Perhaps no one loves Target as much as me….really it’s true. Second only to IKEA, is my love for Target and how much of my household decorations, furniture and clothing comes from here. The holidays are the best….my favorite Air Force Nutcracker that stays out all year long, my amazing bookshelves, the pillows on my couch and the amazing famous buildings that are framed in my room from my wedding ten years ago.

When Stephanie Giese posted her article in Huffington Post, (and her blog..read it, she’s great!) about the situation of girl clothes at Target I ate it up in shovelfulls.  Heavens above, was she reading my mind? I knew the day was coming and I was terrified. I had sort of prepped for it in mind.  What I was most worried about was dresses, and feminine things that were age appropriate. The tightness of shorts and pants, and the length of them I sort of started to combat already and was pleasantly surprised with what I was able to score at consignment sales. Labels like Gymboree, The Children’s Place and even Old Navy have been good to me so far in that category, but only at consignment prices. Her issue is with the Toddler Section (although I’m sure her issue will go right through like mine does the day she starts shopping at the 6-16 section. *dun dun dun* ~ insert 80s horror movie music ~

The Picture Day came.

Apparently something happens at the age (or size) of six.  I’m not sure what goes through a designer’s head when they decide that my kindergartener should be wearing what a jr. higher might wear. A vice versa really.  What Jr Higher wants to look like a kindergartener? On the same hanger you will find xs all the way to xl. Really? I found almost nothing and left the store with a shirt (which I didn’t actually end up using and returned) and a maxi skirt, which had nothing to do with picture day but was just something my daughter wanted to match me. I found one dress that I almost considered buying before I went through the catalogue in my head of her closet. I eventually determined that I thought I had something there for her so I left.  I was mad and sad. Nothing? Really? I even (yes I really did this) went upstairs with the XS from the “Girls” section to see if I could find a more age appropriate dress in the Toddler section that I could “wing it” with leggings. Nope.

Some of the other dresses were again, okay, but not exactly what I had in mind for my six year old to wear to church or to a party. Their Circo Halloween dresses, oh man, adorable and I will purchasing that for her since Halloween is so close to her birthday…but why can’t they carry that adorableness over to all year long. Where Target does do a decent job is with their Penelope Tree by Miss Behave line; but here’s the kicker – not sold in stores and some of their most expensive stuff. I might has well go to Gymboree or Crazy 8’s and get more age appropriate stuff. And its not just Target, Old Navy is fairly guilty of this as well. They have a section dedicated to “Girls”.  That’s all relative though. Girls to these two stores are six 6/6x (S), all the way to 10/12 (L/XL). We aren’t even talking the same planet in my opinion. If you check out Old Navy’s dress options for little girls its slightly better and definitely more up my alley then Target. Thank you Old Navy!

How I long for the days of shopping in the Baby/Toddler section. I actually persue it and wistfully finger the clothing.  Maybe I could rip out seams and re-purpose them?  And while I love places like Gymboree and Janie and Jack, frankly I can’t afford them.  At least not on a regular basis and not without gymbucks or major clearance. This is one of the reasons I’m a die-hard consignment shopper. Its days like this I’m thankful my boys outnumber my girls.

That day I basically walked out with nothing and I haven’t been back. The next weekend I went to the big consignment sale and bought all of my daughter’s winter dresses (Gymboree, Matilda Jane, Macy’s brands and the like). None of the baring the label of a more affordable clothing store.