The newest of Target's Go International Designers, Libertine, just released his collection today. So far, despite the fact that Target has gotten some impressive designers (Behnaz Sarafpour, anyone?), the actual collections have not been too exciting to me. But I continue to write about them here because, hey, on a college budget, it's worth checking out any high-end designer's cheap-chic collection.

Okay, I like this shirtdress. It's simple, but cute, and I like the length and the detailing. Would go well over jeans and with some fun jewelry.This skirt is definitely not bad either. I'm not thrilled with the skull and crossbones print, since we saw that everywhere last fall and I thought that look was over - but this skirt isn't bad.

This vest could be cute, but it's only problem is that you'll see millions of wannabe-punk girls aged 11-18 wearing this out every Friday night. It will get overdone, fast.

Overall, not a particularly impressive collection, but none of Target's Go International Collections really are ever that impressive.

Labels: cheap chic, Go International, Libertine, Target

Hey girls,

Go here to check out the collection. If that link doesn't work, go to shoplocal.com and enter "Proenza Schouler". Some lucky people, such as Julie at Almost Girl, have apparently been able to actually order a bunch of items, but for some reason when I click on the links I'm just taken to Behnaz Sarafpour stuff. Maybe Target got wise to the fact that their stuff was being sold wayyy in advance of when it was supposed to start selling and very efficiently did something about it. I don't know. So for now I'm just contenting myself with thoughts of that adorable blue silk bustier top and a snappy purple pencil skirt (say that three times, fast.)

Source: ShopDiary

UPDATE: Some, not all, of the links work. But the ones that do take you to a Proenza item on Target.com say that the item's sold out. But atleast you get to see nice big pictures of some of the things you can look forward to in a couple of weeks!

Remember -- Feb 4.

Labels: cheap chic

I'm a news junkie, so part of my routine when I get up bright and early every morning (I have 8 ams 4 days a week!) is to check the New York Times online- the only news source worth reading, in my opinion (Kristof and Friedman: best columnists ever, I LOVE those guys). Anyways, point here is, I found this article about fashion pollution, Can Polyester Save The World?, both alarming and slightly hilarious. The idea is that low-budget, disposable clothes from such cheap-chic giants as Target, Old Navy, and H&M are contributing to a rise in carbon emissions and worsening the global warming crisis. Sad, but true.

The bad news? The more clothes you own--especially of the cheap, dispose-at-every-season variety-- the more you contribute to global warming.

But the good news? At least now we can justify solely buying Gucci and Chanel--it's better for the environment!

Labels: cheap chic, links, news

Okay first of all: who doesn't love H&M? The Swedish cheap-chic giant has been an overnight success since hitting the US a few years ago.

I know this is old news, but I'm thoroughly interested to see the M by Madonna line that Madonna will design for H&M, set to release this March. When Karl Lagerfeld's line for H&M premiered in 2004, all I remember was getting there the day after the line released and everything was sold out already. But then again, that was Karl Lagerfeld. When Stella McCartney's line for H&M premiered in 2005, it sold out equally as fast. When Madonna's little tracksuit experiment for H&M came out...it was not nearly as much of a success. But, H&M is giving Madonna another chance and I'm interested to see what new ideas she'll come up with this time!

Hopefully I'll be able to high-tail it to my nearest H&M this March to check it out in person. Unfortunately I don't have an H&M near my campus, but if the line is any good I might have to make a weekend trip home to Chicago to check it out!

In other really random news, a thought: do you guys read ever read Glamour? You know, the Glamour Do's and Dont's, where they take pictures of people on the street and black-bar them and display their good and bad style choices. Do you ever wish you could do that and take pictures of people you see on the street whose style inspires you...or horrifies you? Aparna and I, while shopping today, sort of...followed...this girl around Forever 21 so we could get a full glimpse of her outfit, which we both absolutely adored (she wore this coat and balanced out its girliness with black tights and flat black leather boots)!! We felt kind of crazy, but you have to admit, it's really interesting to watch people on the street and wish you could blog every wild and interesting outfit you see.... don't you agree?

Labels: cheap chic, news

Finally found my camera cable, so I can share my disappointment over the Roland Mouret for Gap Product(RED) dress. This was the only dress left in the 5th Avenue store when I went last Monday, and I shall assume that the people who snatched up all the other dresses have some sense, therefore concluding that the other dresses must have been far better (or atleast less disappointing).

