Erika Girardi Claps Back at Critic as She's Spotted at T.J. Maxx: 'I've Shopped Here for Years'

The reality star was seen at the discount retailer earlier this week, amid her ongoing legal troubles

Photo: BACKGRID

It's "XXPEN$IVE" to be Erika Jayne, but Erika Girardi appreciates a good bargain.

Earlier this week, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star — who famously said she spends $40,000 a month on clothes, hair and makeup back in 2018 — was photographed shopping at T.J. Maxx in Pasadena, California, amid ongoing legal troubles in the wake of her divorce from Tom Girardi.

Some social media users were quick to weigh in: "Shopping at TJMAXX…. with your assistant?…. Optics EJ….you are smarter than this…. This NOT winning!" one person wrote on Twitter.

But Erika clapped back, clarifying that the outing had nothing to do with her financial situation. "I shopped there for years. I also went to Petco and Target. Stop over analyzing my life."

Multiple Twitter users defended the reality star, with out person saying, "I don't understand why people think that people with money don't shop at target and s—t ...sometimes you just want to go to target.

"Ugh! why dont people realize that even the rich&famous shop at the same places everyone else shops at too..Even Kyle [Richards] purchased & loves "tank tops at Target"... to have nice clothing & style does not always mean you have to shop at high end stores all the time...." someone else added.

The Twitter exchange comes after Wednesday night's episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, during which Erika dropped another major bombshell about her estranged husband.

While visiting Kathy Hilton's house for an at-home spa day, Erika chatted separately with Kyle Richards about the latest happenings in her personal life.

"Tom's house was broken into," Erika claimed. "He confronted the burglar and then had to go have eye surgery. And then my son [Tommy Zizzo] had to go over and help. And then my son, he rolled his car five times on the way home."

Asked if the incidents had happened "recently," Erika replied: "Yeah. I'm under a lot of stress."

"I got a call at three in the morning, but I didn't get it until six, from Pasadena Police Department that Tom's home had broken into the home," she continued, clarifying that Tom was present during the alleged burglary. "He confronted the burglar and then he had to go to the hospital, and then have some sort of surgery. I don't really even know [what happened]."

Erika said that Tom, 82, underwent eye surgery due to having glaucoma, but that she was "not sure" about everything that went down since they hadn't spoken.

Erika and Tom Girardi. Jerritt Clark/Getty; Steve Eichner/Sipa

Erika filed for divorce from Tom in November 2020 after 21 years of marriage. In the months since the divorce filing, Tom has been entangled in multiple lawsuits, one of which alleges embezzlement by both him and Erika.

The former couple's legal woes were the subject of an ABC News Originals documentary in June, titled The Housewife and the Hustler.