Two-thirds of U.S. men (67%) say they don't mind paying extra for good-quality products, yet only 52% enjoy trying new brands, so many men buy the same basics again once a tee fits well.
Our team reviewed national shopper research from 2023 to 2026 to find where men's buying habits split from women's. The sections below follow that data from the first product search to the final return label.
Key Takeaways
- Men pay for quality: 67% of men don't mind paying extra for good-quality products, compared with 60% of women.
- Men favor stores: 79% of men plan to do at least some holiday shopping in physical stores, compared with 67% of women.
- Men spend less on clothing: The average U.S. household spent $374 on men's apparel in 2024, about 59% of the $632 it spent on women's apparel.
- Men want tees: 69% of men want T-shirts as a holiday gift, compared with 46% of women.
Men Pay More for Quality and Chase Fewer Deals
National survey data from 2024 to 2026 show men putting quality ahead of coupons. The table below compares men with women on six core shopping habits.
| Shopping Habit | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Don't mind paying extra for good-quality products | 67% | 60% |
| Will pay more for products that save time | 66% | 61% |
| Name "best price" as a deciding factor | 39% | 30% |
| Use sales, coupons, or deals every time they shop | 63% | 76% |
| Enjoy trying new brands | 52% | 62% |
| Check product reviews before buying | 39% | 44% |
Key Insights:
- Fewer men than women enjoy trying new brands, and 59% of all consumers prefer to buy apparel from the same brands.
- Men will spend more for quality, yet 39% still name best price as a deciding factor, so they look for a proven product at a fair price.
Men Still Shop Stores More Than Women
Physical stores draw a larger share of men than women, even as more men than women plan to grow their online shopping. Only 7% of men expect to cut their online shopping in the year ahead, compared with 13% of women. In our analysis below, four channel metrics show where men plan to buy.
| Channel Metric | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Plan to do some holiday shopping in physical stores | 79% | 67% |
| Plan to increase online shopping in 2025 | 33% | 26% |
| Shop online two to three times a week | 48% | 45% |
| Shop mainly for themselves | 69% | 62% |
Key Insights:
- Men named online marketplaces as their top online source at 56%, above the 53% average for all shoppers.
- Most men (69%) shop mainly for themselves, so they pick most basics for their own drawers.
Household Spending on Men's Apparel Peaked in 2023
Federal spending records show household spending on men's apparel up 56% from 2020 to 2024, though it trailed spending on women's apparel every year. The federal survey measures spending per consumer unit, its term for a household. Our data indicate the annual average per household in the table below:
| Year | Men 16 and Over | Women 16 and Over |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $240 | $456 |
| 2021 | $310 | $549 |
| 2022 | $347 | $644 |
| 2023 | $406 | $655 |
| 2024 | $374 | $632 |
Key Insights:
- Household spending on men's apparel fell 8% from $406 in 2023 to $374 in 2024.
- Men's apparel spending reached 59% of women's apparel spending in 2024, up from 53% in 2020.
Search Engines Reach More Men Than Women
Personal recommendations drive product discovery for both genders, but men turn to search engines far more often than women. The table below ranks six discovery channels by their reach among men.
| Discovery Channel | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Recommendations from friends, family or colleagues | 47% | 53% |
| Search engines | 44% | 38% |
| Ads on websites or social media | 35% | 39% |
| TV or radio commercials | 33% | 28% |
| Social media influencers or bloggers | 23% | 29% |
| AI chat services | 8% | 5% |
Key Insights:
- Men trail women by 6 points on influencer discovery, so creator campaigns reach a smaller share of male shoppers.
- Search engines reach 44% of men, so a detailed product page often gives men their first look at a brand.
T-Shirts Top Men's Wish Lists While Fit Drives Returns
T-shirts sit at the center of men's basics shopping, and a poor fit sends more clothing back than any other problem. Shoppers also expect those tees to last, as 88% say clothing should be durable enough to last for a long time. Our data indicates the core T-shirt and fit metrics in the table below.
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Men who want T-shirts as a holiday gift | 69% (46% of women) |
| Consumers who bought T-shirts recently | 40% |
| Shoppers with a fiber preference who want cotton T-shirts | 69% |
| Share of returns due to poor fit or the wrong size | 44% |
| Consumers who name clothing as their most-returned category | About 67% |
| Average waist of a U.S. man aged 20 and over | 40.6 inches |
| Average height of a U.S. man aged 20 and over | 68.9 inches |
Key Insights:
- The average U.S. man wears a 40.6-inch waist, so tees with extended sizes and a relaxed midsection fit more real bodies.
- Fit problems cause 44% of returns, so a detailed size guide gives shoppers a practical way to pick the right size before they buy.
Further Reading
- Consumer Preferences in Men's Apparel, Quality vs Price
- The Cost of Looking Good: Men's Wardrobe Spending Guide
- T-Shirt Industry 2026: Market Size, Stats & Trends
- What Makes a Perfect Men's T-Shirt, A Data-Driven Analysis
Want every number from this study in one place for your next wardrobe refresh? Request a PDF copy of this report, and we will send the complete data set straight to your inbox.
Sources
- YouGov: The Gender Divide: How U.S. Men and Women Shop Differently (2026)
- Chain Store Age: Survey: Men to Out-Shop Women Online, Possibly Spend More in 2025 (2025)
- Morning Consult: The State of Apparel Shopping (2025)
- Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor: With Consumers Pulling Back on Holiday Spending, This Is What They Plan to Buy (2025)
- Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor: Consumers & Brands Explain Why These Pieces Are the Foundation of Every Wardrobe (2026)
- FRED Economic Data: Expenditures: Apparel, Men, 16 and Over: All Consumer Units (2025)
- FRED Economic Data: Expenditures: Apparel, Women, 16 and Over: All Consumer Units (2025)
- Shorr Packaging Resources: Consumer Report: Return Habits (2025)
- CDC FastStats: Body Measurements (2025)
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