What I Wore: Target+Neiman Marcus+ Too Much Hype= Disaster

Top: Targe: Rag and Bone/Shirt: TJ Maxx/Pants: J Crew Factory/ Shoes: TJ Maxx

I, like you probably, was very excited when I saw the commercials for the much anticipated NM+Target collaboration that hit the stores early December. I didn’t rush into the store but a few days later I had to pick something up so I wandered to the display.


 Holy. Freaking. Cow. Batman. 


My head was spinning. Why is there a Oscar De La Renta dog bowl but no clothing from him? Tory Birch did a lunch pail and canister both which cost at least $40? Why are Jason Wu dresses for little girls $60? Wait, they think I am going to pay $500 for a bike at Target? This men’s sweater is $70 and feels like sandpaper? I’M SO CONFUSED ABOUT LIFE! 


I have no issues with Target clothing, I love them. When they had Isaac Mizrahi I adored it, I still have some of that clothing because it was quality. My issue is this, the collection was so heavily advertised, so hyped that whenever you see that beautiful, but horribly made, Lela Rose dress that was $100, everyone knows you got it at Target.


 I love Target, but when I spend that much money I like to shop at stores I consider nicer than Target. I realize that for those who regularly shop at Neiman Marcus, this is a great buy for something that is made of QUALITY and is unique. For those of us who don’t have that money but still expect even a little bit of quality in clothing, it was sad. 


This point is even more proven when you realize that they marked it down to 70% this week, those that DID buy the collection at $100 for a dress, (which had HORRIBLE reviews)  I would think feel a little miffed since the collection was never supposed to go on sale. The collection was so marketed that everyone knows where that dress came from, which again, is not always a bad thing, but we all know it was from the failed Target+Neiman Marcus collection that no one bought until it was on sale. 


The sweater that I bought is actually a men’s. Can we be honest about it? It feels like sandpaper. It feels like $20  (originally $70) sandpaper and is already having issues. I feel bad for those people who bought the sweater at $70 and realize when they go to buy milk and eggs, oh hey, your really horrible sweater is now 70% and probably going to go even lower. I got it for $20 and regret it, it’s cheap feeling and a disappointment.


The bottom line is this, it sucked and make zero sense. For those who shop at Target, it was completely out of touch with their consumers, below their quality standards and quite frankly, was a complete disconnect. Sure I want stuff that Jason Wu and Marc Jacobs created but do I really want Jason Wu ornaments? A Derek Lam skateboard? Why did Oscar De La Renta design a dog bowl but not a dress? Why was the purse he designed so bad? For those who shop at Neiman Marcus, they bought clothing that was never supposed to go on sale, the clothing quality from their favorite brands was below that of a grocery store/clothing store  which competes with Walmart. The whole point in my mind of shopping at Neiman Marcus is that you are buying something that not just everyone will have.  


P.S. Time Magazine wrote about it here as well as Fashionista and Business Insider did as well