A $35 dress from Kmart has been labeled the ‘buy of the summer’, with shoppers comparing it to similar must-have designs from Diish, Rose Bonbon and Billy J.
The sleeveless A-line maxi dress costs just $35 and is available in Australian stores in both black and white.
Available in sizes six to size 20, the dress is made from plain woven fabric, features a trendy square neckline, a functional tie detail at the back with a V-cut and, most noticeably, two hidden pockets.
There are also two very flattering princess seams at the front and the material is a blend of cotton, polyester, linen and viscose, meaning it isn’t ‘scratchy’ like many replicas.
‘Guess where this dress is from? You’re probably thinking Diish, that’s not it, it’s Kmart,” an excited customer, Regina Constanzasaid in a TikTok video.
“$35 from Kmart and the best part? To fail. So numb.”
Regine, who is 6 feet tall, said she sized down from an 8 to a 6 given the structure of the dress, saying it was the “perfect length” and the “perfect fit.”
The dress, which looks just like the $120 Elegance linen dress of Rose Bonbon and the $139.95 Sail Away contrast dress by Billy J, was praised by fashion fans.
A $35 dress from Kmart has been labeled the ‘buy of the summer’, with shoppers comparing it to similar must-have designs from Diish, Rose Bonbon and Billy J
“Kmart ate this,” one woman wrote.
“I literally can’t wait to go to Kmart… the shoppers need a raise.”
Another said she bought the same one but ripped out the lining to make it flattering – and then it was no longer see-through.
“The Kmart lining in all their dresses grabs my hips so much and makes me look frumpy,” she said. [It looks] so good now.’
Many were devastated to see that Regine had told the world about the ‘hot find’ while they were ‘monitoring the purchase’ for the restock.
“Honey NO, I was waiting for them to be restocked… PLEASE,” one person wrote.
Available in sizes six to size 20, the dress is made from plain woven fabric, features a trendy square neckline, a functional tie detail at the back with a V-cut and, most noticeably, two hidden pockets
The dress, which looks exactly like Rose Bonbon’s $120 Elegance Linen Dress (left) and Billy J’s $139.95 Sail Away Contrast Dress (right), was praised by fashion fans.
‘Ah, sorry! I had to let the girls know,” Regine replied.
It’s not the first Kmart purchase to generate interest online this month, with standouts including a $35 midi dress, a $12 oversized striped T-shirt and a $9,000 dupe of a Balenciaga handbag worth $15.
Despite this, many Australian fashion fans still sing Target’s praises and refuse to go anywhere else for their bargains.
In 2020, 167 Target stores were permanently closed or converted to Kmarts after the chain suffered a $67 million drop in sales.
The merger came about because running the two companies separately made it difficult to improve the use of technology in Target.
Target has retained its own clothing brands after the merger, such as Lily Loves, Preview and Fila, while the home and beauty items on its shelves now belong to Kmart.
Despite this, many Australian fashion fans still sing Target’s praises and refuse to go anywhere else for their bargains.
Target’s price range is a step above what Kmart shoppers are used to, but Australians claim it’s worth spending the extra dollars.
‘In my experience, Target materials feel more durable and the designs are more refined. But Kmart does better with ‘trendy’ home accessories, although longevity can sometimes be a disappointment,” said one shopper.
“I’ve always preferred Target maternity clothes to Kmart. The towels are great,” another added.
“The work cabinets are simply the best,” said someone else. “It’s always the first place I go when I need new clothes these days.”