Targét on the Town

My love for the new Kirna Zabête for Target line is no secret.  After purchasing this shift from my local Targèt, I could hardly wait to wear it.  I christened the shift on a fun night out - dinner & drinks.  I got rave reviews, and dropped jaws when I shared the source of my fab dress.

The best part of the dress (aside from a great deal) is that it has enough going on that you don't have to worry about accessorizing.  I paired my dress with open-toe booties, a leather jacket, black clutch, a sleek pair of silver earrings and and an edgy cocktail ring.  Done and done.

I have been trying not to wear my new shift too much, but I can't help myself.  This dress has so many moods, it really just depends on the shoes...

And then you can change up the jackets...

Join me now for a fun game of dress up...

Here I am going to run errands... tall boots or flats.  I would add my denim trench, or the black faux fur vest that I have my eye on.

Now I am headed out for drinks... my punkish booties and a leather jacket.

Today I am a lady who lunches... pointy toe heels and a trench - perfect.

Who knew you could do so much with a $35 dress?  What a steal!

                                                                                                                                 - Allison

Love, love, love...

I am so excited to share my latest fab find with you... Kirna Zabête for Target.  This collection debuted September 9th, and is full of fun pieces that you must own... trust me.

Let's just say that as I entered my local Target yesterday afternoon to pick up a few soccer things for my girls, I was immediately drawn to the women's section.  I spied some fun and colorful prints that were not Target's standard fare.  I quickly realized that I had completely missed the debut of a fabulous new collection, and apparently the entire marketing campaign that went with it.

I didn't have much time with my beloved G&E in tow, so I swiftly grabbed a super cute shift (they actually had my size!) with the intention of doing a bit more research back at the ranch.  My wheels immediately started turning about this dress that I had just scored... $35, made well, wearable fabric, could be worn to work, pick up or out to dinner... in other words, perfect!  

My dress...

I was so curious about the other pieces in the collection and who exactly Kirna Zabête was, that I had to get on the computer asap... Kirna Zabête is a boutique in NYC (Soho to be exact) that was started 11 years ago by two friends with quite a history in the industry.  KZ is fun, colorful and chic - known for its lavender floors as well as their fab high-end designer pieces - clothing, bags, shoes, jewelry, etc.  I then discovered that Target has started targeting cool out-of-the-way shops to create collections that become a shop-within-a-shop at Target.  

The above was just my initial reaction to this a-mah-zing collection.  You can imagine my excitement when I actually tried on the dress (picture to come later)...  it fits so well, it feels like it is much more expensive than it is, it different and cute and I can truly wear it everywhere.  The funniest part is that after staring at myself in the mirror for a bit, I went to Kirna Zabête's website.  There I found a quote, which pretty much sums up my feelings about their collection...

The dream is to have the perfect outfit that can
take us through the daily schizophrenia of being
working mothers. Something above the
ordinary that can go the distance from runway
show to soccer field sidelines. We designed the
entire Kirna Zabête at Target collection to mix
and match together. You can get an entire
wardrobe of downtown cool. There are only
good combinations. It's a mini lesson in print
mixing. A lesson in MORE is MORE and accessory
madness. Wear a hat! Add a floral print trench
coat! Take a tiny risk! S T R E T C H.

They really did hit the nail on the head.  Even better, you can shop this collection on their website with free shipping.  

Here are some of my favorites....

Get out there and start shopping before it's gone... 

                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                 - Allison

*Photos courtesy of kirnazabete.com.

Outfit Idea: Perfectly Perfect for all Occasions

I have become a bit obsessed with less is more since writing about Dior's New Look.  Tailoring, perfect fit, no fuss, polished... these words keep floating through my head.  The question is how to translate this into a chic summer/transitional look?  

Well, in my opinion, nothing is better than the dress.  It is hassle-free and does not require trying to figure out if what top you should wear with which bottoms.  There is much less stress involved as well a smaller chance that you are going to walk out the door as a fashion don't (believe me, I've been there!)  The greater the experimentation factor, the larger the chance of disaster.

More specifically, during this time of the year I would stick with a shift or something in a similar vein.  I have dedicated many posts to the shift because I wholeheartedly believe in it.  It lends itself to many different situations... such as a weekend in the Hamptons with a great hat, cool sandals and fab sunnies.  

New York Fashion Week is right around the corner.  A shift would be chic option with heels and some killer jewelry. Remember, it is still quite hot in September.

Or maybe you are just heading to work... a sexy pair of pointy toe pumps will up your style quotient in a heartbeat.  Add a cute jacket to keep you warm while indoors.

The nice thing about shifts is that they are everywhere.  There is definitely something for every personality... structured and edgy, whimsical/bohemian or straight up preppy.  I am currently fawning over to new J. Crew arrivals (what a shock!)... 

The Allie Dress (do you think they named it after me?!).

 Same dress, different look.

The Jules Dress...

