Shin Dong-pyo (44), the head of a simultaneous interpretation academy, lays out three sets of clothes on his bed every morning to pick the right outfit for the day. Bracelets and necklaces are among the regulars, and when he feels like it he wears earrings to complete the ensemble. Since last November, he has been doing aerobic exercises two hours a day and skips dinner because he wants to wear tight-fitting clothes.
Park Jin-kyu (45) booked into a skincare clinic in Seoul¡¯s Apgujong-dong for scaling last month. He says he has a facial once or twice a month, adding that all his friends are interested in looking younger too.
Time was the Rookie Blue jeans shop in Shinsegae Department Store targeted 20 or 30-somethings. But now, 80 percent of customers are in their 40s and 50s. The most popular buy among them is Seven Jeans, which fit tight at the buttocks and thighs. ¡°Not anyone can wear them. You need a great body,¡± a shop manager says.
Men in the age bracket don¡¯t want to be left behind when it comes to looking good, and with a little help from the professionals they now dare to wear the same low-rise jeans as their sons. Aftershave alone will no longer do: many experiment with skin care masks and other lotions and potions to tighten jowls and enliven tired skin.
The online trading firm Auction says men over 40, who as recently as 2002 accounted for a mere 10 percent of its cosmetics customers, made up 23 percent as of 2005. Kim Seok-jung, who sells men¡¯s clothes on Auction, reports that the flares with a white belt worn by actor Cho In-sung were meant for guys in their mid-20 but proved a huge hit among the 40-plus fraternity.
Experts say it is an increase in their leisure time that has got middle-aged men more interested in and aware of fashion and individuality. A researcher at the Samsung Fashion Institute, Kim Jeong-hee says, ¡°The five-day week has meant that men wear more casual outfits; it¡¯s not so odd any more to see middle-aged men wearing jeans.¡±
A more cynical explanation is that the threat of early retirement is driving men to try and look younger. Professor Chun Sang-in of Seoul National University¡¯s Graduate School of Environmental Studies points out, ¡°In a society that capitalizes on appearance, men over 40 are beginning to groom to survive in the competition.¡±
Retailers and cosmetics companies are picking up on the trend. LG Fashion started selling jeans for 30 and 40-something men for the first time last spring, and the first batch sold out fast. Production doubled for fall and winter
The Mirepa men¡¯s skincare masks Amore Pacific launched in July 2004 sold up to 650,000 packets by December 2005, making W3 billion (US3 million). ¡°We were surprised at the boost of the men¡¯s cosmetic market,¡± an Amore Pacific staffer says. Having spotted the potential of the market, the company held a grooming class for men every Friday from September to December last year for its 1,400 male staff. Its aim was to find out what men are looking for and reflect their views in developing new products. A Shinsegae Department Store official says, ¡°Men¡¯s desire to groom themselves will grow along with their income, so we¡¯re soon going to target 50-something men, who have the greatest purchasing power.¡±
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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