How cool is Nanette Lepore's Honeybunch Dress? It's colorful butterfly print that radiates feelings of being care free, relaxed and having fun. It's a full minidress with an empire waist that won't cling to your body and still allows you to feel sexy on the bloated days of the month. Beautifully adorned with sequins to accentuate the butterflies without being gaudy, it features elasticized spaghetti straps and side pockets with drawstring ties. Price: $330.

It looks like Target isn't the only company out recruiting higher-end designers to attract a broader spectrum of consumers to their normally mid-range products. Nanette Lepore teamed up with Keds to put together a line of stylish, casual shoes and sandals for summer. The shoes are all fun, with whimsical prints that bear Lepore's signature touch, and with the comfort (and price) of the casual shoe brand. Pictured are the Nanette Lepore Script Print Sandals, which have a feminine print, a medium-size bow and the hint of a heel. Price: $60.

There are several important qualities to look for in a messenger bag, including size and shape, but the most important one is how much you're going to carry it. If you're going to take it with you, filled up with useful books, papers, etc., it needs to be comfortable to carry on your shoulder and Nanette Lepore's Patchwork Bag is comfortable as well as stylish. Handmade from velvet with a velvet strap, the patchwork bag is very soft, with a vintage pattern that manages to match its look with the bag's feel. The colors are bright and accented with beautiful embroidery, but tempered by muted tan and olive tones, so the bag can be used in both professional and casual situations. Price: $190.

 

Wal-Mart, in its continuing quest to make its image more fashionable, is running ads in May's Vogue magazine. The ads were shot by photographer Patrick Demarchelier and the models worked with a stylist from the magazine. Because Wal-Mart's core audience is comprised of "real" people, they opted not to use professional models over real, everyday shoppers. And by "everyday shoppers," they meant women like Kristina Deignan, pictured, who was Mrs. Virginia in 2003 and first runner up at the Mrs. USA pageant.

Mrs. Deignan said that she shops for "basics such as T-shirts, tank tops and workout wear" at Wal-Mart, while the rest of her closet has designers including Kay Unger and Nanette Lepore. The skirt and bracelet in the photo are her own.

[Image Patrick Demarchelier]