The latest and greatest Target designer collab is upon us! This Sunday, February 5, Jason Wu for Target will launch in stores across the country. We’re relieved that the release is on the usual Sunday instead of the painful Tuesday launch a la Missoni back in September. That shopping expedition required us to lie to our employer about our whereabouts even more than we usually do.

We love that Jason Wu didn’t simply replicate his high-end designs for this Target collection but chose instead to create an entirely new look. Like most women and even though we can’t really wear white well, we’re all over the white full-skirted dress (third from left above). Navy and red? A much more flattering combination on HCG. The cat bag? Not so much. HCG is very allergic to cats. Plus, cats are sneaky and they ruin beautiful terrariums.

Below, a sampling of other JWxTarget looks we hope to check out this Sunday morning. What will you buy?

I have clogs and I have booties, but I don’t have lace-up clog booties. Exactly.

Lace-up clog booties, $230 at Madewell

I made a life changing discovery while shopping on my 29th birthday: under certain mysterious conditions, you can buy things (including luxury handbags) in other states without paying any sales tax.

I don’t totally understand how this sneaky system works, and I don’t really care. But from what I know, if a label does not have a free standing store in your area (or at least in your state), you can have goods shipped to you sans sales tax. The good news: this knowledge will surely save me considerable money in my lifetime. The bad news: I learned of this no-sales-tax system while standing in the Prada store in Soho. Additional bad news: I “really needed a new work bag” (Joe’s words, not mine – true story).

As you can see, I succumbed to the beauty of this cobalt blue leather dream, and it was just the beginning of HCG’s biggest two-day spending binge to date – one I’m hoping to top when we go to Paris in the fall. After swiping the Amex at Prada, we spent the remainder of our time in New York having goods from all types of retailers – the newly opened Frye store, AllSaints, even J.Crew – shipped to us without paying sales tax. I didn’t ask questions, I just felt happy (and mildly nauseous at the rate of spending). On our final night in the city, I even suggested to Joe that we just get the hell out of there because that was the only way we could guarantee we’d stop spending money. (Spoiler: we didn’t leave early. We spent even more money.) I returned to Philadelphia significantly more poor than I left and with nothing to show for it because, per the secret no-sales-tax rules, everything had to be shipped to me.

Of all the tax-free birthday purchases I made that weekend, my new Prada bag is my clear favorite. I’m still a little hesitant to use is as my daily work bag especially while scooting even though the bag comes with a cross body strap. But from the times I have used it, I can tell you this much: people take the woman who carries this bag seriously, and I’m willing to be they think she paid sales tax on it. HA!

Many thanks to Prada for this birthday gift! Mark my words: I will never pay sales tax again.*

*Editor’s note: I have paid sales tax many times since my purchase of this bag. Many times.

HCG made an especially significant purchase on Black Friday 2011: a 13-inch MacBook Air!

My old Dell Inspiron 700m (circa 2004) just wasn’t cutting it any longer. Besides taking about 20 minutes to power on, this sad little guy required constant plugged-in power and hadn’t had functioning sound for the past four years. And it weighed about 17 pounds. But my old Dell should be credited with being by my side through every step of law school and helping me pass the bar – accomplishments I thought would bring me much more personal happiness than they actually have.

HCG rarely makes electronics purchases without intense deliberation and planning. Clarification: HCG rarely makes electronics purchases period. Because a MacBook Air would (1) cost a pretty penny and (2) be the first computer my parents’ didn’t buy for me, I decided to throw it back old school and attempt to save up until I had enough cash to buy this new computer outright. I thought this noble game plan would prompt admiration from my family and friends, but it brought on only mockery. Yes, I know I don’t blink at spending somewhat exorbitant amounts on handbags and shoes.

Much to Joe’s frustration, I refused to take my new computer out of the box for about two weeks after I bought it because our house wasn’t in sufficient order. Once I got my brand new MacBook purring, I learned how much I had been missing (I imagine I’ll experience similar feelings once I finally get an iPhone). This baby runs like a dream. The keyboard is so smooth it feels like I’m typing on melted butter. The sound works so well.

Special thanks are in order to my parents, CF + JDF, JMJR + T Fuzz and Little B and her family for all contributing to this huge upgrade in the form of birthday or other gifts. The “Gina’s Computer Fund” envelope filled up much quicker than I anticipated, and I couldn’t wait any longer when the MacBook Air was on sale for $100 off on Black Friday. You know I love a great deal on an expensive item.

After all, when you run a wildly successful blog like HCG, it’s only expected that you have a fancy computer.

