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Affordable Men's Style

How to Spend it: So you got a gift card to Target

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Per Yahoo Finance (and PRNewswire), over 80% of consumers received a gift card during the 2019 holiday season, while gift card sales were up seven percent over 2018’s totals. I’d be willing to bet that a large percentage of us Dappered readers received some of that fantastic plastic. In this new series titled How to Spend It, we’re curating a bunch of items from a selection of stores you might/most likely got a gift card to (some very Dappered-y, some less so because Aunt Karen wasn’t sure). Our goal is to show you what’s worth it at various price points. You CAN spend it all in one place, dear!

Brand Note: Target, or Tar-Jay if you’re a bit bougie, is no stranger to this page. They’ve been offering solid menswear budget staples for years under their Merona and Mossimo in-house brands. Since late 2017, they have phased out those two in favor a handful of new brands including All in Motion (workout gear), Original Use (fast fashion), and Goodfellow & Co. (casual menswear). With Punxsutawney Phil calling for an early Spring in 2020, here is a few handfuls of goodies from the Target in-house brands that we love. As usual, specific pricing, sizes, and availability will often vary greatly, so check your local store or online for the best deals!

 

Under $50

Target on Dappered.com

Over 90% of Target’s menswear items are under $50, so for those of us on a tight style budget, you really can’t go wrong with goods from The Bullseye. Just keep an eye on fit and fabrics. Both the slim and standard fits are generically boxy, so you might want to spend a few extra bucks with a local tailor to fine tune anything that can’t be hidden underneath a hoodie, sweater, or sport coat. On the fabric front, steer clear of items that feel scratchy or “cheap” and have a significant percentage of acrylic and/or polyester on the care tag. Cheap man-made materials rarely breathe well and can turn you into a stinky sweat box. No one wants that!

 

Under $100

Target

In case you don’t believe in the climate forecasting rodent’s abilities, maybe now would be a good time to pick up a new coat? My Dad always told me to never skimp on things that protect you from the elements – coats, shoes, car tires, etc. – but Dad’s had 30+ years to budget and save up for the good stuff. Note: Check your local store! Mine had most coats on clearance.

 

Outfits and Style Inspirations (multiple item buys)

Since Target doesn’t sell any “grail worthy” items (or really anything) over ~$100, this is about where we top out at. BUT…. if you did get a sizeable piece of plastic for Target and you’re looking to spend it, you can always check out our reviews of their new All in Motion activewear line here, as well as a roundup of their Goodfellow & Co fall 2019 pieces here.

Oh but you want more? YOU WANT MORRRRE? We’ve pulled together a handful of outfits for some one-store-one-outfit style inspiration.

 

Outfit #1, Overcoat, Sweater, Oxford Shirt, and Jeans – $150 total

Mr. Invisible Target Man

Dappered wheelhouse stuff right here. Basic layers that can be worn in spring and fall, and winter as well depending on how cold it gets where you live. A reminder that the mac, as good looking as it is from here, has only 8% wool in the fabric blend. So it could feel cheap in person.

 

Outfit #2, Casual (but not Stuffy) Prep – $113 Total

Target

Sometimes you see an outfit that just works, and you go with it. This is one of those times. Nice work to Target’s styling team.

 

Outfit #3, Sherpa, without looking like a toilet seat cover – $84 Total

Target

Another ready-made outfit! Makes it easier on the Dappered graphics guru, since the model(s) don’t have to be “removed” to combine the individual garments in an easier to visualize graphic. Also, the graphics guru is off today. And Joe is the backup for, well, everything. Sorry about the graphics guys. Joe’s graphics “talents” are more than a little limited.

 

Outfit #4, Double your pleasure, Double-mint Sweater – $83 Total

Target

Rollin’ like Quasimodo doing somersaults. Spring vibes here.

 

Outfit #5, The Jessie Spano – $98 Total

Target

I’m excited. Are you excited? Are you so excited?

Want more from our Gift Card Series? Head here for the archive, or, individual store posts are as follows:

About the Author: Adam Terry is Dappered’s resident shoe & denim expert. He’s a thirty-something Technical Trainer in the heating and manufacturing industry. He enjoys bourbon, boots, sneakers, and raw denim. He’s also a new(ish) dad!