UK Generation Y male fashion consciousness

Purpose – As social theorists propose that there has been an intensification of social and commercial pressures on men to become fashion consumers, this paper sets out to examine the proposition by investigating fashion consciousness of Generation Y male consumers. Design/methodology/approach – Data were gathered from a survey of 346 male respondents aged between 18‐25 who completed a fashion consciousness questionnaire, which was then factor‐analysed. Findings – Relatively high levels of fashion consciousness were found, but not necessarily fashion adoption. Factor analysis showed that men view fashion in highly simplistic terms and there is still a strong “anti‐fashion” dimension to the average young male consumer. Research limitations/implications – Drawing on the fields of psychology and sociology, it is argued that “anti‐fashion” fashion consumption creates the distinction necessary for men to create a defensible masculine practice. Practical implications – The “anti‐fashion” motivation is of interest to marketers and provides a basis for planning retailing and branding approaches. The key to fashion marketing for men would be to show how clothing could overcome some of these fears, e.g. not earning or achieving enough. Originality/value – Being such a nascent potential market segment, there are no empirical studies that specifically focus on male Generation Ys.