Not liking to shop is part of being a guy. Everyone knows that. But, lately it seems many have forgotten one of the basic laws of guydom.
According to NPD Group, guys are going shopping a lot more and they're not just heading out the door to pick up some beer, automotive supplies or power tools. No, guys are going out and buying, gulp, clothes.
Today, guys are spending about 10 percent more on clothing than they were two years ago.
"Now it's not uncool anymore to pay attention to fashion," said Melissa Payner, chief executive officer of Bluefly, told the Contra Costa Times. "Think about the increasing amount of men's shopping magazines. It's socially and culturally OK to care about fashion."
Clarissa Nicosia, who teaches about consumer behavior at the Art Institute of San Francisco, said, "Shopping is another outlet for men to feel more special and unique in the world. Men don't like to admit to it, but subconsciously they will spend an extra dollar on products, clothes, materials and experiences that will make them feel accepted, loved and unique."
The clothing Jones does not appear to be relegated to any one portion of the male population, according to industry experts.
Lee Petersen, executive director of the retail design firm WD Partners, said men between 20 and 40 are looking for trendy, hipper styles while older guys are trying to look younger and stylish at the same time.
While males of all ages may be buying more clothes, they are still guys when it comes to how they go about shopping.
"Guys are more serious; even if they are avid shoppers, they want to get in and get out," said Jay Underwood, owner of Atlas, a men's clothing store in Walnut Creek, Cal.
"The main key is to know your customer," he said. "Find out what they're shopping for and then give them outfits and items so that they go into the fitting room and then be done."
Mr. Underwood, who opened his shop four years ago, has seen annual sales grow by at least 30 percent every year since then.
"Guys are individualistic," Mr. Underwood said. "In the 1980s and '90s ... everyone wanted to have the same look. Today that look is different. ... Each guy wants to stylize himself so that he looks different from his friends or other guys on the street."
Discussion Questions: Are male consumers different today than they have been in the not too distant past? What is driving male consumerism today?