I'm fortunate enough to live in Jacksonville, FL - one of those cities that's just big enough to have good shopping and restaurants, but not so big that traffic is atrocious and there's annoying tourists everywhere. We live close enough to big cities like Orlando and Miami that make weekend road trips quick and easy. And living close to these cities allows us to easily go back home and escape traffic, tourists, and bad out-of-town drivers.
Another bonus to living in Jacksonville is that every time there's a designer collaboration for Target, there's only about five people who show up for the launch.
When 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target launched on September 15, I decided to arrive at the Town Center at 7:55 am. There were only three people waiting at the door. By the time the doors opened, about five of us walked through. We all easily made our way to the Phillip Lim section, picked up the items we wanted, and walked to the registers to check out. It was all very civil and there was even polite small talk amongst us. Whenever I read other blogs about these designers launches, I'm always amazed at what a madhouse Target becomes in other cities. People fighting each other for a handbag, pushing and shoving, and entire collections selling out within minutes. It's been a little over a week now, and I can report that there are still some Target locations in Jacksonville that have almost the entire collection in a full run of sizes (I've found that the one on Beach Blvd seems to have the most). So I was able to easily grab the items I wanted (well, almost).
The pattern placement on this top is just all over the place (see the photos above). Every one I tried on was so drastically different from the other that it took me forever to pick out the one I wanted. I'm just so picky! Did I want more black? More floral? And this seemed to be true only for the size extra-smalls. I really wanted a blouse with more of the floral print and as little black as possible, but I couldn't find one in an XS (all the other sizes had the pattern placement I wanted though. It was maddening). This blouse was the one I wanted the most so I was happy that I was able to find an XS easily. I think the pattern is pretty and the fit is great - nicely tailored and not too tight. I often find that these designer collaborations run really small in the armholes, but this blouse fit me very comfortably. I like the hidden zip closure up the front - makes it really easy to pull on and off. And there's a small button at the top for added security. A great blouse that can be easily paired with skinny jeans, leather pants, or a pencil skirt. Wear it day and night, to work or a night on the town. Super versatile!
This black peplum wasn't at the top of my list, but I thought I'd try it on in the store anyway because it looked cute. I'm glad I did because I love it. It's a simple top, but that means it can be paired with many different bottoms and accessories. Just like with the printed peplum, it's nicely fitted and comfortable. The embellished neckline makes it seems more of a night-on-the-town top so I'm saving it for a date night with my husband.
This blouse was also at the top of my list, but unfortunately it seems it was at the top of a lot of other people's lists as well. The extra-smalls sold out quickly and I was only able to get a size small. It's just too big.
This is definitely one of those blouses that has to be very tailored to give off a more polished look. In the photo above, I'm pulling the back so it will look more how I want it to. I think taking it to a tailor is just too much hassle and investment for something from Target, even if it is a designer piece. I do like the color-blocking and the tan/navy combo is really nice. I wish, however, that the tan panel down the front was a little narrower. The wideness makes it look a bit awkward to me in my opinion. Or maybe it's just the fact that I'm wearing a size too big. I would love to see how this would've looked in an XS (anyone out there willing to trade with me?!)
I know this dress was predicted to be the top seller of the entire collection. I was excited to try it on in an XS, but it just didn't look right on me. I don't like dresses with a mandarin collar so I unzipped the top portion and left it open, which I think looks better. I don't really care much for the high-low hem - kinda just wish it was all knee-length. Also, I think this would look much better with a belt to cinch in the waist and break up the pattern a bit. However, the pattern placement on these dresses was much better than the peplum tops. I just wish it were a simple collared shirtdress.
Here's the floral print again, this time in a buttondown blouse. I love loosely fitted blouses like these - I think they look great tucked in to skinny jeans. But this one just didn't look right on me. I think the pleated detail on the shoulders made me look too broad. I also like to roll up the sleeves, so I wish there was some type of tab closure to help the sleeves stay put. I'm interested in seeing how others style this top.
Now that the fall season is upon is, I've been breaking out my scarves again. Although still far too hot to wear them in Florida, I still love the way they look and I pair them with tank tops and light-weight blouses so I don't get too hot. This scarf was not love at first sight. I was nonetheless intrigued by the leopard print (often considered a neutral), but I knew I didn't want the dress, sweater, or skirt (too much print for me). So I settled on the scarf, which adds just the right amount of interest to an otherwise plain outfit. Pair this with a simple tee and dark skinnies and you're good to go.
Check out this video on different ways to wear a scarf. I'm amazed by all the possibilities and have been practicing a lot. What would I do without YouTube? These people are far more creative than me.
