Like a wine key or a backup roll of Scotch tape, a strict budget tends to come in handy over the holidays—almost as much as that perfect holiday outfit. In the spirit of festive and affordable fashion, we turned to Primark, the massive, four-story clothing and households retailer in the heart of Downtown Crossing. To see just how budget-friendly Primark can be when shopping for the holidays, we recently tasked three local influencers to put together a holiday outfit for less than $100. Could they do it? Watch the video below to find out.

Meet the shoppers

Jason Santos
Celebrity chef and restaurateur
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Jason is the owner of three restaurants in Boston: Abby Lane, Buttermilk & Bourbon, and Citrus & Salt. His hobbies include working and sleeping. He also enjoys spending time with his fiancée and their dog, Miso.

Describe your personal style and how you approach shopping for yourself.
My personal style is casual but trendy. I love sneakers and normally find myself spending most of my time shopping on finding new sneakers that I like.

How do you specifically approach clothes shopping for holiday occasions?
I am more of a gadgets and electronics guy. Thankfully, my fiancée, Thuy, has a great sense of style and finds outfits that work for me.

What’s your essential accessory/clothing item for the holidays?
A bottle of vodka and a cup of coffee. Coffee is for the extra hours I will be working at the restaurant during the holiday season and vodka is for making any holiday party I go to extra fun.

What was your impression of Primark’s selection of options for holiday occasions?
I thought the clothes at Primark were very affordable and stylish. I wasn’t surprised to see so many people shopping early morning there with the great value that Primark offers. I would tell all my friends that Primark is a great place to go for any holiday outfits and accessories.

Kristen U. aka The Boston Fashionista
Fashion blogger and university administrative director
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Kristen moved to Boston in January 2005. She knew right away that fashion in New England presented a very unique set of challenges. By day, she’s a a director in a basic science research department at Harvard.

She also writes The Boston Fashionista, which is a blog focused on style, travel, and fashion designers and entrepreneurs in New England.

Describe your personal style and how you approach shopping for yourself.
I describe my style (and, frankly, Boston style) as Next Generation Brahmin. I am attracted to classic cuts and shapes, in fun fabrics. Or classic fabrics like tweed done in interesting ways.

How do you specifically approach clothes shopping for holiday occasions?
For an office party, I go sophisticated with lots of coverage, like a turtleneck and silk trousers or a full skirt. Flats or kitten heels are a must. For a party with friends, I’ll have a little more fun—sparkly dresses, high heels, and cute clutches. If it’s snowing, I usually wear jeans, boots, and a sparkly sweater and blazer. I love the color combo of green and gold or red and gold. It’s not as obvious as red and green, but still looks undeniably festive.

What’s your essential accessory/clothing item for the holidays?
Red lipstick!

What was your impression of Primark’s selection of options for holiday occasions?
I was impressed with Primark’s selection of clutches and jewelry. I found a beautiful velvet bag that would be amazing at a cocktail party, or with jeans, a tee, and a blazer!

Meredith Wish
Blogger and art director
website | facebook | twitter | instagram

By trade, Meredith is an art director in Boston. On the side, she’s been blogging for four years about personal style, life, and the best things to do in the Boston area. She started blogging because admitting to being a shopaholic didn’t sound as glamorous.

Describe your personal style and how you approach shopping for yourself.
I’m inspired by movies and TV shows. I tend to find a strong female character and idolize everything about her, including her wardrobe. I’ll share my heroine’s style on my blog and how to capture that look with modern trends. Overall my style is “funky prep.”

How do you specifically approach clothes shopping for holiday occasions?
Shopping for holidays is tough. If it’s a family function, a classic cable knit sweater and some stretchy leggings is my go-to. I’m probably going to stuff my face and want to be comfortable. If I’m going somewhere I know an ex or possible romantic interest will be, bring on the sparkle and dresses; it’s time to spike the eggnog and peacock!

What’s your essential accessory/clothing item for the holidays?
Shoes! If I’m going to a casual event, heels dress up my denim and ugly holiday sweater, so overall I feel cute. Also, if you go to a nighttime, company holiday party, heels is where I sparkle.

What was your impression of Primark’s selection of options for holiday occasions?
They literally have something for everyone and for every event. Going to a pajama party, ugly sweater party, nighttime trendy, or comfortable dinner party. They have A LOT so plan your day and give yourself some time!

To find more festive wardrobe options, styles, and accessories, check out Primark.com.