Credit crunch clobber: Kings of Neon!

Jun 2 2009 By Siba Matti

FROM fire engine red to pink pastels, the catwalks are awash with colour this summer. But the boldest shades have undoubtedly been neons, a far cry from last season's neutral nudes in taupe, tan and peach - or, in other words, dull, dull, dull!

Sassy songbirds Katy Perry, Lady GaGa and Gwen Stefani are all leading the way in the neon style stakes, proving that the trend which arguably defined the eighties is well overdue a comeback - and, since I was born in that decade, I couldn't have been happier to take a trip down memory lane!

But while such celebrities seem to have unlimited supply of cash to spend on designer threads, I set out with just £25 in my wallet, on a mission to achieve a similar look at high street prices.

My first stop was Peacocks, which I have come to depend on almost as much as Primark when it comes to finding bargains.

And it was love at first sight when I saw a bright pink animal-print peplum dress with asymmetric sleeve - a shape which is all the rage this season, as well as being in one my favourite colours.

But my joy was short lived when I looked at the price-tag - £25, meaning I would have absolutely nothing left for shoes!

After finding both the belt and dress featured in my last column at Hennes, that was my next stop. Designer Matthew Williamson recently created a gorgeous new range for the high street store, including a stunning peacock-inspired dress in vibrant turquoise, rose, violet hues. Sadly, everything was woefully out of my price range - £25 didn't come close - and I left empty handed.

Feeling slightly deflated, I decided to give New Look a second chance, despite experiencing little success last month. To my surprise, I snapped up a really sweet neon pink vest with diamante button detailing, for only £8!

With £17 left, I knew it wouldn't be easy to find the bottom half of my outfit, so I headed straight to Primark.

And I couldn't believe it when I found a pair of neon pink stiletto heels - a bargain at just £9! These shoes have been hailed as a fashion must-have and featured in countless glossy magazines, so they are literally like gold dust, and I was delighted to get my hands on them, thanks to new stock being delivered that day.

As I wandered around clutching the shoes for dear life - I wasn't about to let anyone else nab them! - my eye was drawn to a royal blue mini skirt with neon pink belt. I'd seen nothing else so far that matched the shoes so perfectly, but at £11, I was £3 out of my £25 price range.

Determined to find a way to buy this skirt, I actually ended up returning the pink vest to New Look - and to be honest, as much as I like pink, I thought it might be a bit overkill with the shoes and belt.

And after another hour scouring the shops, I eventually found a turquoise vest top in BHS reduced from £6 to £4.80 - leaving me with 20 pence to go and buy a newspaper and put my feet up!

For cooler days, I would finish my outfit with a white blazer - I have one which has been lurking in the bottom of my wardrobe for years - bring on the eighties revival! It might sound like a colour clash but, somehow, it works. Scout around vintage and charity shops to find something similar.

I'd team the outfit with a slick of bright pink lipstick and matching nails – I really like the Barry M make-up range, available at Superdrug.

Admittedly, this is not exactly one of the most understated outfits, so wear with confidence and make a statement!

LOOSE CHANGE

Try these wallet-friendly accessories to compliment your outfit for £2.50 or less!

1) Pink neon bangle, £2.50 from Claire's Accessories

2) Pink and yellow neon hairslides, £1.99 (for the pair) from Hennes