Confession: I've often thought to myself that once you see a given brand at T.J. Maxx or Marshalls, it just isn't "cool" anymore. Am I alone on this? Sure, I'm thrilled when I find a deal from a designer I love at my local store, but a part of me wonders how it ended up there, at a discount. But during a recent trip, I started to reevaluate my theory when I came upon a couple displays at the front of the store that were stocked with summer styles from Rory Beca, James Perse, Splendid, Joe's Jeans, Paige Denim, C&C California, Young Fabulous & Broke, and Vince. These are still legit brands, right? They're still super pricey and sold at the fancy department stores (Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, etc.) I may never know the inner workings of off-price retailers but for now I'm content just to see these labels on their racks.

And, if you're like me and prefer to pay even less for random, unrecognizable brands so long as the stuff is cute, keep scrolling for pics from the juniors section where I think almost everything I photographed was $20 and under!

Warning: The following photographs are not pretty to look at. There are no lacy shorts or mint leather bags. But the Dad in your life will love what he sees! While shopping for Father's Day can be tricky, T.J.Maxx takes some of the guesswork out with their wide selection of affordable guy-pleasing gifts (mostly under $20). My husband and my father could care less about the gifts we women want to buy them (a Tiffany money holder...a plaid Burberry tie) - oh no, it's a grill light they desire so they can cook up steaks at any hour of the day (or night). It's a kayak, a cooler, a flexible power strip, a pack of batteries, an RFID blocking wallet. It's a growler (that's a big ol' beer bottle), a microfiber wash mitt for a scratch-free car wash, a set of soapstone ice-cubes that won't water down his single malt Scotch. These are the gifts that make men happy, and you can score them all at T.J.Maxx right now at a price that will make you happy, too.

As promised, here's part 2 from my shopping trip to H&M this week where I snapped pics of some of my favorite fashions currently in store. (See part 1 here.) I was last-minute dress shopping for an event we have this weekend and was glad to see dresses on just about every rack in the store, from casual sundresses to more formal dresses you could wear to a wedding like this yellow lace dress, or the watercolor print dress above - it would go perfectly with the strappy silver sandals that you'll see below! I guess H&M knows that everyone is dress shopping right now, whether it's for graduations or garden parties. Other highlights include this double layer tank, this palm print dress, and this jersey stripe dress (which I bought...glad I didn't pay a small fortune for the Milly at Kohl's t-shirt dress I featured here). Also, this striped cotton dress would make a chic beach cover-up, as would this beach to street striped dress (both have a Madewell vibe I'm loving). What can I say, so much to love right now at H&M! Keep reading for more photos and to see what I bought, plus some notes on sizing.

Summer is in full force at H&M, and the fast-fashion chain has everything you need for BBQs, the beach and beyond. Trends to note include crop tops with high-waist shorts, boho maxi dresses, touches of lace and crochet, botanical prints and fluent florals, white on white, and classic stripes. Highlights for me included some cheeky "Aloha, beaches" smoking flats, preppy anchor-embroidered shorts, J.Crew-esque sleeveless cotton button down shirts, gingham pants and the prettiest floral chiffon maxi dress ($59.95, shown above). I went a little crazy snapping pics so I've divided my posts into two - here's part 1, check back tomorrow for part 2 (when I'll also reveal what I bought!)

See anything you love?

What do you do on a cold and rainy day in June? Head to Target for some retail therapy! On one such recent trip this week, I spotted a few new items worth checking out to liven up your summer wardrobe. For everyday, I'm loving these stripe maxi skirts ($19.99) - the blue stripes remind me of a serape blanket - and for the boho babe, this Mossimo lace-inset maxi skirt ($19.99) looks very Free People but at a fraction of the price. I also loved this crochet-trim halter top ($17.99) as a stylish alternative to basic t-shirts that's just as easy to wear.