I tried the cheapest Black Friday dresses I could find, with £1.60 frocks & 89% off – I ended up looking like a bin bag
YOU get what you pay for, as the saying goes - but that logic immediately goes out the window when it comes to the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
It's the time of year that officially marks the start of Christmas shopping, and as a result retailers epically slash their prices to encourage shoppers to get into the 'consumer spirit'.
And every year they vie to outdo each other on just how much they slash, with Pretty Little Thing offering a staggering 99 per cent off items in one highly anticipated drop that sold out within minutes.
Among the rock-bottom priced items on offer was a bralette for just 18p, and a ribbed one shoulder strappy unitard for 12p.
But are these super savings on much-wanted items, or simply a way to encourage unnecessary purchases that will never even be worn?
According to previous research, up to 80 per cent of items bought on Black Friday, including the packaging they arrive in, are thrown away after a few uses, some without being used at all.
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To put this to the test I ordered some of the cheapest dresses I could find on Black Friday from the likes of ASOS, Boohoo and Pretty Little Thing.
The aim was to see if their Black Friday sale bargains lived up to the hype, or if they were (an albeit extremely cheap) waste of money...
Vero Moda sleeveless mini smock dress, in satin black
Now £4.77, reduced from £34.00 (85 per cent saving).
I genuinely thought when I ordered this black satin shift-style dress it would be one of the more flattering looks, and at less than a fiver it seemed like a bargain.
It looked like a festive wardrobe staple that could be dressed up for a Christmas party or dressed down with a long-sleeved top.
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I thought this would be one I'd keep, however, I was wrong.
It clung in all the wrong places, was incredibly static and looked like a bin bag on me, unfortunately.
NaaNaa satin halter neck mini dress in blue
Now £4.37, reduced from £41.00 (89 per cent saving).
With boobs, bum and stomach all on show, I shuddered when I ordered this one, knowing that I'd cringe when I tried it on and looked in the mirror.
That definitely did happen, but it was surprisingly flattering (all things considering) for a barely-there dress - although I did bust the zip instantly when I tried it on.
Not that it made much difference to be honest - could have pretended it was part of the design the amount of skin on show already.
I wouldn't opt to wear it out as I just don't have that level of confidence to pull it off, but the ruching down the skirt helped create a flattering silhouette.
For someone with the body confidence, this would be a bargain.
PLT stone linen-look bodycon dress
Now £4.00, reduced from £20 (80 per cent off)
I really liked the look of this one, but it just didn't suit me at all.
The material felt quite sack-like, and it wasn't flattering, although I can imagine it would look great on someone with a bigger bust.
PLT cream textured rib racer neck bodycon dress
Now £3.00, reduced from £15 (80 per cent discount)
I liked the cut of the top of this one, and the textured feel was nice, but it was pretty much completely see-through.
It was also very, very short - so would require a very careful underwear decision!
ASOS one shoulder bodycon mini dress in black
Now £4.90, reduced from £14.00 (65 per cent saving).
For a basics dress, this one was fine, but I wouldn't have paid full price for it.
You could wear it to the beach maybe on holiday, and it's a stretchy material, which is flattering.
PLT newspaper print cowl neck ring detail bodycon dress
Now £3.75, reduced from £15 (75 per cent discount)
This dress was among the cheapest Pretty Little Thing items that didn't sell out within minutes, and while it looked amazing on the model, I didn't have high expectations.
It actually again wasn't as bad as I expected, with the pattern hiding a multitude of sins, but it was super clingy so still not the most flattering.
BooHoo Bandeau Midi Dress
Now £1.60, reduced from £10.
This was the cheapest dress I could find after a quick scour, and I hated it.
The material was so thin you could see every lump and bump (and nip), and it felt cheap, with just a piece of elastic holding it up at the top.
It would be fine to wear as a cover up at the beach maybe, but I don't believe you'd wear it more than once before binning.
Boohoo Off Shoulder Ruched Mesh Bodycon Midi Dress
Now £2.40, reduced from £25.00
On the site, this dress looks impressively luxe, however in real life it is as you'd expect.
The netting is thin and would tear within one wear, and it's itchy.
That being said, for £2.40 you could definitely dress it up to wear on a night out and people would be amazed when you told them the price, but I think you'd end up binning it after one use.
Boohoo gingham daisy v neck smock dress
Now £3, reduced from £18 (83 per cent saving)
I actually really liked this dress, which was available in both black and pink, and I'm pleased to say I think I would keep it and do feel it's a bargain at £3.
It was lightweight and comfortable, and I liked the pattern.
Based on this whole experience I would perhaps shop around in the Black Friday sale for cheaper summer items, but basic essentials like this summer dress that are unlikely to go out of fashion.
My verdict
While there's no denying there are huge savings to be made in the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, there's a huge amount of waste too.
Swept up in the excitement of trying to find the cheapest items I could, I bought things I would never usually wear - and I imagine a lot of shoppers would to the same.
Also I'm a big fan of working out the cost per wear of an outfit - the thought process being the more I love something, the more I'll wear it, and therefore it's worth buying.
But this sort of sale just encourages people to buy items they potentially won't even end up wearing once - meaning essentially we are still wasting money even if we've made 'huge savings'.
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With this in mind, it's sadly not surprising of the 100 billion garments produced each year by fast fashion companies, 92 million tonnes end up in landfills, according to Earth.org - something to think about.
- Any items bought for the purpose of this article and not kept were either returned, or donated to a charity shop.