Missoni Madness.

(Credit)
In keeping with their Designer Collaborations tradition, Target announced that this fall they would be working with Italian fashion house, Missoni, which is known for its geometric (read: zig zag) prints and vintage-esque styles.

Well, the collection launched on Tuesday, crashed the website, sold nearly all the stock online and has borne some ridiculous scammers "opportunists" selling their goods on E-bay for prices that can only be described as "highway robbery." So if you're mad for the Missoni print but fear you won't be able to get your hands on it, DON'T PANIC! I've found some dupes for you!

Even though the collection is retailing at Target, the prices, per usual with their Designer Collaborations, are a little exorbitant, especially if you're on a college student budget. Most of the pieces run from $25-$80. Which is still cheap, I guess, but I'm flat broke, so $40 just seems like a lot for a rather ugly sweater.

All the items I'm about to feature are UNDER $25! WHOO-HOO! Now on with it (click pics to enlarge)!

It only stands to reason that Target's biggest competitors, Wal-Mart and K-Mart, would attempt to bring out a few pieces that might sell in light of this wavy craze. If you're looking to try this trend on the cheap, the tunic from Walmart is kind of cute and could definitely be worn with either tights or skinny jeans.



Your typical mall stores obviously didn't want to miss out on this whole deal either. Again, if you just want to try this trend in a small dose, the Wet Seal tank might be a good place to start ($14 is relatively good, too, if you look at the Target prices in comparison!). I also like that Charlotte Russe cardigan, because you get just a tiny bit of the zig zag pattern which can be otherwise overwhelming. It seems like something you'd actually WEAR.



If you're willing to scour the interwebs, you can come up with some pretty good finds there, too. And without crashing the website (hopefully). Don't be suckered into buying the Missoni Collection from Ebayers...I saw some of the pieces going for upwards of $80! Guys, remember: THIS IS FROM TARGET. Yes, the print and some of the designs are by Missoni, but it's not actually Missoni. The quality is still Target. So don't be suckered into overpaying JUST to have a piece of this. Unless of course you REALLY want it and can blow $80. Then by all means, go ahead.



And finally, Forever 21, that shining beacon of cheap trends and yellow shopping bags, hopped on the bandwagon. Per usual.Let's just hope they don't get slapped with another lawsuit.
One of the items that sold out first at Target were the Missoni tights (which are probably the cutest thing in the entire collection). But if you know where to look, you can find adorable two-tone and chevron print tights elsewhere for under $10. Also, the Missoni jumpsuits were apparently kind of a big deal, so if you're into the "Charlie's Angels" look, check out F21. They have a pretty wide selection of jumpsuits for affordable prices.
Anyway, this would be my #1 recommendation if you don't feel like fighting tooth-and-nail at Target for the Missoni look. They've nailed it, once again, for cheaper and cuter.



So there you have it! I personally abhor this trend and think it is, quite frankly, fugly. But let's be real: if there was a fashion house that specialized in black and white stripes, I'd be all over that. So if you're into Missoni, happy shopping! And let me know what you end up getting!