The Recessionista Reviews Altuzarra for Target

Altuzarra for Target offers the designer’s luxury looks without the price tag.

For a Target collection made in China, Altuzarra for Target  has much to offer.  For  fashion from Target, it’s really as good as it gets.  This launch really is like Christmas morning for the fashionista on a budget. Having said that, some garments are better than others and some of the fabrics in the collection are more comfortable to wear than others.  If you’re thinking of going shopping today to check out Altuzarra for Target, you should.  Much of the collection is already sold out online at Target.com, but there’s still some on the racks in store and on the website too.   The dresses and tops with the Mediterranean peasant blouse (pictured above) are some of our favorites. As with every Target designer collaboration, there are hits and misses. Some of the things we thought we would love were not flattering or well made when we actually tried everything on.

Altuzarra for Target Ponte Dress with Lace Detail- Black

The dresses in this collection are stand-outs.  My personal favorite is the “Little Black Dress” pictured above.  The fit is fantastic, you would never think this dress came from Target.   The Ponte knit is extremely comfortable on.  The dress skims your curves in all the right place and the accent of lace at the bodice gives it a classic, elegant look . For $39.99, this dress is a great value and the fit is superb.

Altuzarra for Target Peasant Dress

The Peasant dresses are also notable for their fit and fabrication.   Again, you would never think these elegant dresses came from Target.  They look very high end and they fit beautifully.    I bought the Altuzarra for Target Maxi Dress Swiss Dot- Black priced at $79.99. That’s quite  a bit more than a typical Target dress, but it has great details.   The gold sequins add a touch of party bling, the tassels at the neckline add a bit of Mediterranean style (think Jackie O on Skorpios.) The swiss dot fabric , although it’s polyester, feels like breathable cotton.  The dress is fully lined. I tried it in both the short version in the Ruby Hill red color and the longer Maxi.  Both styles fit great,  and will flatter almost every shape.  I found the sizing on these true to size and the skirt width quite generous .   I also liked the peasant top in the same style and fabrication.  If you don’t have anywhere to wear the dresses, then the top is a more wearable option.   Both the peasant dresses and tops are perfect holiday or special occasion wear.

In person, I was a bit disappointed in this Altuzarra Maxi Dress from Target

I was a little disappointed in the fabrication of some of of the other collection dresses.   The Black “Satin” Maxi Dress with the floral print is really good looking, but the fabric is a clingy polyester.  I bought the dress because I had it on my list since I saw it on Instagram, worn by one of Target’s marketing executives.  The fit is very snug on the top and at the armholes ( I sized up on this one) but the skirt is voluminous.  The fabric just didn’t feel comfortable on me.  The polyester blend doesn’t breathe and I don’t like the way the light catches the fabric.  To me, this dress does scream Target or budget, and not in  a good way.  I have the same opinion on the Python Print dress and the Purple “Satin” Print dress with Orchid in the shorter length.   This is cheap polyester masquerading as satin jersey and it shows.  The styles of these dresses are attractive, it’s the fabric that is the problem.  For $50.00 , these polyester dresses look cheap.  If they had been made in soft jersey, these dresses could’ve be the right weight and feel for fall wear.  The Altuzarra for Target Button Down Dress with the Oxford Cloth style shirt and faux python skirt is another miss.  It just doesn’t work and for $50.00, it’s way over priced.

Actress Naomi Watts with designer ALTUZZARA at the Target launch party before New York Fashion Week

A better looking dress, although it’s still polyester is the Ruby Hill wrap dress for $39.99.  The color is a deep red , perfect for the holidays and the fit is really flattering because of the draping.  It’s very low cut, so you might want to wear a camisole under it or put a stitch at the top to bring the fabric closer together ( unless you like the plunging neckline.)   This dress does look as good in person as it did on Naomi Watts at the preview party during Fashion Week.

Altuzarra Trench Coat on the Target racks.

Other items of note: the great looking belts, the trench coat, the tuxedo jacket with the cute peplum at the back (warning it runs small)  and the faux fur jacket.  I was not impressed by the faux python skirts or the red velvet jumpsuit.  The red velvet jumpsuit is a little too ’70s for my taste. I also didn’t think the slim back dress with the cranes in gold looked great–that to me is Target trying to do something too ambitious and the machine embroidery just doesn’t carry it off. I would’ve liked the dress better with just the black tuxedo satin color without the cranes.

Altuzarra for Target boots

The boots were good looking, but again, obviously pleather, so there are just for a bit of fun, I don’t think you can expect them to last a long time.  The lingerie set is also very nice looking and sexy, better than a lot of the tacky stuff you find at lingerie specialty stores.

If you’re looking to save a little and you can shop online (difficult today at the Target website is misbehaving) you can shop this collection through the eBates portal and save 2.5%.   Note the Target return policy for Altuzarra is 14 days, so you have 2 weeks to return items if you have buyer’s remorse.  This is much shorter than the typical Target 90 day return policy and is probably designed to discourage hoarders and eBayers.

Overall, there’s a lot to love in Altuzarra for Target.   This is a fitting successor to Phillip Lim for Target.  It’s a great looking collection, that is well priced.  I think most consumers will be very happy with this one.