How interesting Angie. Now I want to shop at TJMaxx and Marshalls. I have found some great bargains there in the past and I want to go back and have some fun treasure hunting.

I like both outfits, but I think the one on the left is the splurge.

I actually think the left outfit is the steal, and the right one is the actual splurge.

I love TJ Maxxing! The treasure hunting aspect makes it fun for me. It is interesting to learn more about their business practices.

The one on the right (without the scarf) is the splurge, without a doubt! It’s not even close!

I think the one on the right is a splurge and the one on the left is a steal.

I do like their new slogan!

Angie, nice blog. You were keeping us in suspense. I enjoyed hearing the details of your trip. Good for TJ Maxx to think up creative ways to engage their clients. It sounds like it was a valuable experience for you and we got to benefit by learning more about TJ Maxx! I like their new slogan. The timing is perfect.

I like the outfit on the right best and think that is the splurge. Love the belt and boots. I do like the scarf and gloves on the left. Any comments on pant length?

I think the outfit on the right is the splurge.

And those pants are a little short…

I also vote that the outfit on the right is the splurge. I will be totally shocked if I am wrong and be running to my local TJ Maxx. I appreciated the info on the store although I rarely shop there. I don’t enjoy digging through the racks because I usually don’t find any gems. The exception to the rules is purses. The one near me does have great bags. I just got an awesome Betseyville tote there.

Great article. It’s very fun to get a “behind the scenes” kind of look at the store, and I agree, it makes me more interested in shopping there again (I don’t think we have a TJ Maxx locally, but we do have Marshalls).
I think the left one is the steal and the right one the splurge.

I think the one on the right is the splurge, but I think the one on the left is nicer! How does TJ Maxx compare to Ross, Dress for Less?

My guess is the left. Both are attractive : )
Dee

I think the outfit on the left is the steal, the right is the splurge.

My challenge with these discount chains is a difficulty finding extended sizes. Is TJM the one that has a “salon” area with fewer racks sorted by label? I have found some very nice things there. (Maybe I’m thinking Marshalls?)

i think the outfit on the right is the splurge……………but i like them both. and i love TJMaxx……….shop there all the time. i don’t understand why more people don’t! but i have friends that won’t….and it’s their money!…but i like my money to go a bit further….and i totally agree, they do have great bags and purses!

Have fun treasure hunting, San! You either like to dig or you don’t. This is where the positive effects of intermittent reinforcement are key. If you’re lucky once, you’re motivated to dig again.

Interesting perceptions regarding the splurge vs. steal outfit. I’ll let the cat out of the bag later. As for the less than perfect pants lengths, this is why models wear floods:

http://youlookfab.com/2007/02/.....gths-rule/

Antje, there is a TJMaxx in Woodinville and I’ve actually been to it.

In my experience, you’ll do well at TJMaxx and retailers like that (Nordstrom Rack and consignment stores etc.) if you are regular height (not petite or tall), and fall into the size range of 6 to 14. Sizes that are outside this curve tend to be either nonexistent or rare.

Very interesting article. My daughter in college works at Marshalls. She sees merchandise change daily. If you do not see something appealing to you, come back another day and try again. Lots of bargains. Lots of styles. Nice to hear the business end of the stores. Thanks Angie!

From my experience, each store is quite different, I go to the Woodinville TJMaxx all the time…near my house and its pretty good…tidy, fairly easy to negotiate. The ones near my homes in California were awful..messy, disorganized, crowded and really picked over. Overall, I have to be in a certain mood to head in and patient enough to sort through all the racks.

The more flattering outfits, according to what your site teaches, are the ones on the right. Definitely more flattering to the bodies, face shapes, heights, color coordination, and the “keep it simple” rules. Thanks for the inside look, I love TJMaxx and Marshalls.

I would guess that the outfit without the scarf is the splurge since I recognize the Michael Kors purse. But it might be a trick…I saw the MK purse at Marshalls not long ago. Yes, Angie’s trip inspired me to stop in Marshalls in Redmond recently. My experience was uneven…it was horribly messy with furniture in the way of the merchandise, but they did have a lot of great purses and some Umi boots for kids that I was already considering for my daughter. Unfortunately they didn’t have her size.

I suspect it takes some time and perserverance to find great treasures there…something that might be a bit less precious these days as money gets tighter.

While I lived in the US I never found a designer name item that I wanted to buy at TJ Maxx, despite regular visits. There stock was very tired looking and the store always looked a mess. I like the idea of these types of stores and hope that TJ Maxx have fixed their merchandising and style selection processes.

A few years ago I shopped at TJ Maxx often and came away with Coach shoes and purses and tons of nice things. Mine is hit or miss on bags and shoes and I can usually do better on the same things elsewhere.

Now my local store is terrible. I am a 2-4 and rarely do I find anything in my sizes. I agree with Angie that anything outside the most common sizes is rare, but then I have that complaint against all departments stores.

I can shop sales at Banana Republic, Ann Taylor and J Crew by picking out what I want in advance and snapping it up as soon as it gets discounted to the point at which I am interested. That beats picking through disorganized racks for something that is too big and just ok.

Housewares on the other hand… Wow! I love shopping for me whitegoods, glasses, rugs, etc. in these stores.

I shop almost exclusively at TJ Maxx – My entire suit wardrobe is from there, most all of my shoes and bags – I go there first to look for things and then fill in from sales at the mall, as needed. I agree that you have to dig – but I know the 3 stores in my metro area and I know which racks I want to hit – and I try to have a goal in mind – I am looking for suits, dresses and trousers most often. I try everything on that I am even remotely interested in… It helps to go when you are not in a hurry.

I am in an end-of the spectrum size (16), so there’s less to dig thru than if I were an 8 or a 10.

My latest love is all the BCBG stuff I can find in my size at 10% of the retail price!

There have definitely been mixed reactions to shopping at TJMaxx and that’s been interesting. I am not a TJ Maxx shopper at the moment because of two reasons:

o My size is rarely stocked in the items that I’m looking for
o Their locations are far away and I do NOT like to drive

I don’t mind the unglamorous shopping experience at all. In fact, I like to roll my sleeves up and get stuck in with the best of them. But I get annoyed when I continually come home with nothing. The reinforcements are therefore negative which leads to a lack of motivation. And like most of you, I’m always chasing time. I hope that these variables change so that I can enjoy their offerings like you!

The splurge is the outfit on the RIGHT (without the scarf) so well done to those of you who guessed correctly. It cost $707 as opposed to the steal at $346.

I stop by Marshall’s every once in a while since it’s on the way on my commute. I have tried 4 or 5 times and since given up on the clothes there. They don’t fit well, mabye because of the size I wear (usually 4). I have found good purses and other little things such as dinnerware that I use that’s been discontinued elsewhere, lotions, etc. I just don’t have the patience with their clothes. In contrast, on the rare occasion that I do go to a Nordstrom’s Rack, I often leave with at least one clothing purchase. For some reason, I’m luckier finding something that works for me there both in style and in size.

[...] Angie and Greg Cox from You Look Fab [...]

Love Marshall’s…Love TJ’s!
Check out the BCBG Dresses and some really great athletic wear lately.
Can you say BIG SEXY HAIR??? I don’t buy it anywhere else anymore.

[...] I had the pleasure of meeting penny-wise, ultra lovely and well put together Dianna at the TJ Maxx event in Boston last year and I trust her style sense implicitly. Good luck lasses! We can’t wait to see your [...]