The Thrifty Girl’s Guide to Fashion Week

As New York Fashion Week comes to a close, London is waiting in the wings and practising air kisses for its turn in the style spotlight. Friday 16th September marks the start of London Fashion Week 2011, where the best of British will showcase the biggest trends for SS12. Yes – fashion fans will descend on Somerset House to sit in draughty warehouses during cold and rainy September to watch models flounce about in shorts, sandals and chiffon. Bring it on!

London Fashion Week is a wonderful way to celebrate the fantastic work of British designers, but it’s also dangerously indulgent and if you’re not careful, a few days at Fashion Week can leave a gaping hole in your bank account. One that looks suspiciously like a Mulberry Alexa.

During my time at Fashion Week I’m determined to stay true to my thrifty(ish…) ways, so I’ve put together a slightly tongue-in-cheek guide to surviving Fashion Week on a stylish-but-skint budget. Take a look…

• Got your dress from a charity shop? Picked up those heels at a car boot? Darling, you’re vintage. So when you hear the (inevitable) cries of ‘who are you wearing?’, don’t say ‘errrm… it’s a Topshop dress from 1995 that I found in the dressing up box’ – say ‘vintage’. Preferably while waving your hand in a dismissive way and flouncing. Everyone flounces at Fashion Week.
• If you have an exhibition pass, make your way to the nearest presentation, STAT. Champagne flows freely at presentations and they run all day long, so set up camp inside and enjoy a glass… or five. 
• A week-long diet of M&S salads, Pret sandwiches and itsu sushi will lead to a penniless purse (and possibly bloating). Blag your way into the press lounge to fill up on free nibbles, and don’t forget to stash some in your Alexa for later. Those catwalk shows can drag.
• Don’t waste your makeup by doing your face for Fashion Week – book in for a free Mac makeover and let someone else prepare you for those close ups.
• If you really can’t imagine Fashion Week without a key designer piece, head to TK Maxx and invest in a coat, a bag or a pair of shoes. Do not, I repeat DO NOT blow a month’s wages on snakeskin leather trousers that the sales assistant tells you are ‘sure to make the flash bulbs pop!’. She’s lying.
• And some final words of wisdom from a, ahem, seasoned Fashion Week attendee with a grand total of FOUR shows under her belt – be yourself. The most stylish people are the ones whose clothes reflect their character. So if you’d really feel more comfortable in jeans than snakeskin leather trousers, go ahead and WORK those jeans. I know I will.