Cynthia Vincent for Target — IRL

Look what this little box of sunshine had for me!

How exciting to find a cardboard box with the trademark bull's eyes all over it when I got home. According to Target, my Cynthia Vincent for Target shoes wouldn't arrive until April 26. Props to Target's FREE shipping.

I lucked out with the shoes, too, because I found them — through Google but not listed directly on the Web site — around 7 p.m. before the official April 18 midnight launch. Good thing, too, because those suckas were sold out by Sunday afternoon.

Say what you will about the actual product of a Target collaboration (heard the Jean Paul Gaultier return rate was impressive), but it sure generates buzz and sells out fast.

Both pairs had that unmistakable smell of fine, Corinthian pleather (seriously, can't anyone make faux shoes that don't reek?), but they looked pretty darn cute in real life. The tribal wedges ($30) have a fun pattern with colors more dayglo than they appear in photos. Loved the double Velcro at the ankle for a good fit. Curiously, one of the criss-cross straps also had Velcro, but it didn't really adjust anything. What's the point?

I was most excited about the gladiator wedges ($30). The black looked tough and cool, but I have enough black. I thought the sunny shade would be a fun twist on the edgy style. These seem to be cut more narrow than the tribal wedges. The pleather is of high quality, pebbled, and — except for the smell — I doubt anyone would realize they were faux. The gold snaps aren't functioning except for at the ankle. My right pinkie toe catches at just the wrong point on the strap. I chalk this up to freakish genetics rather than a design flaw since the left foot's pinkie is just fine. I ordered a 7 in both sizes. The tribal felt dead-on, but I'd like a little more room in the gladiator. Since they're sold out, though, I think I'll be making due. Pleather stretches, right?