Wednesday's Rave: this Merona trench

I've been wanting a new winter trench coat, but have hesitated; what color to buy? While I've fallen in love with a few in punchy colors like red and purple, I keep coming back to black because it's so versatile and will go with everything. So I was delighted to find this Military Trench by Merona at Target... and on the clearance rack, no less! [It's regularly $39.99, but I scored it for just $19.99]. Yes, it IS black... but it also has a white/gray windowpane pattern that sets apart from the standard black trench. I also love the fabrication: a mid-weight cotton/poly twill (fully lined) that's substantial enough to keep off the chill and rain.

Tuesday's Rant: longer return process at Target

Most Tuesdays I take the opportunity to rant about something I don't like about Target… because although I love ‘em to death, they ain’t perfect. Today’s rant is about the new - and longer - return process at Target, due to the fact that the Customer Service Associates are taking more time to double and even triple check that the item you're returning matches up to the receipt. And regardless of whether you even have a receipt, the Target Associates seem to be checking to make sure that the tag on the item matches up to item itself... for example, ensuring that the size 8 Mossimo skirt you're returning is indeed a size 8, and that the tags haven't been switched with a different size or brand.

On the one hand, I can understand this new policy. Target, like many other stores during the recession, has suffered more shrinkage (an industry term for "shoplifting") than ever before. I even heard two Target employees talking openly about the problem in the store the other day. But for honest customers (myself included) it can be a bit insulting to have the item you're bringing back scrutinized so carefully, as well as frustrating by the extra time it takes. I realized we're only talking an extra 1-2 minutes per person here, but when there's 6 people ahead of you in line, it all adds up.

Flying off Target shelves...

You can file this post in the "I just don't get it!" department. Zhu Zhu Pets (shown) are proving to be one of the hottest toys this holiday season, so much so that Target and other big retailers can't keep them in stock. Target, in fact, is limiting them to four per customer, and some parents are resorting to Amazon.com, where the critters sell for at least twice the $8-to-$10 price.

Zhu Zhu Pets are dubbed "the world’s first innovative, realistic, interactive, plush, and artificially intelligent hamsters that talk and move around in their own playsets." Zhu Zhu Pets include two play modes: nurturing mode where the hamsters coo and purr, and adventure mode where the hamsters explore their habitat with intelligent audio and mechanical responses to various habitat stimuli. Of course, there's also over a dozen add-ons for sale to build an ever-evolving hamsterworld for your Zhu Zhu to explore.

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. This week I honed in on this fun (yet practical) faux-fur throw, just $20 this week at Target (on sale for 20% off, regularly $25). Patterns include "Jaguar", "Cheetah", and the ambiguous "Brown" and "Tipped Brown", and all come in a generous 50x60" size. Seeing that my family was half-jokingly telling me last night that they want Snuggies for Christmas, I think that these furry throws might just be a more attractive alternative.

Holiday party dresses on a budget

Oprah.com says they're "blown away by the styles in Target's Limited-Edition Holiday Dress collection", and highlight 4 dresses under $40 on their site. Pictured is one of the 4 they rave about: the fun-and-flirty Vicky Feather-trim dress, for just $39.99. You can check out the full selection of Target's Limited Edition Holiday Dresses - over 50 dresses in all - on their web site.

UPDATE: I saw two of the 4 dresses featured on Oprah.com this past weekend in my local Target. The gold-circle dress is classy & chic (and reminds me of something Nicole Miller might design) but you can pass on the one-shoulder red number due to its cheap-looking fabric and construction.

Target goes CRAZY with the Black Friday discounts!

Whoa! Target is going to EXTREME measures to try and lure Black Friday shoppers this holiday season. According to this CNN Money article, you'll be able to buy a Chefmate coffee maker, toaster, or sandwich maker for just $3. That's right: three dollars. This is NOT a typo!! Other deals include a Westinghouse 32-inch LCD HDTV for just $246 (the lowest price ever seen on that flat screen TV) and a Tom Tom GPS for only $97 (which usually starts at around $120).

The special Target sale circular will hit newspapers the week of Nov. 22, and reportedly some of the sales are valid only on Black Friday whereas others are good through the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Wednesday's Rave: this Umbra wall mirror

Today’s rave was an unexpected find. I wasn’t even looking for a mirror, but I was walking past the wall décor section in Target when this beauty (securely packaged in a large box with the image at left on the front) caught my eye. This Umbra Trapeze Mirror hangs - almost by magic - from a single silver “wand”. What an amazing design! It combines both modern and antique styles, and could blend into almost any décor. And at just $39.99, it looks a lot more expensive than it really is.