The cut left much to be desired, the drape was awful, and the fabric was some sort of rough, scratchy blend. Look at the drooping hem. God only knows what they were thinking. It could've been such a cute dress. The neckline's attractive, if unoriginal, and the sleeves could've been quite sexy if they hadn't been so excessively long. This was the smallest size and it looked and felt like a sack on me.

Needless to say, I did not end up fulfilling my Roland Mouret craving.

Was anyone else lucky (and efficient) enough to pick up one of the other dresses? What did you think?

Labels: Budget, cheap chic

Tomorrow is the first day of December - leaving aside my amazement at just how fast this year has gone, I am excited because Roland Mouret's collection for Gap opens in NYC stores sometime soonish! I am honestly a little bit tired of Gap, but I am crossing my fingers that RM won't disappoint. I really like the red t-shirt dress, especially because I've been trying to think of some way to support the Inspi(red) campaign without having to plaster a slogan across my chest.



Items underlined in red on my itinerary for NYC trip next week (yeah I was just there for Thanksgiving but I was sitting at uncle's house eating and playing with adorable cousin, only ventured into Manhattan for a couple of hours the day I arrived, so This Is My Chance) --

Gap store
Uniqlo store
An Earnest Cut & Sew

I will add more things as I think of them. If any of you are reading from NYC kindly suggest more stores to visit (affordable, preferably, though I am equally wont to go into, say, Tiffany&Co to ogle baubles.)

Labels: Budget, cheap chic, news

I am SO EXCITED about this. I don't think this collaboration has even been officially announced yet -- I found the pictures on the Jane Magazine Dress&Primp blog, Catherine scanned them in from the invitation to the launch. This looks like the most promising line I've seen so far from Target Go International. Behnaz Sarafpour was exciting but I was a little disappointed by the clothes. This line, however, looks wearable and cute and very very Proenza. I wish I could see the front view of the coat because it looks adorable.

Labels: Budget, cheap chic, news

The collection opened on Thursday in New York, as soon as I get the time I will be checking out H&M in Chicago to see what it's like. I hear that there's a lot of romantic embellishment - bows and hearts, which sounds a little... busy for my tastes, but I'll give it a chance.

From FashionWireDaily, "It was, in fact, hard to find a Viktor and Rolf's women's item that was not festooned with one or the other, from the heart buckle on a pouf-skirted trench coat to the white, quilted-heart puffer jacket to the delicate bow print that snaked across t-shirts and sweaters to the outsized chiffon bow that engulfed the torso of the V and R wedding dress - the first in H and M's 59-year history (and, at $349, a relative steal compared to the duo's usual couture-level bridal price tags)."

The outfit below is definitely worth further investigation. I love the Edwardian-style blouse, very romantic. The skirt's cute but not something I'd wear in the winter, most probably. Might look cute and slightly edgy with tights and high boots. Especially those gorgeous over-the-knee Ralph Laurens that are currently being sported by everyone who can afford them! But if you are fortunate enough to be wearing those boots with this skirt, streamline the top or else the whole outfit is going to be Trend Overload.


To check out more pictures of the collection, see this post at Fabsugar.

Sounds like it's worth taking a look at, at the very least! If any of you get the chance to check it out, please report back to let the rest of us know what you think!

Labels: Budget, cheap chic, news

I am a huge fan of Roland Mouret's designs so this is exciting news indeed. My personal opinion is that the grey shapeless (caftan? shirtdress? nightshirt?) thing on the left is really not the most flattering dress you could go for, but the navy dress in the middle is Really Cute and the red on the right is great great burst of colour for a winter wardrobe, and it's tres chic when layered over a striped or printed top. Also loving the tights and cute mary-janes. Definitely try this look if you can get away with minidresses and tights this winter (in other words, if you're not already freezing your butt off in, say, Chicago!)



From Women's Wear Daily:

"The American retailer has linked with British designer Roland Mouret to launch a capsule collection of dresses, mainly in select stores in Europe but also at a handful of units in New York. The collection will arrive in 160 Gaps in the U.K., Ireland and France on Nov. 7 and should hit the New York stores a few weeks later, according to Stephen Sunnucks, president of Europe, Gap Inc. International.

"A very small selection will go into six or seven Manhattan stores by late November, early December," Sunnucks said Monday during a press breakfast to unveil the line, which will be on sale only until the end of December."

I will definitely put Gap on my to-go list when I'm in New York this December. I'd love to score that navy dress.

Labels: Budget, cheap chic, news