Hey y’all! I was going to name this “TJ Maxx Haul,” but I don’t want to give the impression that I shop like this all of the time. There will be no other shopping trips like this for awhile! Pre-baby, I had about three BIG hauls a year from HM, but obviously I’ve had to prioritize a bit! With that being said, let’s get started!
I wanted to go to TJ Maxx for my birthday shopping trip because I had $150 in giftcards from my time as a kitchen designer! A point system existed with our cabinetry lines so although I’m not actively designing, I can still tap into my leftover points! Uh, yes please! Using those giftcards is really what enabled this shopping spree. Big thanks to my husband for covering the rest and working every day for our family! I went on this shopping trip with my sister Tangie because we both have April birthdays and had planned this “treat yo’self” date for over 6 months! I had so much fun and LOVE HER. Here’s what I got in no particular order:
This black bodysuit! Yes, BODYSUIT! First I’ve ever purchased. It’s soft like cotton and doesn’t wear uncomfortably. I’ve always loved tucking in my tops and now with the whole crop top, front knot, mom-jean fashion taking over – I needed a bodysuit! I love that it’s black so definitely a basic that I can dress up or down, and it has three little wooden buttons in the front that do make it a little more casual than dressy. I paired it with existing paperbag pants that I got from HM a couple of years ago! The bodysuit is a size XL and honestly I wouldn’t have fit into anything smaller. Long torso probs. I got my heels from Payless like 7 years ago, but this just goes to show that one new piece can breathe life into anything!
This is the front view of the bodysuit! The buttons are faux and don’t actually do anything, other than make it a perfect match for these tan pants! I also got this white cardigan with black threading throughout from TJ Maxx! I love a light weight cardigan and I’ve already worn this out over a short jean dress! The bodysuit and cardigan look nice together and can look even more casual with a pair of jeans! These two probably went for around $30 together. What do you think?
Next up is definitely one of my new favorite outfits! I got all three pieces you’ll see here from TJ Maxx! This tank top is a super unique fabric that has a lot of texture and notice the fringe detail on the bottom! LOVE! It has a loose fit which I am definitely more comfortable in. The jeans are Lucky Brand and they fit like leggings! They are sooo stretchy and comfortable. The backpack was also a perfect find as I wanted my own “diaperbag/purse” to use when I go out, rather than lugging the very boyish Eddie Bauer diaper bag we currently have. So now we have a his & her’s option! I love it and already have it jam packed with all of Lewie’s essentials and of course mama’s favorite lipgloss!
I feel like this is the perfect outfit to have a mommy-baby date out at the park or even a relaxed lunch with a friend! Actually, I did wear this out to lunch except I swapped the jeans for some comfy dark green linen pants! My lace-up sandals are going on three years and they were a purchase from Kohls! These three pieces were about $75 or so. Also worth noting that the backpack is vegan leather!
Next is this super cute top that definitely gives off Lilly Pulitzer vibes! It’s actually so long that I could pull it off as a dress when summer is here! For this look I paired it with some blue high-waisted shorts from HM and I tied it in the front! This outfit would look perfect with some sandal wedges and statement earrings, especially if I’m on vacation strolling around a beach town! The top was only $16.99 and although the pattern is quite the statement, I couldn’t resist! I’ll definitely get some good wears out of this and I’m really excited to wear it as a dress. Stay tuned as the weather warms up to see this on my Instagram!
Really it was the blue buttons that got me!
OK! Maybe THIS one is my favorite! I’ve actually worn this top more than a few times since I got it! It’s a crocheted material and fits so comfortably! It’s not itchy at all and is actually super stretchy. I definitely want to get some type of bralette to wear underneath of it, but it looks so good simply as is! These paperbag pants (I think I have paperbag pants in 5 different colors now) are like a faux-jean material, but obviously are linen! They are so comfortable and I love how they flair at the bottom. I got the sunglasses, too, and they are Guess! This whole outfit gives me boho vibes and honestly I can’t believe I’m not walking down Hollywood Boulevard yet!
I love these two textures together! The feminine bow brings the perfect touch to the organic material of the top. Paired with the sunglasses, seriously, I need to move to the West Coast! The three together were probably about $35.
