Holiday shopping is approaching again and whether it is for family or friends, the women will typically be doing most of the shopping. Or will they?
More and more men are being spotted out shopping for not only others, but for themselves. Hey girls, men might be more useful shoppers than we think.
“Finally boyfriends, husbands and colleagues are happily spending hours at downtown boutiques and major departments store – on their own free will,” the New York Post recently reported.
Here at Fairfield University male fashion can be spotted all over campus. From Armani to Lacoste, many males at Fairfield care what they look like.
“It’s not entirely about the shopping. It’s more about the look,” said Jack Kershaw ’05. “I would rather just go and get what I want and not waste time worrying about prices.”
Kershaw does not mind shopping for and spending high amounts on the right shirt or pair of pants. He also prefers specialty shops over malls because they offer a more elite selection.
Michael Flocker, author of “Metrosexual Guide to Style,” told the New York Post that men have simply accepted it’s all right to care about their appearance.
Although women can often be found shopping to feel better, relieve stress or to simply pass time, men do it more for one specific reason: to look good.
For those men who still rebel against boutiques and malls, the solution is online shopping. According to an AT’T Broadband survey of web users, online shopping is actually more used by men than women. Fifty-eight percent of men prefer online shopping compared to a 43 percent of women.
Ben Manchak ’05 says that if he knows what he wants he will go out and get it in a store, but he does not like malls and prefers the Internet.
“I am addicted to eBay,” said Manchak. “The thing I hate about online shopping is the longs lines, Psyche! That is totally what I love about online shopping, there are no lines.”
Manchak uses eBay mainly to shop for original belt buckles ranging from trucks to Pabst Blue Ribbon symbols.
As for woman being big spenders, there is evidence that men are worse. Since many are new at the phenomenon called shopping they tend to spend big.
Actor Russell Crowe told Jay Leno on “The Tonight Show” that he is an “expert shopper” and when he shops he like to spend big.
But pricey shopping is not only for the rich and famous.
“I got this jacket specially made and sent here from Italy. It is Armani, and it is worth a few thousand dollars,” said Anthony Pasqua, a graduate from Johnson ‘ Wales University.
There are still men out there who don’t get their kicks from shopping.
“I own two pairs of jeans and that is all I need,” said Jason Lambert ’05. “I like the mall; that is where Cinnabon and Candy Works is.”
But watch out girls, shopping is one of the things we are known for in this “Mans World.” Now our world is being invaded by men.
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