With regular clothes shops shut for months on end, supermarkets upped their fashion game during lockdown. As a result, they won over a host of new customers who would previously never have dreamt of buying clothes at the same time as picking up a pint of milk or loaf of bread.
But with the High Street open again, can budget supermarket offerings really compete with fashion stores in the long run? And when presented with similar styles, can you tell the difference between them?
Here, CLAIRE COLEMAN compares styles, pitting lines from our top supermarkets against those from the High Street.
1. Tesco vs Ganni
The must-have leopard blouse
Blouse, £16, and trousers, £13, Tesco, versus blouse, £155, and trousers, £155, ganni.com
Claire Coleman gives verdict on if budget UK supermarket clothes can compete with fashion stores. Pictured left: Tesco, right: Ganni
PRICE DIFFERENCE: £281
The fashion crowd has gone crazy for this leopard-print Ganni blouse with an oversized frilled collar, but I would struggle to justify spending this much when the Tesco version is so similar.
Often the fabric will give the less expensive version away, but these are both 100 per cent cotton. Ganni’s style has button sleeves rather than elastic cuffs, but who would know?
WINNER: Supermarket
2. Tesco vs M&S
The versatile denim dress
Dress, £25, F&F at Tesco, versus dress, £55, marksandspencer.com
Claire said she slightly prefers the versatile denim dress from M&S (pictured right) to the style available at Tesco (pictured right)
PRICE DIFFERENCE: £30
These are ideal for the current entertaining options — wear them over thermals and boots for now, then roll up the sleeves and slip on sandals when warmer days arrive.
I’d happily wear either of these — not only is the shade of denim almost identical, the fabric is very similar and both have button cuffs. It’s a close call, but the M&S one just edged it.
WINNER: High Street
3. Sainsbury’s vs Whistles
The dress-down jumpsuit
Claire said she isn’t sure the dress-down jumpsuit from Whistles (pictured left), is worth the price at almost six times the amount of the style at Sainsbury’s (pictured right)
Jumpsuit, £25, and trainers, £16, tuclothing.sainsburys.co.uk, versus jumpsuit, £149, and trainers, £139, whistles.com
PRICE DIFFERENCE: £247
I’m delighted that jumpsuits are still in fashion. They have the all-in-one convenience of a dress, but with a load more practicality.
The Sainsbury’s version is less tailored than the Whistles one, but at this price, I can absolutely see myself buying it as an easy-to-throw-on alternative to jeans, to wear while I am hanging around the house.
The Whistles offering has a much more sophisticated vibe — the slight puff shoulder and nipped-in waist are flattering — but at almost six times the price, I’m not sure it’s worth the difference.
WINNER: High Street
4. Tesco vs Ted Baker
The plush jacket and jeans outfit
Jacket, £25, and jeans, £22, F&F at Tesco, versus jacket, £429, and jeans, £99, tedbaker.com
Claire said she would buy the plush jacket and jeans outfit from Tesco (pictured left), over the pricier Ted Baker style (pictured right)
PRICE DIFFERENCE: £481
While it’s pretty enough, the pink suede Ted Baker jacket will get grubby, and a drop of rain will ruin it. Its Tesco counterpart is washable. That said, up close the ‘suedette’ feels almost slimy and looks like a 1980s throwback in the worst way.
I’d buy the supermarket jeans over the pricier Ted Baker ones though, as I find them far more flattering.
WINNER: Supermarket
5. Tesco vs Mint Velvet
The everyday shirt and jeans combo
Blouse, £18, and jeans, £22, Tesco, versus blouse, £69, and jeans, £79, mintvelvet.co.uk
Claire said the everyday shirt and jeans combo from Tesco (pictured left) looks identical to the style being sold by Mint Velvet (pictured right)
PRICE DIFFERENCE: £108
I can’t see the oversized puffy sleeves on these blouses being in for more than a season, so I’m instinctively drawn to the less expensive Tesco version.
That said, the supermarket belt feels cheap, although I’d be tempted to style both versions with a brown leather belt, so it wouldn’t matter.
The Tesco jeans are a revelation.
They look identical to the Mint Velvet ones — so often the dye job on inexpensive denim is a giveaway, but not in this case — plus they’re soft, comfortable and fit like a glove.
WINNER: Supermarket
6. Morrisons vs Monsoon
The on-trend gingham look
Dress, £18, nutmeg.morrisons.com, versus dress, £65, monsoon.co.uk
Claire said she slightly prefers the cut of Monsoon’s gingham dress (pictured left) to the style being sold by Morisson’s (pictured right)
PRICE DIFFERENCE: £47
To me gingham checks scream school dresses, but it’s one of the hottest prints for summer — Victoria Beckham’s bell-sleeved orange version has been hailed the fashionista’s must-have.
Still, I didn’t love either of these. Morrison’s version in a polyester cotton has a really unflattering shape.
I slightly prefer the cut of the Monsoon style, which gives me more of a waist and is also made from 100 per cent organic cotton, which feels nicer, although from a distance who would know?
I won’t be rushing out to buy either.
WINNER: High Street
7. Asda vs & other stories
The pretty ruffle dress
Dress, £18, direct.asda.com; shoes, £18, tuclothing.sainsburys.co.uk, versus dress, £95, stories.com; shoes, £22.50, marksandspencer.com
Claire said the pretty ruffle dress from Asda (pictured right) won her heart the moment she out it on. Pictured left: &Other Stories
PRICE DIFFERENCE: £81.50
The &Other Stories dress has much more hanger appeal than the Asda version, and while both are made from 100 per cent viscose, the more expensive one is lined.
But the minute I put them on, the Asda dress won my heart. The cut is more flattering, it gives me a waist, and the ruffles, which feel fussy on the &Other Stories dress, sit more elegantly.
I think most people would struggle to identify which is from the supermarket and which is from the swanky Swedish label.
WINNER: Supermarket
FINAL VERDICT
I was surprised by just how much I liked the supermarket styles. They won my vote for four of these seven looks.
But what was staggering was when I came to add up the savings and discovered the final total for the supermarket outfits was a whopping £1,275.50 less than the cost of the High Street clothes. That’s my summer holiday budget!
While the High Street clothes often have tiny details that give them a flattering edge, unless someone is up close examining the seams, you might be the only person who notices.
The big reveal
Did you guess which ones were the supermarket steal? Answers below…
1. Left 2. Left 3. Right 4. Left 5. Left 6. Right 7. Right