if target was a man, i'd marry him

It's true. Target, (or "taar-zhay") may be the greatest store in the history of stores (and obviously, twenty-somethings such as myself often feel the need to over-exaggerate that fact). I give my most sincere and humble apologies to all the designers of the world- to every store from Vera Wang to the Gap to Once Upon a Toy in Walt Disney World- but Target has you all beat.

Headlined by understated yet respected designer Isaac Mizrahi , Target has long since surpassed the title of "just another store." Unlike it's predecessors, such as Caldors and WalMart, Target offers not only affordable clothes, but cutting edge and, thanks to Isaac, some original styles.

The clothes at Target are not cheap or average. While the basics are offered (of course, at a great prices) unique and funky styles are readily if not more available. Target defines its own style, and that is the key element in what separates it from all the other bland superstores.

The clothes are very durable- trust me, I have put them to the test! In my experience, they don't fade, shrink, rip, wear, tear, stretch or unravel on the first date. So whether it's a $5.00 "Kiss me, I'm Irish!" t-shirt or an $85.00 tweed jacket, you know you're getting a decent deal.

And the very best thing of all? Not only are the clothes original- they are also copycat styles! (Don't bother rereading that sentence, it will not make any more sense the second time) What do I mean by this? Ok, for example, let's say you spot a pair of must-have, can't-live-without, incredibly adorable shoes at one of your favorite stories, Urban Outfitters.

The problem? The price tag- $120.00! (Keep in mind, "you" are a broke college kid on a itty bitty budget.) So what to do?

Enter Target. An incredibly similar style, minus the designer tag, for only $20.00! These shoes are equally as durable, equally as stylish, and just as comfortable (if I do say so myself). Congratulations, you just saved yourself a Ben Franklin and a lot of stress when you don't see that little present from the neighborhood dog on the sidewalk.

Hundreds of examples like this exist- if you know how to shop for the exact look you want, you can usually get it at Target. If I had a nickel for everytime someone said to me, "That's so cute, where did you get it?" and it was from Target, I could afford to shop in the Prudential Center a lot more often than I actually do.

Another example, the trendy Steven Madden slip-ons from this fall.

The shoes were everywhere, including below the ankles of many of my closest friends. So when I showed up to a lunch date, wearing a heather gray version of the stylish clog, one girl gasped that I had splurged on a name brand. I just smiled at her, and she said, "If you say you got those at Target I'm going to scream."

Needless to say, we alarmed nearly everyone at the coffee shop when she did just that.

Target may not be something you'd find in the Prudential Center, Beacon Hill or Newbury Street, but that doesn't make me love it any less. It's because of Target I can walk in and look like I shop in such places, yet still afford the $1.25 for the T to get back home.