How many of us have felt frustrated when clothes shopping only to find holiday items are at a higher cost while ‘cheap’ brands no longer feel cheap? It definitely annoys Maya Zamman.
There’s something deeply frustrating about sitting in my bed at one o’clock in the morning and adding dresses and shoes to my online basket – only to be hit with the reality of how much clothes prices have increased.
But here’s the thing, I spent 90 great British pounds on Shein, the online shop that’s known for their supposedly ‘cheap’ prices.
The website has practically built its empire on making everyone believe we could buy an entirely new personality for £15.
I had to stare at my phone for a few seconds to make sure that there wasn’t a mistake, because surely my t-shirt wasn’t made from 100 per cent cashmere.
You’d think it must have been at these extortionate prices.
This is what online shopping in 2026 has become, where ‘cheap fashion’ costs the same as a weekly food shop.
Instead of gaining nutrients, you’re receiving a new wardrobe without bringing yourself to check your bank statement on how much you’ve spent.
And before anybody decides to say, “you’ve bought loads then,” I barely bought any.
A couple of tops, a holiday dress, a pair of sandals.
Pieces of clothing I’ll probably wear a few times since they are holiday clothes.
But the worst part about it is Shein’s sneaky basket tactics, where the items are advertised at a cheap price, looking innocent and affordable.
But the minute I add it to my basket, the price is somehow bumped double the original price.
Now it’s not just online shops, high street stores have lost their minds too.
H&M used to be the place where you could pick up a few basic items and not stress at how much you would be spending.
You’ll walk in there now and a basic top will be hanging there for £17.99 like it was made by the CEO.
It’s ridiculous.
But it can’t get worse than the one and only Primark.
The land of cheap and cheerful chaos, where everyone is scavenging for their essential items but ends up buying unnecessary things.
You end up picking up the whole shop and wondering why your total is so expensive.
And listen, I’m far from a Primark hater.
I’ll defend their pyjama section with my whole life, they’re the comfiest items there, while also being reasonably priced.
I can’t complain at the essentials and the every-now-and-then top either.
But people who have their wardrobe full of just Primark clothes are just shocking.
Why bother to keep spending at Primark, especially with their prices increasing, just for your clothes to deteriorate after two washes.
Just because you chose quantity over quality.
So, my point is, Primark are getting ahead of themselves, upping their prices when in reality it’s just not worth it.
When it comes to shopping and we want a few items for a quick holiday, we don’t want to be spending £100 plus.
I mean it completely defeats the purpose of cheap clothes shopping.
I truly do miss being able to have a regular shopping trip and not worrying about how much I’m spending.
And it definitely doesn’t feel fun anymore, with everything being a tactic such as discount codes and loyalty apps, when all I want to do is order a few summer clothes.
Still, despite the complaining, I still fall into the trap of online shopping because as soon as a holiday gets booked, I convince myself I need a whole new wardrobe in order to have the best time abroad.
Online and in-store retailers know how to trick you into getting their new summer line of clothing and shoes and, of course, you can’t forget accessories too.
It’s like everyone just goes into panic mode and shops know this.
And honestly?
They’re selling us a fantasy attached to summer rather than the actual clothing itself.
And apparently that fantasy costs £90, all for just a few items.
