General

Women like more primal “hairy, muscular” men during tough economic times

Say goodbye to the hairless metrosexual

As the economy shrinks after a decade of gluttonous consumption—demographer Bernard Salt says new taboos against smoking, gambling, corporate greed, immoral behaviour and obesity have lead to a rise in environmentalism and the death of the metrosexual. Salt says a study shows that the length of women’s hemlines also reflects changes in the economy. Hemlines rise during a boom, he says, and drop during a recession. In a boom, women are not worried about their financial security and are “attracted to slim, geeky, metrosexual hairless males,” he told the audience at a marketing convention in Brisbane, Australia. “Whereas in a downturn, evolutionary theory kicks in for survival, and women are concerned about their food supply and look for someone a little more muscular, more primal, a little more hairy.” Salt cites a rise in fear as the reason why people “retreat to the tribe for security,” and why women would be attracted to a man who could “fight off a mammoth,” adding that marketing will probably reflect this shift in consumer tastes.

Brisbane Times

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
FILED UNDER: