Fashion fans flock to ‘underrated’ high street shop with prices ‘better than Primark’ & clothes are ‘good quality’ too
WATCH out Primark, there’s a new budget fashion store in town!
At least that’s what stylish shoppers are saying, while flocking to Poundland for new items to add to their wardrobes.
They’ve also been taking to social media in their drove to rave about the high-street shop, with Chloe calling it the “most underrated clothing brand” in her TikTok slideshow.
She then started running through some of her favourite items from the store, including a grey bomber jacket for just £14, as she added: “Swear I’ve seen something like this in Zara!”
Chloe also highlighted an “unreal” grey pinstripe co-ord, which came in at just £22 for the set.
I went in for batteries and came out with a £10 jumper!
Impressed Poundland shopper
“Are you joking me?” she marvelled.
Next up was a khaki gilet for just £12, with Chloe insisting the “prices are better than Primark“.
She was also impressed with the slippers and socks on sale, as they’re so cheap and “perfect for Christmas“.
Meanwhile, fashionista Catrina was also left stunned when she spotted a boucle coat in the window of her local Poundland – having had no idea that the store sold clothes.
After catching sight of the beige number, she dashed in, and couldn’t believe how many stylish bargains were on offer.
“I found a jacket that’s so nice and it’s only £15,” she said in her TikTok video.
“I just can’t believe that Poundland, one, do clothes, and that two, this is only £15!”
Catrina then found a black jacket in a similar boucle fabric, also for £15, as she asked: “Am I the only person that didn’t know that Poundland do clothing?”
She also came across some tailored trousers with an elastic waistband for just a tenner, as she added: “They are so nice and they’re £10, which to be honest with you, I don’t even think Primark could do them this cheap.
“That is so good!”
She was “so impressed” when she spotted some £5 wide leg joggers, which were “really quite thick” and good quality.
There were basic T-shirts for layering, and a cute shacket, which was “so heavy”, and just £15.
Moving on to the footwear section, Catrina came across some black ankle boots for £15 – noting how similar they were to the ones she had on, which had set her back a whopping £80.
Why the high street still rules!
Fabulous’ Fashion Director, Tracey Lea Sayer shares her thoughts.
I WAS 10 when I first discovered the utter joy of high street shopping for clothes with my mum and nan.
Going into town on Saturday became a family tradition – a girls’ day out we would look forward to all week.
My mum’s favourite shop was M&S, where she would gaze at jackets with big shoulder pads and floral sundresses, while my nan would make a beeline for John Lewis and their classic coats and elegant court shoes.
I was all over Tammy Girl – Etam’s little sister – and Chelsea Girl, which was later rebranded to high street fave River Island.
I would spend hours in the changing rooms, watched keenly by my two cheerleaders, who gave the thumbs up – or thumbs down – on what I was trying on.
Frilly Ra-Ra skirts, duster coats, polka dot leggings, puff balls, boob tubes… I tried them all, often making my nan howl with laughter.
Fashion wasn’t so fast back in the 1980s and every item was cherished and worn until it fell apart – literally – at the seams.
At 18, I went to art college and my tastes became more refined.
Extra cash from a part-time job in a bar meant I could move on to slightly more expensive stores, like Warehouse, Miss Selfridge and the mecca that was Topshop.
I knew at this point I wanted to work in fashion because the high street had totally seduced me.
One day, I wrote an article for a competition in a glossy mag about my love of retail therapy and my favourite LBD – and I won!
That led me to where I am today – Fashion Director of Fabulous.
But I’m still a high street queen at heart and that’s why I am so excited to be relaunching the Fabulous High Street Fashion Awards.
You can all vote for your favourite shops and online retailers – and we will crown the winners.
You have until 28 July at 12pm to cast your vote and you will be entered into a prize draw to win an £8K holiday to the Maldives.
It’s not just me that loves the high street – big-name designers are fans, too. When ‘Cool Britannia’ hit in the Nineties, they all turned up in one big store.
‘Designers at Debenhams’ was a stroke of genius by Debenhams CEO Belinda Earl, designer Ben de Lisi and fashion director Spencer Hawken, who introduced diffusion ranges from John Rocha, Matthew Williamson and Betty Jackson to name a few.
This meant we could all afford a bit of luxury and wear a well-known designer’s signature style.
Years later I hosted a night with Debenhams and Fabulous for 250 readers, who were in awe meeting all the designers. It was a real career highlight for me.
In 2004, H&M started rolling out their international designer collabs.
Karl Lagerfeld was first, followed by Roberto Cavalli, Marni, Stella McCartney, Maison Martin Margiela, Sonia Rykiel, Comme des Garçons, Balmain, Versace and many, many more. I could barely contain myself!
Then in 2007, Kate Moss launched her first collection with Topshop, with thousands queuing along London’s Oxford Street.
I remember sitting behind Ms Moss and Topshop boss Philip Green at a London Fashion Week Topshop Unique catwalk show.
I had my three-year-old daughter, Frankie, in tow and we both made the news the next day after we were papped behind Kate, my supermodel girl crush.
At the time, the high street was on fire. Who needed designer buys when Mango stocked tin foil trousers just like the designer Isabel Marant ones and you could buy a bit of Barbara Hulanicki’s legendary brand Biba from Topshop?
High street stores even started to storm London Fashion week.
Although Topshop Unique had shown collections since 2001, in 2013 River Island showed its first collection in collaboration with global superstar Rihanna, who was flown in by a friend of mine on a private jet. KER-CHING!
A whole new generation of high profile high street collabs followed.
Beyoncé created Ivy Park with Topshop’s Philip Green and I even flew to LA for Fabulous to shoot the Kardashian sisters in their bodycon “Kollection” for Dorothy Perkins.
I am pleased to say they were the absolute dream cover stars.
Fast forward to 2024 and while the high street doesn’t look exactly like it did pre-Covid, it has made a gallant comeback.
Stores like M&S, Reserved and Zara, and designer collabs like Victoria Beckham X Mango and Rochelle Humes for Next are giving me all the feels.
The supermarkets have really come into their own, too, smashing it with gorgeous collections that look expensive, but at prices that still allow us to afford the weekly shop.
The last 30 years of high street fashion have been one big adventure for me. Bring on the next 30!
As she was heading out of the store, she spotted a mini version of the heavy shacket, ideal for mum and daughter fashion fans who want to match.
And she then saw a cute pumpkin mug in the homeware section that she couldn’t resist, racing to the checkout to pay.
“I need to come into Poundland more often because I am obsessed,” she concluded.
“Your sign to RUN to poundland!!!!” Catrina captioned her video.
And people in the comments section added that they were equally impressed by the clothing on offer in store.
“I popped in for batteries and came out with a nice cable knit jumper for £10,” one laughed.
“I know Poundland has got some great buys atm, I was surprised myself,” another added.
“Went to look round and found some lovely bits!”
“Love the Poundland clothing – been buying from them for years,” a third wrote.
To which Catrina replied: “I had no idea they even did clothes!! SO impressed!!”