In the retail version of treasure hunting, shoppers rip through the racks at big discounters like T.J. Maxx and Marshalls.
But does all their apparel really come from a higher end store?
Not always according to fashion blogger and New York City clothing designer Jay Hallstein.
In a blog post that went viral, Myth of the Maxxinista, Hallstein claims that T.J. Maxx brokers a licensing deal with some big names to produce clothing exclusively for their stores, but you may never know it.
WFTS-TV asked T.J. Maxx's corporate offices if certain brand names manufacture a line just for them. In an email a corporate spokesperson explained: “Some merchandise we sell is developed for us, particularly when what we are seeing in the marketplace isn't the right value for our customers."
We went shopping with personal stylist Tamy Lugo at T.J. Maxx. She found a mixed bag in the quality department. She gave high marks to a Ralph Lauren bag but found problems with a pair of Michael Kors pants. She pointed to a Coach sports bag as another example.
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Lugo was impressed with the quality of the Adrianna Papell dress, a label found in higher end department stores.
T.J. Maxx also told us: "We take advantage of a variety of different opportunities to source merchandise, and this can include order cancelations, manufacturer overruns and closeouts."
The next time you shop, check the quality of the material, stitching and seams. Experts say racks and racks of one particular high-end brand in a store could be a sign those clothes were not over runs at the retailer.