Anthropologie offers a take on the polk dot trend... the Flocked Cobalt Dress.

The new Alice + Olivia Needle Punch Shift for the city girl...

My favorite Tibi Long Sleeve Dress couldn't be more perfect...

That's it.  Simple, chic and no fuss.  Isn't that what it's all about?

                                                                                                                  - Allison

*Photos courtesy of morningpassages.com, washingtonstylereporter.com, fathomway.com, cottages-gardens.cm, hamptons.com, blog.omghaute.com, jcrew.com, anthropologie.com, nordstrom.com and shopbop.com.

Outfit Idea: Shifting Day to Night

Today's ensemble consists of a few of my favorite things... the shift dress (the most versatile dress), leopard print and my Viv's.  The story behind this one is that I needed a daytime look that was chic and comfortable, but I didn't want to look like I was trying to hard.  The same night I had a very fun dinner that I wanted to dress up for, but again, didn't want to look like I was trying too hard.  In other words, I wanted to look and feel like me - just not in jeans.

I started sorting through some old jewelry for some inspiration for my nighttime look, and eventually came across a great pair of earrings from a very long time ago.  Totally perfect!  And, when one wears green earrings, there is no better complement than leopard print.  Problem being, do I go with a bag or shoes???  Since I had my leopard heels on the brain, I opted for the shoes.

Once the accessories were decided upon, I just had to come up with the actual clothing.  I mulled it over for a bit and went with my LWD... I just love that dress.  It turned out to be the perfect choice.  My daytime outfit was a no brainer... white shift, my Viv's (in other words, the most perfect pointy toe flats), sunnies, a trench and a colorful bag.  Done and done!

The ease and versatility of the shift made for a hassle-free transition to my nighttime look.

Added my denim trench for some contrast, and I was out the door... 

                                                                                                            - Allison

Get Your Shift On!

The Spring is upon us.  We technically have two more months, and a lot of winter to get through, but that doesn't stop retail.  We are nearing the end of Resort and ushering in the Spring trends, yet I can't really see myself wearing flats until at least March.  So, instead of telling me what to pack on my vacation, I would really appreciate ideas on how to wear all of these colorful pieces now!  Let's face it, we all would like to add something new to our wardrobes, but there is no need to buy something that we can't wear for at least two months.  It will be on sale by then!

As we are bombarded by the latest trends, I have tried to sort them out... color is in, but so are pastels.  Mod is back and so is the Flapper.  The Seventies are still around and we can't forget the Eighties... hello, neon!  Sequins, lace, fringe, and ruffles are popular as well as clean lines.  However, one of the biggest and most undisputed themes is a nod to femininity.  Ladylike dressing is very important this season as it was in the Fall.  A good piece of advice - when in doubt, dress like a lady.

Keeping femininity as our focus, I would like to introduce The Shift.  The shift is known for it's simple styling, higher neckline and straight or A-line shape.  In other words, it is a dress that will always have a place in your closet, and can be worn all year.  There are short shifts and longer ones for the more mature, crazy patterns, demure prints - most importantly there is something for everyone.  This season the shift is back in full force and is the perfect pick to wear now and later.  It does depend on the style, but the shift can be worn with tights and boots (or booties), a sweater, a blazer, a tee or turtleneck underneath.  It is a perfect way to add some color on a dreary day without looking like you stepped out of a spring catalog.

Some shifts that I have my eye on right now...

This Animal Print Shift is one of many available at Topshop.  I liked the animal print because it is a little more exciting.  It is the perfect wear to work with a blazer or out at night with some sexy heels and a great belt.  The definition of an easy shift that is very versatile.

I can't help it, but this Sachin + Babi dress makes me think of Working Girl.  I keep thinking of the Eighties and power suits... Anywho, I love the dress!  I think this is fab for all ages.  It would look great with a pop of color layered underneath or some fun shoes.  Add a belt for a different look.  So many options with this dress.

You can never go wrong with DVF, and this is a great example.  The Diane Hanky Shift Dress makes a statement on it's own, but would look great with color too.  I don't think I would belt it, but is the perfect canvas for fun jewelry and shoes.

I love Tibi!  I can't really afford Tibi, but I like to dream.  With a nod to mod, this Tibi Shift Dress is a great wear now wear later piece.  Enough said.

What would a post be without a little J.Crew?  This J.Crew shift is fun, colorful and would look great on everyone.  I think it would look just as cute with snow boots as it would with wedges.

And now for the dress that I will definitely never own, but love... Derek Lam's Colorblock Shift.  I love how the colorblocking is used to give a flapper feel to the dress. If I owned this, I would have to wear it once a week.  I am totally serious.  And, I believe that I could go at least six weeks without wearing the same way twice.  It is amazing how versatile the shift can be!

Make sure a shift is one of your new purchases this season.  You won't regret it!

                                          - Allison

*Photos courtesy of neimanmarcus.com, shopbop.com, topshop.com.