What's Left: Target x Phillip Lim in Brooklyn

So you would think that after being lucky enough to attend the Phillip Lim x Target launch party I would've found enough goodies to satisfy my fashion thirst. Afterall I found myself with the mini Pashli and the Boom sweater dress. Unfortunately that wasn't enough because even at the preview event the merchandise moved fast and I found myself stalking Twitter and Target.com like a maniac last night. The first pieces launched just shortly before midnight and slowly as the hours unfolded people were finding one piece at a time available for purchase all while the @TargetStyle Twitter feed claimed that the wait was still on. No wonder by the time it officially went live at 4:17am so many of the pieces were sold out.

Thanks to my stalking I was able to snag the trench coat shortly after midnight but while I was waiting for a few more pieces, lost the lingerie/sleepwear that was in my cart at about 1:47am. This is a good 2 hours plus before the official launch. Feeling a bit of despair at my losses, I decided to forgo the leopard sweater and bleary eyed I headed to bed. By 8:07 am this morning, there was not much left but I sagged the online only leopard travel bag and the camo print men's backpack.

I decided like a true devotee/fashion slave to hit up not one but two of my local Targets after the frenzy of the early am to see what was left in store.

While Atlantic Avenue was pretty wiped clean it was interesting to see what remained. Guess the navy dress with sequins wasn't that popular or maybe it was the $79.99 price point that kept people at bay but it was available in a multitude of sizes. The crepe dress with embellished neck line also was pretty plentiful in both Blue and Black. Other than that a couple pairs of sweat pants and a few tee shirts with and without embellishment, a few of the sweater dress in grey, the black and white color block shirt dress, cascade ruffle blouses and beaded tuxudo blouses were all that remain. Sizes tend to mostly be available in XL and Large, although there were some Small, Medium and XS to be found

After refueling with a quick bite, the Target in Brooklyn Junction was my next stop.

I was surprised to see that this Target didn't fare much better and was almost as equally wiped out by 2pm. There was more menswear on hand at this location. However they did have some different selection of merchandise than the Atlantic Terminal Target although some repetition of some of the more seemingly unpopular items. The embellished neck was also available here in blue and black but not as plentiful. The embellished tee in grey heather and the ruffle front sleeveless blouse was also available here. There were a lot more XS and Small sizes left at this location.

Unlike the Atlantic terminal, I spotted several menswear pieces here including a lone pair of tuxedo pants, several color block pique tees, marled knit cardigans and 3 or 4 trenches in sizes Small to Large

What this location had that the other Target didn't was the embellished neck peplum blouses and one lonely floral print peplum blouse. The sizes were mixed but what was leftover at this location tended to run smaller. A woman wistfully offered me up a color block black/white dress which she thought was too adorable for words saying it should fit me.

I spotted a couple girls with baskets full of the last hint of leopard I could see at the store and several other items as they made their final decisions as to what to keep or return. It looked like they were keeping most of the scores.

One thing I noticed while I was at check out, without any Phillip Lim sleepwear, was a sign asking that guests limit themselves to 2 of the same item. This looks very similar to H&M's designer collaboration policies. Probably an attempt to stave off any e-bay resellers and hoarders from taking over but judging by what was leftover, I am guessing those attempts were in vain. Staffers report that neither Target is likely to re-stock but you may want to pop by after a few days or so when the returns start to flood in.

More NYC Sample Sales

Who: W118 by WALTER BAKER Sample Sale
What: Discounts on super versatile womenswear basics with a high-fashion twist. Make the brand's printed dresses and chiffon shirts
your go-to for effortless everyday style.
When: August 15-18, 2013. Thurs-Sat 10:30am-7pm. Sun 10:30am-5pm
Where: Chelsea Market, 75 Ninth Avenue (b/n 15th & 16th St)

Who: Bespoken Sample Sale
What: Menswear for up to 75% off. Shirts $45-80, Shoes $100-150, Trousers $50, Knits $30-60, Blazers $120-175, Jackets $80-150.
When: August 15-17, 2013. Thurs-Sat 9am-7pm
Where: 50 East 57th Street, 6th Floor (b/n Madison/Park)

Who: Ligne Roset Sample Sale
What: Up to 60% off the renowned French furniture and lifestyle brand. Snag floor samples, overstock and discontinued items. Discounted items include the Hybride sofa, was $6850, now $3995. Vide-Poche, was $925, now $429. Finn dining chair, originally $630, now $299. Confluences four seat sofa, was $8575, now $5495.
When: August 16-18, 2013
Where: 250 Park Ave South, (b/n 19th & 20th St) 212-375-1036