Versace for H&M launches in the U.S. tomorrow, Saturday, November 19, and there is serious hype surrounding the release. We’ve never truly shopped an H&M designer collaboration because most have not been offered in Philadelphia stores, but we’re in luck with this line: Versace x H&M will be sold at the Philadelphia Walnut Street store along with 33 other stores across the U.S. (see the complete listing of stores here). Philly shoppers may have noticed the window display of Versace x H&M pieces that threw me for a loop last week. If you started screaming when you saw it thinking it had been released early, you’re not alone. I was equally surprised.

In an effort to calm some of the hysteria and avoid the mass-eBay selling of the pieces which accompanies sought-after designer capsule collections (Exhibit A: Missoni for Target), H&M has announced special rules governing the sale of this collection: the first 280 people in line will each receive one of 14 diferent colored wristbands which allow the shopper to enter the designated Versace area of the store for only 15 minutes.  A limit of two pieces or sizes per product per customer will be enforced (view the entire shopping guidelines here). We doubt 280 people will be lined up outside the Walnut Street store tomorrow morning, but we doubted a crapload of people would’ve lined up outside our local Target when Missoni launched. We’ve learned not to underestimate our fellow Philadelphians.

Will we camp out at H&M tomorrow morning? Probably not. Would we like to snatch up some of these pieces? Yes, definitely. The line is fairly pricey – pieces range from $19.99 for a ring to $299 for most leather items. But like all great designer collaborations, these prices are a tiny fraction of what the goods would cost from the designer’s high-end line.

Check out a preview of some of the women’s looks below. I really love the studded silk skirt ($129) above, and the studded leather dress ($299) below:Pink studded dress ($199):Bustier ($129), jeans ($69.95). I can just picture myself wearing this to work on casual Friday (with a camisole, obviously). Sarcasm. Dress ($129):Dress ($149), leggings ($29.95):

Dress ($199), ring ($19.95):Dress ($149):Dress ($149):Dress ($249):

Check out the entire collection online at H&M.

Have you read those accounts of crazy women waiting in line outside Target to spend large sums of money on Missoni for Target? Get ready for another one.

HCG was very excited for this latest and largest Target designer collaboration. On the morning of Tuesday, September 13, I hurried (kind of) to my local Target at 7:45 a.m. and found 20 other people already waiting in line. Angrily, I took my spot as #21 and started tapping my foot impatiently. The doors opened, people started running, and I grabbed a cart and darted through the cash register area like a contestant on Supermarket Sweep. The rest is a complete blur. I remember trying stuff on, consulting with HCG reader Krishna in the dressing room and having several phone calls with HAF, who was at her local Target that morning, too. I definitely remember the cashier telling me my total was $926.00. Ouch.

I’ve spent the last month inventorying my Missoni for Target stockpile and making selective returns. Here’s a rundown of what I bought, what I’m keeping and what went back.

Women’s Clothing
Above left: the knit hooded sweater is definitely staying. It’s cozy, colorful and one of the highest quality pieces I bought. I loved it so much I picked up one for CF, too, and gave it to her even though she hasn’t paid me for it yet. Above right: the short-sleeved knit dress was something I thought I’d love, but it went back. In my Supermarket Sweep haste, I accidentally grabbed this dress in an XS and a M instead of an XS and a S, and the XS was a little too small (short) and the M too large. I bought the XS thinking I’d wear it only with tights and flats – my usual solution to any dress that’s too short – but when you spend $926 on Missoni for Target, some things need to go back. Farewell, little knit dress.

Below left, the black knit dress is staying. I even wore this dress to work the day I bought all the Missoni stuff which was kind of a giveaway as to why I was late for work. I’ll definitely wear this layered over a white button up and tights in the winter. Below right, the zig zag sleeveless knit dress went back. It was cute but just not functional enough for my life. The knit flats are definitely staying! I haven’t worn them yet and have heard from several sources that they’re uncomfortable, but for $24.99 I’m willing to overlook comfort. I desperately need more flats, and I’ll just wear these with tights to help ease them in.
The suede heels were staying, but then I found another pair of shoes I wanted more. Sure, these were only $40, but I decided I’d rather put $40 toward a new pair of shoes I really want. The suede heels went back.

I’ve already worn these blue tights three times, so they are staying as well. I definitely would have bought more tights had I been able to get my paws on additional pairs.
Why return socks? Staying.

Both blouses below have already been worn to work or on the weekends, so they’re staying. HCG loves blouses with character.

The knit shirt dress, below left, is one of the softest pieces of the entire line, so it’s staying. I’ve wore it this dress to work and it kept me comfortable for more than 15 hours! The zig zag cardigan, below right, while very cute, went back. The fabric was thinner than I would’ve liked, and, as I mentioned before, I needed to get my credit card bill lowered.Housewares + Travel Accessories
The orange glass bowl lived up to all my expectations! Staying. It was immediately placed in the perfect spot on a living room bookshelf and has been adoringly glanced at ever since. Thanks to HAF for picking this up for me.
The ceramic zig zag platter was also too good to pass up, so it’s staying.

