IT IS known as the Kylie Minogue effect.

British women are casting off their dowdy reputation and overtaking the French as Europe's biggest spenders on slinky underwear.

Women in the UK are now spending Pounds 72 a year each on underwear.

Out goes the unflattering Bridget Jones image of big knickers and in comes Kylie's range of lingerie as British women try to emulate the singer's sexy looks. They now splash out significantly more than Germans and Italians and half as much again as the Spanish on tiny confections of silk, satin and lace.

The French still spend more on bras and knickers, but lose top spot because British women dip deeper for nightwear, according to a study by the French Institute of Fashion.

Mary Flack, of Fenwicks in Bond Street, said: "The notion of British women not taking care about their underwear is rooted in the past. They will often spend more on underwear than the rest of their clothes because it makes them feel good."

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