HangTag Review #38 - Cat and Jack Double Set

Check out this nice find in the children's section for Cat and Jack. The main front tag is a pale blue (perhaps a "Baby Blue?") with the Cat and Jack script wordmark in red. The reverse of that tag has the same color scheme in stripes, along with the retailer information.

The feature tag is an eggshell color with the words "MADE FOR PLAYING, DRESSING UP & ADVENTURING." in the same red as the main wordmark. Underneath is says "SKINNY" which I believe is a fit designation. This tag has the pale blue on the reverse with more retailer information.

The main tag, however, has a small detail that I find really great - the gift receipt isn't cut straight across, but instead in triangle fringe. There are plenty of hang tags in unique shapes, but this one is so unexpected that it stands out. The gift receipt tear away is theoretically functional, as ideally this piece is removed before giving the item as a gift. In this case, that piece would leave simply a straight edge (or a sloppy perforation). The design is nice too. When the tag is hung vertically, it looks like a banner. The reverse colors also convey a real sense of Dr. Suess whimsy. All in all, this is a quality tag.

The second tag is nice as well. I'm referring to it as a feature tag but that isn't entirely accurate, as it refers to the second item in a set. The color scheme is excellent, if a little bit predictable. The "playing, dressing up and adventuring" word choice is simple and obvious, but the layout is nice. I'm surprisingly impressed with using the waves as a horizontal rule, as it plays into the "adventure" idea and lends the tag some cohesiveness.

I'm really against the idea of putting body size labels on clothing aimed at children, but I think the Skinny designation here really refers to the overall cut of the pants. Even then I think this is a miss for the design as its purely marketing. Toddler clothes are made as they are, "skinny" vs "relaxed" likely makes no appreciable difference. Thus, this word was placed to catch the eye of Mom while picking these out.

A quality effort and a solid example in my book.

Hang Tag Review #37 - Summer Oasis

I've previously written about Target's Xhiliration House Brand, but this one is a sub brand (or maybe a collection is what Target wants you to call it) of Xhiliration. It is on their website here. The front has the name of the collection and the year, flanked by colorful flowery designs. The reverse has the full pattern.

If it isn't clear already, I like this hang tag. A lot. The front is excellent, simple and clean. It very clearly states the collection name, and gives a date for reference. Adding the date adds a bit of exclusivity and rarity, which is enjoyable. It avoid becoming pretentious, however, by not adding a YoungEST or other silly 'classic' elements.

I also find the way the pattern wraps around to the front of the tag to be really nice. I like the colors and design, and the way it sits on the solid black is nice. One of my favorite parts, however, is the way the hang tag design so clearly complements the actual clothing patterns as well. If you review the Target website, you can see that the same pattern is used on this dress.

This all should be taken with a bit of a caveat, however, as the only reason this tag looks so clean is because it is on the same hanger as the house brand tag. If it were by itself, it would almost certainly  add in some extra information that would clutter and take away from the overall appearance. Still, this is a great find and surprise for a Target brand hang tag.

Hang Tag Review #36 - Joe B by Joe Benbasset Hang Tag

Today's hang tag is from the junior brand Joe B by Joe Benbasset. This tag hangs vertically although the text is all horizontal. The front has the JOE B sub brand set just above (and slightly offset) from the by JOE BENBASSET brand name. The tag is a stark white on thick paperboard. It is very similar to the Calvin Klein Jeans tag reviewed some years ago.

The reverse is similarly minimalist. It contains the full www.name.com webaddress, with icons for a few key social networking sites (namely, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest). And that's it!

Fear not, though - just because this hang tag is minimalist in design, it does not mean that there is not a lot to talk about. On the front, there is a lot of text and layout work. First of all, we see the JOE B sub brand in all caps, with the B in boldface. It is large, and dominates the front of the hang tag. Underneath, the main brand is handled almost like an attribution notice. JOE BENBASSET is all in caps, however the "by" is all lowercase. One not need to think hard about what is important here, and where the emphasis lies.

Although I personally dislike the awful amount of sub-branding that goes on, I do think the way the front of this tag is laid out is strong. There is just enough movement and variation going on to make it memorable.

The reverse is really terrible. I'll actually allow a pass on the full www.name.com since it is not at all clear from the front what the web address would be, and the trailing social media icons give the leading www. some visual balance. That cannot save the utterly bizarre and thoughtless inclusion of the icons for the social media websites. It is a hang tag - you cannot click on the facebook, instagram, or pinterest icons and go straight to the pages or follow! You still need to load up your browser or smart phone and look them each up individually! Why have the icons? Are they not on the web site that already contains a full address?

The use of app icons on printed materials is always a risky choice. Done right and you have communicated a modern and forward thinking product, but done wrong and it looks out of touch and unnecessary. That is the case here.  Furthermore, Instagram recently updated its app icon, and as such the button on this hang tag is no longer relevant.

