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.

The Look for Less: Jonathan Adler vs. Threshold

Don't get me wrong: I absolutely love Jonathan Adler's designs. But I would never pay $295 for his Orange Greek Key Throw (shown far left) even if it is made of super soft baby alpaca. And especially when I can get a such a similar look with Threshold's acrylic version in "Coral Starfish" (shown on the right) for just $24.99 at Target.

New at Target: Orla Kiely Baby Collection

Not sure when this new collection slipped into stores, but it looks like Orla Kiely now has a line of baby products at Target. Shown here is one of the diaper bags, which has gotten rave reviews on Target.com. The line - which you can check out here - also includes blankets, bibs and crib sets.

The Look for Less: One Kings Lane vs. Threshold

I keep seeing octopus motifs popping up everywhere, especially in home decor. Both of these wonderful ceramic figurines (each around 6" big) would make an elegant accent piece. But the one on the left is from One Kings Lane and will set you back $19, whereas the one on the right is from Threshold (at Target) and costs almost half that (at just $9.99).

Lilly Pulitzer's Plans Post-Target...

Racked reports that despite the incredible success of Target x Lilly Pulitzer's homewares and beach accessories, don't expect Lilly Pulitzer to churn out their signature prints on anything and everything. Bloomberg checked in on the brand's plans post-Target collab, and Lilly Pulitzer execs maintain that they will keep the focus on selling clothes and accessories.

So while Lilly addicts can buy lifestyle items like thermal mugs and wireless speakers on the company's site, Bloomberg asserts that Lilly Pulitzer doesn't intend on permanently branching out to beach gear and home furnishings. The good news is that Lilly Pulitzer is interested in more one-time collaborations in the future where things can get more creative, as seen in the Lilly Pulitzer for Target hammocks and beach chairs.

The frenzy over the Target launch also coincided with a big year of expansion for Lilly Pulitzer. The brand will add six stores this year instead of the usual four stores, and it's also expanding far away from resort towns, as Lilly Pulitzer will soon open a store in Chicago.

Woman Claims Target Stole Her T-Shirt Design...

A stay-at-home mom in Oregon says The Bullseye swiped one of her t-shirt designs, ABC affiliate KATU-TV reports.

Melissa Lay designs, prints and sells her own t-shirts from her garage. Now, she claims mass retailer Target stole one of her designs. Melissa is shown here wearing her own shirt, and holding up Target's version on the hanger.

"(I was) blown away," said Lay, "because as a small business owner (and) a mom, I work hard on every shirt I sell."

A friend of Melissa's found a nearly identical top from a Target store in Seattle. Another found the design at a Target in Texas.

While the designs appear to be the same, there are a few small differences. The Target shirt has a distressed flag, as opposed to Lay's original design. Lay also says the material used to make Target's shirts is of lesser quality than hers.

Another big difference: the Target tank retails for $12.99. Lay's handmade t-shirt is $25. Unfortunately, Lay does not have a copyright on every one of her designs because she says it's simply too expensive.

"I would have to spend thousands and thousands of dollars to fix this, and I still might lose," Lay told KATU-TV. Lay reached out to Target's headquarters in Minneapolis, who encouraged her to write a letter outlining her complaint.

The Look for Less: Lilly Pulitzer vs. Mossimo

One of the most popular items from the recent Lilly Pulitzer for Target collab were these cute pompom trimmed  "Upstream Dream" print track shorts. Sadly, they sold out quickly at $24, as did just about everything else from the collab. But you can still get a similar look - at an every more wallet-friendly price - with these Mossimo blue print shorts with crochet trim for just $17.99.

Last-minute Mother's Day Gifts from Target...

