Cheap and cheerful (Primark)

Member Name: NickyBo

Product:	Primark
Date:	26/08/09 (109 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good quality clothes at very cheap prices

Disadvantages: Often untidy in the afternoon

I will start by saying that I love Primark and I'm not ashamed of that! Years ago, when I was a snobby teenager, I wouldn't dare even linger near a Primark window for fear of my friends seeing. Now I am 'grown up' I can see it's many advantages.

The main advantage for me is the price. The items are ridiculously cheap. Years ago this cheap price was reflected in the quality of the clothes. My Mum kept buying me Primark clothes and then had to keep returning them as the seams had split. Thankfully that is a thing of the past. I have been shopping there for many years and all the clothes I have bought are still going strong. They have actually outlasted some much more expensive clothing.

As an example of the cheap prices, I will detail what I bought on my most recent trip to Primark:

I went in for some underwear that had been recommended (I'll discuss these fantastic pants later on!). I found these - £4 for 3 pairs. Not the cheapest underpants but these were extra special.

I also bought a lovely copper dangly bracelet that was reduced to just 50p. Full price it was only £1. This bracelet looks similar to ones I have seen in other shops selling for around £10. It is of good quality and doesn't feel at all flimsy or cheap. This is now in the 'Christmas present' drawer :)

Also on the jewellery stand I picked up a necklace and earring set. Again, fabulous style and quality and an absolute bargain at £1 for the whole set. I love jewellery and Primark is a wonderful place to feed my habit without spending too much. There was a lot of jewellery reduced down to 50p but even at full price most items are around £1. It's a wonderful place to pick up cheap gifts without them looking cheap.

On my way to the tills I spotted a sale rack of summery tops. There I found a lovely lacy black vest top reduced to £1. Very stylish, good quality and now hanging in my wardrobe.

In the past I have found t-shirts and vest tops for £2 and smart work trousers for £6. These are full price, so if you find a sale they would be even more of a bargain. Most of the clothes are very nice, fit well and are what I would call stylish. There are some items that I wouldn't dream of wearing, but I tend to find that in every store.

Primark isn't just for women's clothing and accessories. It also stocks men's clothing which my husband is a recently converted fan of. Men's clothing is just as cheap and just as good quality as the womens. There is also a childrenswear section which caters from newborns right up to teenagers. It also stocks baby essentials like blankets and bibs at a fraction of the prices elsewhere. I have a Primark fleece baby blanket and it is now my son's favourite blanket and he snuggles it every night, having shunned the more expensive blankets.

The children's clothes are nice, but I don't tend to buy them as much as I do adult clothes. I have found that they fit a little smaller than other brands, especially after they are washed. I bought a pack of sleepsuits aged 12-18 months that my 12 month old son couldn't wear as they were too short. This summer I have bought him some vests and shorts but I went a year bigger than he is and these seem fine. They have washed well, especially the shorts, and show no sign of damage to the seams. If buying children's clothes I would recommend going at least a size bigger, if not 2.

As well as clothing, there is a big lingerie section which is my new favourite section. They stock a huge array of different bras (padded, underwired, not underwired/padded, sport, invisible(!), multi-way etc) in most sizes along with matching underpants. They have all sorts of styles, patterns, colours and materials. It is actually one of the nicest lingerie sections I have seen in any shop.
In my local Primark, the bras are arranges by size. So if you were a 38D you would look in that section rather than finding a bra you like then realising it doesn't come in your size. I think this is a great idea, especially for the less commone sizes.
The lingerie section also contains many different types and styles of underpants. This brings me to my recent purchase of seamfree underwear. They were recommended to me after I was complaining of VPL. They come in different syles (thongs, normal underpants, shorts, hipsters) and different colours. I bought a set of 3 in the shorts style for £4ish. They really are fantastic! They are so soft that you can't feel them on, and there is no VPL at all. I recommend them to everyone!

There is also a home section. I have never really looked in this section but there seems to be a good choice of items. In addition there is a big shoe and bag section. I have bought quite a few pairs of shoes from Primark and have always been pleased with them.

The one disadvantage I have found with Primark is that in the afternoon it often resembles a jumble sale! Clothes are on the floor and drapped over stands and it can make it difficult to find what you want. However, that is due to the customers not the staff as I often see poor shop workers there trying desperately to tidy up as more people come in and make a mess. The best time to visit Primark is definitely the morning as it is far quieter and tidier.

If you haven't been to Primark I wholeheartedly recommend it. It is no longer the poor quality shop it once was, it is now THE place to find fantastic clothes and accessories at amazing prices.

Summary: Pay it a visit - you'll be amazed at what you find