RODARTE FOR TARGET

I WOULDN'T GO AS FAR TO SAY THAT I DIDN'T ENJOY GROWING UP IN A SMALL TOWN, BUT IT SURE WAS FRUSTRATING. I FELT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WAS LIVING IN THE FASHION WORLD, WHILE I WAS JUST AN OUTSIDER SILENTLY OBSERVING. GROWING UP IN SOUTH FLORIDA FELT LIKE YOU WERE ON A PERMANENT VACATION IN A DESOLATE PLACE WITH NOT MUCH TO DO. IT CAN BE FUN FOR A FEW DAYS, BUT AFTER A WHILE, YOU JUST KIND OF WANT TO GET OUT OF THERE. MY ESCAPE PLAN WAS FOUND IN FASHION MAGAZINES, THE OSCARS AND NEIMAN MARCUS FASHION SHOWS. LIKE ANY SMALL TOWN GIRL WOULD AGREE, YOU WORK WITH WHAT YOU HAVE UNTIL YOU CAN WORK WITH IT ALL.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I HAVE LIVED AT HOME AND AS THE YEARS TICK ON BY, IT'S EASIER TO SEE THE BENEFITS OF A SMALL TOWN LIFE. THIS NOTION BECAME INCREASINGLY APPARENT THIS MORNING AS I AWOKE TO FIND HALF OF THE RODARTE FOR TARGET COLLECTION TO BE SOLD OUT. ONE CALL TO MY MOTHER BACK IN SOUTH FLORIDA AND SHE WAS AT THE CLOSEST SUPER TARGET WITH THE ENTIRE COLLECTION IN HER HANDS. IT AMAZES ME THAT ONLY A YEAR AGO, MY MOTHER COULD BARELY SEND AN EMAIL AND NOW SHE CAN FILL UP MY ENTIRE INBOX WITH PICTURES FROM HER IPHONE.

RODARTE HAS BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE DESIGNERS SINCE THEY BURST ONTO THE SCENE IN 2005. THE LINE IS CREATED BY SISTERS LAURA AND KATE MULLEAVY WHO, LIKE ME, ARE ALSO FROM A SMALL(ISH) TOWN. THE MULLEAVY SISTERS HAD NO FORMAL EDUCATION IN REGARDS TO FASHION AND THEY TAUGHT THEMSELVES HOW TO DRAPE AND CREATE BY GOING TO THE LIBRARY. THEY MADE CONNECTIONS ANY WAY THEY COULD AND EVEN SENT OUT LITTLE PAPER DOLLS WITH MINIATURE VERSIONS OF THEIR CLOTHING. WITH ALMOST NO HEADS UP, THEY WERE ASKED TO BRING THEIR WORK OVER TO THE OFFICE OF ANNA WINTOUR, AND THE REST IS HISTORY.

ALTHOUGH I HAD ALREADY SEEN THE LOOKBOOK FOR THE COLLECTION, IT IS ALWAYS EXCITING TO SEE THE PRODUCT IN THE FLESH. BELOW ARE A FEW ITEMS THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING IN MY CLOSET: