I hope they don't go the same way as woolies... (Dorothy Perkins)

Member Name: sweetiebum

Product:	Dorothy Perkins
Date:	30/11/08 (355 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The clothes fit me well

Disadvantages: A little bit pricey but worth it

When it comes to clothes shopping I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with it. I love the satisfaction of coming home with a new outfit, yet I hate the rigmarole of traipsing round the shops trying to find something that fits me properly. As I struggle with my weight, I often find clothes shopping quite depressing, particularly as the high street is littered with 'skinny shops' that just don't cater for real women. One of my favourite shops that bridges the gap and caters for the majority of women is Dorothy Perkins. Unlike a lot of shops which seems to stop at a small size 16, Dorothy Perkins sizes range from a size 6 up to a size 22. I believe that Dorothy Perkin's clothes are quite generous in their sizing and a size 16 really is a size 16. As an added bonus they also do other ranges including petite, tall and maternity.


The majority of my purchases from Dorothy Perkins consist of jeans and trousers. This is because I find they fit me better than they do from any other shop. What I like most about their trousers is the fact that they usually do three different leg lengths. Although I am short I prefer to go for their regular length so that they cover my shoes. Otherwise when I buy the short version they look like ankle swingers. Also if I'm looking for a pair of trousers to wear with high heels I can opt for the longer length so they sit nicely over my shoes. I do find you do have to be careful though as the size it states on the hanger can be different to the size on the label, so it's probably always best to double check beforehand.


Another staple item that I always end up buying from here is their jumpers. I can't remember a year where I haven't bought a new winter jumper from Dorothy Perkins and then proceeded to live in it until it's time to buy a new one. This leads me on say that the quality of clothing from here always seems to be excellent. I always wear my clothes to death and obviously this means washing them a lot. Everything I have bought from there has always lasted a good year, sometimes more depending on how often I wear it. I even had a few jumpers that I bought about five years ago that I sold on ebay for a more than generous price.

Over the years I have noticed that Dorothy Perkins frequently bring out new styles but also keep basic styles in stock as well. This is particularly handy if you need clothes for work such as black trousers and plain t-shirts and jumpers. Another advantage of this is that Dorothy Perkins frequently has offers on basics such as these, for example you can often buy two jumpers for £20 or two tops for £12. Considering the quality of the tops and the fact that they last more than one wash, this is extremely good value for money. If you are after what I would call a special jumper then you would expect to pay around £25. Although this may seem a bit pricey, especially in comparison to Primark and the likes, I do believe it is worth it. The jumpers always keep their shape and wash extremely well. The added bonus that you can resell it on ebay for a good price also makes the price seem more reasonable.

Like most high street stores, Dorothy Perkins sells far more than just tops and trousers. They sell coats, party wear shoes, boots, bags, accessories, jewellery, lingerie and tights, socks etc. I do feel that some of these prices are slightly expensive, particularly for their jewellery although as I haven't bought any of it it's difficult to comment on the quality. Despite this fact I would still highly recommend the shop.

On a negative note, there is one thing which I do find quite irritating about the shop is the fact that every time I buy something from my local store they always try and palm me off with their store card. I think I must have been offered one every time I buy something. I find this really annoying as I just want to buy my item then leave without feeling obliged to sign up to something I don't want, and if I did want it I would ask for it! Although I find this particularly irritating it does show that their staff have been trained well!

Another thumbs up comes from the fact that they offer student discount. Although I am no longer a student I distinctly remember the 10% discount which I took full advantage of. It is nice to know that a big high street retailer are prepared to offer a discount to such a large proportion of the country when so many other stores don't offer any.

Despite not being the cheapest shop on the high street it's still one of my favourite places to buy clothes.

Summary: One of my favourite clothes shops