Recession? What recession? Research into the shopping habits of Britain’s women has found that spending on clothes, gym memberships and holidays has recovered over the past six months and is now higher than before the credit crunch.

The research, by Post Office Financial Services, also found that millions of women are quietly borrowing from relatives to maintain their spending, in what it says is an attempt to uphold an image and avoid potential redundancy.

Consumer spending psychologist Donna Dawson says: “What we are seeing in the shopping habits of these women is not escapism or avoidance of the truth—it is actually more shrewd and calculated than that. When the economy is insecure, people and jobs can fall with it, and so these women have gone into 'survival mode', polishing up their images to ensure their economic and emotional survival. Also, a woman knows that investing in herself is the best way to boost self-confidence, especially in troubled times,”

Sophie Stringer, a 28-year-old freelance researcher for a non-profit organisation, has continued to buy smart clothes during the recession as she believes it is important to look your best when "you are your only representative”.

She has also recently joined a gym for the first time in her life to keep herself fit and healthy, as sick days are a no-no when you’re not permanent staff. Sophie says: “When you’re working for yourself you’re your own brand to an extent, so I look after myself... and tell myself it’s an investment.”

Down on the high street, many shoppers regard saving as pointless when interest rates are so low.

"I can’t see the point in saving because of low interest rates. I don’t have much disposable income, so what I do have I would rather spend on treating myself."says Harriet Lane, a 27-year-old school nurse from Oxford.

According to the Post Office, the research revealed that “over 15 million women have not reduced the number of credit cards they use during the credit crunch, and nearly 3 million are borrowing money from a relative to keep their finances topped up.”

Beccy Boden Wilks at the National Debtline says she still regularly deals with individuals hypnotised by our spending culture: “Over the years I have worked with young women that were funding a lifestyle they can’t afford. One girl went on a shopping trip to New York when she was in debt. It’s expensive to go to New York anyway, let alone to go shopping.”

Wilkins Kennedy said that 55% of all under 24-year-olds going bankrupt are women, compared to just 48.3% five years ago. Last year, there were 1,560 women under 24 declared bankrupt compared to 1,250 men from the same age group.

“Five years ago it tended to be young men who got out of their financial depth, but now it is far more likely to be young women who spend irresponsibly. That gap between the genders seems to be growing," Anthony Cork, director of Wilkins Kennedy said.

He added that there is now a burden on young women to prove their independence by renting or owning their own flat—a problem that young men seem to suffer from less. According to the Office of National Statistics, 29% of 20 to 34-year-old men now live with their parents compared to just 18% of women. Cork added, “Too many young, single women have taken out mortgages that eat up far too much of their monthly salaries. This makes them vulnerable to changes in interest rates and makes them far more likely to go bankrupt if they lose their job.”