Let’s get back to bright and patterned! I found this dress and walked past it a few times, but there was something about the dark blue and the pops of color that I couldn’t resist. It’s nursing friendly, super appropriate, and has an easy snap button in the front! I wore this dress to the grocery store the other day and was immediately greeted by three older couples, so I certainly felt approachable! It made me smile. Definitely the “take home to meet your mom” style! It’s casual enough to wear to the store on a sunny day, but I plan to wear it as my dress for my best friend’s rehearsal dinner in July, too!
Perfect Sunday dress, as well! This dress can pretty much be worn any way. I paired it with a light weight jean jacket and ended up wearing it casually the entire day.
Next, super casual which tends to be my favorite. Ha ha! No matter what I have in my closet, hoodies are my go-to! What I am OBSESSED with about this first hoodie are the draw strings! DO YOU SEE THAT?! They are like handkerchief ribbons and I immediately threw it in my cart. Even better, it’s Lucky Brand! Honestly y’all, I’m not a brand “snob” but if I had all of the money in the world, I’d rock Lucky Brand as much as I could. Their clothing is just so comfortable and I love how it looks effortlessly stylish!
It looks grey in this second photo, but it’s definitely a “washed” navy blue!
This second hoodie doesn’t need much of an explanation other than it was $6 and a pattern/color scheme of camouflage that didn’t make me want to barf. For those two reasons, I was in. It’s long enough to wear as a dress if I had to throw on some slides and run to the bank, but it is pretty thin material so I doubt I’d do that. We live off of the Shenandoah River so I moreso see it as a piece that I put on over my bathing suit as the day turns into the evening and we light up a bonfire and grill down by the water!
What kind of camouflage makes me want to barf? PINK. Never, no, don’t do it. Also when the hues of green are all bright and clearly would never blend in with the woods. I probably wouldn’t have been caught dead in camo prior to marrying Chris, but his Southern country boy ways turned me out!
ALRIGHT I SAVED THE TWO BEST FOR LAST! ARE Y’ALL READY FOR THIS?
YASSSSS. GUYS! I tried this on and hated it. Then… I loved it. Then… I hated it. But as I sat there deciding NOT to buy it, I knew I would constantly be thinking about it! I knew I’d go home and love everything I got, but think to myself “man, that two-piece outfit though.” So, I made the crazy decision to buy it! It’s SO comfortable and I love that it doesn’t show as a two-piece unless I’ve got my arms up. These shoes were left by my brother’s girlfriend so I threw them on for the photo! Thanks, Kaitie! 😛
I’m not exactly sure where I’ll wear this as it is very unique and I live in a rural area where fashion is… well… nobody’s priority. 
I think as the weather warms up, I’ll feel more comfortable going out in it. My friend’s wedding that I mentioned earlier is in Colorado this summer so I definitely based a lot of my purchases for that trip! I’m sure strolling down Pearl Street in this, I wouldn’t get too many weird looks. Even if I did, I could comfort myself with the fact that they miiiight be under an influence that makes their eyes appear squinty and judgemental 😉
Regardless, I’m so happy with this purchase. I’m glad I went outside of my comfort zone and brought it home! I’ve always wanted a matching top and bottom outfit and while I don’t think this will be the last, it’s a great start! A huge thanks to my sister Tangie who encouraged me that if I had the confidence to rock it, I would!
Finally, the first item I noticed in TJ Maxx and HAD to buy because prices like this are rare! It doesn’t really need an explanation other than I got it for less than HALF of it’s retail price! I immediately had a girl put it behind the registers for me and she actually took it so quickly, I didn’t even get to look in the mirror with it on my shoulder, but I was sold from the moment I saw it! This was definitely the biggest “impulse” buy and I’ve yet to take the tags off. I’m excited to find the perfect outfit to wear it with as I’m such a brown leather type of gal that I really need to figure out how to match this black pattern with something!
And that’s all, folks! All together I got:
- A pair of Lucky Brand jeans
- The paperbag linen pants
- The floral dress
- A black body suit
- The white cardigan
- The crocheted tank top
- The textured striped tank top
- The super bright button-up top/dress
- The Lucky Brand hoodie
- The camo hoodie
- The two-piece top & bottoms
- The vegan leather weaved backpack
- The Micheal Kors purse
- Guess sunglasses
I kind of wish I’d got a pair of shoes, but I have found if you’re trying to get the most “bang for your buck” at TJ’s – stay away from the shoes! They’re good prices, of course, but can easily cost as much as three tops would.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post! Comment what your favorite outfit/purchase is and any questions you have! I can share brands of clothing specifically if you ask.
cordially, keryn 