TWELVE million men are sat at their desks this morning wearing something which was chosen for them by their wife or partner, it has emerged.
Researchers have found two thirds of blokes rely on their partners to pick out clothing such as a tie, shirt, shoes or even suit, with many blaming their lack of confidence in the style stakes.
It also emerged half of men were physically 'dressed' by the significant other this morning in the shape of a helping hand doing up their tie, or inserting collar stiffeners and cuff links.
Yesterday a spokesman for www.StylePilot.com – a site which helps men of all ages pick out the right style of clothing to suit them – said: ‘’Many men want to be better dressed, but lack style knowledge and confidence.
‘’That’s why millions of men are relying on other women in their lives – particularly their wives or partners – to help choose what to wear to work so they look good not just at work but for other occasions.
‘’Many men feel like they’re stuck in a style rut and don’t know where to begin when it comes to sorting out their fashion sense.
‘’Coupled with the fact most men hate traipsing around shops on a Saturday, facing crowds and busy changing rooms means a large chunk of men tend to wear the same jeans at the weekend
‘’They also have the same style of shoe or shirt and some have even feel this has held them back in life.
‘’And while they may judge their friends when they step out in something new, many are in fact jealous of their style but fear being ridiculed if they wear something out of their comfort zone.
‘’That’s why we have set up Style Pilot which is an online style advisor that will help men create their own style and make shopping for clothes dead easy.’’
The study quizzed 1,000 men in full time employment between 18 and 60 years of age on their attitudes towards their fashion sense and confidence with their style.
It found one in six men have a helping hand to pick out what to wear every day of the week, while the majority said clothes are laid out in front of them on at least four days.
And they are most likely to receive help on a Monday morning.
A quarter said they’re most likely to struggle choosing what to don for parties, while one in five struggle with choosing the right attire for meetings and one in six said work.
It also emerged half of blokes get fashion tips from their wife or girlfriend, three in ten get told what to wear or even have clothes bought them by their mum and one in six have their mother-in-law to thank.
Three in ten are told what goes together and what doesn’t and one in five have their clothes laid out for them.
The survey revealed reasons behind why millions of men’s choice of attire is influenced by their other half or women in their lives.
A third said they ‘trust her judgment’, 29 per cent said they have a better idea what looks good and one in six ‘give in for an easy life’. One in twenty said they lack the confidence to pick out the right thing.
And it seems men around the country have their other half to thank for stocking up their wardrobe as four in ten women buy socks, underwear and shirts for their man. T-shirts, jeans and jumpers also feature on their ‘to-buy’ list.
The study delved deeper into the psyche of men’s attitudes towards their style.
It found a fifth reckon their style can be improved, 12 per cent went as far as to say their lack of fashion sense has held them back in life – such as at an interview – and seven per cent are embarrassed as to what they step out of the house in.
One in six said they wear the same thing every day and don’t deviate from the colour they’re used to, while a quarter admitted they don’t find shopping for clothes easy.
One in seven said they ‘don’t have time’, the same number have no inclination and 13 per cent struggle to find items to fit their body shape.
But 17 per cent said they are jealous of how their mates look and 15 per cent have ended up complimenting them on their look.
Three in ten are more likely make fun of a friend on what he’s wearing though, despite the same number saying they hate feeling like they’re being judged.
