Opinion: Providing for us students!

 

 With the recent conclusion of London Fashion Week, everyone who has the slightest bit of interest in fashion has a list of items that they feel are essential to their wardrobe for this season. Flicking through my ‘Elle’ magazine at all the amazing clothes makes me green with envy because I know I can’t afford them due to the fact that I’m now a full time student and already living in my overdraft! Just taking a short walk through TopShop is so painful. I’m surrounded by all of these fantastic clothes but I know I can’t afford them.

 

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 But students fear not! The existence of shops like Primark, Matalan, H&M and George at Asda make clothes shopping a lot more affordable which results in being more enjoyable. Taking a stroll through Primark is quite an adventure. And the best achievement is when you find something that is a clone of what you fell in love with across the street at Topshop but for half the price.

 

 

 Even fashion gurus like Mark Heyes (from LK Today, GMTV) have realised what an amazing shop Primark is for people who love fashion but are on a budget. He recently had a selection of images taken from London Fashion Week but understands that only a minority of people can afford these beautiful designs. He then set himself a task to find a replica of these clothes in high street stores. Once he had broadcasted his findings, the replicas literally flew off the shelves! An example of one of his findings is these stunning boots that have been inspired by designers on the catwalk but for a fraction of the price. At £20, even being a student I think I can stretch to that.

 

 

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 It’s clear to me that every other student on my course has found the company that is Primark. And the worst part about it is that when I walk in a lecture room first thing in the morning to find two other girls wearing exactly the same top as I am. We all look at each other, all thinking the same!

 

 

 I recently made a trip to Topshop on Oxford Street (my favourite place ever!) where I spent most of my time picking up everything I liked. I ended up trying on about 20 different items even though I knew I could barely afford one of them. But I sort of felt that I had to try them on, just to get it out of my system (luckily, none of them looked that great.) The shopping trip continued to H&M (just across the street) where to be honest they had a great deal of clothes that I preferred to what I had just tried on. And the best part of all…They were more in my price range!

 

 

 I feel that stores like Primark and H&M will make people realise that they don’t have to spend hundreds of pounds to look as good as the models at London Fashion Week!

 

 

By Jinnie Dear

 

Images: Top right Matalan, left Primark autumn/winter 06/07 range