Henry David Thoreau is considered a thoroughly American thinker, but in 1854, when he wrote, "Beware of all enterprises that require new clothing," he proved he was also a thoroughly American male. As many a wife and mother will attest, Thoreau's wariness toward fashion is a gender trait that persists to this day. But as frustrating as male shopping avoidance may be for women, their angst is nothing compared with that of menswear manufacturers and retailers.
Sales of men's apparel were down 7% last year from the year before. Sales of women's apparel were down as well, 6.7%. But $89.3 billion was spent on women's clothing, while only $50.9 billion was spent on men's, according to the market-research firm NPDFashionworld. The perennially smaller menswear figures have been exacerbated in recent years by a sluggish economy and the switch to casual dress at work. While a high-quality man's suit, with its attendant tie and shirt, starts at $400, a pair of khakis and a polo shirt can be had for $100. Though the garment industry sees hope in the return to more traditional dress codes at a few buttoned-down firms, it seems doubtful that there will ever be a widespread restoration of the formality of years past.
Given that most men don't buy new clothes until the ones they have are irredeemably stained or torn, how do retailers get them to acquire more khakis and buttoned-down shirts when they already have several in their closet? In effect, by throwing in the towel. A wave of new products suggests that manufacturers are finally conceding that they will never get most men interested in high fashion. So, helped by new technology, they are appealing to men's baser fashion instincts and habits.
Thus stain-resistant trousers. The idea of pants as a bib is one whose time has come. Levi's Dockers brand has unveiled its Go Khaki with Stain Defender line. Treated with DuPont Teflon, these trousers allow the wearer to spill any "oil or water-based liquid" (e.g., beer, salad dressing) and have it bead up and roll off. Earlier this year, Lee introduced its Performance Khaki, which uses Nano-Care, microscopic whiskers that repel spills.
The mere challenge of testing the product may be inducement enough to buy. "Men like gadgetry, and any kind of product enhancement that doesn't sacrifice style can drive them to purchase even when they don't need to," says Marshal Cohen, co-president of NPDFashionworld. Dockers declined to give specific sale figures, but the company is so pleased with the response to the new product that it has introduced stain-resistant shirts. Ties and dress pants are next.
At the Marshall Field's department store in the suburban Chicago Woodfield Mall, salesman Jim Heneghan, 17, finds that demonstrating the Dockers technology for customers often helps close a sale. "They're in awe," he says. "Mostly it's the wives--they're tired of getting the stains out of the pants."