TEMPLE OF TARGET

The great fall Target designer rush is on! Temple St. Clair is first out the gate, with lovely baubles ranging from $29.99 to $39.99. Temple is an apt name - I'm seeing a lot of Greco-Roman inspiration here. One thing's certain - gold, real or fake, is just as popular as it was 2,000 years ago.

Images, Target.

THE BEST FOR LESS

Two luxury heavy weights are hitting Target stores this fall:  Temple St. Clair jewelry and Mulberry. Fantastic! Both are known for high-end design, so I'm very interested to see how that will translate to low, low prices.

Sneak peaks already on Temple St. Clair, which will debut in stores this month (all pieces are under $50).

And for reference, here are a few baubles from their regular line.

Mulberry for Target releases in October, so it's a bit too soon for the publicity photos. We'll just pretend/hope/dream that this is EXACTLY what they're going to look like. The prices are still top secret, but based on past collaborations, they're unlikely to break $50 as well (a far cry from price points that can typically pass $2,000). Cheap is chic - as long as the look isn't. (And here's hoping there's no reprise of the Carlos Falchi disaster.)

Temple St. Clair for Target images, shefinds.com. Others, companies as attributed.

SUMMER SHOPPING GUIDE: FLIP-FLOPS

I used to be all about heels - the higher the better. Platforms, wedges, stilettos. I wore them on the METRO for crying out loud. But then, one day, I fell off my skyscrapers, plunged through the clouds to earth, and discovered:  there are some FABULOUS flats out there. (Also, falling off of really high heels hurts.) My feet are ever so grateful. But does that mean my fashion is flat too? Not so. Here are some of my favorite flip-flop finds, from Old Navy to Chanel. Go forth and favor your feet.

Lilly Pulitzer Online Store, $88 - $138

Tory Burch Online Store, $45 - 65

Target, $24.99

Chanel Online. See local retailer for prices.

Old Navy Store, $1.99 - $19.55.

J.Crew Online, $24.50 - $59.50.

Saks Fifth Avenue, $39 - $59.

Vinyard Vines Online, $35.

P.S. With apologies, "Ask Sanity Fair" will continue next week - I've had a crazy week, but I'll be back on the job for May!

All images, as attributed above.

Liberty of London

How seriously is Target taking their home/decor/apparel/shoes/office/paper/men's accessories/bike deal with classic British design firm Liberty of London? This seriously.

The Target website today:

Yep. The whole website is Liberty. The entire store is too - I visited today, and they'd swathed

everything short of the cash registers in paisley. And you know what? It's fabulous. 

The home line is bright, cheerful, and well thought out - the pattern series gives variety, 

and the colors play well enough together that you can mix and match.

And don't forget the fashion! Website is a bit sparse; there's lots more in the store, including a 

FABULOUS spring coat with jet buttons. You'll recognize it when you see it, because it has my name on it.

There's little of it on the website, but there's also a wonderful stationary and home office series. A peek:

Images, Target.com.

Carlos Falchi for Target

This fashion season makes me feel more like a safari guide than a fashonista. Imagine being sent around Saks with a zookeeper - Carlos Falchi would be first stop on the tour: "and now, ladies and gentlemen, to your left, a group of ostrich." Ostrich bags. Like this one.

Or perhaps snake. Carlos designs extravagant bags in exotic skins.

But what would cheap, FAUX, snake look like? Cheap, faux, snake, unfortunately. Carlos collaborated with Target this season to release a line of of his own for the big box, big style store. But I can't say I like the results. Kind of reminds me of... every other cheap faux snake bag I've ever seen. Not a fan of the crazy quilt look with skins. And would a little color have killed anyone (other than snakes)?

Very average. I've seen this bag at Target before, but not with a big designer name on it.

Images Nordstrom.com, Target.com.

Anna Sui for Target

Usually, I'm the girl with the tent on the sidewalk before any new Target + Fabulous Designer launch. I was the first to buy a gorgeous new Felix Rey bag in my local Tar-jay last spring. I have stalked sales associates for their secrets (like occasionally putting a new line out on the floor at 9 o'clock the night before...). The new Anna Sui/Target collaboration excited me as much as the rest, but after viewing it in person, I'm packing up my tent, stashing my generator and styling tools, and heading home.

Why? The line is supposed to be based on the oft-copied, much beloved style of Gossip Girl, but frankly, I don't see it. The publicity photographs go so far as to present looks based entirely around the show's characters - The Serena, The Vanessa, and so on. But in real life, the garments look more like The Tacky, The Been Done, and The Project Runway Runaway.

Let's start with this vest. It's from a TV show alright - That 70s Show. And it's also no stranger to trailer parks and Goodwill bins.

In the "been there, done that" category, we have this tee - which could have been produced at any point in the last few years, and by any designer (like Mossimo for Target or Hanes Her Way... ). Nothing new to see here folks; move along.

Many of the more detailed pieces resemble early episodes of a Project Runway series - lot of fabric, little direction. What's going on here? Is it a cardigan? shirt? bolero? Is it trying to strangle her? And it's EYELET. As Tim Gunn would say "simplify, simplify."

Now that the worst is over, there ARE a few really interesting pieces in this collection - at least when styled and photographed by professionals. But a word to the wise: many of the dresses that photographed well appear in person to be overwrought - never a good thing when you're dealing with cheaper materials. Here are two looks I think succeeded in capturing the GG spirit. Go try them out for yourselves!

Top photo, jaunted.com. All other images, Target.

Valley of the Dolls Comes to Target

I ran into the Target yesterday to grab some Burt's Bees lipgloss and literally walked into the new line of Tracy Feith clothes for Go International. Here's just a sampling of Feith's pieces - they're just darling. The amount of detail is impressive as well - nicely patterned fabrics and detailed zippers with embellished gold pulls.  Very, very Valley of the Dolls.  All that's missing is a pair of fabulous white sunglasses and a square straw bag.

Coral Beauty

It's Spring, when the beauty industry goes crazy for coral - lipsticks, blushes, and eye shadows. Target's Sonia Kashuk has a new take on the Spring situation: coral beauty accouterments. Won't they look pretty in the bathroom?

Images: Target.com.

Paris In Your Living Room.

According to the New York Times, Jennifer Clark's murals are "wall coverings that almost require a passport." These gorgeous photo murals are large enough to cover a wall and change the feel of an entire room. And at $199, they won't break your bank doing it. Available at Target.

Sanity Fair Throws In The Target Towel

I give up. I've been trying not to be too "Target-centric" on this blog because of various reasons - it's limiting from a design standpoint, I'd like to offer a mix of low AND high, it gets old and repetitive, etc. etc. But darn that wonderful red and white circle, it's a hopeless business. At least once a week they do some sort of fabulous designer collaboration, and I get all excited, and you get a post. In an effort to control the madness, I've embraced an "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" attitude. There will now be a weekly Treasures from Target post. And I'll try to hold it together on the other days. Promise.

Here it is: Felix Ray for Target! And there is CORAL involved. Oh dear. How many of these bags will I come home with? Enjoy the low-cost feast below. **Prices aren't official yet - most appear to be in the $19 to $39 range.

Big thanks to blogs Cheap Chicas for the nice bag collage and to Gigi's Gone Shopping for the nice (and rare) pics of the navy blue options.