The avid fashionsta will spend hours drooling over the latest Fall/Winter trends but then that familiar sinking feeling comes: the stark realisation that you can't actually afford any of the designer pieces in Vogue.
Yet it’s still possible to grab yourself a slice of luxury. Primark are one of the most competitive names on the High Street and serve the fashion-hungry well, at beautifully budget prices.
Mulberry love Alexa Chung so much they named a bag after her. Whilst most of us can only dream of such a feat, you can get a near identical Primark satchel and enjoy your friends asking how on earth you could afford it on a student loan. The wonderfully versatile bag, complete with buckles and a handle to complete the preppy 'briefcase' look will carry you right through the year and priced at £9, it would be seriously rude not to snap up this little beauty.
The word fetish is not the most alluring for the fashion conscious student and it is even less alluring when it appears as one of the Fall/Winter trends of 2011, as did leather. But it can be done without the whips and chains.
Primark has tough biker boots for comfortable and practical wear whilst trekking to lectures and accessories such as chained cuffs, with prices starting from £2.50, the look is all too easy to achieve without going overboard. The black lace up boots have a slight heel for easy but stylish wear and are priced at a very tempting £18.
With winter upon us, lace doesn't seem the best option but Primark have just the thing to keep warm and on trend. A burgundy dress with mid length sleeves to provide much needed warmth but it is suitably mini for nights out at the union. Better still, the colour is one of the hottest of the season. Two in one. At just £15, you could even afford to buy the mustard version too.
Ponchos may have been the embarrassing item from our childhood but believe it or not, the Red Indian look is back in at the moment. Primark have so many beautiful knits in this style that it is hard to pick just one but their cable toggle cape is a fantastic buy at just £16. Cream and cosy, with fringing to add even more authenticity, it would look great with skinnies and fur lined ankle boots.
Colour blocking was all over the Fall/Winter catwalk, with the likes of Calvin Klein and Oscar de la Renta all indulging in this great trend. Instead of playing it safe with black, which seems to resonate every autumn and winter, add a pop of colour.
Primark are currently stocking a beautiful structured coat at a reasonably priced £35. Yes, it is black and no, I am not going back on my word: the blocks of red around the sleeves, hem and pockets are wonderfully on trend. The high collar adds a sophisticated touch, proving that colour blocking doesn't have to consist of loud pinks and greens.
