The Conflicted Targetnista

Posted on August 9, 2011 by carol

I have been remiss. I have been missing. I have been conflicted.

What I’ve really been is afraid of continuing on with the blog for fear of judgement from y’all. It’s one thing for me to don my Mossimo, Converse and Target gear, let you all in on a window of my closet and then share those picture stories – in essence, putting my money where my mouth is. It’s a whole ‘notha thing do all that and put my money where my heart is.

Before I dive, feet first, back into the blogosphere, I want to address the recent spotlight on Target and their monetary contributions to certain political candidates with anti-gay leanings and/or rhetoric. Like Liz Feldman, my views are socially liberal and far left leaning, specifically on the the right for gay couples to marry. I believe gay folk should be able to marry and carry on like us straight folk when it comes to issues of the heart, just as they carry on when paying their taxes or sitting when they make poops like the rest of us. Seems so simple and yet there are those who have found arguments against it. Sadly, Target has taken some mis steps, in my opinion, by contributing to politicians with these narrow-minded arguments against gay human rights.

I have some friends who**don’t shop at Target now and lots claim to just go “mostly out of convenience”. Would it be better that I punish Walmart for being evil and proud of it, or Target for being better than Walmart but then offending like this? I’m guessing the CEO of Target always contributed to anti-gay causes and after the Supreme Court decision allowed it, he decided to use corporate money because he’s a cheap bastard.  Target PR blame bad timing. They say this all happened/got out of hand because there was an important new vacancy amongst their spokespeople at an unfortunate time.

Arguably, a better target (see what I did there?) for my wrath/activism is probably on the actual candidates themselves. The dumb asses who continue to work hard toward putting marriage amendments to The Constitution on ballots around the country.

Target has made attempts to clean up their political act. No matter where you fall on this issue, to shop or not to shop, (in my case, to post or not to post), sometimes doing anything at all trumps too little too late. In my experience, it takes a big person to forgive but a bigger one to admit they have done wrong.

** FULL DISCLOSURE: THOUGH I HAVE NOT BEEN POSTING ON THE BLOG, I DON’T WANT IT TO BE ASSUMED THAT I ALSO STOPPED SHOPPING AT TARGET. I DID NOT STOP.

Posted in Blog | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Can’t Live With ‘Em. Can’t Live Without Their Department.

Posted on March 8, 2011 by carol

I have been seriously remiss having not paid nearly enough (or any) attention to the male persuasion in this Target equation. Though I rarely see gaggles of men skipping through the men’s department collecting the latest threads that Target has to offer, I should shine a mini spotlight on them – well, their department.

I, myself, do make my way over to the men’s department from time to time… for the clothes. I’ve found several pieces that you’ll see peppered into my wardrobe. Some in heavy rotation – e.g., brown, quilted hat. (I know it gets heavily featured in my posts. I love that hat. Also, it’s “winter” here in Los Angeles so, I have more excuses er, reasons to wear it.) Have you grown weary of it yet?

The men I do see in the department are usually just grabbing a t-shirt, or socks or boxers. So, they seem to also just be peppering their wardrobe with essentials rather than looking for an ensemble. INSERT PG RATED FANTASY: I’ve always wanted to jump out of bed, throw on a man’s button down shirt to lounge around the house on a lazy Sunday New York Times morning. Just his shirt, cozy socks, the paper, music, some coconut water and his lap for a pillow. Mmmmmm. But alas, I am not close to that emotional station in life [sic] so, I’ll have to settle for the plaid snap front shirts I’ve found in their department for myself. SNAPPING OUT OF IT.

…(deep sigh)

Don’t get me wrong. I love men. Especially a certain one. I don’t want to live without ‘em. But right now it’s about me and my wardrobe and me [sic]. So, all I’m focused on at the moment are the clothes I can pilfer from their department to supplement my closet.

(Target in this post: plaid snap front Mossimo Supply Co. Authentic Fit [men's department, Small], brown Mossimo turtle neck [women's department], black Mossimo Premium Denim, Skinny jeans [juniors' deparment], *whispering* brown, quilted furry hat [men's department])

EDITOR’S NOTE: Yes, that is a new throw on the black love seat. Not from Target. From Ikea. It’s sooooo soft…

EDITOR’S FANTASY ADDENDUM: My Sunday New York Times mornings are quite nice alone but a man lap sure would make them nicer.

 

 

 

Posted in Blog | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Targetrazzi_2

Posted on March 5, 2011 by carol

Second siting. Okay. Again, not a siting. This is my other girlfriend who went to dinner with me the other night. She reluctantly but graciously allowed me to take her picture.

All in the name of furthering the Targetnista movement… Oh yes.  It’s a movement. Can you feel it? The revolution is starting.

