YOU’RE KIDDING!

A £212 saving on three almost identical outfits – just from buying teenage ranges?

WHEN Strictly Come Dancing host Tess Daly took to Twitter to say she had bagged a bargain gym outfit from the children’s rails, it came as no surprise to me. I have been doing the same thing for years. In fact, growing numbers of women are sneaking into the teenage departments of high street stores to buy their outfits. This is no doomed attempt to roll back the years, however: the savings on offer are huge – 20 per cent and more, since children’s clothes do not attract VAT. Even Tess, at 5ft 8in, could find some things to suit so, at 5ft 3in, I fit perfectly into high street children’s fashions. Better news still: over the past year there has been little difference in style from adult ranges. Next, H&M and Zara are all selling fashionable garments for teenagers. A Next outfit for a 16-year-old girl is the equivalent of an adult size 10 to 12 in the same store. And children’s shoes can reach up to a UK size 7 while selling for half the price of identical pairs for adults. The VAT discount is not the only saving. Buying children’s clothes means you avoid the huge mark-up stores impose on the latest trends in the adult section. I took three different looks and put the tactic to the test, but would my choices prove to be a fashion hit – or a bargain-basement blunder?

JEANS AND STRIPES:

Most people find it difficult to buy jeans, yet I loved the ones from Next’s children’s section. They fitted comfortably without being too tight. Most adult versions include irritating rips, but these are classic. The children’s long-sleeve T-shirt had a luxurious, silky feel too, and was definitely a more flattering fit.

I received compliments on the children’s copper trainers. The ‘high-shine’ was more vibrant on the child version, and the thicker sole made them much more comfortable than the pricier pair.

These outfits were almost identical – but the £117 price difference makes it impossible not to prefer the children’s option.

FROCK:

The adult knitted Asos dress was too baggy and the length was very unflattering. The adult boots were also too bulky and the high-shine made the genuine leather look cheap and fake. Ironically, the children’s pair felt more sophisticated.

The children’s dress was, admittedly, a little short but you could wear it as a top, and at just £11 it would still be a bargain.

DUNGAREES:

I had to roll up both sets of dungarees. However, the children’s version were much more comfortable than the adult set, which was already a size bigger than my usual and a bit too snug.

When it came to the pumps, the women’s ballet-style pair had an annoying ribbon tie-up, while the girls’ were elasticated and much easier to wear. The other advantage? The child’s outfit was a whopping £63 cheaper.