You may have realized from a few of my stories on here that I have a slight obsession with Target. Can you blame me, though? It’s a one-stop shop for home decor, my favorite pajamas, snacks…the list can go on. So when I found out the retailer was doing a collection collaborating with some of my favorite brands, you can just guess my excitement. Target brought back their designer collection last year, and for the second, they surely did not disappoint. Partnering with Christopher John Rogers, Rixo, and Alexis—they’ve created the perfect under-$60 items you’ll want to wear all summer long.
With CJR’s bright colors and bold silhouettes, Alexis’s ethereal pieces, and Rixo’s play with patterns, there’s a lot to love in this collection. When I let my fellow editors know about the drop, they were equally as excited. They’re already brands we feature often on the site, so this is a chance to try out their designs at a more affordable price point. We got the opportunity to try the dresses from the collection out, so you can see how versatile each piece is as we all styled them to each of our’s tastes. It’s safe to say every dress brought our editors some joy.
Keep scrolling to check out each of our favorite dresses and why we loved them, so you can make your shopping prospects a little bit easier. The designer collection is now available to shop in select stores and at Target.com.
“It’s an understatement to say the last year has been hard—I, like many, have lost family and have been wary about where the world is currently. But as cheesy as this sounds, slipping into this two-tone brightly-tiered dress to wear for a day out in the world brought me so much joy. I’ve been pinning for a Christopher John Rogers piece for quite some time now, but I didn’t really realize how much vibrance this dress and his designs would bring into my day. It’s not only comfortable and versatile in terms of how it can be styled, but I’ve never had a more attention-grabbing piece. Women on the street would not stop coming up to me to tell me how nice it was to see someone dressed up again and how much they loved the dress. Basically, this is the perfect re-emergence dress; its bright hue and fun silhouette signify brighter days ahead.”—Jasmine Fox-Suliaman, Audience Engagement Editor
“The dancing lady emoji vibes here are strong, and I recommend embracing it. The sleeves are so fun and pretty and I love the orange-red hue. I think it would look especially cool with sneakers if you want to do as the Copenhagen girls do.”—Allyson Payer, Senior Editor
“This dress is so cheerful. It’s definitely a bold look because the skirt has extra volume built-in—like shoulder pads for your hips! I love the square neckline, smocked bodice, and puff sleeves. Plus, Christopher John Rogers is a pro at mixing prints and expertly combined three different patterns in one dress. It also comes with a belt, but I chose not to wear it to make it a tad more streamlined.”—Erin Fitzpatrick, Senior News Editor
“Nobody does a printed dress quite like Rixo. This patchwork-inspired print mashup could easily pass as a treasured vintage find and I’m not the only one who assumed it was. When I met up with friends wearing it, they jumped to the same conclusion. For being a piece that brings a lot of looks, it kind of goes with everything since there are plenty of colors to pull from and coordinate accessories with, and not to mention, the simple midi shape couldn’t be any easier to wear. I can already tell I’ll be reaching for it a lot this summer.”—Anna LaPlaca, Associate Editor
“I’m already planning on wearing this number to a summer wedding with strappy sandals, as pictured. The high-low cut gives you the best of both worlds—it’s mini in the front so you can show some leg, and has enough coverage in the back to ensure maximum dancing capabilities. I also love how the 3/4 length sleeves can be pulled up and made into voluminous short sleeves for a more casual look.”—Banna Girmay, Freelancer
“This dress is straight-up gorgeous. I honestly could see it easily going for over $300. The sunshine yellow embroidery is a luxe detail that feels so perfect for spring and summer, and the belt helps define my figure since it’s a more voluminous dress. I love how it looks with some playful accessories like cow-print clogs and a pearl and colorful bead necklace.”—Kat Collings, Editor-in-Chief
“Let’s take a moment to fully appreciate this dress: when I first saw it online I immediately knew I had to wear it, it’s just so unique and fun. You don’t wear CJR to blend in with the crowd, and the lime green and chartreuse polka dots definitely assures that I won’t”—Indya Brown, Market Editor
“This dress couldn’t be more me if you tried”—Lauren Eggertsen, Senior Fashion Editor
