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Back to School Shopping at Marshalls and TJMaxx

Yes, I know that the kids have been back to school for weeks now, but I just can’t get in the mood to buy fall clothes in August.  Now that it’s officially fall and the possibility of an Indian Summer seems unlikely, I’ve been making my rounds to all of my favorite stores for back to school clothes and accessories for the kids.  Okay, and a few for me.  Hey, Mama needs to look good too, right?

Honestly, I never was a big “off price” shopper until I went to the TJMaxx/Marshalls event back in July and learned about how they stock their stores with current, fashionable clothes and accessories at such fabulous prices.  Since then, I’ve added those two stores to my regular rounds.  So when I was offered two $25 gift cards (one for each store) to do some back to school shopping and blog about my finds, I jumped at the chance.  I knew they would be put to good use.  Of course, I spent well over the allotted amount, but who’s counting?  Besides my husband, the bookkeeper, anyway.

My first stop was Marshall’s — the Shoe Headquarters, of course.  I found these precious sneakers by Merrell for my 3-year-old.  Aren’t they darling?  $50 shoes marked down to $30.

merrells

I also got these cute little ballet flats you can see my 6-year-old sporting on her first day of school.  They were only $10, which suits me just fine because she will have them scuffed up in a few months, and I won’t feel bad replacing them.

black-flats

I was in a rush that day and didn’t look any further, but I’ll be back since it’s located right next to my grocery store.

It’s not quite as convenient for me to get to TJMaxx, so I don’t shop there as often, but there is one near my Trader Joes and I’ve taken to stopping in every time I make a Trader Joes run.  A few weeks ago, I ran in to look for school clothes for my middle daughter, and I left with 2 dresses, a pair of jeans, and a jean skirt for her as well as a collection of housewares for me.

Isn’t this dress darling?  (My daughter’s of course.  Not mine.)

dress

And did you know that TJMaxx carries housewares?  They have a ton of great stuff.  I got an olive oil bottle, 2 boxes of gorgeous wine glasses, a new painted metal colander that I just love in the stylish Tiffany’s blue, and a few more odds and ends that I had been meaning to pick up next time I was at Bed Bath & Beyond.  What would have cost me over $100 at BB&B was well under $50 at TJMaxx.

Finally, I decided to browse the handbag section, which is, of course, always a dangerous excursion.  Ever since Lori introduced me to Bob Makowsky’s handbags (scroll to the bottom of her post to see the bag that she scored on our trip) I have kept an eye out for them.  The leather is unmistakable — it is incredibly lush, soft and supple, and he chooses gorgeous colors.  And there is nothing like the changing of the seasons to give me a hankering for a new handbag.

And wouldn’t you know, in the first aisle of handbags, I came across this gem.  It was the only one in the whole store, and it had my name written all over it.  Okay, so it really had Bob Makowsky’s name written on it, but that’s close enough, yes?

purse2

If it looks strikingly similar to the one in my fall blog design, that was just a remarkable coincidence.  Yeah, uh huh.

What about you?  Have you been back-to-school shopping at Marshalls or TJMaxx lately?  Tell me about your fabulous finds!

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18 Responses

  1. I can spot a Bob Makowsky bag at TJ’s at 5 paces. It’s like leading a moth to flame.

    I’ve been on a TJ Maxx spree for the past few weeks… I bought shoes, a scarf, a wallet, a dress… and I’m sure some other stuff that I’m forgetting along the way.

    Whenever one of my friends gets a job and moves out, I’ve started buying them a bunch of kitchen stuff at TJ Maxx – that stuff is a STEAL! I have had a set of pots from there for a few years and they look brand new – I have fry pans in the Tiffany blue color your mentioned!

    I love TJ Maxx!

  2. Cute stuff! I need to have hours to look in TJMaxx and Marshall’s. My MIL is a HUUUUUGE fan and could spend days in those stores. She finds great stuff though.

  3. You know, I was just feeling guilty for wanting to change my blog look again, and here you’ve changed yours from the last time I was here. I guess it goes with the whole creative/artistic territory, huh? Thanks for the license to be – I need it renewed WAY too often! 😉

  4. I stopped into Marshalls last week looking for black bootcut jeans, but didn’t find any. I DID however leave with not one, but TWO pair of shoes. Some Etienne Aigner black ankle boots, $30, and some conservative brown leather kitten heels for the conference I’m headed to next week. Not sure if they’ll work, because any heel at all is hard when on your feet ALLLLLLL day, but they were Aerosoles and super comfy and I hate flats. Also $30.

  5. I haven’t gone there in a while, but maybe I need to check it out again. Today I bought jeans @ LOFT. They were bogo 1/2 off AND I had a 20% off coupon. Great steal!

    Another surprisingly great clothing store lately: JCPenney’s. Not old lady clothes anymore! They have several new stylish lines with great prices. I bought a bunch of adorable sweaters and shirts for a great price with my coupon today. 😀

    So, I might have to wait awhile to go to Marshalls or TJMaxx!

    Thanks for finally posting the handbag! I’ve been dying to see a pic of the new handbag. 😉

  6. Dang, girl, what DOES your husband do??? 😉 Or is it all your blogging income that allows these oh-so-fun shopping trips? Can’t say I’m not a bit jealous. 🙂

  7. I live in a fairly small town. There are 2 malls which are each 20 minutes + away from me, but I happen to have a TJMaxx 5 minutes away. Love it! I do a majority of my shopping there — almost all of my personal shopping and a fair bit for the kids.

    I also love their toy/books section for bday gifts!!

  8. Now that both boys are in school I get to go shopping ALONE…so I have hit TJMaxx & Marshall’s several times lately. I scored some great cloth napkins…yeah not as fun as a handbag, but a good find anyway.
    Now with all the shoe talk you remind me I must go back for the black Privos I have been eyeing.

  9. Our TJ Maxx is combined with a Home Goods. I got a great rug for my dining room there last year. I’d been looking for one forever, but I needed like a 9’x12′-ish sized one. Those suckers are expensive. I got mine for a fraction of the price!

  10. Our TJ Maxx is combined with a Home Goods. I got a great rug for my dining room there last year. I’d been looking for one forever, but I needed like a 9’x12′-ish sized one. Those suckers are expensive. I got mine for a fraction of the price!

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