Target Goodfellow & Co Fall / Winter 2019
About the Author: Ryan N. is a professional web developer for (and alum from) the University of Delaware, who keeps a close shave as to not be confused with his strongly-bearded twin brother. He plays guitar and drums, loves going to concerts with his wife, and loves being a dad.
Guys. I think Target’s Goodfellow & Co. line is here to stay.
Goodfellow is only a couple of years old (launched in August 2017,) yet they’ve avoided the “the terrible twos” that some toddlers and baby brands go through. This line has settled into a really nice spot. Still very affordable, still very accessible due to Target’s in-store locations and fast shipping for online orders, and still providing timeless, smart-casual style for guys who are on a budget, but also want to look good. Are all the pieces perfect? Nah. But some of them are pretty close, especially considering the price. Let’s get started with reviewing some of their fall & winter pieces for this year.
SIZING NOTE: I’m 5’9″ / 160, all tops shown are a size small. Jeans are 32×30, while the chinos are 33×30.
Regular Fit Long Sleeve Jersey Henley Shirt – $14.99
I’ve always loved Target’s henleys, from Mossimo to Merona to the new Goodfellow line. This is another great continuation of that tradition. It’s all about the small details here that separate it: a slight rounding to the hem for visual interest and better drape, a slightly heathered texture to the color, and a slightly raised 3-button placket. Most 3-button plackets end up halfway down the shirt, but most higher plackets only get two buttons. You get the best of both worlds here. Also of note is a super-soft collar that lays perfectly and just gets out of the way, along with raglan sleeves for nice smooth shoulders. Eight colors to pick from. Shown above would be the “folkstone gray” color.
Standard Fit Corduroy Blazer in Natural Brown – $49.99
A lot to like here. The cut of the jacket is flattering, and while the tail is a little on the short side, it’s starting to normalize from the weird, super-chopped jackets of late. Moves well thanks to a sharp navy blue butterfly liner. The brown shade is really natural, rich but neutral, so it doesn’t overpower the rest of your outfit. If there’s one word to describe the colors in Goodfellow’s fall line, it’s “muted.” Which is just as it should be when you want your pieces to complement. The wale (the number of “ridges” per inch) of the corduroy is perfect, too. Not too big to look like an old couch, and not too small to be lost and velvety.
Slim Selvedge Jeans in Indigo – $39.99
After a summer of frequent Lightweight Jeans wear, it’s been a bit of a shock getting back into something so structured and rigid. But the denim-heads might be after just that sorta feel. These are true selvedge jeans, with not only the telltale red stripe on the cuff, but also on the coin pocket AND the back center belt loop, which was an awesome little detail not to be overlooked. Nice inky color, and the fabric feels premium. Fit is spot-on, too. Size shown here is 32×30.
“Standard” Fit Chunky Cardigan Sweater in Federal Blue – $34.99
This thing, while it looks good buttoned up, is wayyyy slouchy through the sleeves. There’s stacks and stacks of extra fabric around my arms. Don’t get me wrong, the 60% cotton, 40% nylon blend is ridiculously comfy, soft, and warm, but.. it wears more or less like a large sweater tagged as a small. It doesn’t fit nearly as slim as the product photos, and there’s nowhere for me to size down from a small. I guess it’s cut large to be warm and easy to wear, but it’s totally not for me. Looks fine enough when buttoned up (as shown above) but forget it with those cafeteria-lady chicken wing arm flaps. Be warned. There’s some real slouch to this “chunky” sweater.
Standard Fit Crew Neck Nep Sweater – $29.99
This, on the other hand? Dappered wheelhouse, baby. That’s what this is. Interesting visual texture, slim fit, comfortable. What else do you need in a good sweater? This was one of my most anticipated pieces in this collection, and it delivered. It’s warm enough to be a good outer by itself, with a chunky feel and strong, non-wimpy cuffs and collar. You can expect this to keep you warm all day and look great doing it. Also available in gray, in case you want to pick up both. They just might be that good.
