If I had it my way, the soles of my shoes would be red and the handbags in my closet would be French. Unfortunately, spending over $600 on a pair of Louboutin’s and over $3,000 on a Céline bag just isn’t within many people’s budget, let alone a collegiette’s budget! I love a good deal just as much as the next person, but I also think it’s okay to indulge every so often. T.J. Maxx makes it possible to indulge without breaking the bank in just about every department you can imagine. If you aren’t already a “Maxxinista”, here’s why you should be:
1. The Runway:
In select T.J. Maxx stores, there is a high-end boutique section called “The Runway”, in which you can find clothing and accessories from well-known and much coveted American and European designers. It’s no surprise to find Diane von Furstenberg, Missoni, Elizabeth & James, Gucci, Roberto Cavalli, Stella McCartney, Rachel Zoe, and Escada. Even Yves Saint Laurent, Jimmy Choo, Dolce & Gabbana, Helmut Lang and Alexander Wang are names that have been known to make appearances in the Runway section. New shipments come in from abroad weekly. The Runway section is fabulous because you really don’t have to settle in order to save money, as almost every designer item is significantly marked down from its original price.
2. Layaway:
T.J. Maxx offers layaway, a payment plan that gives you 30 days to pay off your items after a 10% down payment and $5 service fee. Everything but clearance items, food, furniture and jewelry can be placed on layaway. It’s a great solution for those times you want to buy heaps of amazing must-haves for your wardrobe, but can’t buy on the spot because it would mean missing rent and eating ramen noodles for the rest of the month. Instead, you can just make periodic payments so that you can stay within your weekly or monthly budget. It’s also the perfect way to go about purchasing the more expensive, high-end designer items from The Runway section. You can have that designer bag you’ve always wanted for a much cheaper price and you’ll have more time to come up with the money
3. Beauty and decor for less:
T.J. Maxx’s great deals are not limited to clothing and accessories. Your favorite beauty products, hair products and perfumes can all be found regularly for so much less than their original prices. Brands such as Bliss, Sexy Hair, CHI, and Crabtree and Evelyn are often found, in addition to many common perfume brands. You can even find Essie and O.P.I. nail polish for nearly half off. The store also carries chic home décor products with everything from furniture to china sets to bedding. Cynthia Rowley products are amongst the favorites in that section.
4. The new website:
T.J. Maxx recently launched their website, which allows people to shop online. It’s an excellent way to keep tabs on what’s new in the store and which designers are currently being sold in the Runway section. Who doesn’t love online shopping?
5. You can trust the products:
Many people have heard that T.J. Maxx products are cheaper because they are flawed, but that is untrue. Apparently less than 5% of their inventory is imperfect. T.J. Maxx is an off-price buyer, so if mainstream retailers order too much of a product or clothing designers over-produce a product, T.J. Maxx gets to purchase the excess. Plus, at least 85% of their products are from the current season.
So, collegiettes, are you a Maxxinista?