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Love With Hate Icing

Saunders Least Sucky of GO International Designers

You know by now how much I love to hate on high-end designers who slap their names on mediocre Target collections for a quick buck. So when I hear about X designer for Go International, I assume X’s Target collection to be as heinous as the pricetags on X’s regular line (which no one is paying for, which is why X is pretending to design for Target in the first place). Only in rare cases is this unfair to X. Okay, enough algebra. Let’s talk about Jonathan Saunders.

Jonathan Saunders is all about the crazy. It’s ruffled, it’s neon, it’s shiny. It’s impractical, it’s unforgettable and it’s totally in-your-face. I don’t love it, but I respect it. I also really like it in its toned-down form a la Target.

Unlike other GO International designers, it looks as though Saunders actually designed his collection. Even more unbelievable is that said designs appear to be reasonably cute. I’ll be hitting my local Tar-jay later this afternoon to confirm. And I’ll probs be buying the Blue Whale Colorblock Dress.

I Love A Good Story

Intermix Sample Sale: Full Report

If I had to choose one item to buy in every single color, it would be a Theory, One-Size-Fits-All, Nylon/Elastane blend Tank. I own a beige one that’s seen better days. I wear it layered during the day and by itself at night; it manages to be both the sexiest and the most versatile article of clothing I own. I found a few variations of said Theory tank at the Intermix Sample Sale and knew immediately what I’d be spending my dough on. What I didn’t know was how little I’d ultimately spend.

The bodysuit pictured was originally $120. Its sample sale price was $49 - more than reasonable for something fab, body-conscious and Theory. I also snagged a Theory black tank, figuring it’d be far less than its $90 retail price as it was marked “damaged” (i.e. one thread was out of place), and a pair of Intermix leggings in the $9 bin (originally priced at $68, what the eff were they thinking).

I stepped up to the register expecting to be out at least a hundred bucks. So you can imagine my shock when the salesgirl chirped, “Your total is twenty-seven dollars.”
Huh?
I needed an explanation.
“The leggings were $9, oh, and all Theory tanks are $9 too…”
Right. But what about the $49 bodysuit?
She smiled, and shrugged. “Looks like a tank top to me.”
I thanked the shopping gods for shedding a little light, and bolted for the door.

Bodysuit, Theory, $9; Skirt, Go International for Target, $8.71; Necklace, P.S. 321 Flea Market $3. This might just be the cheapest outfit I own. Not that it looks it.

Oy Vey!

Richard Chai, Why Oh Why?!

Everyone’s got a hard-on for Richard Chai for Target GO International. Sans moi, obvs. I’m not so naive that I expect the designers who slap their names onto Target GO International tags to actually design the collection - they’ve got more important things to worry about, like figuring out how to stuff their size 2 models into size 0 samples before Fashion Week. But if the final, budget-friendly product barely resembles its Ready-to-Wear inspiration, I expect them to notice. Something slipped through the cracks with Richard Chai’s latest Target endeavor; something called style. What we have now is a sloppy, confusing, potato sack-esque mess.

Look, I’m don’t expect to find anything as gorge as that beauteous purple number at Tar-jay. But I also don’t see how that fugly, floral disaster at right (a.k.a. the Tuxedo Dress & Striped Tank Look) has anything to do with Chai’s clean and modern aesthetic.
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Navigatrix

Targeting Suburbia

I’m on vacay this week, and by vacay, I mean I’m dogsitting in South Jersey while my parents are out of town. Sigh. Anyhoo, no trip home would be complete without a visit to my local Target. This is because suburban Targets put urban Targets to shame. The selection of GO International stuff isn’t just more varied - it’s even cheaper than usual!

This high-waisted, satin-esque (it’s Target, let’s not kid ourselves) bubble skirt - from the store’s in-house Go International line - was originally priced at $34.99. Not bad to begin with, obvs. I, however, got it on sale for $8.74.

Paired with a Theory tank (on loan from my friend Lucy) and Via Spiga pumps it looks fairly high-end, which makes the fact that it was less than ten bucks kind of ludicrous.

And kind of awesome.

Navigatrix

Tar-jay Lives Up To Petname

Mmkay, so I got down to biznass yesterday afternoon with my Target GO International Private Label loot and came up with some decent outfits. And by decent, I mean fabulous; false modesty’s a crock. I was more concerned than usual with making sure each combo boasted at least one loaded, JAPtastic ingredient. This is probably because I have never, ever worn Tar-jay in public, and needed my old brandbyes to make the idea more palatable. Anyhoo, here we go. Let’s break it down.

Tar-jay Outfit No. 1: Office JAP

Working in an office environment is one of the better excuses for donning new outfits. Even if you hate your job, you can still love what you’re wearing! I paired a black cami with a Forever 21 Pencil Skirt, and knotted the Tar-jay Button-Front Ruffle Top over it to give the look some shape. Not only is sheer fabric like, sooo hot right now; a thin, transparent blouse can be shaped in varying degrees of awesomeness depending on how it’s buttoned or tied. It’s almost as versatile as the silver Manolos that complete the look. As for what they cost: They were a gift, and I’d prefer to wear them in blissful ignorance.

Tar-jay Outfit No. 2: Summer JAP

I tend not to fool around with multiple patterns at once - I’m not that kind of girl That being said, when I was looking for something more interesting than a gray t-shirt to pair with my Tar-jay Jacquard Floral Ruffle Miniskirt, this Scoop top (purchased last summer for the ludicrous price of $150) caught my eye. When I’ve tried to wear this top in the past, I’ve paired it with jeans, found myself bored to tears and changed outfits immediately. The floral mini updates it and rejuvenates its cool factor without a color clash. (Note: Mixing patterns/prints is fine, provided they have something to talk about - the navy and silver top picks up the blues and grays in the skirt, and therefore works. Obvs.). Same Manolos here too - man, am I a snoot.

Tar-jay Outfit No. 3: Cocktail JAP

I didn’t mention this Tar-jay Kimono Dress yesterday because it’s a satin muumuu sans waist accessory. With a belt or a scarf, however, it’s a fab take on a style superfood: The little black dress. I used my grandmother’s vintage Louis Vuitton scarf to give it some shape, (oh, and to make it scream CLASS :P). And you already know those Michael Kors pumps were sooo not full price; $21.95 at Beacon’s for those not in the know.

Hots and Nots

DESIGNER SLUMDOWN: Target for GO International vs. Everyone Else

Know how I know the lines by everyone else “for GO International” royally sucked? Because I never wore a goddamn thing from any of them. Most of the Erin Fetherston stuff screamed Alice in Wonderland on Crack, the Jovovich-Hawk line boasted nine different versions of the same, baggy “minidress”, and don’t even get me started on the animal-print, eco-obsessed disaster that was Rogan Gregory.

While the full name,
Target GO International Private Label, is a bit much, the clothes from their in house designers aren’t just cute, y’know, for something from Target; they’re fabulous, no concessions required. So fabulous that I bought three thangs, two of which are pictured here.

You can find the Button-Front Ruffle Top and Ruffle Miniskirt on Target’s website for $26.99 each. If you’re a snob like me, you’ll be totally turned off by the fact that these pieces are among Mossimo, Cherokee and all those other icky lines. To assure you of their fabbiness, pics of them in outfit form will be up later today.

I’ve never really used the term Tar-jay because I’ve never thought of this massive brand conglomerate as even remotely chic. Until now. And the best slummer is… Target for Target. Bravissimo!