TK Maxx?

[NotQuiteCockney]

Ok, I ventured in yesterday, and came out with some clothes for the kids (Oilily for DS2!), gift clothes (a girl's Dior dress!), and a quite nice blouse for me.

But it was scary. Is there any trick to shopping there? Are all the clothes actual brand names, or are some of them rubbish and some of the brand name seconds? Or are they stuff that just didn't sell?

This is my technique :
Grab a trolley
Fill with anything and everything you might like (if the whole family goes we take two trolleys, one for dh and one for me)
We split up and do our own shopping arranging to meet at a certain time.
At the meet we scan through eachothers baskets saying yes or no to items and swapping things we've found for eachother.
Then try on time whilst one looks after dd2 and ds4 (probably looking at the toys)
At final meet up we sort into piles for each family member and check not too many of one item and then
PAY!!!

TIPS
Start shopping now for xmas presents
We buy as much as two years in advance of age if there is a gorgeous coat etc
DH buys great shirts and ties but now he really does have TOO MANY!!
Go often and you get to know how the store works
Check the rails for the new stock they are putting out

I've had great deals on:

shirts and ties
bags
duvet covers
boy's coats
wooden toys
"surfer" type summer wear for me
winter evening wear
T shirts for boys and men
underwear (if you can be bothered to search for matching items!)

Not so much luck with:
trousers and skirts for me
shoes

I find that some of the womens clothes are total tut. You have to shop carefully. I am pretty sure some of the stuff in there can be bought on the markets for the same price, or even cheaper but you also get some really nice stuff. You have to sift with a gimlet eye (if you have time!)

Do you look for brands, or just what would suit?

They had a really weird "fashion" section, that was full of v strange clothes. Well, some of it was wearable. Lots of corset tops, that sort of stuff.

Just what would suit. And then I look at
a)the price
b)the seams and materials used

I'm not a labels person for the sake of a label IYKWIM. I have just bought stuff from TK Maxx before that I have got home and then my hair starts to stand on end from all the static the garment creates.

I love corset tops. They just don't love me anymore

I find the clothes may not reflect the season - I was looking for boys jakets one autumn but all they had were shirts and light tops. You can't go there expecting to see racks full of swimwear in the summer. So if you see something you like that's way out of season, buy it then and there.

I go there for gifts (agree, don't leave christmas shopping too late), bags and shoes. I have never ever found any clothing there that I like for me at a price that compares well to what I'd buy in a 'normal' shop (but I don't go a lot). Good for ds's and dh's clothing, though.

I'm not very seasonal, anyway. I'll have to try going sometime when I've got more time, I thought it was ok.

I just struggle buying clothes, normally end up getting them at Bicester Village, as at least it's cheap.

I think I buy nearly everything for the children in T K Maxx Dh buys all his golf tops there. I tend to look at well known labels for myself as I have had some stuff before that just doesn't wash well. I have bought some great Nicole Fahri linen bits this year. I tend to go in and have a scout about and then go elsewhere e.g gap for the childrens stuff. I'm going in next week for raincoats for school. I also bu a couple of yrs ahead if I see something good - ds has his winter coat already which was bought last winter