Primark

Citygirl1

Hi all, sorry for all the posts but I am new here this forum is good and really active so I’m on a roll J

I have a friend who buys all her clothes from Primark. I don’t buy expensive designer clothes at all, I usually go to Marks and Spencer and British Homes Stores or Debenhams (the cheaper ranges), but I find when I have bought the odd thing from Primark they haven’t lasted as long or been as good quality and have gone funny after one wash.

My friend thinks its OK if the clothes don’t last long and you can just throw them away and buy some more but surely this works out not very good value for money?

I feel quite extravagant at the side of her but I am certainly not a clothes or labels snob. Some of the stuff in Primark does look nice and I am tempted but do you get what you pay for?

A lot of people are going mad for stores like Primark and Matalan but I just wonder if they are worth it.

Lobell

Quality in Primark can be hit and miss...I've had items that fall apart after one wash and others that are still going strong a year or two later (basic long sleeve t-shirts and the like) and have outlasted similar items that I paid a lot more for. OH has t-shirts and jeans from Primark that have lasted really well...he's the most careless person I know with clothes so buying anything more expensive is a bit of a waste.

My favourite pair of sandals ever came from Primark early last summer. Wore them all last summer and on holiday in October. Wearing them again this year (they've just done many miles through the villages and towns of Tuscany) and there's still loads of life left in them...not bad for £8 (just wish I'd bought another pair at the time!)

All_eBayed_Out

I'm a take-it-back style girl. If I'm unhappy about anything I always take it back within the month, so I try and make sure everything I buy is worn & washed within 4 weeks (obviously this doesn't always happen!). I probably end up taking 1-2 items every couple months lol. Is that excessive??

I went shopping with a friend and we bought exactly the same shoes but a different size from Matalan, hers broke a month later on the strap, but mine are still fine a 1 1/2 yrs later. I think everything you buy is different, some things last for ages, some don't. Swapping can help as sometimes it's just a faulty one off, and the replacement you get is fine. Asda is giving 100 days guarantees recently.

I can't comment on the quality of Primark as I havn't shopped there for some time. I tend buy things that take my fancy at; George, F&F, TU, Evans, Matalan, M&S, Dorothy P, New Look, Debenhams and find in all the quality to be generally good. I don't buy designer clothes either. Personally, its what fits well, looks good and is fashionable in my eyes.

jenniewb

Citygirl1 wrote: »

Hi all, sorry for all the posts but I am new here this forum is good and really active so I’m on a roll J

I have a friend who buys all her clothes from Primark. I don’t buy expensive designer clothes at all, I usually go to Marks and Spencer and British Homes Stores or Debenhams (the cheaper ranges), but I find when I have bought the odd thing from Primark they haven’t lasted as long or been as good quality and have gone funny after one wash.

My friend thinks its OK if the clothes don’t last long and you can just throw them away and buy some more but surely this works out not very good value for money?

I feel quite extravagant at the side of her but I am certainly not a clothes or labels snob. Some of the stuff in Primark does look nice and I am tempted but do you get what you pay for?

A lot of people are going mad for stores like Primark and Matalan but I just wonder if they are worth it.

I'd agree- its not value for money- at least on many items I buy which do fall out of shape or develop seam holes on what are lose clothing (eg not pulled lose by being taught). However, a few of their items do last well- its knowing which does which!

I have a blazer I bought from them last year, was £12 and seems to be the jacket of choice for me this year, thats value for money. However I have come to wear some jersey mix trousers from last year, the elastic is going, they feel lose and 'dry'- I can say for sure I have lost no weight yet they are now saggy and it doesn't look good. I guess you live and learn.

I don't even think there are any hard and fast rules either, I could say the denser the fabric the more likely they are to hold up, but I have some of those crinkle fabric vest tops from two years ago, bit bobbly (not going for a smart look then!) but they have still their stretch and this is what matters to me: it fits, anything else I try to style-out and just wear anyway! (I don't have a smart job, still trapped in a sort of bo-ho style trance which apparently is so not this season...) I guess it depends what matters to you, what your looking for from a garment.

If your happy with what your wearing and where you get it from, stick with it, if your not, then change it and the beauty of wardrobe filling is that you do not have to get everything from the same place. See if you can't ear mark a weekend, go round to all the shops on the saturday, see whats available, what sticks in your mind and what the stores have to offer. Take the rest of the evening to chose what you feel you liked and go back the next day (after sleeping on it) to buy things. (N/B this does not work in a sale!) but if its any help, I have a wardrobe filled with things from everywhere: primark to topshop to market stalls to m&s, gap, john lewis, places like brand alley and even one or two designer bits (TK Maxx!!) total mixed bag.

