download the infectious song (called "Toy Jackpot", by Blackalicious) here on Target.com. You can also check out this section of their site for other free holiday music downloads.