If there’s one shop that completely divides opinion, it’s Primark. Some love it for its budget-friendly prices and ability to recreate catwalk trends at lightning speed, and others think it’s unethical and cheap (not in the good way), offering poorly-made items to the masses.

I sit somewhere in the middle. The prices make it easy for someone like me to indulge in flash-in-the-pan trends and if you look hard enough, you can find good quality items that will last and last. On the other hand, the ethical issue concerns and confuses me (as we discussed in this post, although this video created by Primark in response to a Panorama programme about the brand’s use of underage workers is very interesting viewing) and I hate wearing what everyone else is wearing.

So, over the years I’ve honed my Primark shopping skills. I can be in and out in 20 minutes, I know the items to avoid (socks. They fall down constantly) and those impulse buys at the till don’t fool me. Here’s my guide to shopping in Primark – use it wisely and you’ll soon by yelling ‘Primark! Two quid!’ whenever someone compliments your outfit. Smug smile optional.

Mustard yellow jacket, £18

• Go mid-week or first thing in the morning, unless you enjoy being rammed by pushchairs and elbowed out of the way by teenagers in too much eyeliner. It’s quieter, the queues are shorter and most of the clothes are still on their hangers.
• Take a basket and sling it over your shoulder so you retain full use of your limbs. You’ll need these for rummaging and elbowing.

Cobalt blue chinos, £12

• Look at the label that’s stitched into the clothing and nothing else. Primark items are often tagged incorrectly and everyone knows those hangers lie through their teeth.
• Ignore anything that’s attached to your garment. Primark belts are plastic and often ugly, but they can be removed. 

Floral dress, £15

• Don’t let a polyester slip put you off – it can be snipped out at home and replaced with something silky.
• Check for uneven stitching and bunching around seams – these things are harder to fix and probably not worth your time, but look at a few versions before you give up. Some are better quality than others.

Bird-print blouse, £8

• See people crowding around a display? Don’t bother. Some Primark pieces are hugely popular and will be worn by at least five other people at that thing you’re going to. 
• Everything sold in Primark comes with at least one spare button, even if it has no buttons to start with. Keep these – they’re great for crafting, as eyes for teddy bears and y’know, if you lose a button. 

Two tone vest, £4

• Check the composition of your pieces. Cotton is great, but just looking at Primark polyester will make you sweat. 
• Just like the buttons, everything in Primark comes complete with coat hanger ribbons. These are largely useless and are guaranteed to work their way out into public view, especially if you’re having a photo taken. Snip them out.

Straw bag, £3 (reduced from £7)

• A Primark sale might sound like the Armageddon come to pass, but there are some gems hidden among the ponchos and sequin shorts. Be prepared to rummage.
• Primark accessories are the best on the high street – avoid the plasticky bags and go for necklaces, rings and bangles at £2 a pop. 

Do you shop in Primark? What are your tips for finding the best bargains and avoiding the nasty stuff?

Two things happened to me over the weekend. Well, more than two things actually happened over the course of my weekend, but two things in particular stood out.

Firstly, I finished Caitlin Moran’s excellent book, How To Be a Woman. And secondly, I watched Beyoncé rip the stage apart at Glastonbury. Both things got me thinking about feminism.

There are plenty of stereotypes about feminists. Apparently, they have bad hair. They wear Crocs. They hate men. They shout a lot. The feminist movement is presented to us as an alternative to a ‘normal’ lifestyle. According to the media, we can’t be feminists if we wear skinny jeans, spend our overdrafts in H&M or y’know, quite like men. Anyone who blow dries their hair in the morning obviously cannot be serious about equality for women.

This image of the feminist – the one who wears a corduroy skirt that covers her ankles – is pushed by the media (a male-dominated industry, obviously). And the media have a great deal of influence on the general public. The extent of this influence could be seen in the tweets during Beyoncé’s Glastonbury performance. Some tweeters proclaimed that because Beyoncé was wearing a revealing outfit, she had no right to sing anything about ’empowering women’. Apparently, if you’re dressed like a ‘hooker’ your opinion doesn’t count.

Photo from beelover9481’s Flickr

I don’t think Beyoncé was dressed in a provocative way. She was wearing a stage outfit. She had her legs out. She has amazing legs. She’s known for her love of over-the-top diva fashion. Should we discount the messages of empowerment and equality for women in her songs, just because she likes to prance about in her pants while singing them?

I take photos of my outfits every day. I own far too many pairs of shoes. I willingly go through the absolute agony of regular eyebrow threading. I’d also describe myself as a feminist. Take THAT, Daily Mail.

Moran covers lots of interesting things in her book, but it’s her ultimate summing-up of feminism that made me bang my fist on the table and shout ‘YES!’ (shame I was on a train at the time. Sorry for startling you, man in seat 34A). She says feminism, quite simply, is about equality. It’s not about what you wear or if you shave your armpits or how much you flirt with your co-workers. It’s about equal pay, equal opportunities and equal treatment.

So surely, we’re all feminists? Whether we’re slightly obsessed with fashion or couldn’t give two hoots. Whether we’re girls or boys. Whether we own a pair of Crocs or not. If you think the world should be more equal, and there should be more female CEOs, welcome to feminism, my friend. No need to burn your bra.