Best ways to save at Best & Less, Kmart, Target, Big W as retailers offer better quality clothing

Soaring cost of living pressures shouldn’t mean you can’t be stylish, and a string of big name retailers is offering fashionable outfits at affordable prices. See the deals.

Soaring cost of living pressures shouldn’t mean you can’t dress stylishly, with a string of big name retailers offering fashionable outfits at affordable prices.

Department stores Best&Less, Target, Big W, and Kmart, as well as fashion chains Glassons, H&M and Cotton On, are offering cut-price alternatives to designer brands.

Shoppers can snap up full outfits at cheap prices, including $12 cotton tees, $35 jeans and $20 dresses, with Target counting denim and linen pieces among its bestsellers, while Big W has noted a spike in demand for its organic cotton range.

Models Jonathan de Leon and Clementine Mazzanti at Best&Less. Picture: Ryan Osland

Best&Less CEO Rodney Orrock said the store – best known for affordable kids clothing – “invests heavily into every aspect of its fashion ranges”.

“Our Australian design team, garment technicians and buyers create the looks for each season, taking inspiration from international fashion shows, colour and fabrication trends and local research insights to launch a capsule that is fashionable, comfortable, versatile and still affordable,” Mr Orrock said.

“We invest a great deal in understanding our customers, and to provide a wardrobe that can ‘keep up’ with everyday life – from dropping off the kids, heading to work, dashing to the shops and lunch with friends.

UNIQLO AIRism Pique Polo Shirt, $29.90 and Ultra Light Pants, $59.90.

UNIQLO Drape Flared Pants, $49.90 and Slub Jersey Striped Cropped T-shirt, $19.90.

“We have long-standing relationships with our local and global suppliers, which assists us in continuing to innovate our ranges including growing our sustainable fashion capability. We use Australian cotton, organic cotton, recycled fabrics as the base for the majority of our fabric choices, ensuring that our product performs and breathes well.”

Target’s head of design Bec Biggins said affordable prices were “what customers need right now”.

Target’s Lounge Hooded Coatigan in two colours $59.

Target’s Pointelle sweater for $50.

Instead of pushing fast fashion, Ms Biggins said the focus was on “timeless” clothes that could be worn regularly.

She said bestsellers included “puffer jackets, shackets, checked jackets and coats”.

“Knitwear has been extremely popular, with yarns that have a lovely soft hand-feel and our new seasonal colour palette offers style and easy versatility to wear more often,” she said.

“We want to make a real difference to our customers by making products that can be loved longer, for everybody, and every bank balance.”

Big W’s $25 rib skirt and tee.

Glassons’s $30 long sleeve top.

Big W head of commercial apparel Lowri Breed said the focus was on keeping prices “low”, with a spike in demand this season for its “Brilliant Basics cosy fleece range”, which starts at $8.50 for trackies and sweaters.

“We’ve also seen an increase in interest for our Organic Cotton pieces including the Womens Organic Cotton Tees for $6 and our range of Organic Cotton Jeans from $25 available in sizes 6 – 26,” Ms Breed said.

“Now more than ever, customers are looking for high quality and affordable fashion that they can fit within their budgets.”

Among its winter bestsellers are a pair of $20 combat boots, Chevron Leggings ($20) and matching crops at $15.

Kmart’s Long Sleeve Buffalo Check Shirt for $15.

Kmart’s $40 puffer jacket.

Cut-price retailer Kmart has also upped the quality of its clothing.

“At Kmart, we are proud to give our customers even more access to great quality product at the lowest prices,” a spokesman said.

“Our in-house design and merchandise teams have done an incredible job in offering apparel ranges across men, women and kids that won’t break the bank and we love seeing all the creative ways the customers use or wear the products to reflect their individual style and creative flare,” the spokesman said.

Cotton On girlfriend denim jacket, $59.99.

H&M cotton shirt, $34.95.

Global fashion brand UNIQLO Australia Merchandising Manager Yuko Oka said the chain “continues its mission to provide our customers with high quality fashion, and easy essentials for every day, at affordable prices”.

“UNIQLO is proud to offer timeless essentials with innovative materials and fabrication methods, that are thoughtful, ingenious, comfortable, and long-lasting that accommodate to everyone,” Ms Oka said.

UNIQLO Linen Blend Shirring Sleeveless Dress, $59.90.

UNIQLO Premium Linen Long Sleeve Shirt, $49.90 and Stretch Slim Fit Shorts, $39.90.

A spokeswoman for fashion chain Glassons said: “Our customers are savvy shoppers and we find that they appreciate having access to fashionable, high-quality, ethical products at an affordable price point”.

She said Glassons avoided the fast fashion trap.

“(The Glassons retail) model is built on buying what our customers want and for when they want it,” she said.

Influencer and mother of three Rebecca Little.

“This means we don’t destroy or waste product compared to many in the market.

“We are also proud of the headway we have made on our lower impact product offering and our continued growth here.”

Melbourne-based influencer and mother of three Rebecca Little said “every dollar counts” when it comes to choosing what to buy in the current financial climate.

“Fashion has never moved faster and it’s important that we make ever dollar count,” Ms Little said.

She shops for “timeless” pieces at affordable price points from Target, referring to a black-and-white coat she bought on sale for about $80 that is a “quarter of the price” of designer alternatives.

Originally published as Best ways to save at Best & Less, Kmart, Target, Big W as retailers offer better quality clothing