 

(Target in this post: red & white striped Mossimo Supply Co. sweater; white Mossimo tissue tee)

Posted in Blog, Targetrazzi | Leave a comment

Targetrazzi_1

Posted on March 5, 2011 by carol

My first siting. Okay, not really a siting. Yes, those are my green velvet curtains. Yes, I know this girl. We are friends. The idea of this page is to be a random gathering of folks in Target clothing. I have not gotten my Satorialist nerve up to ask people on the street if I can take their photo for my humble blog.

So, here is my first attempt at showing you all how much Target is amongst us every day and everywhere…

We went to dinner the other night and both girlfriends were wearing clothes from Target. YAY!

(Target in this post: pink Xhilaration leather-like jacket)

Posted in Blog, Targetrazzi | Leave a comment

Hipsters & DJs & Bears, Oh My

Posted on March 3, 2011 by carol

Not too long ago, I was standing in line at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles for tickets to the first *First Fridays event of 2011. Nothin’ like a little Little Dragon, old bones and music. The fashion to be seen in a line filled with the hip royalty of Los Angeles will bring you to your knees. A friend of mine, rightfully so, is always up in arms about The Satorialist woefully under representing Los Angeles. If only he would take a moment out of his busy fashion-y schedule which takes him to Paris, Milan and even further to attend a music event here, he’d see that Angelenos have a flair all their own. I saw a man in a bias cut, sleeveless, over-sized shirt. The care and attack that some people take toward their style can be quite alarming. But while some people do become caricatures of the fashion muses they’re drawing from, I do admire the bold nature of my fellow Angelenos.  While you may not see pieces of couture walking down the L.A. streets the way you might in New York, Paris or Milan you will see some adventurous pedestrian attacks on that same couture that would make Andre Leon Talley wave his fan with glee.

As I was in line for quite some time I was able to take in a lot of people watching – another of my favorite leisure past times. There were several girls in any number of Target pieces. I met a girl who designs belts and shoes. I’m almost positive she had on a pair of the Mossimo Supply Co. ‘SKINNY’ jeans. So many women in so much Target. It’s out there if you know what to look for. And we all know I know what to look for.

We all need to channel our inner Targenista.

Do it. It feels good.

It’ll make you happy…

 

 

(Target in this post: brown, fuzzy quilted hat (men’s dept.); grey Converse sweatshirt dress; grey patterned tights)

Posted in Blog | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Carol’s Secret

Posted on March 2, 2011 by carol

I have always thought lingerie was a waste of not only time but money. I do see the beauty in it but from a practical standpoint, I’m not sure why a tank top and regular ol’ panties don’t eke out the same result… and from my experience they do.

I can see that lingerie, the nicer lingerie, is worth the money from a design standpoint. But again, I would have to argue, the time and money that goes into purchasing said, unmentionables is not worth it to me. Do you know how many pair of Mossimo Supply Co. Juniors Jean – (Dark Wash) I can buy for what I would spend on a LePerla panty & bra ensemble?

I’m not even sure if I can pinpoint the exact time in my life when I began buying my own underwear. I went from being a child and my mother buying it to getting it for Christmas from any number of great-aunts to my mother-in-law supplying it. When I was married, my mother-in-law would get me bras every year for Christmas. Calvin Klein. The best and most expensive under garments I had ever worn. Again, the ONLY reason I had them was because my kind mother-in-law can always find the justification in owning nicer things.

I’ve since moved on and have made the transition to buying my own. But I still refuse to pay an exorbitant amount of money for something no one really sees. OR if someone else is in a position to see them it’s too dark and not long enough of a showing to have paid that amount of money for it.

Which brings me back and finally to Target. I have recently discovered Gilligan & O’Malley. (Thanks the.freshmaker) The cutest lingerie-like panty & bra sets you’d ever want to see and for a reasonable price. I am frugal when it comes to buying for myself so to find a lingerie-like designer within my price range has been eye opening.

*I have more lingerwear, er lingerie than I’ve ever had in my life. I now understand the whole fascination with color matching and lace and femininity when it comes to what’s hiding just underneath. Gilligan & O’Malley have made me want to leave the lights on.

(Target in this post: Gilligan & O’Malley lingerie)

*I have more underwear than this. I just hung a smattering to give you a peek into my drawers – see what I did there? Drawers.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Had to add these “boy” shorts post, post. They deserve their own spotlight… RUFFLES!

Posted in Blog | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Haiku You, Target

Posted on February 25, 2011 by carol

Target head to toe,

may not be what attracts him…

I really don’t care.

