It's a New Day at Target
Before we get into the product, I'll give you my thoughts on Target in general. While Target still remains one of my favorite stores, I've definitely made less trips over the past 18-24 months than I did in the past. Why? Because for the price, Target isn't as affordable as it use to be, at least not for the underwhelming assortment they've been producing over the past couple of years. In other words, fast fashion brands like Zara offer the same quality of apparel for roughly the same price, and in some cases at cheaper prices. Yes, you can walk into Zara and find a $100 blazer, but you can also find a cute dress for $19.90. You cannot find a $20 dress at Target unless you catch it during a promotion or it's from the Xhilaration line. For those that aren't familiar, Xhilaration is basically a junior's line. And quite frankly, most of their clothing with the exception of Who What Wear (a line I absolutely love) and Knox Rose (a good take down version of brands like Free People), I don't find super appealing for the price. You simply get more fashion for the price with fast fashion retail competitors. In some cases, you may pay a tad bit more, but more than likely you're getting a ton more fashion in that item to justify the up charge.
Change is Eminent
I was excited when I read that Target was dropping M&M (Merona and Mossimo) and introducing something new and fresh. "A New Day" or "AND" is the line replacing Merona that was created to compete with competitors such as Zara and J Crew. I actually think it competes more with Madewell, J Crew's superior brand, in my opinion. But I digress. I was also excited to find out that they will have new product shipments every month, versus every few months, which means that I will be making more shopping trips to check out what's new. At first glance, I think the pieces are good. Like really good. These pieces are actually inspiring me to create a "What to Wear to Work" series because they are on trend without being too fast. As much as I like Who What Wear, this is a better line. The early looks in the collection include several of my fall trends to be included in an upcoming blog I'm currently working on. It includes shirts with exaggerated statement sleeves, athletic inspired details, Chanel inspired tweeds and girlfriend style denim. I am really impressed. From what I understand, this is a small fraction of the assortment, so I am really excited to see what else is in collection. If the rest of the collection is anything similar, Target will rightfully secure that spot as the affordable work wear queen. I'm here for it. And as much as I love Zara, sometimes I don't want to drag my behind to the nearest mall, find parking and then wait in line for an hour because there are only two cashiers working at any given time. (Please see my Things I Hate About Zara post if you haven't already by clicking here!) There is a Target on every corner in Houston, so to have this level of fashion product in my neighborhood store puts them at a major advantage. These products will be available on Sunday, 8/27, however, I've been hearing through the grapevine that some stores have already put this collection on the sales floor. So the 8/27 date could simply be an estimated in store date as to when it will be available in all stores because shipping times from their distribution center vary by location. There may not be an official hard launch, so you may be able to snag some of these pieces as early as today depending on the location.
It's all about suiting this fall season. I also love how they paired this with a plain white tee and plain white sneakers. It's easy, yet fresh and stylish. The sneakers give it a classic street vibe look, which is really hot at the moment and a trend I expect to continue. And obviously, it can still be paired with loafers or oxfords if you're not comfortable wearing sneakers to work. I work in a very casual buying office, so I can wear whatever I want. However, more and more employers are implementing a casual work dress code. The prices are great too because the blazer alone retails for $34.99. That my friend, is a steal.
Gasps. The sleeves on this shirt are simply fantastic. They are so on trend that I can barely stand it. During the summer months, the off the shoulder blouses with these sleeves were hugely popular. I'm happy to see Target extend this trend to a full sleeve button down. It reminds me of something you would get from & Other Stories, but for less than half the price. This shirt is as good as bought
The skinny pixie pant is the real star of this outfit because it's the basic that you will find yourself wearing weekly.
Did I forget to mention that this collection will initially feature over 100 plus size pieces? Again, I'm digging the statement sleeves on this shirt and the entire athleisure vibe that's happening in this look.
The athleisure trend continues with these trousers that are giving me athletic vibes. I want them. And it's been a long time since I've wanted a straight leg pair of trousers. I think I may have zero left in my closet. The navy color with the red stripe down the side panel gives it dimension. And did I mention that I love the cut of these pants? It's flattering on any shape or size.
Notice the little "Hello Sunshine" detail on this adorable denim jacket. I don't need another denim jacket because I have a plenty. But this is a good option if you're in the market for one. Embellishments will be a hot trend in the fall, so this is a good way to participate in a way that works for the office.
