Women spend three years shopping for the perfect shoes and handbag

The average British woman steps out in £31,680 worth of shoes in her lifetime and spends a total of three years on the hunt for the perfect must-have accessories to complement her outfits.

A survey released today by Churchill Home Insurance also revealed that aside from clothes, 44 per cent of women admit that shoes are their biggest weakness when they hit the shops, with 86 per cent of women saying they buy a least one new pair every month. 

But it’s not just shoes that women go wild for – belts, handbags, hats and jewellery are also must-have accessories for the outfits of millions of women. 

Martin Scott, Head of Churchill Home Insurance said: “This is a great example of how people purchase items, and then forget about the accumulative value of them once they are in the wardrobe.”

The survey confirms what men have long suspected – most women have a Carrie Bradshaw (Sex in the City) like obsession with shoes.  In fact, a third of women admitted to having 25 pairs in their wardrobe, totalling a value of around £1000, while a further 1.3 million women own well over 30 pairs of shoes.

Over a lifetime, the average British woman will shell out a total £15,840 on other accessories like handbags and jewellery.

Sixty per cent of women say they currently own ten handbags, while some have a serious handbag habit – 3 per cent admitted to owning at least 25 different bags.

The research also found:

• 80 per cent of women admit to having ten belts in their wardrobe
• Two in five (42 per cent) admit that they regularly splash out on accessories even though they don’t really need them
• Most women started shopping for their own clothes at 14 years old

Martin Scott added: “Shopping is the fun side of this.  The practical and essential side is that householders should make sure that their home insurance will cover the replacement value of all their possessions.”

Unsurprisingly, a guilty one in five (21 per cent) women hide their shopping from their partners, and another one in five (22 per cent) lie to their partners about how much they spend on accessories.

Research carried out on behalf of Churchill Insurance by 72 Point, amongst 2000 women during July 2005.
£31,680 = £40 per month x 12 months a year x 66 years shopping.

For more information please contact:
Frances Browning
Churchill Insurance
020 8313 5965
pressoffice@churchill.com

Churchill Insurance Company Limited. Calls may be recorded. Conditions apply.