 

 

 

Posted in Blog, Haiku You, Target | 4 Comments

Green Is The New Black

Posted on February 23, 2011 by carol

This is me……layered & bundled up for today’s sunny with highs in the 50s day.  I have literally just walked into the house from my commute home on the 33.

Don’t you all have remote controlled, solo photo shoots of each day’s outfit as soon as you get home from work? No? Weird.

(Target in this post: brown quilted, furry hat (men’s department);  grey Mossimo (buttery soft) non-leather material jacket; grey long sleeved Xhilaration top (sleepwear) (looks like this American Apparel top but was about 1/3 the cost; black chunky long sleeved Mossimo sweater; black Xhilaration basic Juniors Basic leggings; black & grey striped knee socks)

Posted in Blog | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Smells Like Teen Spirit

Posted on February 21, 2011 by carol

And now a few words about fragrance. I have had Coty Vanilla Musk in heavy rotation for about 2 months now.I have never gotten so many random compliments from strange men on one particular scent than this one. Not strange men but strangers. The one common denominator with these men is the age range. They are all falling into the 40-50 years old range. I have lived in Los Angeles for 26 years now and I am going to make a broad, sweeping statement about men of a certain age in this town from my own personal, very personal observation. Ready? Ahem. Men my age, are not interested in women their own age. There, I said it. The point being, to my surprise, the thing that is raising the ire of these aged men (not a euphemism) and calibrated their attention toward me, an older woman, is the Coty Vanilla Musk. It didn’t take me long to decode the mystery. This scent is from my childhood and in turn theirs as well. I have had no less than 3 men tell me it reminds them of, “the scent a girl from junior high wore.” OR, “their first real girlfriend.”

Wow. That’s really all it takes to get a 40-something year old man to notice a 40-something year old woman? Just toss on some juvenile perfume? And when I say juvenile I mean, the alcohol ratio must far outweigh whatever essential oil was eye dropped into the scent’s cocktail back at the perfumery.

So ladies, here is my advice to you: Go out and get your hands on the scent of your childhood – be it Charlie, Love’s Baby Soft, Babe, Le Jardin, or Coty Vanilla Musk  - these scents will jog some kind of memory in men of that certain age you’re trying to attract. Who knows? They might even take a second look, focus and notice there is a beautiful woman behind that girl’s scent.

Long story (and a window into my own personal neuroses) but the short of it is, I get the Coty Vanilla Musk from Target.

(Target in this post: Coty Vanilla Musk perfume)

EDITOR’S NOTE: Water from Fountain Of Youth was a gift - [NOT AVAILABLE AT TARGET]

Posted in Blog | Tagged , | 8 Comments

Oh, For Pictures’ Sake!

Posted on February 19, 2011 by carol

In looking back over these posts, I am quite surprised at myself because I actually hate having my picture taken. There are absolutely more pictures of my back or my blurred attempted escapes from the eye of the lens than there are photos of my face in this world. Certainly, none to speak of from my childhood. Since the dawn of facebook, there has been more and more pictorial evidence of my existence than from any other time in my life.

On a different but related note, it occurred to me a couple of years back that I only have 2 pictures of my mother. She will have passed away 30 years ago this September. This unforgiving fact is on account of a couple of things: 1. Little to no discussion with me (at the time) of obvious death of mother and 2. Up ending of the secure life with my mother and sister as I had only known it, into the hands a young couple ill prepared to care for 2 budding teenage girls. Life then was frenetic at best and forgotten at worst. Any physical Law & Order, CSI or The First 48 quality-type evidence of my life BMD (before mommy’s death) was not cherished by the adults in charge. So, my childhood is lost, save for the patchwork timeline buried in my (bad) memory bank. It makes me sad to remember how beautiful my mother was but have no proof for others to see her beauty. I want them to bow at the feet of her highness as I do. Though the delusionally high, angelic pedestal I hold her up on is as real and dear to me as any photo album, I do wish I had some pictures to coo over and share.

I want my children to have pictures of me to share with their friends, and/or loved ones. This blog has shown me that there is fun to be found in a photo. There are memories that get sparked back to life just by looking at a picture. The mere leafing through photos can ignite feelings of joy, sadness, hurt, and joy again all in one sitting. The point is, with a picture there is evidence of our lives. There is something to hold onto beyond what we have to make up or try to remember.

So, I guess this blog is my very nontraditional scrap book project. The Story (starting now) Of Me. Rather than endless trips to Michaels for lace & stickers & foiled corners, I’ll just continue to go to Target and memorialize my shopping sprees. A least this way my kids’, “you wouldn’t believe what mommy/Carol wore” stories, can be easily proven with a few strokes of a computer keyboard.

I hope the memories of me bring more joy than not…

(Target in this post: Converse One Star Jacket)

Posted in Blog | Tagged | 8 Comments