Why Men's Clothes Are Cheaper Than Women's Clothes

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If you’ve ever shopped for a woman and thought the prices seemed crazier than normal, you’re not just having a cheap moment. Chances are, the clothes are actually more expensive than what you’re used to. Higher prices in the women’s section can sometimes be chalked up to the materials used and the workmanship that goes into the clothing, but there are other factors that could be playing a part, too—particularly if you’re eyeing the price tag of a simple sweater and not, say, an elaborate gown.

This week The Business of Fashion looked at pricing discrepancies in luxury brands and found that Saint Laurent, Valentino, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, and Balmain all sell identical items for different prices depending on gender. A Saint Laurent striped sweater, for example, sells for $240 less in the men’s section than the women’s section. In cases like this, when there’s no significant difference in the craftsmanship and materials used to create the women’s version of the garment, there are really two things that could be happening.

One, brands could be raising prices in order to offset certain risks and hidden costs associated with selling to women. Buying more sizes or colors for women, for example, might inspire the brand to raise the price on something. Women’s manufactured goods are also subject to higher tariff rates in the US and EU—a controversial issue itself—which may cause retailers to charge more at checkout.

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The other thing that could be happening is that brands could simply be taking advantage of, as BOF puts it, “the fact that women shop more and are willing to pay more for fashion than men”. Men are thought to approach buying clothes with more pragmatism, which prevents retailers from hiking up prices without reason. One major exception to this stigma is the sneaker market, where marketers play all kinds of pricing and availability games with men knowing how emotional the connection is for them.

So there’s the catch. The more you care about your clothes, the more difficult it’ll become to navigate the market. Our advice: Educate yourself on the markers of quality (we can help with that) and, at least for now, buy your girlfriend’s gifts in the men’s department.

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