Slim Fit Hennepin Chino Pants in Olive – $22.99
These are really, really nice. Almost OG* Flint and Tinder 365 Pants-lite, but nowhere near as stretchy (only 2% spandex here, 98% cotton). Nice brushed feel on the fabric, and the color is so very, very “fall”. Just something about well-fitting olive chinos. Call me basic. Nice details here. There’s a hidden coin pocket on the waistline, and accent stitching on.. just one back pocket buttonhole? Hmm. It seems intentional, though. Good flexibility and movement for all-day comfort. Unfortunately, a lot of reviews again note the sizing inconsistencies that have plagued the Goodfellow and Co. line since its inception. GET IT TOGETHER, TARGET! That seems to still be the one drawback of Target’s Goodfellow line. Sizing. It can be a bit all over the place. This particular size 33×30 fit my frame great though, for what it’s worth. (*The Original Flint & Tinder 365 pant was made in the USA, with a fabric makeup that was 97% cotton & 3% lycra. The 365 pant is now 98% cotton, and 2% spandex, and production on those pants has moved overseas.)
Casual Fit Mock Collar Long Sleeve Shawl Pullover Sweater in Oatmeal – $29.99
Now, I haven’t been a huge fan of thin sweaters for a while, so take this with a tiny grain of salt. I feel like there’s a lot going on here. The sweater’s 57% Cotton, 28% Acrylic, 15% Polyester fabric itself is thin, but the ribbed shawl collar is slightly meatier because of the knit structure. To me, it felt a little unbalanced, and the shawl to me felt huge compared to the product photos. I felt a little bit like a pharaoh. I couldn’t get it to lay small, if that makes sense. It was either way up my neck, or way flung out towards my shoulders. It’s also thin enough that if you wear an OCBD underneath, the buttons could show through. Casual fit means it draped a little loose, which isn’t what I look for in a sweater, personally, and the sleeves were fairly long and bunchy. Let’s look at the pluses, though. It’s very soft, and the oatmeal color is excellent and great for fall. For me, though, I’d take a sweater like the aforementioned textured nep sweater over this.
Standard Fit Sleeveless Quilted Midweight Vest – $29.99
Not sure what the author of the single one-star review on Target’s website has beef with, because as far as I’m concerned, this nails basically everything you’d want in a midweight quilted vest. Kudos is due for the “3-columned” pattern of quilting on the back, which breaks up the visual nicely and avoids the “off-duty Ninja Turtle” look that a lot of quilted vests give ya. The fit is spot on for this one, and the color is a solid fall-ready dark charcoal grey (which leans a little blue). What catches my eye, though, is the blue liner. Very welcome addition that you don’t see in a piece like this. Between the jacket liner, the contrast stitch on the chino pocket, and the belt loop of the jeans, Goodfellow seems to take some pride in small visual interest bits. The side pockets are great, and there is a good-sized inner pocket, too. Solid hardware too and here you’ve got a winner.
BEST IN SHOW: Slim Fit Brushed Whittier Oxford Long Sleeve Collared Button-Down Shirt – $24.99
Quite a mouthful there. So, remember the Old Navy Spring roundup post? There was a blue OCBD that had a lot of promise. Unfortunately, the boxy body on the Old Navy shirt really betrayed what was otherwise going to be an excellent OCBD. There were even comparisons to Goodfellow dimensions in there.. a portend of things to come? Well, THE FUTURE IS HERE, BABY! This is one of the best-fitting off-the-rack shirts I’ve ever tried. Honestly, for me, it feels made-to-measure. Sleeves fit nice and snug, and the body skims without being too tight, meaning you don’t get a ton of extra fabric around the waist, which has happened with basically every off-the-rack OCBD I’ve ever tried. The fabric itself is super soft, and will only get better with each wash. Excellent buy here all-around.
Got a tip on something from Target’s Goodfellow & Co. line that didn’t make this round up? Send those suggestions into joe@dappered.com.