While perusing the aisles at Target yesterday, I found some items that would make great last-minute Mother's Day gifts (for those of you who haven't done your shopping yet!). They'd also make nice birthday, hostess or "just because" gifts for the women in your life. Clockwise from left:

• a Smith & Hawken Lavender Calla Lilly Grow Kit, on sale this week for $10 (regularly $12.99)
• a fresh-flower arrangement in a colorful box. Target has brought these in this week just for Mother's Day; look for them displayed on the jewelry cases and near the checkout stands for $19.99
• the Sonia Kashuk Bath and Body Collection: pick from an array of fragranced products like shower gels, perfumes and body lotions, priced from $6.99 to $19.99
• Merona scarves for just $16.99. I tried to capture the detail here, but my pic doesn't do them justice. These scarves come in a variety of prints (stripes, geometric, even cute little fish!) and have fun detailing like topstitching and pom-poms. 

And the winner is...

The winner of my latest blog giveaway - for the Lilly Pulitzer for Target hair elastics - is reader "Mixed Up Chromosomes"! Her entry was picked by the random number generator over at Random.org. Congrats to the winner; I've emailed you for your mailing address, and as soon as you sent it to me I'll send you your prize. And thanks again to everyone who entered and for reading my blog!

The Look for Less: J Crew vs. Sam & Libby

Super-simple, flat sandals are all the rage right now. In fact, I did another "Look for Less" post last month about a similar style. The versions shown here have two straps and are a bit dressier than the athletic slides I profiled before. The big difference is that the pair shown on top are by J Crew and will set you back $78, whereas the pair shown on the bottom are by Sam & Libby (at Target) and cost just $26.99. Personally, I prefer the Sam & Libby ones with the two varied straps - one in shiny patent and the other in faux-snakeskin.

Reader Giveaway: Lilly Pulitzer Hair Elastics

Hello readers! It's time for another reader giveaway as an expression of thanks to all of you who read my blog. This time I'm giving away a little bit of Lilly: a set of 3 Lilly Pulitzer for Target hair elastics. The one in the middle even has the cute gold pineapple charm on it! 

To win, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post along with your email address by midnight on Thursday, May 7th. This giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only (one entry per person, please) and the winner (picked at random) will be announced on Friday, May 8th. Good luck!

The Lilly Leftovers: What's Being Returned

Have any of you out there scored any returns from the Lilly Pulitzer for Target collab? Now that we're at the 2-week return window deadline, it looks like more and more items are trickling back into stores. Here's what I'm seeing the most of:

  * The jumpsuit shown here. I think there must be fit issues with it. Plus, it's made for tall gals, so most women will have to hem this to wear it.
  * The outdoor blankets. I'm wondering whether folks expected this item to be softer; in reality, it feels like a heavy tablecloth.
  * The outdoor string lights. I've seen many sets of these.
  * Clothing in Plus Sizes. This is kind of to be expected as Plus Sizes were only available online, so shoppers were taking a risk by guessing at sizing as they could not try these on in store.
  * Children's clothing, Again, probably returned due to fit issues.
  * Nail files. I've seen countless of these things. I'm not sure if they've been returned, or Target just ordered too many of these and they didn't sell well.

Cute commercial, but something's missing...

Have you seen Target's new commercial featuring action figures from the upcoming Avengers: Age of Ultron movie? Cute, right? But even I - not an Avengers expert by any means - noticed something "off" about it right away, in that not all the Avengers were included. Most notably, the female Avenger - Black Widow - is absent. And apparently this is a big deal in the comic book community. As one reader has informed me: "There has been an uproar about this issue for a while on comic book, Marvel, Disney, and movie sites. They believe that no one wants Black Widow toys as girls aren’t interested in toys and boys don’t want a female action figures." 

This is indeed a hot topic; Variety posted an expose asking why Black Widow merchandise is missing, and MSNBC has reported on it. Even my local paper - The San Jose Mercury News - picked up on the story, and now actor Mark Ruffalo (who plays The Hulk) is demanding more Black Widow merchandise.

The bottom line is that Disney and Marvel - for whatever reason - are choosing not to manufacture very much Black Widow merchandise, perhaps because they don't anticipate as much demand for it as for the "boy character" products. However, a Black Widow action figure already exists. And, it's sold at Target. Which circles back to the original question: why didn't The Bullseye include Black Widow in their cute commercial? Target has posted a "behind the scenes look" at the making of the commercial, but it still doesn't answer this question.