Fashion-conscious mums spend more on themselves than new school uniform, research finds

The survey, carried out by community website Channel Mum, found the average mum lavishes £189 on herself compared to £186 per child on new kit.

Most of this money goes on new clothes and beauty treatments, with almost half of the 1,251 mums who took part saying it was because they felt under pressure to look good at the school gates.

More than a quarter admitted dieting ahead of the new school year and six out of ten planned to take ‘back to school’ selfies to post on social media.

ChannelMum.com founder Siobhan Freegard said: “For many young mums the walk to school is their catwalk and a chance to show off their style.

“Back to school - or starting school for some families - is a huge event in a young family’s life and of course most will document it on social media.

“While busy mornings mean it’s not possible to look super stylish every day on the school run, making an extra effort for Back to School underlines how important the day is for families.”

The research also found five per cent of mothers used cosmetic produicts including Botox and fillers, while 2.5 per cent have teeth whitening or cosmetic dental work to improve their appearence ahead of the start of school.