New on Target.com: Beach Lunch Lounge

The other day at Target I noticed this super cute maxi dress (shown) on the clearance rack for $27.99 (regularly $39.99).  It was from a label I hadn't heard of before - Beach Lunch Lounge - and looked to be one of those "online only" Target items that was immediately discounted as soon as it was returned (as it's not carried in stores). And in addition to the higher price point, I could tell that the dress was a step up in fabrication and construction from Target's usual offerings.

Sadly, the dress was in a size too small for me, but I looked up the brand online and discovered that in addition to Target.com, it's also carried by Bloomingdales and Nordstrom.  I also learned that the line was developed by actress Brooke Burke, who describes her bohemian offerings as "a seasonless clothing collection capturing beach time in St. Barths, lunch in Malibu and lounging in the Hamptons".

In addition to being too small, I could also tell this maxi dress would be too long for me. So instead, I ordered two of the shorter shift dresses, since today is the last day of Target's "Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off" dress promotion.

New at Target: Perch by Urbio

In Target the other day I noticed an endcap touting something called "Perch by Urbio". There wasn't a lot of information provided, so I went to Urbio's website and discovered that Perch is a "a diverse solution for urban gardening and small space organization." The Perch vessels are modular and "magnetically attach to any ferrous metal surface, allowing for easy removal, rearrangement + customization." And since they attach vertically, they provide a space-saving solution that takes advantage of the surface area of your walls.

Look for Perch in stores (in the Patio & Garden Department) and online at Target.com.

The Look for Less: Restoration Hardware vs. Safavieh

These low, upholstered ottomans are a key trend in  home decor right now, as they can be used as both extra seating as well as a coffee table. Both of these are done up in coffee-colored tufted linen with carved-wood legs. You could splurge on the Restoration Hardware one (shown on top) for $1,095. Or you could get the look for much less with the Safavieh version (shown on bottom, and available at Target.com) for just $428.

New at Target: Boxed Water (???!)

While browsing the aisles at Target recently, I found this curious item: Boxed Water (shown here). Outside of the "cute factor" of being packaged in boxes resembling milk cartons (vs. traditional bottles) there is nothing "special" about this water. Unless, of course, they're inferring that recycling boxes is easier and more eco than plastic.

Double-Take: Merona vs. Steve Madden

It's time for another double-take, where we take one item from Tar-shay and match it up against a lookalike - yet pricier - designer piece. And kudos to The Budget Babe for the inspiration for this one. Today we're looking at two veeeerrrrry similar nude-colored flat sandals, both with an almost identical gold bow motif on top. But one of these beauties is from Steve Madden and will set you back almost $50, while the other one is from Merona (at Target) and costs only $19.99. Which one is which? The answer appears in the comments section below.

Target Unfairly Tagging Consumers as "Resellers"

Consumer alert: in the wake of the Lilly Pulitzer for Target fiasco, Target is cracking down on "resellers". According to Racked, eCommerce Bytes reports that Target is trying to cut down on this type of behavior in the future by banning resellers from purchasing its products. While I think this is good in theory (to try to stem the eBay market) here's the problem: regular 'ol consumers (like me) who order a lot from Target.com (for their own personal consumption) are being punished for this by having their accounts frozen (as mine has) for being categorized as "resellers". I already spent half an hour on the phone today with their customer service department, and the issue still isn't rectified (and honestly, I don't know if it will be).

Let me know if this has happened to any of you out there as well who order regularly from Target.com. Apparently the "new policy" went into effect May 12th. While I do order a lot from Target.com (mostly clothing, as Target never seems to have my size in stock in stores) I end up returning 80% of it in stores due to fit issues.

At this point, I am seriously considering cutting up my RedCard and of ending this blog. I'm just over it, readers. Target does NOTHING to support or help their loyal customers. So why should I support them with a blog singing their praises?

UPDATE: After almost a week, multiple calls to Target's CS line, and help from the Social Media team that monitors the TargetStyle FB page, my account has FINALLY been cleared and I am no longer listed as a "reseller". If this somehow happens to you, I'd encourage you to both call AND leave a complaint on Target's FB page. Honestly, had I not ranted on their FB page, I don't think this issue would have been cleared up.

Coming Soon: Eddie Borgo for Target

This just in from Racked: Target has unveiled its next collab, and it's with accessories designer Eddie Borgo. The line will be different than prior Target collabs in that the collection will consist of pieces of jewelry, accessories, and wall art that can be customized with an array of studs, charms, and totems.

Vogue got a first look at Eddie Borgo's vision for the collab, and it sounds like Target is really hyping the DIY angle. When the collection debuts, the launch site will be equipped with 3-D printing capabilities so shoppers can design their own alphabet charms. There's a social angle, too: customers can upload and share photos of their customized purchases, and others can like them, comment on the designs, and shop them.

"A lot of these charms could be keychains, they could be added to an existing bag, there’s a lot of ways to make it your own," Borgo told Vogue. "There’s this spirit that’s in the air for us, of ‘Maker Culture’; people wanting to customize things themselves, infuse things with their own personal sense of style, really bring their own design sensibility to what they do."

According to Vogue, the collection includes vegan leather zip packs, day sacks, drawstring pouches, backpacks, mini circle bags, large circle bags, D-ring belts, plus a ton of jewelry. Everything is priced from $7.99 to $49.99, and it'll be available online and in select stores starting July 12th. Shown here is the Small Circle Bag for $20, with assorted charms and studs priced from $8-13.