TJ Maxx

I have been let in on a secret. Lately, more and more, perhaps because of the recession, when I've spotted a particularly striking article of clothing on a friend and inquired after its origin, the response at the ready is "TJ Maxx." TJ Maxx has never really been on my radar, but yesterday, in need of some boots so I can finally wear some of the fall/winter skirts that hang in my closet I google-mapped and headed out.

Upon walking into the store, my eye immediately fell on a royal blue Asian cocktail dress. Curiously, however, it was marked at $200. Interesting, I thought, and passed it by. The next thing I gravitated toward was a beautiful gray wool, hip length coat. $1568.00. !!! What about all the super savings??

It turned out the Super Savings were crammed in the back half of the store on racks with aisles so narrow that when someone approached and murmured, "Excuse me," I practically had to crawl underneath the rack to let them pass. (Note: I think actually doing so is frowned upon.) But then I saw a rack of dresses for $15-20. Grabbed a handful of those. And oh! a few shirts too. Made 2-3 trips to the dressing room to try on my finds. Wait, what did I come here for again? Oh, boots! Over to the shoe aisle. Chaos. Actually it was kind of like the DMV. Some shoes were side by side with their mate exactly where they were supposed to be, waiting for would-be buyers. Some shoes were standing with their mate in the wrong aisle, not understanding why their number never popped up on the screen. Then there were the unlucky few that were sitting there all alone. Their mates having gotten lost in the confusion. Luckily I found the one pair of boots that seem to fit around my enormous calf muscles (tango-or at least that's what I like to think). The only reason they were still waiting around was because they were sitting on the size 5 shelf. (I am not a size 5.)

I think it should be noted that I do not have a healthy relationship with shopping. Some people shop regularly, buying 1-2 items each time or sometimes coming away empty-handed if there weren't inspiring clothes or good bargains. My shopping habits can really only be described as a combination of anorexia and bingeing. I find shopping somewhat inconvenient, so I tend to go for really long periods of accumulating things I need but not doing anything about it. Then one day I'll finally get around to it and try to find everything I need at a one-stop-shop. Inevitably the sticker shock factor is much higher this way.

My TJ Maxx experience fell into line with my stated habits, and I ended up lugging a pair of boots, a sweater, an AMAZING dress, 2 pieces of wall art, and a set of pillows up the 3 flights of stairs to my apartment. The boots and the dress hit the bulls-eye (minus the neon green size 8 sticker that is stuck on the sole of each boot, which a friend graciously pointed out to me at last night's cocktail party. Classy.). The jury is still out on the pillows. Some of you might have heard about the unfortunate incident my pillows recently had with the washing machine.

Will I go back? Yes. Now I need a set of sconces to go with the new metallic wall art. However, I will try to avoid having my return visit fall on a Saturday.

Note to my sisters and parents: Thanksgiving this year is going to be a black tie function, because I need another occasion to wear my dress. Plan accordingly.