Although they had a lot of potential, all of the toiletry bags I purchased went back.

The silk scarf went back too. I just don’t wear silk scarves even though I sometimes wish I did.
Man Stuff
The man ties are staying. Joe is always in need of more cool ties.
The man sweater, on the other hand, went back. Joe didn’t love the fit of this man sweater on him, and he was even more anxious than me to reduce the total HCG investment in Missoni for Target.
I really wanted a Missoni for Target throw, and the home section of my store was pillaged before I had a good chance to take a crack at it (and I subsequently heard the throw I wanted was made of fleece, not cotton, so it wasn’t totally disappointing). I picked up this baby blanket in hopes that it could be used on a chair or a guest bed, but it was just too small. The baby blanket was about to go back, but HCG friend Anne-Laure, who is expecting a baby girl in December, asked to purchase it, so I sold it to her for twice the face value. Just kidding. We exchanged the goods for cash in the Harvest Hustle parking lot. HCG does business wherever and whenever possible.

If you’ve tried to tally the HCG total with the goods shown here, you’ll realize that it doesn’t quite amount to $926. A few things aren’t pictured, including a baby dress for Little B’s soon-to-arrive bundle of joy, along with some items for HAF and CF.

How did HCG readers fare with Missoni for Target? If you were able to get anything, do you love what you bought?

Longtime HCG readers know nothing gets our panties in a bunch like a great Target designer collaboration. We are beyond giddy over the latest and largest Target designer collection to date which is about to hit stores TOMORROW, Tuesday, September 13: MISSONI! We’ve gone crazy for so many Target ventures in the past, but this one takes the whole idea to the next level. The Italian design family’s zig zag prints are highly coveted but also highly pricey, and Target is bringing Missoni luxury to the masses. Because Target sometimes screws around and puts the stuff out early, we (along with our loyal HCG informants across the U.S.) started checking our local Target late last week. Fortunately, no Missoni was out as of late Sunday night. We’ll be back again after work on Monday and then waiting outside Tuesday morning when the doors open. Did you hear that the NYC Missoni for Target pop up sold out in four hours? Exactly.

HCG is even more ready for this Target collab than ever thanks to a ridiculously thoughtful birthday gift from our girl DQ. The card was wrapped suggestively in Missoni print, and we were like “Whaaaaat is going on here, DQ?” Inside was my birthday card AND…A custom Missoni for Target gift card created by DQ herself! So awesome, so DQ.

We’ve logged many hours previewing the Missoni wares online, and we’re all kinds of hyped to see them in person. Our heart is beating extra fast thanks to some oral steroids we’re taking to combat an annoying allergy/dermatological matter, and the medicine is making us even more spastic than we normally are (which is grande scary for our family and friends). I was talking so fast and excitedly about Missoni for Target at our neighborhood block party this weekend, I’m pretty sure my neighbors think I’m doing coke. Which I kind of like.

A not-so-quick breakdown of some of the Missoni for Target items we’ll be hunting down to aid you with your search. First, we will knife someone if we can’t get our paws on the knit flats ($29.99, pictured above). They are absolute perfection. We can never have enough tights, and these ($16 each) are adorable.
This sweater coat ($79.99) intrigues us, but it will need to impress us in person. How much wear can a girl on the east coast really get out of an $80 sweater coat?
We want everything in this look. The knit hoodie ($49.99) would look sick with skinny jeans while going to pick up your dry cleaning on a Saturday or belted over an all-navy ensemble for a casual Friday in the office. The short sleeve knit dress ($54.99) is too cool. HCG loves navy.
We’re a sucker for a kimono style robe (or a kimono-style anything, really) and this silky robe ($39.99) would increase our fancy robe collection by 33.3% (yes, we have only two good robes).
Depending on the quality and fit of these pumps ($39.99), they may just be the newest addition to our expanding shoe collection.
How could you not buy one of these silk scarves? ($19.99 each)
HCG never rarely forgets the men in her life, and these man ties ($24.99 each) would look awesome on the fashion conscious guys we know. We picked up a few Liberty of London for Target ties for our guys, and they absolutely loved them.
A man sweater ($49.99) if we’re feeling generous.
We love this throw! At only $39.99, we don’t care where we would put it. On a guest chair, folded over the arm of our couch – the possibilities are endless. Please be soft in person.

