HOT TO TROT?

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

Tested

By Cigdem Tanrioglu

3rd November 2018, 1:08 am

Updated: 3rd November 2018, 1:08 am

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.

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We put £5 dresses through the wringer to see if they can survive a whole season

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

Our model Merilin Kask, who stuns in this figure-hugging green dress, fears it won’t last a hot wash

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.”

Model Merilin Kask says the dress has some extra room in time for Christmas

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

Our model Merilin Kask can’t believe how short this blue dress is

Before washing: “Wow, this dress is short! The machine will probably make it shorter – or the slip will rip up higher.”

Model Merilin Kask says the dress got quite a bit tighter, but it doesn’t matter if you ‘want to show more skin’

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

Model Merilin Kask fears some of the decoration may be lost in a hot wash

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.

She’s amazed at the quality and has change left to buy herself a cocktail

“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

‘It’s really clingy and feels too tight already’, says our model

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.”

Model Merilin Kask says the dress ‘only really lasted one 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.”