Last week I was grabbing coffee near my office when I ran into Sarah, a stylist I know from various industry events. She was clutching two massive Primark bags and looking slightly embarrassed about it. “Don’t judge me,” she laughed, “but I just bought twelve pairs of tights for the price of one good pair elsewhere.” I mean, I get it – working in fashion doesn’t mean you’re immune to a good deal, especially when that deal actually makes perfect sense.
The thing is, everyone in fashion has their secret Primark purchases. We just don’t talk about them because there’s this weird shame around admitting that sometimes the £3 version works just as well as the £30 one. But honestly? Some of my most practical wardrobe pieces came from Primark, and I’m not about to apologize for being smart with my money.
I’ll be completely honest here – I own way too many pairs of their seamless underwear. Like, an embarrassing number. But here’s the thing: when you’re wearing tailored pants or fitted dresses to client meetings all day, visible panty lines are not an option. These £2.50 pairs do exactly what my expensive seamless ones do, except I don’t have a heart attack when they disappear in the laundry (which happens constantly in my building’s communal machines, don’t even get me started on that situation).
My friend Emma, who works at a major fashion magazine, has a similar thing with their basic cotton underwear. She swears by the multipacks, especially before big work trips. “When you’re covering fashion weeks and running between shows for twelve hours straight in uncomfortable shoes, the last thing you need is fancy lingerie that rides up or digs in,” she told me over drinks last month. Makes total sense – comfort trumps everything when you’re working those insane fashion week schedules.
The tights situation is where things get really interesting though. I’ve watched fashion people completely skip over Primark’s trendy patterned tights and head straight for the basic black ones. And you know what? They’re right to. I’ve done side-by-side comparisons with expensive brands and honestly can’t tell the difference in durability. Plus, when you need multiple pairs in your bag for emergencies (because tights always run at the worst possible moment), spending £15 per pair adds up fast.
My colleague James, who works in men’s fashion, has this whole system with their basic socks. He keeps a drawer full of their plain black multipacks at the office for fashion shoots. “Models show up wearing all kinds of random socks that don’t work with the looks we’re trying to create,” he explained. “Having a stash of basic black socks that look exactly like expensive ones saves every shoot.” Smart guy.
Here’s something that might surprise people – their pajamas are actually really good. Not the ones with cartoon characters or weird slogans, but the plain cotton sets. I bought a couple for work trips after my expensive ones got destroyed in a hotel laundry situation (long story, involved wine and bad decisions). These £12 sets are perfect for travel – they pack small, wash easily in hotel sinks, and dry overnight. Plus they look grown-up and simple, which somehow feels important when you’re traveling for work.
What’s funny is that fashion people are super picky about which Primark items they’ll buy. We’re not grabbing the trendy pieces that are obvious knockoffs of designer items – that’s not the point. We’re going for the most basic, generic stuff where you literally cannot tell it’s from Primark. The plain white t-shirts are perfect for this. At £2.50 each, they’re cheap enough to use for layering under expensive blazers or for situations where they might get damaged.
I know stylists who buy these white tees in bulk for shoots. My friend Priya, who works on magazine fashion stories, keeps them in every size. “When you need a clean white tee for layering and the model’s might get makeup on it or need to be pinned for fit, you want something disposable,” she told me. Makes perfect sense – why risk a £50 designer basic when a £2.50 one does exactly the same job?
The changing room situation at Primark is usually a nightmare, so most fashion people I know have developed this “buy and return” strategy. With prices this low, you can afford to buy the same item in multiple sizes and return what doesn’t work. It’s actually more efficient than fighting for a changing room, and the return policy is pretty reasonable.
During summer, their canvas shoes become surprisingly popular with industry people. Not for everyday wear, but for specific shoots or events where shoes might only be needed once. Beach shoots, vacation features, that kind of thing. Same with their basic flip flops – I know people who keep pairs in their work bags as emergency relief from painful fashion week shoes.
Their basic camis and tank tops are another secret weapon. When you need something under a sheer blouse for work appropriateness, or want to layer under a blazer, these £1.80 pieces work perfectly. I probably own ten of their plain black strappy tops at this point. They wash well, and when they eventually stretch out or get stained, replacing them doesn’t hurt the budget at all.
For hair emergencies, Primark’s basic accessories are industry standard. fashion editors are ditching this major accessory (and what they wear instead)” data-wpil-monitor-id=”143″>Fashion people always need bobby pins, basic scrunchies, and simple hair bands on hand. The quality difference between their plain black bobby pins and expensive ones is basically zero, but the price difference is huge. When you might lose half your bobby pins during one styling session, this matters.
What we don’t buy there: anything with obvious branding, trend pieces that scream “cheap designer knockoff,” or most shoes beyond the basic summer options I mentioned. The sweet spot is practical items where quality differences don’t matter much, or things that serve a specific professional purpose where you need multiples.
During the pandemic, their plain face masks were perfect for industry people who needed fresh masks constantly for work. My friend Maya, who does fashion PR, bought them by the dozen. “I needed multiple clean masks every day for showroom visits and meetings. At Primark prices, I could keep enough in rotation to always have clean ones available.” Exactly the kind of practical thinking that makes sense in our industry.
Most fashion people have developed what I call a “Primark strategy” – going in with a specific list, knowing exactly which sections to hit, and getting out quickly. It’s surgical shopping, not browsing. Sometimes I wear headphones to block out the chaos and stay focused on what I actually need.
The funny thing is, working in fashion has taught me when expensive actually matters and when it doesn’t. For my Theory blazers and investment pieces? Worth every penny. For basic underwear that serves a purely functional purpose? Primark all the way. It’s not about being cheap – it’s about being smart with your money so you can spend it on the things that actually make a difference.
Look, the fashion industry runs on aspiration and luxury, but it’s also full of practical people who understand value. Sometimes the best fashion advice isn’t about saving up for the most expensive version – it’s knowing when the budget option does exactly what you need it to do. And honestly? That knowledge makes you a smarter shopper overall.
By day, Jasmine works in finance. By night, she writes about making corporate fashion actually interesting. Her Boston wardrobe proves office-appropriate doesn’t have to mean boring, and that investment dressing can be both powerful and personal.