What did I just say about embellishments? They are in. And if you don't have a pair of oxfords in your collection, I don't even know what to say. This will be addressed in the next blog.
This is a cute shirt dress, an easy staple in every women's closet that can also be worn as a shirt. The billowy sleeves on this dress makes it stand out from the other shirt dresses in your closet. This would be cute with leggings and boots in the winter. I'm also digging those jeans as they are the perfect length for skinnies.
There is nothing special about this shirt because we've seen it before for many seasons. But it's still a relevant top to have in your work wardrobe and really freaking cute. I'm actually loving the shoes, which are giving me a high street vibe......i.e. something you would find at a Top Shop. No word yet on whether this collection will feature shoes. Although, I assume those shoes will be available at Target this season through one of their brands.
I love the embroidery look of this top. I'm assuming its a faux embroidery because I cant imagine them being able to pull off this top with actual embroidery at a reasonable price point. However, I like it either way. And if they did manage to pull that off, kudos to them. The cut of the sleeves on this shirt is different and nice. It's a killer transitional piece particularly in warmer climates.
This jacket is everything under the sun and the moon. It could not be cuter. And let's talk about the styling for a second. This is what it's all about this season. Mixing flirty pieces with casual and athletic wear is a winning look. The Chanel inspired jacket (a classic piece that just happens to be magnificently on trend) paired with a simple tee and girlfriend jeans...............yes please. I am definitely recreating this look.
Military inspired pieces were also trending on the runway this season. I can't tell you how much khaki I saw in brand showrooms when reviewing fall and holiday footwear several months back. So the navy jacket is a nice twist on this trend with the pop of floral detail on the front of the jacket. The red stripe is a nice touch because red is a key color for the fall season.
More styles with statement sleeves. I see no issues here.
Love, love, love this athletic style pant paired with the military jacket. And secretly hoping that this is not just available in plus sizes.
I'm handing a gold star to Target for making a contemporary jean without any distressing. I can wear denim jeans everyday to work, but that task becomes difficult when most affordable jeans that are actually cut well are distressed. Even my bae Zara falls short, because I find myself on a scavenger hunt every time I'm in search of work jeans with no holes. You can find styles at Madewell, who is probably best in class when it comes to denim offerings, but I'm not paying three figures for jeans anymore. Back in the day, yes. Post homeowner, no. I'm sure these probably retail around $35, so good job Target. Oh and the boots are really cute too.
Final Thoughts
Target's key to success in the past has always been adjusting to marketplace changes and being on top of trends. The retail environment right now is just different and you have to be better than good to compete. Just within the last couple of years, we've started to see fast fashion chains expand into more malls and shopping centers so their assortments have become much more accessible. Accessibility is important. For example, just a few short years ago, there was only one Zara in the entire city of Houston. Now there are four. The same thing happened with H&M. We had a Zara long before we got our first H&M, believe it or not. For years we were deprived of brick and mortar stores and they did not sell goods online. Now we have about 5 or 6 and they sell product online. ASOS, the massive UK based online retailer provides two day shipping to the US. And pause for reaction........now Forever 21, (every fashion retailer's thorn in their side) takes returns on goods. No more store credit! This makes it easier to take risks on cheaper product. Then fashion vloggers started to become more popular on YouTube as well as their coveted fashion hauls. And high street brands such as Zara, Top Shop, Mango, ASOS and H&M became the top attractions in those hauls. They still are. Meanwhile in Minnesota, Target had significantly reduced their designer collaborations and their Merona and Mossimo lines had no real energy. It was the perfect storm and Target needed to change their direction. They recognized that they weren't competing in this new retail marketplace with those brands that had become stale, so they opted to start from scratch. They did a similar thing about a year ago with their kid's line, converting old private labels into their new Cat and Jack line. From what has been reported, the sales results have been stellar since that change. After viewing a few pieces from this new collection, I expect them to have the same level of success. This is a good line with fashion that is very wearable and accessible. It expands across multiple age groups, so its not restrictive at all, and its extremely affordable with all pieces retailing under $50. I'm also pleased to see them introduce this line with plus sizes, versus being add on sku counts 6-12 months down the road. Target has started to recognize that they cannot afford to ignore this customer base. This is the Target we have all grown to love and I'm here for every millisecond of it. Well done.