The front of this hang tag doesn't really set me aflame, but it at least is interesting and has some design elements. The reverse, however, just doesn't work or make sense in any light.

Hang Tag Review #35 - Michael Kors "Jet Set" Hang Tag

Today's hang tag is from fashion house Michael Kors. This hang tag is from a Jet Set collection of his label. The front is a soft gold with "Michael Michael Kors" in negative white. The tag hang vertically, but the text is aligned as though it hangs horizontally.

The reverse is similarly simple in design to the front. Again we see "Michael Michael Kors," although this time in gold on white. Underneath there is product information, here designations that this is a "Jet Set Item" and the color is Vanilla.

The front of this tag is gorgeous. The soft gold is wonderfully rendered here, it looks expensive but not at all trashy. It also works well on the standard thing paperboard that the tag is constructed from. The white boarder is nice as well, it frames the tag and helps the gold stand out. The labeling is also interesting. The alignment is unexpected without being entirely random.

Likewise, the reverse, while being fairly practical, is nicely arranged. Again, the gold works. There is also a certain irreverence to the descriptions. "Jet Set Item" is the line, not simply Jet Set or Jet Set Collection or any other designation.This encapsulates the aspirations of this perfectly - its an item for people who think they are jet setters, almost like describing a sleeping bag as a "Camp Item." I also love the color of Vanilla, as Vanilla can also mean plain and standard. Who would put Vanilla on their product? Why not call it cream? It is that perfect nihilistic attitude towards money and wealth.

This tag also contains an interesting NS or "No Size." If you remember, I previously covered an Ann Taylor "Size None" hang tag, here we have the reverse No Size.

The only thing I will take this tag to task for is the awful "Name by Name Brand" trend. Calling sub brands by portions of the full name is lazy and cheap, and needs to go away. I'll let it slide here because the rest of this tag is so nice.

Hang Tag Review #34 - Harper Hang Tag

Today we are looking at a hang tag from the brand Harper, itself a house brand of Francesca's. Francesca's is generally feminine preppy, and this hang tag is no different. The front is a lilac purple with the name HARPER printed in a soft pink. The font is simple, except for the interesting calligraphy mark on the middle "R."

The reverse is simple as well, white card stock with a small HARPER mark in black on the top. Again, the "R" is stylized. Underneath that is a retailer tag (again, with the odd juxtaposition of the retailer tag on the hang tag designed specifically to be sold by that retailer).

This tag is simple and straightforward, and that is never a bad thing in my opinion. On the other hand, it is pretty indistinguishable from any other tags. There is not much to make it stand out, and there is no product information (outside of what is on the retailer sticker).

I do like the presentation of the wordmark though. Simple with just a little whimsy. Nicely executed.

Hang Tag Review #33 - Carter's Little Collections "Wolf" Hang Tag

A second in a series, this is the Wolf variant of the Carter's Little Collections. Just like before, this mini feature tag is slate square with a white circle, and has the Carter's Little Collections name. The real fun, however, comes from the tiny wolf symbol. It features a a very cute wolf sitting on its hind legs. Technically, this may actually be a dog, since it wears a blue collar, in which case perhaps it is meant to be a husky of some sort.

Either way, I rate this tag highly, just like the previous Christmas Tree one. The tiny figure is just happy enough, just bright enough, and just varied enough to really pull the entire thing together and out of the morass of poor color choices that dominates most other Carter's tags. It is also endearingly cute, which is perfect for baby clothes.

Hang Tag Review #32 - Carter's Little Collections "Christmas Tree" Hang Tag

I am so excited to have discovered these. Baby wear brand Carter's apparently offers a series of themed clothing in what they refer to as "Little Collections." Several items to a matching outfit are sold as a single piece on a single hanger, with the standard Carter's hang tag and one of these "feature" tags.

This one is for a Christmas collection, judging by the little tree. The tag itself is small (about 1" x 1") and features the standard slate background. There is a white circle inside the square with the tree and the name. The tree is a simple triangle evergreen rendered in green, with a small red 5 point star above it. The reverse is untreated paperboard.

The tag design is really fun. I've not been impressed with Carter's tags in the past (the exist in a truly "Meh" category) but I love these ones. The presentation is simple and fun, with the little symbols adding just the right touch of color. I like the slate that Carter's uses, but their other colors tend to turn me off. Here, the pop of green and red are perfect.

The use of the tree is interesting. Although trees have become a somewhat defacto "politically correct but everyone still knows I mean Christmas" symbol, I could see a wrapped gift being used equally as well. Then again, while Carter's is not an expensive brand, it is certainly not need based baby clothing.

I continue to wish Carter's would drop the all lower case text, but here I'll let it slide.

Overall, a really fun tag and I look forward to reviewing some more from the series.