I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone in for a snack and ended up grocery shopping or popped in to repurchase makeup remover and left with three new beauty products.
I’m also a big fan of Target’s clothes, shoes, and accessories. Though I try to thrift most of my wardrobe, I’ve often turned to the department store, like when I wanted to buy trendy ballet flats but didn’t want to drop $1,000 on a designer pair.
I was influenced to visit Target again this week after seeing TikTok chatter about its fall garments, which shoppers have described as Pinterest-perfect pieces and autumn staples.
Admittedly, I own a hefty selection of oversize sweaters, ripped jeans, and Halloween T-shirts. But because most of my fall attire is casual, I wanted to see if I could add elevated basics and fall-appropriate workwear to my closet with limited cash.
So, I gave myself a $100 budget and the simple mission of finding comfortable, luxury-esque pieces that wouldn’t break the bank.
It’s officially fall at Target
Target sells a lot of clothes. And I mean a lot.
Within 30 seconds of being in the store, I saw frayed shorts, summer dresses, light coats, and more denim skirts and jeans than I could count.
The women’s section was cramped and a bit disorganized, but that comes with the territory of department store shopping.
I quickly developed a plan: walk through each aisle and grab a few fall-appropriate pieces that were not too similar to anything I already owned.
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When I reached the dressing room, I had five pieces in my cart: three tops and two pants. They totaled $126 (or $119.70 if I used my Target debit card to save 5%).
My selections, as it turned out, were nearly perfect. I could either go $26 over budget — it wouldn’t be the first time I did so at Target — or remove one pair of trousers to lower my total to $98.
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Who needs designer clothes?
As I tried different outfits in the dressing room, I realized that the pieces I picked all mirrored high-end garments I’d previously browsed online.
The $18 knit tank top in my cart looked a lot like a $118 cashmere-blend piece from J.Crew, and the $30 cream-colored cargo pants I tried on resembled a $148 pair from Alo Yoga — one of the buzziest status-symbol brands this year.
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Target’s $25 striped sweater looked similar to a $198 piece I saw on the Neiman Marcus website, and the $28 burgundy chino pants reminded me of Anthropologie’s $130 trousers.
The final item in my cart was a $25 cream vest, which wasn’t too far off from Ralph Lauren’s sold-out $175 piece.
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For $100 (or $126 if I went slightly over budget), I could purchase four or five dupes of higher-end garments.
The versatile pieces could also perfectly refresh my wardrobe at home and make countless new outfits.
Granted, I don’t think anyone would be fooled into thinking my new Target outfits are designer. The store’s vest was made of thin rayon instead of Ralph Lauren’s thick cotton, and the cargo pants I tried on were a little more sheer than I’d like.
However, Target’s clothes weren’t poor quality. The tops and trousers I tried on felt comfortable, classic, and made of good materials for their respective prices. I could see myself keeping any of the items I chose for years.
But even better: they were affordable. Why splurge on something in my online cart when I can buy five new pieces for the price of one?
