Does following fashion have to be a costly business?

According to new research from consumer site VoucherCodes, fashion fans typically spend around £48 per month - the equivalent of £572 per year - on clothing in order to keep up with their chosen trend.

Whether it is full-on designer glamour, the hipster vintage look, the activewear trend or hoarding the latest high-street finds, the costs all mount up.

In the UK, more than two-fifths of shoppers (43 per cent) identify with a particular fashion tribe, according to the survey.

The most popular tribe in the survey was found to be the high-street hoarder although the amount people will spend on clothes depending on which tribe they belong to.

VoucherCodes quizzed more than 2,000 people and looked at the amount of money they typically spend on clothing. They found that high-street hoarders tend to shop in affordable fashion stores and wear current season clothing, spending an average of £40.87 per month to do so.

In the classic and preppy tribe, which is typified by men wearing stripy shirts and V-neck jumpers and women wearing tea dresses, the average monthly spend was found to be £42.38.

Those who favour the nineties grunge look, wearing logo T-shirts, ripped jeans, fishnet tights and old-school-branded sportswear, spend an average of £34.01 each month.

Hipsters, meanwhile, who typically wear vintage clothing, plaid shirts and skinny jeans, will spend £37.32.

People who favour activewear spend considerably more, with luxe leggings, yogawear and fashionable trainers seeing members of this tribe shell out on average £66.14 a month on clothing.

Unsurprisingly, so-called designer divas spend by far the most each month, with those who favour branded garments saying their average clothing bill was £164 each month.

There are a number of factors that influence the style of clothing people are willing to fork out for, with friends proving to be a big influence in our clothing choices. According to the survey, nearly one in five (18 per cent) of respondents said their peer group inspires them to identify with a particular trend.

Where you live may also have an impact, with 17 per cent of participants saying the place they currently live in or plan to move to has had an influence on their style.

Meanwhile, seven per cent said their choices are inspired by their favourite fashion magazines and six per cent look to influencers on social media for fashion pointers.

Nearly a third (32 per cent) have perfected a signature style they stick to as fashion fads come and go, while six per cent overhaul their look each season.

A significant number change their appearance depending on what day of the week it is, with 20 per cent opting for different looks at the weekend.

Despite the inevitable price tag that comes with being a slave to fashion there are ways of cutting costs without having to compromise on style.

For designer divas, who face the biggest costs typically, signing up for alerts about sample sales held by high-end chains and designer stores could help to save a fortune.

Auction websites, charity shops, cashback websites and online discount codes can also be useful methods to still get what you want, but at a cheaper price.

High-street hoarders may also want to consider totting up the cost of their monthly spending, to weigh up whether a few 'investment' purchases may be more cost-effective than piling up on 'bargain buys' that end up getting worn once or not at all, before being chucked to the back of the wardrobe.

Online marketplaces can be a great place to grab a clothing bargain, with sellers offering an array of services and both second-hand and new items.

However, shoppers should take care that they are not being scammed, regardless of what they are looking to buy.

As July is Scams Awareness Month online marketplace Gumtree has carried out research among people who have fallen victim to online fraud previously.

It warns that consumers should always think twice before snapping up what appears to be a bargain. Gumtree's research found the desire to bag a bargain often overrides people's sense of caution. More than a third of respondents (35 per cent) who thought an advert might be a fraud still went ahead with their purchase anyway.

Remember that fraudsters will often pitch their price cleverly to make the deal they are offering cheap but not too cheap. Items subject to scams tend to cost slightly less than others available for sale, but not so far below the rest of the market as to arouse suspicion - making victims think they have spotted a good deal.

While there are many friendly and genuine sellers, the research found fraudsters can use initial behaviour that appears kind to lull people into a false sense of security, such as offering to travel to a victim's house to exchange goods for money.

Consider asking to see or try out an item before you buy it. Some 17 per cent of scam victims in the survey had been encouraged to pay for an item without seeing it first.

Also beware of sellers wanting to take the conversation away from the website. One in six (15 per cent) of scam victims surveyed had been persuaded to continue their discussion off the website they were using.

Finally, do not cave in to pressure. More than a quarter (27 per cent) of scam victims said they had been put under pressure to complete the transaction quickly.