New Dolce Vita styles hit Target.com

Back in July, news broke that Target would partner with brand Dolce Vita on a capsule collection of women's shoes. At the time, I couldn't get into the "menswear vibe" from the oxford and boot styles, although the ballet flats looked decent enough.

Well, the line must have been successful enough to render a "round 2", because Dolce Vita's new Spring styles have just hit Target.com. The offerings include a variety of neutral and metallic sandals like the Cognac ones shown here...which I think look a bit like the Cynthia Vincent ones that flew of the shelves last year (minus the gold hardware).

And, if you were a fan of Dolce Vita's flats, they're now on sale at 50% off.

Product Review: NP Set Lip Gloss Compact

I can tend to be a bit of a makeup junkie, although in the past few years I've scaled back the number of products I use. One product I cannot live without, however, is a good lip gloss. And for me, a great gloss needs to go on smooth (not sticky) and have enough pigment to last a few hours (vs. fading away within minutes). It also helps if it doesn't cost an arm & a leg (hello, Chanel and Nars!).

The Lip Gloss Compact from NP Set (at Target) fulfills all my requirements. It goes on smoothly without being sticky, and the colors are absolutely amazing. Napoleon Perdis (the founder of NP Set) has named his glosses after exotic locales like Cuba, the Bahamas, and Vanuatu (an island in the South Pacific). I have the latter two colors; Bahamas is a rich-rosey color, and Vanuatu is a nude, shimmery hue. Both leave my lips soft and moisturized. And I find the mirrored compact both cute and convenient; all you need is a lip brush and application is a breeze.

Clearance Alert: William Rast for Target

The William Rast for Target collection - which has languished on store racks for weeks - is now on clearance at 30% -50% off. It looks like the full range of items are still available online - in a variety of sizes - with all the jeans/bottoms and most tops at 50% off and the jackets/outerwear at 30% off. That means that if you've been coveting the leather jacket shown here (as I have) it's now $139.99 (down from $200).

The last time I was at Target (which was Sunday) the William Rast goods weren't marked down yet, but now that they are, it'll be interesting to see how well this stuff "moves".

Smith & Hawken in bloom again at Target

Back in 2009, I was devastated when gardening retailer Smith & Hawken announced it was closing all store locations and shutting down its website. Where would we purchase (or lust over, at the very least) the lovely wooden-handled English gardening tools and copper planters that the brand was known for?

Then early last year, it was announced that Target had purchased Smith & Hawken. And this month, the Bullseye has launched its first Smith & Hawken collection since buying the brand. So how does the new line compare with the original Smith & Hawken goods? Impressively, the offerings are similar, including long-handled gardening tools (still made in England), gorgeous copper window boxes, steel arches and trellises, outdoor furniture and cute garden bags and accessories. The products — which start at $10 and run all the way up to $2,500 for a teak table — seem still seem well-made and a fitting revitalization of the beloved gardening brand. Check out the entire collection here on Target.com.

$3-off Boots Beauty at Target

Are you a fan of the Boots line at Target? Then head on over to Boots'Facebook page to grab your $3 off any one product in the Boots No7 Protect & Perfect range. Just “like” Boots Beauty USA on Facebook and find the coupon on the “Offers” tab. The coupon is redeemable at Target stores or on Target.com, and the offer ends January 25th.

Included in the line is Boots No7 Protect & Protect Intense Beauty Serum, winner for Best Anti-Aging Serum in Good Housekeeping’s first-ever Anti-Aging Awards for its outstanding ability to fight deep lines and wrinkles. When first introduced to the U.S. this serum flew off shelves (selling one every 8 seconds at Target!) and continues to be one of its best-selling skincare items today.

Racked gives rundown of Calypso St. Barth

As I mentioned earlier this month, the next Target designer collaboration to hit stores will be Calypso St. Barth (on May 1st). This past week the editors at Racked.com were allowed a "sneak peek", and although cameras were forbidden from the event, they provide a pretty thorough rundown of what to expect from the line:

"Let's start with the womenswear. Calypso is known for its premium fabrics and soft, flowing silhouettes, so everyone is wondering how the looks and quality will translate into the Target line. We fondled and groped all the pieces (in summer whites, bold pinks and reds, and delicious shades of blue), plus carefully inspected all the intricate beading and sequins, colorful embroidery, grosgrain-piping and crocheted lace. And, folks, it all looked and felt really good. Most of the pieces (like the white harem pants, wrap dresses, peasant tops, and beachy shorts) are made out of soft cotton voile.

