A $35 dress from Kmart has been branded the ‘buy of summer’, with shoppers comparing it to similar must-have designs from Diish, Rose Bonbon and Billy J.
The sleeveless A-line maxi dress is just $35 and is available across Australian stores in both black and white options.
Available in sizes six to 20, the dress features plain weave fabric, an on-trend square neck, a functional back tie detail with a V-cut and, most notably, two hidden pockets.
There are also two uber-flattering princess seams down the front and the material is a mix of cotton, polyester, linen and viscose which means it’s not ‘scratchy’ like many replicas are.
‘Guess where this dress is from? You’re probably thinking Diish, it’s not, it’s Kmart,’ a thrilled customer, Regine Constanza, said in a TikTok video.
‘$35 from Kmart and the best part? Pockets. So stun.’
Regine, who is 5’2, said she went down a size from eight to six given the structure of the dress and said it was the ‘perfect length’ and the ‘perfect fit’.
The dress, which looks just like the $120 Elegance Linen Dress from Rose Bonbon and the$139.95 Sail Away Contrast Dress from Billy J, received a rave reception from fashion fans.
‘Kmart ate with this one,’ one woman wrote.
‘I literally cannot wait to go to Kmart… the buyers need a pay rise.’
Another said she bought the same one but ripped the lining out to make it more flattering – and it wasn’t see-through afterwards.
‘The Kmart lining in all their dresses grab my hips so bad and make me look frumpy,’ she said. [It looks] so good now.’
Many were devastated to see Regine had told the world about the ‘hot find’ as they were ‘gatekeeping the buy’ for the re-stock.
‘Babe NO, I was waiting for them to restock… PLEASE,’ one wrote.
‘AH sorry! Had to let the girls know,’ Regine replied.
It’s not the first Kmart buy to spark interest online this month, with stand-outs including a $35 midi dress, $12 men’s over-sized striped t-shirt and $15 dupe of a $9,000 Balenciaga handbag.
Despite this, many Aussie fashion fans are still singing Target’s praises and refuse to go anywhere else for their bargain spree.
In 2020, 167 Target stores were either permanently closed or converted to Kmarts after the chain suffered a $67million slump in sales.
The merger came about because running the two businesses separately made it difficult to improve the use of technology in Target.
Target has retained its own clothing brands – such as Lily Loves, Preview, and Fila – after its merger, whereas home and beauty items on shelves are now from Kmart.
Target’s price range is a step above what Kmart shoppers are used to, but Aussies claim forking out extra dollars is worth it.
‘From my experience, Target materials feel more durable, and the designs are more refined. But Kmart does better with ‘trendy’ home décor items, though sometimes longevity can be a hit or miss,’ one shopper said.
‘I have always preferred Target maternity clothes to Kmart. The towels are amazing,’ another added.
‘The work wardrobes are just the best,’ one more said. ‘It’s always the first place I go nowadays when I need new clothes.’
