Asda is not my usual hunting ground when searching for the latest fashion must-have however on a recent expedition for BBQ supplies, a detour by the George aisles had me more than pleasantly surprised.
It got me thinking that we don’t all have the time, energy or budget to regularly indulge in high-end or even high-street fashion. And, while I do advocate that key wardrobe items should be invested in (as they will never go out of style and quality will last for decades) there is a lot to be said for a quick and affordable fashion fix while picking up the Pampers. Cue an afternoon lost in a supermarket fashion rabbit hole researching my best supermarket sweep buys.
Asda was my first stop and not only is it affordable, but several of their pieces go up to a size 22, which is not the case in many high-street stores. I love this broderie anglaise dress (£25). It screams summer and will look amazing with a golden glow and white sandals.
Speaking of sandals, can you believe these embellished beauties are leather? At this price? £16.50
I think these poppy print shorts (£14) are so versatile, you can pull them on over your swimsuit, or dress them up for the evening with a strappy top, delicate gold jewellery and wedge espadrilles.
There are genuinely so many pieces that I’m struggling to edit to just a small selection, so I’ll finish my Asda shop with this fab embroidered dress (£28) as the colour is so pretty.
Next stop is F&F at Tesco and they too have some amazing fashion buys however take note – from July 9 F&F will only be available in store!
Gingham is a cute summer fabric, and this dress complete with Bardot shoulders and frills (£16) would not look out of place in the South of France. Personally, it is a little on the short side for me, therefore I’d keep it casual with flat sandals or white sneakers to downplay the length.
A skirt which caught my eye featuring a major summer look, polka dots, is the perfect piece to keep up with the trend at such an affordable price (was £18 now £9).
I must admit I’ve never looked at Sainsbury’s Tu fashion offering before, but on a recommendation I had a browse and have found some really nice additions for any summer wardrobe. This dress (£18) has a slight Missoni vibe that I love plus it also just looks so comfy! This is an easy piece to pull on for a casual summer dinner, layer on some bangles, strappy sandals and you’re good to go.
I was particularly impressed with the shoe styles at Tu and I’ve already put get these colour block sandals (£20) on my wish list.
If you’re anything like me and agree animal print is always a good idea, you’ll love these slingbacks (£16). The cut is very current, they’ll go with so much, dressed-up or down…these are the multi-tasker of shoes!
I think accessories are such an easy way to dress up what you already have, and at supermarket prices you really can update your look for just a few pounds. For me George at Asda had the best accessories selection. Take this straw Boater hat (£8)… simply add it to denim shorts, a vest top and sandals and suddenly you look effortlessly chic.
How many trends can you fit on one bag? Embroidery, tassels and pom-poms! This clutch (£14) will look great with denim or a simple black vest dress.
The advantages of supermarket fashion shopping are amplified when it comes to kids. For the first few years of dressing my son I tried to buy quality, ethically, only organic cotton… blah, blah, blah! The reality was he grew so fast that expensive clothes got one week of wear before he was too big for them. Now, not only is he still growing like weeds, he also likes to play rough, so add grass stains and ripped knees. Supermarkets are great for kids fashion because it’s fun, trendy, very affordable, and if a £4 T-shirt gets a ketchup stain… C’est la vie! This kid’s swimsuit (£6) from F&F at Tesco is so cute I wish they had an adult version! And just look at this adorable palm print jumpsuit (£7).
F&F also have some great print shirts, I can see my Dylan rocking this Hawaiian Leaf print at summer parties (£7).
I love this vintage style dress from George at Asda (£16). If I had a girl she’d be skipping through a field barefoot with daisies in her hair wearing this. I tend to commit to a theme!
Still at George and these dino shorts (£6) are amazing, the bold colour and smart cut make them look way more expensive than they are.
So, there it is. Supermarkets are creating super on-trend pieces and from now on I will absolutely be swinging by the clothing department when I’m in for the ‘big shop’.
Have a sensational summer x
Cathy is a freelance creative with experience in PR, fashion show production, model agency manager and casting agent. Her greatest achievement to date is managing to style a shoot with kids, animals and a hot air balloon!
Find Cathy’s blog at cathyowencreative.wordpress.com or follow on Twitter