Also, we spoke with the Calpyso creative director herself and she confirmed that a few pieces are made of real silk and pure linen. We're betting that the navy blue tie-dyed tunic with creamy crochet paneling—priced at just $36—will sell out in a snap (we saw it on a model and it looks much more expensive than it is), plus all the editors were eying a melon-hued tie-dyed maxi dress ($49.99) with a rope belt. The womenswear ranges from $19.99 to $49.99, with the exception of plus-size dresses (available online), which can run up to $79.99.

The tie-dye and elephant print motif is carried over to the home collection and pricing runs from $3.50 for bright, resort-feel acrylic plates to $59.99 for gold and silver Moroccan-style poufs (not real leather, but they feel like it and they're probably much easier to clean). There were also candles, hammered metal-ish votives, and irresistible ceramic elephant tea pots in rose-pink or cerulean blue.

Accessories run the gamut, too. The jewelry and hair accessories run from $12.99 to $49.99 and we have to say that the hammered gold-ish necklace with rose beaded chain and tassle looked and felt pretty substantial for under $50. There is also a line of beach totes and make-up pouch accessories in tie-dye and woven canvas starting at $9.99. Did we mention the bright and resort hued flip flops ($12.99) and canvas wedge espadrilles ($29.99)? Plus the über-soft sleepwear and intimates with lovely crocheted detail double nicely as outside apparel, too."

Shown here: an outfit from Calypso St. Barth's 2010 Cruise Collection.

Tuesday's Rant: Target won't honor mis-marked PS3 price

On Tuesdays I sometimes take the opportunity to rant about something I do not like about Target… because although I love ‘em to death, they ain’t perfect. Today's rant by way of Technologizer, who first reported on Sunday that Target's web site (and sister site Amazon.com) was selling Sony’s PlayStation 3 at the incredible price of just $39.99. Obviously, people rushed to take advantage of this deal, and it soon appeared out of stock. As is often the case when a deal seems "too good to be true", Target issued a statement yesterday that this price was listed in error. Target spokesperson Morgan Murray stated “Unfortunately we are unable to offer either of these items at this time and we are canceling guests’ orders without any charge to their account. We sincerely regret this inconvenience.”

I say it's not enough for Target to simply "regret the inconvenience". At the very least, Target should issue those customers a $20 store gift card, since the error was on THEIR part.

Target To Open in Canada

As I first reported back in October (and my fellow blogger The Recessionista confirmed last week) Target is finally coming to Canada. Target has officially announced plans to open 100 to 150 stores in Canada in a two-year period starting in 2013.

The fast-paced expansion comes courtesy of a $1.85 billion deal for Target to acquire leasing interests in up to 220 stores in Canada from retailer Zellers Inc., a subsidiary of the Hudson Bay Company. Zellers will lease the stores back and keep its name on the stores for a period of time during the transition. Zellers is Canada's second-largest mass-merchandise retailer, with more than 270 stores. The company was founded in 1931 by Walter P. Zeller as "stores for thrifty Canadians."

The deal marks the first time Target has made any substantial growth plans since the start of the recession. Last year it opened just 10 stores and this year expects to open 21. That's down from a roughly 100-store a year pace the company had been on before the economy turned sour.

"This transaction provides an outstanding opportunity for us to extend ... beyond the United States for the first time in our company's history," said Gregg Steinhafel, Target's chief executive. Target currently operates 1,752 stores nationwide.

But in an interesting twist, Target may have to operate under a different name in Canada. There is already a discount menswear chain operating in Canada as "Target Apparel", which means Target may have to choose between using a different name there, buying the Canadian rights to the Target trademark, or face a lawsuit, depending on what happens in a fight over ownership of naming rights.

Target Sheds Name From Logo

Mimicking Starbucks - who last week announced they were dropping the text from its trademark mermaid logo - Target has also decided to go nameless and has shed its name from its iconic bullseye logo. The retailer removed the word "Target" from its Web site this week (as shown in this screen capture from this morning) leaving its well-known, red-and-white bullseye to speak for itself.

Sale Alert: Red Hot Shop

Target's Red Hot Shop - their online boutique of the "chic, unique, and sometimes offbeat" - is having a sale this month. With most items 20-30% off, you can snap up these adorable hand-puppet mittens, these fun (and functional) chalkboard kitchen canisters, and this Rachel Pally dress that I wrote about back in November.

The Recipe File: Puerto Rican Chicken

Hello Readers! Welcome to what I hope to be a new semi-regular feature here on my blog, where I will try to pass on tried & tested (and yummy!) recipes based on an ingredient found at Target. First up is Rachael Ray's Puerto Rican Chicken, which I originally found in her magazine last year, but didn't get around to trying to make until this past weekend. This dish calls for Goya brand Spanish-style tomato sauce, which I went to (no lie!) 2 grocery stores, 2 gourmet markets, and 1 Spanish market for, with no luck. But guess where I found it? That's right: Target! [in the Hispanic foods section, in case you're curious].

