Clothes shopping is an expensive hobby

Topshop's new Spring Summer collection
out now.

AFTER a first year student shared her shopping experiences, I thought it was time to delve deep and see what bargains are out there for us students.

It's obvious that girls like to look good. The influence of the media reinforce an image that many girls aspire to look like. Although many pictures featured in magazines are air-brushed, there is nothing wrong with following the trend which is usually advertised through the cat-walks and the fashion industry.



But it seems that trying to keep up with the latest trends is an expensive business. It's clear that students are restricted to where they can shop. They have rent, bills and food shopping to think about too. With the amount of unemployed students studying at university, this can already be tough.

Some females like designer brands, where as others aren't particularly fussed as to where their clothes are from, as long as it's cheap and it looks good. But even national companies across the UK such as New Look and River Island charge astronomical prices for garnments which don't live up to their expectation. It also seems that their price range doesn't suit the younger generation, which is their initial target market.

An example of this is Topshop. Wherever there is a Topshop, there are students. But Topshop is expensive which leaves many students penniless by the time they've even thought of buying anything.

This issue touches the hearts of many girls, as everyone loves a trendy wardrobe. Ayshea Wilson, a college student from Canterbury says: "I hold down two jobs and I do have money to spend on clothes. But I feel sick looking at the prices of Topshop and River Island. It's just too expensive."

Sam Perrins, a beauty therapy student, from Folkestone, rents her own flat and relies on her wages to survive. She adds:" I don't really like paying full price for clothes. I would feel guilty if I spent £50 on a dress and was short on paying bills."

As a student myself, I do feel the pain. It is terribly tempting to dip into the student loan when it sits there in your bank account. But there is a solution to this, and it is as follows.

If you have any clothes that just collect dust and that are useless to you, put up an ad on eBay and sell them. It can however seem that clothes only go for their original value if they are in immaculate condition. So if you were to put a dress up which has been worn out, it's unlikely you'll get a lot for it. It can seem that many of us girls buy things in store and get home and don't like the item. eBay is a great way of building up a bit of back-up cash.

Of course, selling clothes doesn't appeal to everyone. But eBay has still has it's uses. Many members of eBay own shops of their own and use eBay as another selling outlet. You can find many items such as 'chino jeans', 'playsuits' and 'dresses' which look like they are from high street branded shops. Be careful of the postage and packaging however, it can sometimes be a little bit expensive, but all in all it works out cheaper and is definitely more student friendly.

If you have any tips on how to save money on clothing, please post below.