Quite possibly the most understated of the Missoni pieces, this oblong toss pillow ($29.99) is practically neutral. It would work in anyone’s home (including ours).
It will be difficult to resist these dashing pillows ($29.99 each), and we’ll probably buy them if we see them just so we can say we found them.
Ah, the coveted 5-piece espresso set ($39.99). We know at least five friends who are looking out for this, and we think the tiny saucers might be reason enough. If you’re not into coffee/tea/espresso, you can use the saucers as appetizer or dessert plates!

We’re always in need of serving trays, and these are so fun:
Octagon ceramic platter, $24.99; Rectangle serving tray (my favorite), $19.99; Melamine serving tray, $19.99.
We hope this glass serving bowl ($29.99) looks as expensive in person as it does online because we really think it could convince people we’re rich. We can just lie and say we found it at some tiny glass blower artist’s studio while on holiday in Barcelona. (Side note: HCG has never been to Spain.)
If you buy the espresso set, now you can mix and match your appetizer/dessert plate collection with this 4-pack of appetizer plates (only $2.99!). Unless they’re crazy cheap plastic (which, at $2.99, they very well may be), buy them!

For our future trip to Spain: Weekender, $29.99; Valet, $29.99; Cosmetics clutch, $9.99; Cosmetics box, $16.99.
We’re all over this flora throw rug (rugs, $29.99 each). Does it go with our kitchen? Probably not. Do we care? Take a guess.
BATH LINENS! Handtowels, $10.99 each; Bath towels, $12.99 each; Shower curtain, $34.99. Casa HCG doesn’t have bathrooms which require shower curtains, but if we did we’d jump at this double patterned Missoni curtain. We hope we get the chance to debate whether we’re buying too many bath linens tomorrow morning.
And of course, there’s the infamous Missoni x Target beach cruiser ($399.99). If you’re in the market for this baby, take note that it is available only on Target.com, so don’t expect to see it in your store (sorry, Sarah!).

Our Missoni wish list may seem extensive, but this is only a fraction of the seemingly endless offerings. For all the HCG readers with little girls in their lives, we predict the Missoni toddler and girl clothing will tempt your wallet as it will ours.

Happy shopping, and don’t forget to keep us posted on your Missoni for Target hunt!

We are never ones to wish away summer, but new fall clothes help ease the pain of fading warm weather. We’re currently parked at gate C131 at Newark airport waiting on a flight to St. Maarten for a weeklong vacation, so who are we kidding – warm weather isn’t fading for us anytime soon. But we still love fall clothes.

Of course, like any shopper who hunts with a hawk’s eye, we high tail it past all the old summer stock (on sale) and go straight for the new stuff (full price and freshly tagged). When we breezed into Zara last week, our gaze immediately landed on this shimmery wool dress which screams “WEAR ME WITH TIGHTS!” In person, the subtle sparkle of this little number is incredibly alluring, and the weight of the fabric is substantial enough to fend off chilly fall days. Check out the exposed back zipper:

Happy reminder: there are only a few more weeks until we can shop Zara online! We’re going to be all over that website. So often we see a piece in Zara but our size is sold out. No longer will we suffer under the perils of the Philadelphia Zara delivery schedule!

Metallic thread dress, $79.90 at Zara

Miu Miu knows how to do shoes. HCG has long lusted after countless styles of Miu Miu flats, platforms, sandals and wedges, and time stopped when we spotted this sparkly pair of Miu Miu pumps on Net-a-Porter recently. So much of our wardrobe budget is dedicated to practical pieces we can wear until the end of time, and these shoes say F YOU STUPID WORK CLOTHES. LOOK HOW AWESOME WE ARE. Everybody needs that from time to time, no?

P.S. Imagine how awesome these shoes would look with tights.

Miu Miu Glitter and calf hair pumps, $650 at Net-a-Porter

Last night Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen previewed The Row’s soon-to-be-released handbag line at Barneys and offered the world a much anticipated look at the bags we’ve been dying to see. Like all MK&A devotees, we pay close attention to the clothes and bags the ladies wear and carry, and recent photos of the Olsens with bags from The Row had our curiosity piqued. Example: this shot of Ashley carrying the alligator tote in NY:
Initially, we thought this bag looked relatively large, but then we thought, could that just be the proportion of a normal size bag to an Olsen’s tiny size frame? A close up of the bag itself shows that it is gorgeous:
The Row’s debut bags aren’t available until August, but here’s a glimpse of the collection via The Window. Take note of the shiny crocodile backpack in the second row, third from left. It’ll set you back only $39,000. Mere pennies! Though the rest of the bags aren’t as expensive, they are far from moderately priced. The Row’s bags will range from about $2,000 to $15,000.

HCG is on a mad hunt for a new luxe work bag. We love the simple, classic styles of these totes and the lack of obvious branding. Do we wait until August and see if any of The Row bags (a) woo us as much in person as they do online and (b) don’t bankrupt us? Take a guess.