Never shopping at TJ Maxx again!

I just had the most unpleasant encounter at the State College TJ Maxx!

Here is what happened:

My husband, 7 month old son and I went out for some post holiday shopping to TJ Maxx which has been a destination for many of our retail needs for many many years.

In the attempt to try find some new sweaters and shirts, my friend, (who joined us later) and I were scanning the racks and I had been pulling out shirts and sweaters to take to the dressing room to try on later.

I was wearing a nursing tank top underneath an open sweater, but had taken the sweater off in order to try on some sweaters (the open kind), that don’t require a trip to the dressing room. (I am including a picture of myself from that day and the picture of the type of sweater I was trying on in front of the mirror).

After trying a few of those in front of a mirror by the racks, a female store associate comes up and tells me that I need to go to the dressing rooms before I can try any other sweaters on, because she has received a complaint.

On the way to the dressing room, out of curiosity I asked the lady why it is she needs me to move there, as I have only tried on a few open sweaters and in all of my years as a TJ Maxx customer it was never an issue as I am not in anyone’s way and putting everything carefully right back on the hanger where I took it. And it was literally like 3 sweaters (!) She replied it was because of me wearing a tank top.

I asked to see the manager and she said that she was one of the managers. I then asked her to speak with me somewhere in a private area as I did not feel comfortable talking to her about this in the middle of the store as I was embarrassed enough.

When we went into her office, with an other manager present, I explained to her that my tank top is the clothes that I am wearing and it is not lingerie. I did not undress myself in order to try on that sweater. That I am a nursing mother and clearly my body is bigger in that area but I have a right to be in a tank top in their store. I am not revealing anything, it is not see through or short. It is simply on spaghetti straps which is frequently worn in the summer time and does not violate any dress code! If it had been a school or a place of worship it would have been another story. But it is a retail store!

I see men put on sweaters with their t shirts on and it has never been a problem.

To say the least, neither I or my family will be returning to TJ Maxx to shop until they train their employees to not shame their customers.