Everyone loves Target. That’s already a universally known fact. We walk in there for one thing but then the dollar spot, new clothing, cute shoes, adorable house décor and seasonal goodies catch our eye and before we know it we’ve had to grab a cart and it’s already halfway full. Despite the pain this may cause our wallets, a shopping experience at Target can be delightfully therapeutic.
On Sunday April 19th, Target was a particularly exciting place to be. Why? Because the long awaited for Lilly Pulitzer for Target collection was finally released. This spring, the signature brand designed a reasonably priced and much anticipated line in collaboration with Target, available for a limited time only. Picture the same bright fun patterns and resort style for a fraction of the price. It was basically an amazing idea.
I personally ventured out to the Super Target of Mishawaka, hoping to grab a swim-suit, romper and weekender bag I had my eyes on. I leisurely arrived at the store that afternoon and found… nearly nothing. I wondered the store, following the signs only to find a couple bottle of nail-polish, some tubes of lip-gloss and a single cosmetic pouch. Yippee.
When I asked a Target employee where the clothes were, she responded with a look that seemed to say “Honey, you’re a little late to the party,” then kindly explained they had sold out of women’s clothing within a little over an hour.
As I left the Target, defeated and empty-handed, I could not stop thinking about the devastating failure of a shopping trip. I spent a couple hours scouring the Target website and checking locations at home. I even called my brother, who works at Target, trying to get some help from the inside in acquiring some pastel printed merchandise.
Then I felt mildly pathetic. While inside the Super Target in Mishawaka, I had held onto a $9.99 Lilly for Target cosmetic pouch for thirty minutes out of fear that when I set it down it would be gone. Did I want this? No. Did I need it? No. I don’t even really like bright colors. I primarily wear navy, burgundy and grey. But I got wrapped up in the excitement of the whole ordeal.
I was not the only girl let down by my beloved Target. As it turns out, heavy traffic caused problems on the Target website at the initial release. At stores, lines began forming in the wee hours of the morning across the country. Target tweeted apologizing for the issues online. Lily Pulitzer the brand also tweeted thanking shoppers for the support of the Lilly for Target collection. Looking at pictures, April 19th could pass for Black Friday. It was like a Pink Sunday, but without a Thanksgiving Day feast to fuel the action.
Some people may say it’s ridiculous to dedicate this much thought and time to something to materialistic. I understand that for me to be upset might be absurd, but is it so bad to be excited about some cute and reasonably priced clothing? Sometimes it’s nice to find enjoyment in simple things like shopping and the color pink. Life is super stressful, particularly now with finals around the corner. A little distance from school and work can be healthy even if that ‘distance’ involves obsessing over a fish printed duffel bag.
To be honest, even without purchasing a single item, spending some time admiring clothes and practicing my expert (or at least until now expert) online shopping skills was exhilarating. It’s nice to get excited about things that are trivial, because then even when it doesn’t pan out you’re still okay. Life goes on. Now, after sobering up, I realize that I will be okay… at least I think so. (I mean this swimsuit was SO cute).
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