Target + Neiman Marcus Holiday Collection

I'd consider myself a bit of a Target addict and I'm pretty sure a hefty chunk of our monthly budget goes to The Red Store (as Truman calls it). I mean, do you guys read the Crappy Pictures blog? The post when she talks about Target being a hypnotic red eye that lures you into buying things you did not know you even needed? YES. I love that blog (which, by the way, my Google Reader has NOT been updating those posts lately and I honestly thought the blog was shut down!) and I love Target.

So when one of the managers at my favorite Red Store contacted me to see if I'd want to participate in a program of theirs, I immediately perked up. Um, duh! Now I know I've never done ads on here or anything like that. I guess I've been holding out for the right company to contact me because I really don't want to be viewed as a sellout. I've made it 5 years without turning this blog into anything that makes me a dime, but really? Target? A store that I frequent at least weekly if not more? Kind of a no-brainer.

I won't be quitting my day job anytime soon. No, not at all. But I didn't want to feel like I was lying to you, just randomly posting about Target out of the blue without telling you that yes, I am getting a little gift card out of the deal. But I hope you don't consider me a sellout because... it's Target. Right?!

Okay, now that I have that off my chest, let's get down to it. When the Target manager emailed me about the Holiday24 collection, I clicked on the link she sent me, stared at all of the pretty gifts the amazing designers came up with, and emailed back to say, 'Yes, I would love to blog about this!' Because how awesome is it that Target and Neiman Marcus are pairing up to produce 50 different gifts from 24 high-end designers? I'm not sure I'm cool or hip enough (or rich enough) to shop at Neiman Marcus, but if these designers are coming to Target? Holla. Welcome to my second home, designers.

All of the gifts will be available online and in stores tomorrow Saturday, December 1. Good call on selling the stuff simultaneously online and in stores, especially for those of us who love to shop on the internet and avoid the masses of crazed people out there. I guess the quantities are pretty limited and it sounds like a lot of the items might go quickly, which reminds me of when their Missoni for Target collection came out. But this 50-piece list has me drooling over a few specific items that would be at the top of my Christmas wish list.

First, there is this freaking adorable red dress for little girls by Jason Wu. It's $59.99 and the smallest size is 12 months. Which, hello! Cecelia could totally rock this baby for Christmas! I'd probably pair it with some black Mary Janes and a little shrug on top. And a giant Christmas-y bow on top of her head, just because I can't help myself sometimes. In fact I did get a red dress sort of like this with shoes, shrug, and headband today at a consignment store. Definitely my style, I guess. 

Then everything else that caught my eye is for myself. Is that a problem? Gotta love being in the Christmas spirit of giving when my own wish list is miles longer than the list for others. Ahem.

But this dress by Lela Rose that's $99.99 would be a great gift to myself. I could see wearing it with a black cardigan for my company's holiday party (if I was in town to actually attend this year) or definitely as a wedding guest. Can't ever have too many dresses to wear to weddings at this stage of my life.

And because I'm really tired of using my diaper bag as a purse, wouldn't it be nice to have this adorable metallic pouch from Marc Jacobs ($69.99) on the days I feel like being a cool mom? I mean, obvi it wouldn't match well with my giant red baby car seat or Thomas the Train toys that I'm always lugging around with me, but for a fancy date night with Nate? Totally. Or one of those many weddings we always seem to be attending.

I'm a sucker for scarves lately because I feel like they can dress up an outfit that would normally be really boring and plain. They make me feel grown up but not stuffy and they are a great way to distract the eye from my giant breastfeeding boobs. So this black flowy scarf by Marc Jacobs ($69.99) is another fave. I think that Marc Jacobs and I could be best of friends if I actually shopped at Neimans, by the way. 

In the same vein as me pretending to be a cool and hip mom, I am obsessed with this tote for $59.99 by Oscar de la Renta. I hate to say it because I'm SUCH a mom with this statement, but this tote would make a great diaper-bag-in-disguise. And it's dressy enough with the subtle holiday print that I could feasibly wear it with my 'fancy' non-yoga pant outfits, but it's simple enough to work with my beloved LuLu's, too;) 

Now this top is not something that would pair well with yoga pants. But for a Christmas party or New Years Eve? Perfect. I'm always drawn to tops that have a big ruffle down the front like this and the sheer black material is really fun, too. Robert Rodriguez made this baby for $79.99. I dig it.

And the last item that made my wish list? These plates by Tracy Reese for $39.99. I'd never thought I'd be the kind to put plates on walls for decor but these four could change my mind---can't you picture them with a bunch of other varying sized vintage plates? Kind of like this? I can. But I would also use these plates for actual dessert as intended because we eat a lot of dessert in this household. Just not off plates as pretty as these.

Do you guys have some favorites from the collection? Anyone brave the crowds or order Holiday24 gifts online? What did you think?