The “off-price” secret that just may change the way you shop, and boost your Fall wardrobe in the process!

I often wonder why I’ve seen the exact same blouse that I was drooling over at the big flagship store in my mall at TJ Maxx for about half of the price.  I don’t mean a month or a season later, I mean practically at the same time, within days of first spotting it.  You know– while the style is still relevant?  My first thought is usually “Is there something wrong with it?”, as I proceed to inspect it like it’s a piece of fine art.

No!

It’s a beautiful thing actually, and it’s called off-price retailing– something I wish I had been more acquainted with back in the day when I just had to have something ridiculous like a trendy top that cost me a car payment.  After wearing it once or twice, the top made it’s way to the back of my closet and wasn’t seen again until it was time to move.  Sound familiar?  This brings forth another question, why does one store charge $100 for the same thing you spotted at TJ Maxx for $49.99?  If there isn’t anything wrong with it, and it’s not off-season or clearance merchandise, what’s up with that?  How can they do it?  I turned to style expert, Alison Deyette and TJ Maxx for the answers to these burning questions.

Scenario: One of the hottest designers exclaims that you just CANNOT be seen this Fall without a key wardrobe piece in honey yellow.  This sets off a chain of events that will put what’s in your wardrobe’s future in your hot little hands for a lot less than what the big flagship store at the mall gets away with charging us.

1. Reacting quickly, their buyers travel all over the world (often 40 weeks out of the year) to find that key wardrobe piece. This keeps the fashion relevant and timely– and also allows them time to react if that trend literally changes overnight.

2. The buyers are negotiating their heads off with their vendors right up until the last second to make sure you pay the best price possible. The big department store had their buyers pay a premium for it months ago on their seasonal buying trip.

3. That merchandise arrives in TJ Maxx distribution centers as soon as possible after the deal is closed and gets shipped out to your local stores to hit the racks in as little as 2 weeks. Meanwhile over at the mall, it’s been sitting in their stockrooms for over a month waiting for their Fall catalog to go out.

4. You score! The same key wardrobe piece that the annoying girl in your office bragged about paying an astronomical price for cost you about 60% less, and you can actually afford to still buy lunch this week.

This process goes on year-round for TJ Maxx, something I didn’t know about until yesterday!  Now we’ve all been let in on the secret that the big stores and swanky boutiques don’t want us to know.  Oops!  Here’s how that secret can boost your closet every season from this moment forward!

This Fall brings us a unique color palette, let’s take a look at Pantone’s color forecast:

I say this with absolute certainty– there was not a single shade from the color forecast that was not represented in relevant styles for the season at the TJ Maxx location I visited yesterday.   There were some big names in there too– Missoni, Calvin Klein, Diane Von Furstenberg, Gucci, Michael Kors, things we just don’t normally treat ourselves to because they are out of our budget!  The location I visited in Glendale, CA had a great section called “The Runway at Maxx“, a small boutique that carries high-end designer labels from Europe at much more reasonable prices.

Alison shared what will be the season’s must-have pieces– the boyfriend blazer, the bomber jacket, and slouchy boots!  I just don’t think I can pull those off for some reason, so luckily there are a few more items I can add in to mix & match with my existing wardrobe:

Accessories — You must have at least 1 over-sized belt!  Boho-inspired jewelry and larger over-the-shoulder handbags in Fall’s color palette will make an ordinary outfit complete.  Scarves continue to rule the accessory throne and are the easiest way to update what you’ve got.

Plaid — Ladies, you can do plaid as long as it doesn’t look like you borrowed your Dad’s flannel shirt or like you haven’t been awake since 1992.  Girlie them up a little!  Pair plaids with ruffles for a feminine and stylish look or couple them with a tailored jacket.

Delicate fabrics — Look for sheer, silk, or ruffled blouses.  The sophisticated blouse will be a key piece.

Knits — Layer it up!  Pick up soft layering pieces like sleeveless sweaters to take the chill and the dullness out of an ordinary blouse.  You can never go wrong with a cardigan, this forever-basic can be updated with ruffles or cable-knit detailing.

If designer labels aren’t your thing, it’s totally okay!  I’m all about taking inexpensive basic pieces and making them work, just by adding a little something more current to the mix for whatever the given season.  While it would be nice *sigh* to own a designer wardrobe each season, it’s not practical in the real world– or at least not in my world!  I was happy to spot a great mix of designer labels with insanely low prices right next to racks of merchandise from brands I normally buy at full price anyway, and even those were marked much lower than what I usually pay!  It’s a dream come true for the fashionista, frugalista, and everyone in-between.  I know I’ve marveled about mostly fashion here– but can I just say?  Their beauty product selection was INCREDIBLE!  Look at this and try not to cry, their beauty product section was fit for a Beauty Junkie:

What?  The popular ModelCo “Airbrush Tan in a Can” spray for $10:

The best part?  This wasn’t even the half of it, they knocked my socks off with their assortment of both high-end and mass-brand beauty products.  Do you see the newest Vera Wang Rock Princess fragrance at this completely ridiculous low price?  It’s one of my fave new perfumes and it’s full price EVERYWHERE, with no end in sight.  I couldn’t believe it and I had to get the proof:

My own personal haul?  It took a lot of hand-smacking not to pick up a few of those ModelCo self-tanners– but I managed to score a super cute honey yellow (a hot Fall color!) over-the-shoulder handbag for $19.99, Calvin Klein tanks to use as layering pieces for $4.99 each, one of those must-have plaid blouses with feminine details in a sheer fabric for just $16.99, a basic white ruffled blouse (which had a bonus of the must-have over-sized belt) for a mere $16.99, a boho-inspired necklace at $16, and as if that weren’t enough– a boho-chic dress that was very similar to one I almost bought at another retailer just last week.  Ha-ha!  Mine was only $24.99… they can keep theirs at $69.50!  As soon as the weather cools here in LA, I’m headed back to TJ Maxx to pick up more Fall essentials like tights and maybe, just maybe… I’ll give in and pick up a pair of those slouchy boots!

Now that I know the secrets of off-price shopping, I’m checking TJ Maxx first for trendy pieces to update my closet each season and whenever I just need to replenish my basics.  If I’m out and about and I spot something at a larger retailer that I just don’t think I can live without– you bet I’ll be doing my homework first from now on.  Paying full-price, especially when you have the option not to is just silly!