Whether you’re an activewear advocate, hot for hipster threads or a designer diva, the average Brit spends £572 a year to fit in with their fashion tribe, equating to a staggering £16.2 billion nationwide, according to new research from VoucherCodes.co.uk.

Choosing a tribe

The study found that more than four in ten Brits (43 per cent) identify with a fashion tribe in the UK. Of those that belong to a ‘clothing cult,’ the majority see themselves as ‘High-street Hoarders,’ with 41 per cent regularly shopping for affordable high street fashion from the current season, while one quarter of Brits describe their signature style as ‘Classic and Preppy’ and 12 per cent identify with the ‘90’s Grunge’ look which has recently come back into fashion. Conversely, over half of individual Brits (57 per cent), claim they don’t have a signature style.

Brits fork out an average of £48 per month on buying clothing, shoes and accessories that relate to their chosen fashion cults, amounting to a substantial £572 per year. While ‘Designer Divas’ are prepared to spend the most on buying branded garments to complement their look (£164 per month), interestingly, fans of activewear are prepared to splurge significantly more than those who prefer high street clobber (£66 versus £41 per month), perhaps as a result of the rising popularity of fitness YouTubers and Instagrammers which has prompted a surge in people choosing to wear luxury leggings and gym gear day-to-day.

Signature Style

The study of over 2,000 UK adults, undertaken in conjunction with YouGov, found that most Brits are keen to stay safe when it comes to their signature style; nearly one third (32 per cent) admit they stick to just one timeless look throughout their lives, whereas 3.9 million fashion-focused Brits (six per cent) feel obliged to refresh their wardrobe every season. Many also admitted to changing their look depending on what day it is, with one in five (20 per cent) confessing they sport alternative looks on the weekend.

Fashion Icons

When it comes to influencing Brits’ signature style, nearly one fifth (18 per cent) say their friends inspire them to identify with a particular clothing cult, while 17 per cent admit their style is defined by the city they live in or plan to move to.

Nearly one in ten (7 per cent) of the UK take inspiration from browsing through their favourite fashion magazines and social media is also starting to have an impact on the clothes we wear, with six per cent of Brits looking to bloggers and Instagrammers for fashion pointers. Surprisingly though, half of the nation (50 per cent) have no idea what inspires their signature look, claiming that they can’t pinpoint what makes them dress the way they do.

Clothing Cult Counties

Wales was revealed to be the high-street hoarder hotspot of the UK, with over half of Welsh residents (54 per cent) identifying with fast, affordable fashion. Meanwhile, Yorkshire was found to be the Hipster capital, with 16 per cent of shoppers in the region admitting the trend best described their signature style, while those in the West Midlands are most likely to be seen in a pair of cut-out leggings, with more activewear fans than anywhere else in the UK (18 per cent).

The study also revealed that those from the North-East are the biggest fashion spenders, forking out more than the rest of the UK on their chosen style at £63 per month, while Yorkshire was found to be the least materialistic, setting aside an average of just £35 per month on conforming to their chosen fashion tribe.