You can find the full recipe here, and I can tell you it was a big hit with my family. I only altered the recipe in two ways: first, I added some red-pepper flakes when simmering the sauce to make it more spicy, and I also eliminated the potatoes (as I'm trying really hard to keep my new-year's resolution of my low-carb diet). This dish was both super-easy to prepare and delicious; kind of a twist on Chicken Cacciatore, but with an extra "kick". I'll definitely be making it again soon!

Clearance Alert: Caldrea Holiday Scents

Apparently, the Caldrea Collection at Target (which I first wrote about last April) put out a couple of special "holiday scents", which I completely missed in store when they debuted over the holidays. I only just found them on clearance the other day, at 30% off. Which means the countertop spray (regularly $5.99) is now $4.18, and the kitchen candle (regularly $9.99) is $6.98.

The two limited-edition holiday fragrances came in Plum Nutmeg and Saffron Quince, with the latter being the less offensive scent. I didn't care for either of them. Personally, I prefer the original fragrances of Olive Oil, Citron Ginger, and my favorite, Herbs of Provence.

Calypso coming to Target

Exciting news, readers! InStyle Magazine reports that Calypso St. Barth, a favorite of celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and Kate Beckinsale, is confirmed to create a limited-edition collection of fashion and home items for Target. “Calypso St. Barth is a renowned global brand with an incredibly loyal following and we think Target’s guests will love the no-fuss, sophisticated appeal of the collection,” said Target’s senior vice president of merchandising Trish Adams. While no official images are available yet, the collection will include clothing and accessories for women and children, plus home decor like candles, pillows and glassware. “The Calypso St. Barth for Target collection is timed perfectly for summer and offers our guests destination-chic style at incredible prices,” Adams said. While regular Calypso offerings (shown here) can reach upwards of $800, the label’s Target pieces will be $1.99 to $79.99, and will launch on May 1st.

New at Target: Splendid Littles

What is it with Target and all the designer baby collabs? First there was DwellStudio for Target, introduced back in 2008. Then last year brought us The Little Seed and Petit Trésor. And now, Target is introducing Splendid Littles to the mix. From the L.A. boutique brand Splendid - known for their ultra-soft t-shirts - comes infant and toddler wear spun from the softest yarns. Available for a limited time only, you can check out the entire collection here.

Target's Great Save Event

Target started their Great Save Event yesterday (Jan. 2nd), which will run through February 5th. This is the second year of the event, in which the Bullseye takes the space where it typically sells seasonal merchandise and instead sets up a "warehouse club-like experience". For the next several weeks, Target's Great Save will feature items like 4-pack boxes of Life Cereal and 30-roll packs of Cottonelle Bath Tissue at member club (like Costco) prices.

As I wrote last year at this time, I was not impressed with the Great Save, and I'm not sure I'll shop it this year, either. We dropped our Costco membership over a year ago because we just don't have the space to store items in mega-bulk sizes. Furthermore, it looks like this event has replaced Target's Global Bazaar, which was something I used to look forward to each year at this time.

Farewell, 2010....and Hello, 2011!

Greetings, readers! Are you in a post-holiday daze like I am? Hopefully you all had a wonderful NYE, and are spending the day relaxing and recouperating.

In reflecting on 2010 and this blog, I realize that I have less to "shout about" than the previous year. Sure, I still love Target... but last year I did an entire post about my "favorite things", and this past year I felt the Bullseye fell short with some of their offerings and designer collaborations. To that end, this time I will just share with you my "best" and "worst" awards for 2010, and not an entire list.

First up, the worst thing I saw at Target during 2010. This item I actually just noticed in the last week or so, but it was SO bad that it inspired this post. Pictured at far left is the monogram apron from the Giada de Laurentiis line...and the embroidery job on this thing is SO awful that it's my pick for the worst. Seriously: I went through an entire stack of these in the store, and each one had poor, uneven, shoddy stiching. It's so bad that if I were Giada, I'd be embarrassed to have my name on it. And Target should be ashamed to sell something this bad.

The second is an amazing find that I'm naming the BEST Target had to offer for 2010. I intended to do a "Wednesday Rave" on these in December, but I just never got around to it. To give credit where credit is due, I first found out about these snazzy boots by way of Erin Gates on her blog, Elements of Style. The winner are these Mossimo "Katherine" boots that are a dead ringer for real Frye boots, but at a fraction of the price. I bought these boots, and can attest that they are both stylish AND comfy. Don't just take my word for it: check out the positive rating from over 300 customers on Target's site!