When I first heard about Dealz’s clothing range, I was sceptical, to put it politely.

Pep & Co, the affordable clothing range which operates under Poundland (as it’s known in the UK) and Dealz, aims to give savvy spenders the choice of both practical and fashionable clothing, meaning shoppers can expect to “spend a little, get a lot”. And the prices certainly start at a little.

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They are reflective of the bargain basement prices that has made the store such a force to be reckoned with in the UK and Ireland; but there’s a long way between wholesale price toiletries and cleaning products and items which hang in your wardrobe.

Now in its second year, Pep & Co is a well-oiled machine, so I set out to put the clothes to the test.

The most striking aspect of the collection is it’s versatility, especially a super soft jumper, for €7.50. I paired the red jumper with a denim pinafore (€15) that I completely fell in love with. As a recent graduate, I’m used to penny pinching and I know where to cut costs in shopping to make them effective, which made perusing through the new season collection a breeze.

I was particularly impressed by their longline teddy coat, the must-have jacket this autumn, no matter the retailer. At €39, it gives Penneys and Dunnes Stores’ Savida range a run for its money, both of which have an iron clad grip on the affordable fashion market in Ireland. it was surprisingly warm and the perfect length for my 5’9″ height.

It was the most asked-about piece from curious colleagues and friends when I wore it, all of whom were shocked when I told them it was from a Dealz brand. I paired the teddy coat with Pep & Co’s black jeggings and the beige jumper, which has black panelling along the neckline and sleeves with a button detail on the shoulders.

Trying the jeggings was the part I feared the most.  ’m a self-admitted jeans and jeggings snob. I see them as an investment, and I want them to last as long as possible without fading, shrinking, or overstretching.

I won’t buy a pair without considering how they will hold up after being thrown into a washing machine, especially if they’re black.

I also like them to have a slight stretch, but not too much because I don’t want them to lose their shape. Then, comes the leg length issue. I have an extremely strong disdain for ‘ankle bashers’, which are jeans that are too short and end above the ankle.

My final non-negotiable jean-purchasing term is how high the waistband rises. By that, I mean I hate low-rise jeans and strongly feel they should be banned from all stores with immediate effect. However, high rise to high waisted jeans are all welcome additions to my closet. For example, Topshop’s Joni’s or River Island’s Harper jeans are my definite old reliable I always return to.

When I first looked at Pep & Co’s black jeggings, all the above criteria flooded through my mind like a short checklist; length, colour, waistband, and shape.

I found the jeggings to be comfortable, and the waistband rises all the way to my belly button,so that was automatically two notches on my pro’s list. They are jet black, and as of yet, they have not faded. The only con is that they are quite short on me, so if you’re above or over 5″7 and have similar hatred for ankle bashers, I wouldn’t recommend them.

They fit well with the mustard super soft jumper I wore under a long black parka that had a stunning fur detail on the hood (€32). Fast fashion has some competition.

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