GLASGOW's status as the style capital of Scotland has been confirmed with women in the city being named as the UK's second biggest spenders on fashion gear.

GLASGOW's status as the style capital of Scotland has been confirmed with women in the city being named as the UK's second biggest spenders on fashion gear.

They spend an average £1394 a year on the latest look-good items - £354 more than the average spend across Britain.

Brydon Forsyth, at the Mango fashion store in Buchanan Galleries, said: "Image is a very big thing in Glasgow. Women here like to keep up with the fashion.".

Elspeth Campbell, fashion department manageress at John Lewis, said: "Women will regularly buy high-value clothing.

"It is the look many Glasgow women aspire to. They want to take care of themselves and show that."

Glasgow has left Edinburgh women looking a bit bedraggled. Women in the capital spend an average of £1005 each.

However, Scotland's style city has been knocked into second place by Birmingham, where women pay £1813 a year for their fashion items - £419 more than those in Glasgow and almost £800 more than the UK average spend of £1040.

The spending table was compiled by internet money site uSwitch in a survey that also revealed there are more than 750,000 serious shopaholics across Britain.

They shop at least once a week, while the average woman visits a fashion store fewer than three times a month.

A shopaholic will spend almost £200 a month, while the average woman's total spending will not exceed £90.

Most shopaholics will have an average shopping debt of £8092 and they appear not be shy at spending other people's money because almost 500,000 admit they have used their partner's credit card while shopping.

Ann Robinson, of uSwitch, blames easy access to loans, credit cards and shop cards for a "all gain, no pain" attitude among shopaholics.

She said: "Fat used to be a feminist issue, but it looks like it has been overtaken by debt."