Rare visit to primark. What should I buy?

[ridiculousridiculousness]

I'm in my closest town centre for work tomorrow which has a fairly large primark. I'm planning on popping in to have a browse. What should I keep my eye out for?

I’ve got plenty of clothes from there that have lasted me months/years

I wash on a low wash and hang to dry. I never put in the dryer. Take care of them and they’re absolutely fine. I have however chucked out lots of bigger branded clothing which has easily shrunk and lost its shape or colour

Primark is definitely better quality than it used to be.

I have thick frizzy hair. Their velcro hair rollers really smooth it out. There £1.50 lipstick is as good as any other. They have a few cotton shirts in at the moment (which makes a change from the polyester).

You have to look for the right fit, but they do some really good jeans that are made from actual denim, not just lightweight fabric. They last for years and are not a throwaway item.
I have a sherpa fleece lined hoodie thats lasted for several years as well.

Slouchy t-shirts
Long vests
Make-up
Wrapping paper
Sustainable cotton pyjamas
Canvas shoes
Their leggings and hoodies are pretty good too

I find the men's stuff & bedding & towels best. Women's stuff not as good.

Slouchy t-shirts are great. They are a thin material and have a slightly lower neckline which I find more flattering. I wear them underneath jackets etc

Bed linen - I have a couple of sets that I have used for years and have lasted as well as some higher brands.

I like their plain v neck t shirts. Wear them under jackets for work and they last me ages of frequent wear. I also like their shoes actually - I get some of my more funky work shoes from there that I can't justify spending a lot on and almost always wear them repeatedly so cost per wear very good. Oh and I once got a necklace in there for 50p which my bosses boss stoped me in the corridor to ask were it was from and she was very well dressed.

Their sports stuff also good. My mum swears by the bottoms she got for Pilates from there.

Dds are pre teens and growing like weeds so we get a fair bit from there. I rarely have to chuck due to wear/quality, it's because it's outgrown so good for charity shop. The Crop tops (as in the pre bra underwear sort) been a hit too.

Some of their beauty stuff is good - nail varnish, skin care bits. My curling iron was from there and works well.

My husband has 2 novelty onsies bought for him by dds (one is a chewbacca one....). He wfh and will wear them rather than put the heating on. It's not a sexy look I grant you but they keep him going!

So most of what we get is practical and lasts. My understanding of their ethics was that they were no worse (and in some cases better) than other high street shops.

fairy sorry I can't remember the source but I vividly remember done research done last year into the environmental impact of fast fashion and how the High street stores were making the whole manufacture/supply chain more sustainable and Primark was definitely up towards the top of the list.

They do an amazing eyebrow pencil £1.50 I think. 3 in 1. Pencil brush and powder all in one so so good! As good as my benefit one in my opinion.

Okay. What's primer water?

Nothing , horrid shop full of tat

The mens jeans and t shirts are long lasting, their cords and chinos have washed really well, and the black needlecord jeans have stayed black even after a couple of years regular wear.
The women's slouch t shirts are good, also leather gloves, and its always worth checking the scarves.

Keep burying your heads in the sand...

As consumers worldwide buy more clothes, the growing market for cheap items and new styles is taking a toll on the environment. On average, people bought 60% more garments in 2014 than they did in 2000. Fashion production makes up 10% of humanity's carbon emissions, dries up water sources, and pollutes rivers and streams.

What's more, 85% of all textiles go to the dump each year. And washing some types of clothes sends thousands of bits of plastic into the ocean....,

Came on to mention men' s chino. DS bought some to wear for work, and I was really surprised at the quality (because he bought his washing home at Christmas). Good weight cotton. Only had them a few months, so can't comment on fading.

*@cuckooken * yes definitely in Primark Windsor. I did get a MK coat from my local Primark a few years ago. Not sure how they get these 'designer' labels and imagine they are either knock offs (but surely that wouldn't be allowed in a big name store?) or sub standard in some way?

I got some great leggings (that don't show my knickers through the material! They are also a long length. I am not but hate when they shrink to 'Artful Dodger' preportions. (Do I mean Preportions???)

Forgot to say also like their socks and saw some bras I liked the look of too.

Dh is still wearing incredibly cheap trousers purchased ages ago...

@misspiggy19

They are certainly cheap clothes but I would dispute the throwaway generation. I’m nearly 60 and I have two Primark skirts that are over 10 years old and still look great. I get compliments every time I wear them and love telling people where they are from. I have a sequinned bag that is at least 15 years and still looks like new. I have 3 identical pairs of cotton jersey pyjamas that I’ve worn in rotation every night for about 6 years. They are my favourite pyjamas ever but sadly one pair is starting to develop holes on the neck seam. Given that I must have worn them about 350 times that’s not bad going.

OP - the cotton Lycra camisoles and T-shirt’s are very good value and wash really well. I have two long sleeved Hobbs T-shirt’s that cost £30 each and I genuinely can’t see any difference in fabric, cut or quality between those and the Primark ones. Socks and trainer liners are very good too.

@ridiculousridiculousness
I get it - mass clothes production is environmentally awful. I have also met teenage girls who bought knickers in primark to wear ONCE and then bin because "eww" to worn and washed knickers apparently

However you seem to be ignoring what the posters on here are saying, which is that we aren't consuming primark clothes like that.

I'm curious about where PP raging against Primark expect low income people to shop for clothes?

With 30% of British children growing up in poverty and in work poverty rising shops like Primark provide many people who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford clothes a place to shop. So many posters have come and explained how their clothes have retained their quality after years of use.

Just because some people shop irresponsibly doesn't mean everyone buys an item and wears it once. You would have to be quite fortunate to engage in the "throwaway culture".

Charity shops are becoming increasingly expensive sometimes it's better to just buy your children something new from Primark. Not everyone wants to wear hand-me-downs or have their entire wardrobe pre-owned.

Also how is it any different from celebrities, royals, wealthy people who buy an outfit and wear it once or not at all before doing the same thing again

I find it's a good place for teenage boy hoodies & jogger bottoms.
Can't think of anything else special... oh, and fake eyelashes when DD needed those. School shoes ok, too.

@Blobby10 you mean TK Maxx - there’s no Primark in Windsor

@LuxuryWoman2020 how dumb am I?! Sorry for misleading people- it was indeed TKMaxx I was in 😫😫😫