The big TK Maxx challenge

Take one fashion snob, drop her in the middle of the bargain store and task her with finding four gorgeous, great-value outfits. YOU’S fashion director Sophie Dearden accepts the mission

ou wouldn’t call me a natural TK Maxx shopper. Of course, I understand there are designer pieces to be had at bargain prices, but that jumble-sale vibe has never been an attraction. As a fellow Maxx-o-phobe put it: ‘Once you get a couple of aisles in, no one can hear you scream!’

I also realise there are many who adore the store. Type ‘TK Maxx’ into Facebook and you’ll unearth endless groups devoted to the finding and sharing of bargains across the country. Meanwhile, the faceless Instagram account Tkfashun promises to traipse from store to store sourcing the best pieces so you don’t have to.

For this challenge, I was tasked with buying four looks, the only rules being that everything (including accessories) had to be bought on one day in the same branch of the store. No sneaking in my own pieces. No panic-buying from the nearest branch of Zara. (Anyway, TK Maxx stocks Zara – of course it does!). And so I headed to London’s Hammersmith branch.

TK Maxx is keen for me to stress

Ythat you won’t necessarily find my buys at your nearest shop – all stores carry different stock; even if you do find them, they might not be in your size. While this might sound like a negative, it turned out to be a positive. Unlike the cookie-cutter stock in many high-street stores, every TK Maxx is different. Yes, it’s frustrating if they’ve only got something in one size (not yours), but when you do find that designer gem for a fraction of the price, the thrill is enormous.

I optimistically commandeered a mega trolley, but nobody was more surprised than me to discover that there was a lot I wanted to try on. Far from being some kind of graveyard for ill-advised designer experiments or high-street deadstock, TK Maxx is a fashion treasure trove.

It takes a while to get used to the fact that clothes are arranged by size rather than style on the racks, but once you spot your first fashion find – for me a Jil Sander jacket (a snip at £399; it could have cost almost £2,000) – the love affair begins.

Here are the four looks that finally made a Maxxer of me.

THE DESIGNER JACKET JACKPOT

This Jil Sander is more of an investment than the other pieces, but if you’re going to splash out on a TK Maxx designer purchase, I’d do it on tailoring.

Blazer, Jil Sander, £399 (similar at matches.com, £1,704). Waistcoat, Via Bovio, £29.99 (RRP unknown). Jeans, American Eagle, £19.99 (similar at ae.com, £39.79). Trainers, Puma, £34.99 (RRP £65). Bag, LRM, £99.99 (RRP £148)

Sandals