Fellas Be a Bombfell: Pop that Color

A couple weeks ago I found myself at the Bombfell offices in midtown Manhattan. First off you might be thinking, what exactly is Bombfell? Bombfell is a subscription based menswear service that makes looking good easy with clothes picked just for you keeping in mind your preferences and body type by a stylist. It's meant to make men into the male equivalent of a bombshell! Hello Bombfell! You set your budget, can cancel or skip a month and there is free shipping both ways. Shopping made truly easy for those who don't have the time or don't like to dwell on fashion but still look good.

So I found myself immersed in row-upon-row of neatly organized menswear product from woven shirts, knit polos to sport coats and hoodies. Essentially everything the modern man needs to look pulled together.

I went through the new merchandise and picked out some of my favorite pieces. Anyone that knows me knows that I am a big proponent of color. My life changed from me being a shy wallflower who wanted nothing more than to blend into the background to being the confident and happier woman that I am, my wardrobe certainly reflects it. Color can make just about anything better.

I know a lot of men are a bit color-phobic but there is nothing like a bit of color to lift an outfit or make a man stand out from his peers, in the right way. A bit of color exudes confidence, comfort in ones own skin and a fun personality. What could be sexier? Add just one colorful item to classic neutrals to give your look a bit of swagger. Choose a well fitting, classic menswear style in a fun color and pair it with stylish neutrals. If you want to step it up a notch, mixing textures and subtle pattern add dimension to your look and is really sophisticated.

Below are the outfits I picked out incorporating that special pop of color - you can read more about it here.
Now Sugar Rock Catwalk readers can take $15 OFF your first purchase at Bombfell!

Go to bombfell.com/gimme and enter discount code SUGARROCK. Happy shopping.

Designer Collaboration: Michael Bastian x Uniqlo

(image courtesy of WWD)

Designer collaborations are a dime a dozen these days - so by default I've become desensitized to them.  After going batshit crazy in the past and lining up to buying something only to never wear it, I've learned to seriously edit down my choices before I even set foot into a store.  However, every rule has exceptions and this is definitely one of them.  2011 CFDA winner Michael Bastian is doing a collaboration with Uniqlo comprised solely of polo shirts.  Bastian has done amazing things with GANT and is one of my favorite American designers so I'm glad he's pairing up with one of my go-to fast fashion retailers, Uniqlo.

Preppy, clean, wearable (IMO: this is the single most important factor when deciding whether or not to buy a collaboration piece) and incredibly affordable at just $19.90, I'm definitely going to try and pick up a few when the line drops on May 20, 2013.

Here's a closer look at the pieces:

(images courtesy of Uniqlo)

Everlane: Heading North

For all our Canadian readers, we have some great news!  Everlane is going to be making it's way northbound.  The online retailer that turns out solid basics at an insanely reasonable price ran a campaign recently and met its target of $100K worth of pledges so up to Canada they go.  I checked out the pop-up shop here in New York a few months ago and I loved what I saw.  Clean basics, casual lines and comfortable/wearable pieces. To shop online just click here and sign up to become a member.

From perfect T's to silk blouses to wool sweaters to oxford shirts, Everlane has you covered.  By eliminating all the middlemen, the final cost of the garments to the end customer is significantly reduced.  When you look at a pricetag on a piece of clothing, even though the cost to produce the actual item might run $15 dollars, the retail price on the tag can translate to $100+.  Every party in the retail chain from the maufacturer, the actual designer, the distributor and the retailer all need their cut of the pie.  Everlane's pie just has less pieces than your average brand which benefits both them (since they can retain a larger chunk of the final selling price) and us - the customer (since we fork over less of our cash to buy an item).  It's a win/win situation.

I don't know about you but I always end up spending more of basics that I plan but, at the end of the day I get the most wear out of them. I know a lot of people who end up doing the same thing so I'm glad to see the expansion of Everlane to my homeland in Canada.

There are still a few days left of the Canadian campaign where you can pledge an amount to be used towards future purchases.  There are different tiers which come with different things but whaever you pledge you will receive a credit for in that amount (along with free one time shipping, early access or free stuff depending on the pledge level you choose).