Mums spend more money on their children’s clothes than their own

The majority of mums feel guilty if they spend money on clothes for themselves, rather than on their children, according to a new survey by Lakeside Shopping Centre.

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Almost half (46 per cent) of the 1,000 mums surveyed admitted feeling guilty if they spend money on clothes for themselves, while 47 per cent set aside time once a week to shop the latest trends for their child’s wardrobe.

Celebrity kids are a big influence, with a quarter of mums attempting to emulate Katie Holmes’ style choices for her six year old daughter Suri Cruise. The second most influential celeb mum was named as Victoria Beckham, with 16 per cent of mums copying her daughter Harper’s fashion.

And despite the fact that children fast outgrow clothes, 46 per cent of mums would spend £50 on an item of clothing and 33 per cent would even splash out £100 or more for one garment. Dads are somewhat more frugal, with more than half of the mums admitting if their partner was in charge, the children’s wardrobe would probably come from sales or at budget stores such as Primark.

At the other end of the scale, almost a third of those polled claimed they spend less than £200 a year on their kids’ clothes, suggesting not all mums bow to the pressure of mini celebrity styling.

How much do you spend on your children’s clothes?