Better than bangers-n-mash, but is this latest Brit import fab or drab?  Breathlessly hyped by the fashion press (they can be an excitable bunch), I was curious to discover the real scoop on Alice Temperley’s collection for Target. 

As with the other Go International collections, there are hits and misses.  Overall, this is one of the more wearable collections, with silhouettes, layering possibilities and certainly pricing that will appeal to everyone.  Sizing appears to be larger than previous collections, allowing us non-Victoria Beckham sized folks a shot.  I was a bit surprised by the complete absence of silk and beading in the collection--in the US, Alice Temperley is most known for her beaded silk dresses.  These are the pieces that accounts such as Saks and Neimans generally choose to carry, so it’s a good idea to check out her site to see a few complete collections. 

Looking a bit like Prince William's Kate Middleton, 32 year-old Temperley launched her own label at the tender age of 25.  In doing so, she turned down a number of more prestigious jobs at established houses and sealed her fate as an ‘all-in’, adventurous gal. Given this sensibility, I wish that at least one of her Go International pieces would have been over the top, instead of playing it safe…I really was expecting at least one old-school Vivienne Westwood, outrageous piece.  No mind, though, the collection does feature some of her signature elements, such as color pops, interesting prints and tailored details.

One of the most photographed pieces of the collection, features an original Temperley print that reflects her Masters degree background in fabric technology and print.  I think that although this crepe-finished rayon dress ($39.99) looks a little more resort than fall, it will be an early sell-out.  Nice details, such as the ruching at the front of the sash belt and the covered corset-loop buttons.

The ‘Cloak Gray’ cotton voile dress ($29.99) is a more wearable piece for right now--wear as a dress with some of the season’s decorative tights or as a tunic over solid tights/pants/jeans.  At first, I was wary of how wrinkled the fine weave cotton voile fabric looked, but after a brief shower steaming, it was fine.  btw...doesn't this totally look like something Chloe Sevigny's character Nicky on HBO's Big Love would wear?? (-:

My favorite piece is the petal print sweater dress ($49.99)…I love the pop of grapefruit color in the print, as well as the delicate crochet trim around all of the edges.  This looks like a much more expensive piece and can be layered a number of different ways.  Fabric is a soft, stretchy blend of  rayon/nylon (65/35) that‘s fully lined in a stretchy poly that slides over your layers instead of clinging.  Bonus points for the fact that it’s machine washable!

I’m still on the fence about this piece--royal blue is my favorite color and I love polka dots, but the poly georgette fabric just feels a little cheesy.  I would have gladly paid more for this in silk…this would have been the perfect place to introduce a higher-end piece into the collection.  On the other hand, it is machine washable and looks (if not feels) more expensive than its $29.99 price tag.  The shiny black 'knob' buttons w/corset loop closures are an unexpected and elegant detail. 

Other pieces I like, but haven’t bought yet…the leaf print sweater in black/white ($29.99), moss stitch sweater coat ($49.99) and the crepe mini-skirt and pants w/the diagonal button trim in various colors to complement the collection tops.  

Sorry for the limited number of photos...eBay only allows six.  Complete photos + the latest news on your fave designers is on my blog 'DogMom's Dish'.   To access, just click on the 'dish' icon on the left side of my About Me page**

(Alice Temperley photo courtesy of the website)