Saturday morning was cold, rainy, and gray in northern New Jersey. The only place I wanted to be was curled up and cozy with my cat.
Instead, I dragged myself out of bed, drove to Target, and got in line at 7:30 a.m. to shop the retailer’s latest designer collaboration.
Target recently partnered with Roller Rabbit, a lifestyle brand known for its $128 pajamas. If you’re unfamiliar, ask your teen relatives. Gen Z and Gen Alpha are obsessed with its vibrant aesthetic and limited-edition prints.
As a 30-year-old millennial, I only learned about the brand in December when I saw young people flaunting their Roller Rabbit pajamas in holiday gift hauls.
In the name of journalism, though, I embraced the trend and joined fans to shop its Target pieces, which retail between $2 and $250 each, in-store.
The experience was a little chaotic, but also enlightening. I think I finally understand the Roller Rabbit fascination.
The calm before the storm
Despite the cold drizzle, 12 people were waiting in line when I arrived at Target around 7:30 a.m. Within 20 minutes, nearly 30 shoppers (myself included) had gathered.
The crowd mostly included moms shopping for their tweens, a few couples, and a handful of children.
As they talked, it became clear that pajamas would be the hot-ticket item from the collection, which also included swimwear, suitcases, sweatshirts, and more.
“I’m here because I have the real ones, and these are $100 less,” I heard one shopper say.
A Target employee came outside a few minutes before the store opened at 8 a.m. and handed out paper tickets. Each could be used to redeem a free Roller Rabbit shopping bag. I didn’t know there were any freebies available, so this was a nice surprise.
Slight chaos erupted as Target’s doors opened
When the store opened, some people went straight to the employee handing out free shopping bags, while others rushed to grab the merchandise on their wish lists.
As I approached the small Roller Rabbit section, I heard one mom whisper to her tween: “Run. Go get the pajamas you want.”
There were definitely fewer items available in-store than online. I saw a few racks of clothing, tables covered with accessories, and one cart with extra merchandise.
I was able to snap a single photo before the section was swarmed.
As expected, pajamas flew off the shelves almost instantly. I saw many people grabbing handfuls and then choosing their sizes.
Their approach seemed to work better than mine. I eyed the rack for a medium and watched sets get snatched up in front of me. In the end, I was only able to grab one pair.
After the pajamas were picked through, customers turned to the line’s other offerings. I saw people grabbing sweatsets, beach towels, and water bottles.
In many cases, I heard people say they were stocking up for friends and family just in case they wanted anything. People seemed to have a “buy now, decide later” mindset.
Eventually, I left the crowd and went to Target’s dressing room to try on a few pieces of clothing.
My first impression of the line was positive. I really liked the shape and feel of the $25 terry-cloth pullover, which I could see myself wearing year-round. The $15 boxer shorts were also fun, comfortable, and multi-functional in terms of wear.
I was less impressed by the $45 drop waist midi dress, which I tried on in pink. Numerous stitches were coming apart, the fabric felt cheap, and the sizing was inconsistent. The medium was far too big, and the small didn’t fit either.
Target didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the quality.
Then it was time to finally try Roller Rabbit’s famous pajamas.
Personally, I love a matching pajama set, but I’ve never felt the need to spend more than $30 on them. It’s safe to say I wouldn’t likely splurge on regular Roller Rabbit designs, made from 100% pima cotton.
Target’s version of the brand’s PJs cost $25 and are made from 95% cotton and 5% spandex. They fit me perfectly, and I found them to be soft, cozy, and, of course, cute. I loved the little cartoon animals printed across the blue-and-white design.
Sure enough, I left with three out of the four pieces I tried on — everything except the dress. Admittedly, it was mostly FOMO (the fear of missing out) that led to my purchase.
I knew that if I didn’t buy the items I’d found in my size right then and there, my only option would be to buy them on the resale market for double the price. (Many sets are now listed on eBay for prices of $80 or more.) What if I didn’t buy them and regretted it?
Now that a few days have passed, I know that I’ll likely return the long-sleeve top. It was an impulse purchase that I like, but don’t love.
I will, however, keep the shorts and pajamas. They add fun pops of color to my wardrobe and are pretty high-quality considering the low prices.
So, have I been converted into a Roller Rabbit fan? Sort of.
I can’t say I’d buy any $128 pairs from Roller Rabbit’s website. No matter how soft they are, or how exclusive a print is, I can’t justify the price.
A Target collaboration, though, just makes sense. It’s a more accessible version of the Roller Rabbit brand that appeals to both young shoppers and curious minds like mine.
Nostalgically, the line also brought me back to a millennial version of this fad: Bobby Jack and Paul Frank pajamas at slumber parties.
In our modern world of Sephora tweens and kid influencers, it was refreshing to see young people excited about something as simple as pajamas decorated with cartoon monkeys. We’ve all been there.
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