Our head of fashion took a trip to Sainsbury’s TU to pick up five outfits totaling under £80, with one looking coming in at £10.80
With the cost of clothes creeping up almost as fast as the weather changes, refreshing your wardrobe can feel more stressful than fun. But rather than spiral into online cart abandonment, I decided to try something different. I gave myself an £80 budget, headed to my local Sainsbury’s shop, and set myself a mission: find five outfits that looked good enough to be designer, worked for that tricky summer-into-autumn stretch (because who has the budget to buy clothes for just one season?) and wouldn’t leave me with checkout regret.
Supermarkets have quickly become my secret treasure troves for quality, designer-influenced pieces, and if you haven’t taken a proper scan of Sainsbury’s Tu’s aisles before, virtual or in-person, you’re missing out. I’m always left amazed by how luxe-looking new-season pieces can be, and I was spoiled for choice with my summer-to-autumn brief. Nor do I get a mental total of my purchases in hand, I flicked through pieces, ticking off core trends: relaxed tailoring, soft knits and elevated basics and surprisingly polished silhouettes. At the end of my trip, I left with five mix-and-match capsule looks that felt grown-up and luxury, but all came in at £77.10.
So, can you guess which full outfit costs under £11?
Look 1: Total price £10.80
Shop the look
Light Brown Suede Effect Mini Skirtnow £5.40
Light Brown Suede Effect Topnow £5.40 (in store only)
Online alternative: Tan Faux Suede Regular Shirt£22.50
I’m going strong for the first look with my total bargain find. The boxy suede-effect top scanned at £5.40, and the same for the zip-up skirt. Even the man on the checkout commented on the bargain with a wide-eyed “That’s good, isn’t it?”. I’m happy we both agreed. You can still pick up this gorgeous transitional skirt online in plenty of available sizing, but you’ll have to head to your local store to pick up the exact top, as I grabbed one of the final few pieces from the discounted rail.
I do love TU’s new-in longer-sleeved suede-effect shirt as a replacement, though, if you can splash out a little more cash on the look. I didn’t spend anything on the boots, as these I had lying around my cupboard, but if you want to pick them up for yourself, they’re Boohoo’s Low Stiletto Knee High Boots, also a bargain at £26.60!
Look 2: Total price £21.40
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Green Knit Vest, £16 (currently in-store only)
Online alternative: Metallic Stitch Sleeveless Vest, £18
Light Brown Suede Effect Mini Skirtnow £5.40
I didn’t expect to love this olive green knit vest top as much as I do. TU has a big range of knit vests and collar-detail vests with intricate stitching, and I could have easily bought several. I chose this one because it’s not a color I have a lot of in my wardrobe, but I think it flatters a whole range of skin tones and hair colors. I could easily have paired this with a pair of jeans and trainers, but I love the elevated combination of a suede skirt and a statement boot – cool enough for gray summer days or warm enough with layers as we hit autumn’s approach.
Again, I’m pairing the top and the skirt with my Boohoo Low Stiletto Knee High Boots.
Look 3: Total price £53.40
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Stone Relaxed Edge Co-ord Blazer, £32
Green Knit Vest, £16 (in-store only)
Online alternative: Metallic Stitch Sleeveless Vest, £18
Light Brown Suede Effect Mini Skirtnow £5.40
This is essentially the same as the last look, but I’m showing how you can throw on an extra layer to give it a more luxe and dressy (or office appropriate) edge. I own a blazer just like this one from Karen Millen, and honestly, I couldn’t tell a huge amount of difference in the fit or quality. I sized up for the TU blazer to give it a bit of a boyfriend effect, rather than fitted, and I love the way it looks. Extra points go to TU for the stripe lining fabric, which gives the cuffs a nice effect.
The blazer was my priciest purchase of the day at £32, but it’s a piece you’ll reach for time and time again all through summer and autumn, so well worth investing in. Opt for a neutral shade like this one so you can pair it with lots of different outfit colors.
Again, my footwear is from my existing shoe wardrobe. However, they’re another affordable Boohoo buy, which can still be shopped online for £10 in the tan colourway.
Look 4: Total price £34
Shop the look
Green Knit Vest, £16 (in-store only)
Online alternative: Metallic Stitch Sleeveless Vest, £18
Beige Textured Wide Leg Co-ord Trousers, £18
This is the outfit that I thought, “Wow, this really looks expensive”. I wasn’t sure about the trousers when I grabbed them off the hanger, as the texture felt quite lightweight and I worried you’d see my bum wobble around when I walked. But, I needn’t have feared because they’re so flattering – and so comfortable. I love them paired with this knit vest, but I’d also style them with a crisp white shirt or an oversized knit in the autumn. They’re so versatile – a definite wardrobe must-have, especially if you don’t love showing your legs.
Look 5: Total price £23.40
Shop the look
Light Brown Suede Effect Topnow £5.40 (in store only)
Online alternative: Tan Faux Suede Regular Shirt£22.50
Beige Textured Wide Leg Co-ord Trousers, £18
Finally, for my last look, I combined my bargain find of a £5.40 boxy suede-effect top with the textured trousers, and I really love it. Paired with my £10 Boohoo sandals, I really think this is the perfect summer office look. Chuck on the blazer if it’s a colder day, or swap the chunky sandals out for a kitten heel sandal, if you want it to look more dressy.
A final word
As I say, I got the five pieces for you, as shown above, for under £80, and then mixed and matched them to create the five different looks. With some of the pieces being sale items, stock for sizing will vary. If you’ve been inspired to do a supermarket sweep of your own, I also recommend heading to Tesco F&F, where there are also plenty of trend-led pieces. The brand’s big summer sale is currently on, and my top picks include the Tie Front Sleeveless Waistcoat, now £12, and Striped Button-Up Cardigan, now £15.
Stay tuned for my next supermarket scan, where I’ll be scouring the new-ins from George at Asda for style gems.
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