How to Shop (and What to Buy) From Adam Lippes's Cozy Target Collab

By Racked Fashion Sep 25, 2015, 12:00pm EDT

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Designer collab season is here. First up is Target's collection with Adam Lippes, in all Target stores and on Target.com beginning this Sunday, September 27th. Lippes is a New York-based designer who's been operating his own line since 2004; prior to that, he worked as global creative director for Oscar de la Renta. His designs are wearable with a dose of flair (a long denim top with a girlish scalloped hem; an oversize cardigan with curly shearling patch pockets). The Target collection follows the same design principles: everyday silhouettes with small, special details. Oh, and did we mention everything is buffalo plaid?

The entire capsule, which is more than 50 pieces, is inspired by the print: sometimes literally, in wide swaths of black-and-red checks, other times more referentially, like in a black-and-white grid that appears on clothes and shoes. The collection includes clothes and footwear for women as well as menswear, bags, home décor, pet accessories, and stationery. Prices start at $10 and top out at $130. Women's outerwear is among the priciest at $60 to $130, bags are $40 to $50, and tops and shoes are around $35 (each and every item, including pricing, is here). The price tags are in line with what'd you'd expect from Target in general; no big surprises here.

Truth be told, we don't expect site crashes à la Alexander Wang x H&M or in-store chaos to the tune of Lilly Pulitzer for Target from this collab. That said, don't write it off completely — there are a few stellar buys in the mix. As we've learned from seasons and seasons of covering designer collabs, there are a few good steps to take in advance of the launch to make sure you get what you want:

Identify the pieces you want. Peep the lookbook for a scan of all the product, and take note of Target.com exclusives so you don't wind up at the store hunting for a piece that's online only. (For an edit of the massive selection, check out our nine top buys below.)
If you're shopping online, create a Target.com account and save your shipping and billing info in advance. Again, we don't expect instant sell-out with this collection, but this step helps in making sure what you put in your shopping cart is yours ASAP.
There is no confirm drop time, but typically these collabs appear online in the early hours. We're talking more like 3am than 9am.
Familiarize yourself with Target's return policy, just in case something doesn't work out.

With the nitty gritty out of the way, see the nine pieces Racked editors are eyeing.