The story of the £1 Primark Dress

Sanam Peshiman explores a story after a £1 Primark Dress for an MA student project

We’ve all been victims of a dirty Primark binge, leaving even the most thickskinned shopper feeling guilty, cheap and unethical. Yet Primark has been named the biggest retailer in the United Kingdom, with millions enamoured by the fast fashion, at cheap throw away prices. The allure of the high street has never been as impactful on fashion as it is today. Everyone prides themselves on mixing and matching their style from top-end haute couture to £3 shorts from Topshop. The look everyone seems to be going for is like they’ve tried hard enough not to try hard, with frivolous, frothy pieces from Primark playing supporting roles against Balenciaga and Miu Miu. Is it possible to pull off a £1 Primark dress as a fashion forward outfit this season? The answer is, yes, with a little bit of time, patience and creativity you can turn even the scabbiest, cheapest Primark find into something fit for shimmying onto a red carpet in.

BEFORE: This £1 find was something you’d find on a poolside at a Lanzarote beach resort. A knee-length, sheer, bright orange summer dress with a smocked neckline and a pleated hem had my work cut out for me when I first cashed it in at the till of Primark, and I couldn’t wait to get home to work my magic on it.

STEP ONE: Always purchase your cheap bargain dresses in a few dress sizes larger than your own in order to be able to work your magic on it with flexibility. I got this beauty in a size 14 allowing me to snip and hem at it without prejudice. The first thing I did was tuck in the pleated hem inward into a bubble hem. No sewing expertise required, just tuck it inwards and pin. Cut off remaining excess fabric and you’ll be left with a short mini-dress with a voluminous finish at the ends.

STEP TWO: The key to making a budget dress into a ready-for-party outfit definitely lies in the extras. I wore my new mini-dress on top of an a-line plain black ra-ra skirt to give it an added volume and bounce and to balance out the sheer orange-ness. The effect was a mini prom dress that wouldn’t be amiss in a cheerleader’s wardrobe. Almost there but not quite yet…

STEP THREE: Now for the accessories! Even the cheapest and most frivolous of buys can be deemed red-carpet ready depending on how and what you team it up with. I chose a Topshop thick waist belt which gave the dress a beautiful form and topped it off with a Stella McCartney Chocolate Brown trench coat worn loosely belted at the waist. All it needed was a pair of Manolo Blahnik patent leather black mary janes and a classic Chanel 2.55 shoulder bag and the transformation was complete!

AFTER: What started out as holiday bikini coverup was transformed into sexy Parisian chic. The bubble hem, cinched at the waist orange mini dress off-set by the chocolate brown elegant trench coat and the chic black accessories wouldn’t ever be mistaken to start from the £1 discount bin at Primark’s sale! It just goes to show you can use a little bit of originality to create a real head-turner! Try it at home today!