Unicorn Armour Purses, Fake Fur & a 3ft Flamingo- My Top 13 Picks from the New Ards' TK Maxx

TK Maxx open their first new NI store in 11 years tomorrow morning, 9am, bright and early, in Ards Shopping Centre.  

The store is in the previous Tesco location, with a huge major refit having taken place in the past few months as part of a wave of new retailers arriving at the centre. 

Smix & I went along for a nosy this evening, and here are my 13 top kitsch picks spotted in store, counted down. 

13. The Entire Halloween Department.

Halloween only started to get big here about ten years ago. We always had parties, but now the UK is swaying towards the full on, decorate the whole house, celebrate all of October, type Halloween season. I remember 8 years ago when I was just married and had a house to decorate, travelling to the big Boucher Road TK Maxx to buy their imported Halloween Homeware. Candles, ornaments, prints, cushions- of course many of the pieces were used all year round as back then I was a little more rock and roll than I am now. So skull print everything wasn't just for Halloween!  

Top choices from this year's selection of home wares? The light up signs and skulls for sure.  Those Halloween print tea towels I wouldn't be afraid of using all year round either.

image.jpg
image.jpg
image.jpg

12. The Stationary.

Lots of notebooks, crafting items, and down in the second pic, very cute storage pouches. 

image.jpg
image.jpg

11. Retro Bins.

We are living in a time where even a bin can be retro! I love the blue especially. 

image.jpg

10. A Rainbow of Blankets.

You would have a hard time choosing. They have autumnal oranges & russet tones. Beautiful teal throws and peacock blue blankets.  

image.jpg

9. Tiny Little Cat Shoesies.

These little felt slippers make me jealous I'm not a five year old girl. Cosy for winter or even as part of a show stopping Halloween outfit. 

image.jpg

8. Macarons.

So many flavours. I think these were £2.49 because I remember thinking they were prices really reasonably when I picked them up. They even had my favourite- pistachio. 

image.jpg

7. Kitschy Cute Bags.

I think the accessories have to be my favourite part of TK Maxx. It's where you'll most readily find something designer that you can buy without it being the same price as that month's mortgage payment. 

image.jpg

I thought this was a school bag, but I imagine I might get a phone call from the office if I sent in a bag with 'nice junk' on it. Doesn't stop us big kids having it for the gym or university though. 

image.jpg

6. Moroccan Tea Glasses.

I literally haven't seen these for sale anywhere else. They had several different designs too. I think I would feel like royalty having a cuppa in these, although I might ruin it with my tea preference for lots of sugar and milk. How uncouth! 

image.jpg

5. Kooky Phone Cases.

They've a good selection of Skinny Dip London cases. I discovered Skinny Dip on our last trip wandering round Soho trying to find Yo Sushi. Everything is neon, glittery, furry, sparkly, in other words- every single darn thing I love. 

image.jpg

4. Designer Scarves.

A designer scarf is a great accessory if, like me, you can't afford designer clothes. You could be wearing a Primark outfit but adding a fancy scarf can make you look a lil' bit more expensive.  

The new TK Maxx has your full on designer name print scarves where there's no doubt about who made it, but also more subtle but well known lines like Love Moschino's Olive Oyl prints. Both these scarves were under £50.

image.jpg

3. Unicorn Armour Purses.

If unicorns needed armour I bet it would look like these purses. So shiny. I want. 

image.jpg

2. Mega Kitsch Fake Fur Scarves.

These scarves would make any old coat look crazily cool, and they were only £9.99 each. 

image.jpg

1. A Three Foot Flamingo.

My top pick from the new store. A lifesize flamingo. I think I know what to ask Santa for this year now. 

image.jpg

But what did I buy? Well from the beauty department I picked up a Sanctuary Spa candle for £2.99

All TK Maxx store are having huge beauty events right now, so there are lots of bargains to be had. 

image.jpg

I couldn't resist these socks either. £3.99 for three pairs. Cats and pugs and sailors. 

image.jpg
image.jpg

My major purchase I was talked into by my little shopping buddy. 

image.jpg

This Little Moose satchel style handbag. RRP £50 but I got it for £29.99  

Look how cute! 

image.jpg

So get yourselves down in the morning to be some of the first to grab the best bargains. If you find anything particularly cool- tweet me so I can see! My username is @rudedoodle

Broken Warhol Handbag Woes

Years ago I discovered a brilliant handbag I had to have in a local charity shop. It was a shoulder handbag with a bright & cheery painting by numbers design, which turned out to be an Andy Warhol print. 

I totally loved it and used it as my main bag for a good year, until one of the plastic straps broke. I couldn't bear go throw it out and I headed straight to eBay to try and get a replacement. But there weren't any for sale. So I saved the search, and five years or so later STILL not even once has the bag been up for auction or sale.

image.jpg

That's the print, but I can't even find a picture of the bag I owned, let alone find a replacement one to buy.  

The brand that has turned Warhol's classic prints into bags, phone cases and Mac sleeves is UK company Incase.

image.jpg

As of today they only have one Warhol item in store, a phone case, but a quick search on eBay and you can bid on lots of different Incase bits and pieces. Prices are around £20 for Mac cases.  

My painting by numbers Warhol eBay search remains, but if anyone ever sees these bags on sale in a store, please tell me! 

image.jpg
image.jpg
image.jpg