We put cheap £5 ‘disposable’ dresses from the high street through the wringer — but can they survive the whole season?
We put five cheap dresses through 16 washes at 30C and then our model Merilin Kask rates them to see if these budget buys are truly bargains
FAST-FASHION brands have been blasted in Parliament this week for fuelling a “throwaway” culture in which 400,000 tons of clothing ends up in landfill every YEAR.
Sustainability campaigner Stella Claxton told MPs there is little incentive to recycle clothing when dresses are selling for as little as £5.
But how many uses can you wring from a fiver frock? We put some through 16 washes at 30C – enough wears to see you through a whole season – to find out.
And CIGDEM TANRIOGLU asked model Merilin Kask to rate them to see if these budget buys are truly bargains.
Good for eight washes
- Green dress, £5 from Everything5pounds.com —
- Rating: 4/5
Before washing: “This feels like T-shirt material and I wouldn’t wear it as a dress for a night out.
“There’s no way it will last in the wash. I fear the material will stretch and go see-through.”
After 16 washes: “I was pleasantly surprised with how well this dress held up. It can still hold down a good spot in your wardrobe.
“Admittedly, after eight washes the elasticity had worn slightly, making the fit looser and the fabric slightly thinner.
“But it looks more or less the same as before and I suppose that little bit of extra room should come in handy over Christmas, what with all the mince pies.”
Got tighter after 3 washes
- Blue dress, £4 from Boohoo —
- Rating: 3/5
Before washing: “Wow, this dress is short! The machine will probably make it shorter – or the slip will rip up higher.”
After 16 washes: “I was worried after the first couple of washes, as the dress felt much tighter round my bum and the split seemed wider.
“But it didn’t drastically lose shape. As long as you don’t mind showing a sliver more skin, it passes the test.”
Still sparkly after 16 washes
- Sparkly dress, £5 from
- Rating: 5/5
Before washing: “The sequins make this feel much sturdier than the other dresses, although I imagine they will ping off in the wash.”
After 16 washes: “I’m amazed... hardly any sequins have come off and they haven’t lost any of their colour either.
“This sparkly dress is exactly the same after all those washes. Great quality for a fiver. I’ll have change for a cocktail too.”
Shrunk after just one wash
- Red dress, £5 from Pretty Little Thing —
- Rating: 1/5
Before washing: “The fabric doesn’t feel very nice and it is a bit see-through – not ideal.
“It’s really clingy and feels too tight already, so I hope it doesn’t shrink in the wash.”
After 16 washes: “This is more of a top than a dress now, it is so much shorter! I would be worried that everyone can see my bum.
“It really only lasted one wash, and now the fabric has started to go bobbly and the neckline is so tight I can barely breathe. It will take me a while to wriggle out of this one.”
MOST READ IN FABULOUS
Held its shape for 16 washes
- Yellow dress, £5 from
- Rating: 4/5
Before washing: “This figure-hugging frock feels cheap.
"The clingy material will probably shrivel to half the size after a few wears.”
After 16 washes: “It’s not bad for a bargain dress. Surprisingly, this bodycon looks exactly the same.
“It feels a bit more snug after all those washes but it’s not too tight and the colour hasn’t faded at all.”