I dug through Target’s racks of summer clothes and sorted the hits from the misses so you don’t have to.

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A few weeks ago, I was pleasantly surprised by how trend-forward their selection was, but sometimes I've walked into that Target and walked right out, disappointed by the quality and selection. It can be hit-or-miss, but I'm here to help you sort it out!

Top left: Women's Maxi Slip Dress - A New Day in White, $40 (reviews say the fit is a little off, there's this one too for more coverage)

Top right: Women's Lace Cami Midi A-Line Dress - Universal Thread in Berry Pink, $45

Bottom left: Women's Mini Striped A-Line Dress - Wild Fable in Blue Striped, $30

Bottom right: Women's Corset Midi Dress - A New Day in Brown Gingham, $35

While I initially walked into Target and was confronted with many heavy polyester floral dresses (more on that next), as I dug through the racks a little more, I was so pleasantly thrilled to find several pieces with mostly cotton composition at this price point. There were both long and short options, ranging from casual basics to more trend-forward styles, which I appreciated.

I always like to check the tag to see what the materials are, if it's not already obvious. On this dress, the dress "shell" (the striped exterior) is 80% cotton/20% recycled cotton, which immediately stood out. It felt durable but lightweight — I was almost fooled it was linen, but it was just the cotton seersucker texture (a distinct puckered or wrinkled texture created during weaving), which is also great for the warmer months, since it lifts the fabric slightly to allow some airflow.

Overall, I'd lean towards dresses made mostly of cotton for their crisp silhouettes, which create a more elevated drape, and their thicker fabric, which provides better opacity (less see-through look). In fact, many higher-end brands use similar cotton poplin or seersucker constructions, just at a steeper price point, which makes these styles feel especially worth it.

I also like to pay attention to how fabric behaves on the body, and cotton poplin often gives clothing a more polished, expensive-looking structure compared to thin synthetic fabrics. It also moves and photographs better — especially in summer — for your flowy, gorgeous garden, picnic, or beach pics. 

(This dress isn't from Target. It's from one of my favorite dress shops, Astrior. They focus on feminine, cottagecore-esque dresses, if you're ever in the market. They have a small shop in LA, or you can shop online. Highly recommend, and the owner is so sweet!)

OK, these were the heavy polyester floral dresses I noticed right when I walked in the door. And don't get me wrong! I love florals — but these felt less like thoughtful, design-led pieces and more like they were filling a quota for "spring dresses" on the retail floor (which, yes, happens, and yes, is extremely wasteful).

First off, yes, yes, I know, not all polyester is bad. Plenty of brands use it intentionally for structure, durability, and sweat resistance. But that didn't seem the execution here. Some of the dresses I saw were simultaneously shiny, thin, and oddly heavy in the wrong way, as if they couldn't decide what they wanted the dresses to be.

From the print to the construction, cheap shortcuts were obvious: visible threads, loose finishing, and smocking that didn't feel especially well-executed. The wrinkles didn't read as intentional or lived-in as they might on cotton or linen — they just emphasized how thin and plasticky the material looked.

Top left: Women's Crochet Like Sweater Tank Top - A New Day in Cream, $25; Women's Knit Shorts - A New Day in Cream, $25

Top right: Women's Textured Tank Top - A New Day in Cream/Red, $20, Women's Casual Textured Pull-On Pants - A New Day in Cream/Red, $35

Bottom left: Women's Short Sleeve Cardigan Sweater - Universal Thread in Blue Striped, $30; Women's High-Rise Sweater Shorts - Universal Thread Navy in Blue Striped, $28

Bottom right: Women's Knit Muscle Tank Top - Universal Thread in Blue Striped, $20; Women's Mid-Rise Knit Pull-On Shorts - Universal Thread in Blue Striped, $20

Target hit it out of the PARK here!! They had so many matching set ideas (which I love — makes getting dressed so easy), but it was their knits that really stood out. I found that their "Universal Thread" and "A New Day" clothing lines (Target's private labels) tended to favor more natural fibers like 100% cotton. 

What stood out most about the matching knit sets was the balance between comfort and structure. There's an ease to matching knits that reads elevated without requiring much styling effort, which is part of what makes them feel worth it. In person, these looked closer to higher-end loungewear and resort sets than typical fast-fashion basics.

While I love love loved all the knit matching set options Target had to offer, I was less enthused by some of their standalone "fashion" pieces (meaning, their prints and pieces they make for the season and stand behind). The problems here were similar to some of the dress issues from earlier — very thin synthetic fabrics that were borderline see-through, prints that did not carry over to the interior (and were obvious), and generally patterns that felt a little uninspiring (though I get that patterns can be a personal preference, but just my two cents). Some of them (like the shirt in the bottom left) had a bit more of an activewear or swimsuit feel, which is a no for me.

Even though I bought the cardigan (linked here, currently on clearance for $28), I can't recommend it with my full chest because it is a tad scratchy. That said, I needed an easy layering piece for an upcoming trip and liked the silhouette, so I grabbed it! However, I WOULD 100% recommend these pull-on jean pants Target put out. They're incredibly soft, lightweight, and comfortable, which I deeply appreciate if I'm going to wear denim in the summer. And for $30!?!? A STEAL!