The Recessionista Reviews Elie Tahari for Kohl’s

Casual separates and midi dresses are featured in the Elie Tahari at Kohl’s collection.

Elie Tahari’s limited edition fashion collection for Kohl’s is now available in stores.  Yesterday, armed with my Kohl’s coupons, Kohl’s cash and Yes2You Rewards certificate, I stopped by to check out the collection.    There are some good pieces in the collection, but overall this is not a collection I fell in love.  The color palette is predominantly black with a little blue and ivory thrown in.   Prices range from $40 to $175, so choose carefully to get the items that deliver value.  Here are my picks from the Elie Tahari for Kohl’s collection and the items I would leave on the racks.  I think much of this collection will eventually make its way to clearance due to the lack of “wow factor.”  Most of the pieces don’t make you want to hit the buy button.

In person, some of the collection fabrics are more appealing than others.   You’ll want to try these pieces on to see how they feel against your skin.  My top picks from the collection for fit and value are:

The Elie Tahari for Kohl’s Cityscape dress

Elie Tahari for DesigNation NYC Skyline Fit & Flare Dress –  This is a really good looking dress, with a defined waist that makes it very flattering.  The material is polyester spandex so there is some stretch in the fitted bodice for comfort.   I wish it was a little longer, as it hits about the knee so depending how tall you are , it can be a bit shorter than you might like.  The cityscape New York graphic on the flared skirt really looks good and adds a unique touch.  The dress is on sale for $63.00 and you can use a Kohl’s coupon (coupon code SEPTYES15 ) to save an extra 15 to 30%.

Elie Tahari for DesigNation Drape-Back Mixed-Media Top.  I bought this top in blueberry and it’s really rich looking and has a beautiful fit.  The chiffon overlay in the blueberry is a great contrast with the black jersey underlay of the top.  On sale for $38.00 (use the coupon code SEPTYES15 and save another 15%)  this is a really good looking piece.  I’ve been wearing it with a pair of Levi’s Denizen black skinny jeans and it really looks like a million with the flowing top paired with the slim silhouette of the skinny jeans.   The top also comes in ivory and basic black but I didn’t like them as well as the contrast is not as striking or attractive with the more muted colors.

Elie Tahari for DesigNation Mixed-Media Body Con Sheath Dress -On Sale for $63.00

Elie Tahari for DesigNation Mixed-Media Body Con Sheath Dress   I really like the fit of this dress because the tweed center pattern is very attractive and contrasted with the black background it’s very slimming.   This is a perfect dress to wear to the office and it looks very professional with the black jersey underlay and the contrast tweed pattern with a hint of blueberry.  The sleeves are elbow length  which covers any figure flaws.  There are some sheer black overlay “cut out panels “between the tweed contrast panel and the  black  jersey part of the dress.  There’s also an exposed back zipper which runs from the hem to the neck.  That makes the dress easy to put on and adds a touch of class.   This dress is now on sale for $63.00, but again, just check for a Kohl’s coupon from their own website, or if you are a a Kohl’s charge card holder, check your monthly mailer for a discount coupon.

Some of the online only pieces look promising like the jumpsuit, but I didn’t get to evaluate them in person, so I can’t recommend them.

Sadly, I’m not as high on the rest of this collection as I was on previous collections like Catherine Malandrino for Kohl’s.   There are a lot of New York City graphic print tops that to me are not must haves.   I own the graphic print top with the Brooklyn Bridge Graphic on it, which is attractive, but the top is rather fragile.  I already snagged the polyester crepe front of the top on a ring and that has left a long piece of pulled fabric right down the front.   I’m not sure I’m going to be able to repair that.   For $36.00, I wish this top had been a little more durable.  I have the same comment on the other graphic tops like the Taxi Georgette top.  They are good looking, but rather fragile.  Don’t get your jewelry or anything with a sharp edge close to the front.  If you love New York City and all things New York, then you might really love these NYC graphic print tops, but for me they are not durable enough.

Ombre print Georgette tunic in Blueberry with the Cityscape

I like the, but it’s also a garment that needs will require some care.   Right now, it’s priced at $48.00, which is  bit much for me, because I am not in love with it.   If it went on clearance, I might consider it.

For me, the Elie Tahari collection  for Kohl’s has some very non-descript pieces that are not worth the price.  Those pieces  include:

Scuba Fit & Flare Dress : The dress is not comfortable, as it doesn’t move well.   The fit is too close to the body with no breathability in the fabric.

The mixed media leggings, pants and skirts:  There’s nothing must have about any of these pieces in terms of the cut, the fabric or the price.  These are not must-haves.

The outerwear: I’m not seeing anything unique here.  It all is very boxy, oversized and in drab colors.  The most expensive piece in the collection is the Faux-Fur Mixed-Media Jacket retail priced at $175.00  on sale for $131.00, just wasn’t stylish enough for that price.

Bottom, line there are a few great pieces in this collection, but there’s also a lot of very average looking stuff that doesn’t scream designer to me or must have.  If you go shopping at Kohl’s  for the  the Elie Tahari collection let me know what you think.  I went back and bought the Mixed Media jumpsuit from the collection and it’s super comfortable and good looking.