There are many more stores then m&s and primark, there are times of the year when other stores have excellent sales and reduce the items you originally wanted to a more affordable price.

tiff

I took my son in there, he is 12, very tall and into fashion. We had a christening to go to and I didnt want to spend a lot of money as we had gifts to buy as well. I got him a shirt that was meant to be £7 but rang up £3.50 on the till and a cardigan in the sale for £3. He wore school trousers and shoes and looked really smart. Its great for kids fashion, they change size and fashion changes quickly. I think its also great that if they have birthday money they know they can get several items in Primark and be happy.

DD has a pair of gold sandals we got in there a few months ago, for £2. She wears them a lot and still nothing wrong with them. I think quality clothes have their place but I do think in these financial times that Primark certainly suits those of us on a tight budget.

raven-333

I it depends what u buy. i have never had a problem with anything i have bought from primark. some of my primark clothes have out lasted clothes from other places. one example i bought a pair of jeans over 5 years ago from primark. i have worn them alot and they are still going strong although they are now very faded. my mum bought me a pair of jeans from m&s last year they now have holes in. same with t-shirts i have some that are quite old.

flippin36

I would say its hit and miss. I have had things that have come apart at the seams and the tshirts have washed up quickly - but I have had things that have lasted beyond the season and have been put away for next. However, I have also bought things from M&S and Next and been a bit disappointed in how they have washed up, buttons coming off, seams coming apart. I think the quality of most high street shops is a bit hit and miss anyway (GAP being the possible exception).

I do like shopping in Primark, but I am very, very picky and never come out with bags full. Its one or two items that has been selected from a lot of stock. You have to go when its quite and find a little gem and don't be tempted to buy everything because its cheap .

fixx

I'd agree it's hit and miss, but there are some gems that make it worth it.

A quick example: i have 2 work tops that i wear a lot (including out, not just work). One is from Primark, one is from Ted Baker. I probably wear the Primark one more, but only just. I like both equally, and the Primark one still looks great after almost a year, but i've had to replace a button that came off the Ted Baker top!

My wardrobe is a complete mix of brands from Primark right up to a couple of designer pieces - each piece has it's place.

Having said that, i've had some items from Primark which fell apart quite quickly, but they were cheap, so I don't mind too much, and other more expenseive brands have done the same.

clairibel

I always see it as throwaway fashion and if it lasts then great, i only usually use it for staples like polo necks, hubbies jeans, tshirts but i get loads of kids stuff there because he goes through it like nobodies business and i cannot afford to keep replacing his branded sportswear...so thats for best and primark for everyday playing.

Again hit and miss, some wash well some don't...but i had a pair of boots from there ages ago and they lasted really well and they were worn a lot!! gutted actually when they started to go.

Alexnikov

I agree with everyone else about the hit and miss quality - I bought a couple of pairs of plimsolls from there about 3 months ago. The navy pair cracked down the soles after 3 wears and had to get binned but the grey ones are still going strong. Having said that, both pairs were much better than similar pairs I've had from Next etc and at £2 were a fraction of the cost of the others.

There's so much tat in there though. As a general rule I won't buy anything from there that isn't made of decent fabric cos so much of it looks tatty even on the hanger and you can just tell it won't last. But I find the better stuff washes really well and lasts a good length of time. It's a bit of pot luck, mixed in with being selective about what you buy.

Citygirl1

Hi, thanks for your replies. I can never seem to get it right with my wardrobe. I had a clear out before I moved home in November and have bought some more clothes to replace what I threw out. I don’t feel right in most of the things I’ve bought. I am 48 and find it difficult to buy clothes now. I don’t want to look frumpy yet I don’t want to look like mutton dressed as lamb. The skirts I’ve bought just look frumpy to me so I feel I want to start all over again.

Primark had some nice dresses and skirts when I called in the other week and I was tempted to get them but then wondered if they would wash OK so I didn’t bother.

It also doesn’t help when my boyfriend makes a joke of everything I wear and says he’s just doing it in fun but it still gives me a complex.

I am going to have a look round at the weekend. Thanks for your advice all.