Shopping Trip: Liberty of London x Target

The Liberty of London collaboration with Target has been pretty well publicized among the fashion crowd. If you’re on the blog circuit, you know that the NYC pop up shop was so successful they had to shut it down early because the goods were all gone. Apparently merch was available online starting at midnight last night, though I didn’t wait up.

I did however swing by the Watertown store this morning. I got there by 9:30 (the store opens at eight) and already a lot of shelves were bare. Apparently some die hard shoppers waited out in the pouring rain this morning to get first dibs. Soon enough, I saw them – three young women with carts BRIMMING with Liberty print madness. Teapots, watering cans, storage bins, stationary. Later I spotted them on line at the dressing room (I simply slipped the dresses over my leggings and tee) with dozens of pieces in multiple sizes.

The first stuff I found was the dresses. Not impressed. While the patterns were pretty – larger more hippie chick prints than the traditional tiny florals we’ve come to associate with the brand – the fabrication wasn’t high quality (surprise, surprise) and the cuts were either too boxy or too trendy, and the styling mediocre. I passed, but on my second spin ’round the place, wound up picking up a cute mini dress with a tie waist that I’ll pair with tights and a cardi for a pre-spring look. (Unless I decide to return it. I mean, me, in florals?)

The rubber rain boots are cute, but I’m hardly going puddle stomping, especially in pink trimmed florals. The umbrellas were gone; the scarves, again, not high on fabric quality. So I quickly headed to find the home furnishings. Scouting was necessary, as  the Liberty items are scattered throughout the store, in the appropriate departments. There are oversize cardboard flowers strung from the ceiling, which just might indicate where one can find the displays.

The dishes are cute, but were pretty much gone, much to the chagrin of an octogenarian couple hoping to brighten their kitchen. I’m a sucker for stationary, but used self control. There was an abundance of beautifully packaged candles – because they smelled lousy.

The picture frames, however, were a different story. I scooped up (too) many Indienne and art deco print frames in glossy finishes. I’m imaging a picture wall, on which the frame is the art, rather than what’s in it.

There was plenty of bedding (again, not the kind of cotton with which one wants to get intimate) but I didn’t see pillows beyond those piled in other shoppers’ carts.

The baby bathing suits are absolutely adorable. The men’s ties are ok, though maybe a touch on the thin side. The teeny bopper minis and sundresses were definitely cuter than the full size versions. I had my heart set on acquiring one for my friend’s daughter, and insisted her husband put me through to her despite the fact he was on the other line with his sister (this is a matter of FASHION), but lo and behold, third grade girls eschew flowers. Too bad.

My favorite purchase? This shiny, plexiglass lidded box.

Finally, the highlight of my trip was a fellow shopper telling me she knows (and loves!) my blog. I had approached her to take a photo of her overflowing cart. Turns out she has a blog too; read about her Target does Liberty trip. And check out the yellow Foo dogs (not Liberty).

Author: StyleCarrot

Marni Elyse Katz is a design writer and editor who lives in Boston and Cape Cod with her husband, two sons, and a cat. She blogs about design at www.stylecarrot.com View all posts by StyleCarrot