Cheap Thrill

Primark. It's the one place in the world where I feel like a millionaire. Disconcertingly cheap clothing and accessories exist in abundance, ready to be snapped up by the salivating masses. But let this be a warning: once Primark has bitten you, I'm afraid there is no going back. Other 'affordable fashion' stores just pale in comparison: "£20 for a dress? Pah! You must be joking!? I can get that for £12 in Primark."

I can remember when buying a coat for the winter was a fun (albeit expensive) yearly ritual. I regularly forked out up to £200 for that one yearly fashion splurge. But the cost was justified because my beloved coat would become my favourite companion, protecting me against the elements for the six months that followed. Now though, thanks to good old Primarni, your winter coat need not become synonymous with your winter style. At less than £30 a pop you can have three, four or maybe even five...

Sometimes though, a Primark binge can leave me feeling just a little bit sickly. It's a feeling not dissimilar to gorging on too many sweets or having far too much chocolate. It's a feeling of wastage, unnecessary excess and, lets face it, sheer greed. Rather than picking just one super-size handbag, in the colour I like the best, I have to have them all. Rather than just one pair of tights, I have to have every pattern and every colour combo. And rather than just one new string of beads - yep, you guessed it - I loot the entire accessories section, snatching something from every peg.

So this is why I shamefacedly banish myself to the bathroom to rifle through my greed-tainted goodies. And also maybe so I can have a quick shower to scrub away my gluttony...Primark pyjamas at the ready.