Forget the stereotype of women being the ones who are the most keen on shopping, while bored men trail behind, dragging their feet.
New research has found that men are actually more style-conscious than their female counterparts, and they outspend women when it comes to buying clothes and shoes.
The study from Barclaycard shows that men are very conscious of being outfit repeaters. 10% of men said they would feel embarrassed for a friend to see them in the same outfit twice, compared to 7% of women.
Men spend an average of £114 each month on clothes and shoes, meaning that they shell out £300 more than women do in a year for these items.
Theyre also the main offenders when it comes to wearing clothes just to get a perfect social media snap and then returning them.
12% of men admitted to shopping exclusively for the outfit of the day hashtag, posting their look online and afterwards, taking the garments, footwear or accessories back to the shop.
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They just need the likes – not the clothes.
The phenomenon of people keeping the tags on items to wear them out once before returning them isnt new.
However, the ever-increasing popularity of documenting our lives and outfits via social media means that people might be feeling added pressure to show off new looks that they either cant afford or dont want to keep.
According to the study, men and women aged between 35 and 44 were the most likely to shop for an #OOTD and then get their money back, with 17% admitting to doing so.
The popularity of online shopping means that returnaholics can now send their unwanted purchases back without even having to deal with a sales assistant face to face, and some retailers offer the option of try before you buy, meaning that you can return an item before paying for it.
Its fraudulent to buy clothes because you want a new Instagram picture or to wear something new on a night out, but its very difficult for shops to prove that customers are making dishonest returns.
More: Fashion
If you take an item that looks unworn back and youve got the tags and the sales receipt, theres not a lot that retailers can do to stop you getting either your money or a gift receipt in exchange.
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Most shops do have return policies, even though theyre not required by law to do so. That is a legal right if the order is online or by phone.
That said, the responsibility rests with the consumer to behave decently and be honest.
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