I can hear people asking already; you meant to write women,
right? Just forgot “wo” correct? Nope, not a mistake, men are getting into
footwear bigtime! And they are rapidly catching up to the ladies for their love
of, and dollar spends for footwear. Men’s shoe sales in the USA are now
virtually tied with women’s; it is estimated that the gents in the USA spent $26.2
billion in 2016 on footwear compared with the ladies $29.9 billion shoe bill
and that gap keeps getting narrower every year. So why did guys suddenly decide
that they do need more than two pairs of shoes? Those stinky gym sneakers and
those dress shoes for interviews? Well, let’s look at men and their growing
obsession with shoes.
Men and their sneaker obsession- so let’s start with one of the
more obvious reasons guys are crazy about sneakers. If you are ever in New
York, you should check out Stadium Goods to see this obsession in its full
glory. This store specializes in rare and limited-edition sneakers, need a
super rare pair of Nike Air Mag sneakers? The 2016 version of these futuristic
sneakers from the Back to the Future movie franchise can be purchased there for
about $25 grand and yes, they actually self-lace! But let’s not dive into
the sneakerhead
subculture at this point and instead let’s focus on a few critical aspects
about average guys and their sneakers. For starters, thanks to the culture
shift to casual apparel they are now acceptable in most settings both work and
leisure. Guys do love their athletic sneakers but another important trend to
follow is the increase in demand for luxury branded sneakers. We are talking here
about your high-quality leather sneakers usually around a few hundred dollars
that are generally paired up with the sports jacket for that semi-formal/casual
look. And of course, let’s not forget the knock around sneakers, not the fancy
going out on the town sneakers just the ordinary type. What is surprising is
just how many pairs of these guys now have in their closet, guys are just like
the ladies in that they are really starting to appreciate the importance of
variety in their wardrobe.
Boots are still staples to any man’s closet- so
what’s in on the boot front? The Chelsea and the Chukka for sure but the work
boot and the heritage boot(this being the boot that your grandfather might have
worn) are hot. Boots are no longer as seasonal sensitive as they once were,
sure your probably not sporting your boots on a 90-degree day, but they are no
longer relegated to the fall and winter months.
The dress shoe repurposed- The oxford toe cap
has not been relegated to the ash heap of history, instead it’s been given new
life by being paired with some dark form-fitting jeans. In other words, they
are not out of style, just getting some new life and use outside of the suit
and tie business setting. Again, the guys are looking for quality and form.
Guys are buying these shoes for the long haul, so they should be timeless in
their style and quality in their construction.
A note to the reseller- Now Is undoubtedly a great time to be
selling men’s footwear. As a reseller what you need to keep in mind is that this
is a wildly popular category and competition is fierce for a limited amount of
merchandise. Don’t sit on your hands in this category, if you find a lot to
your liking move fast as it can quickly disappear before you get a chance to
buy it.