New research released today (9th December) by menswear brand Jacamo found that over a third (38%) of men do not feel confident about their bodies, with 20% saying they would like guidance on how to dress better for their shape.
A fifth (19%) of males blame the media for promoting unachievable standards of physical build, which consequently has a negative impact on body confidence.
The detailed report focuses on ‘The 2020 Man’, entitled the Modern Man-ual 2.0, it is a continuation of a report first released by the online retailer in 2015. This second edition highlights gaps in conversation when it comes to what it means to be a man today, both inside and out.
Outside of body image, when asked what they think are the most important qualities in a man, 74% said honesty and 73% good manners. To add even more substance to the ‘it’s what’s on the inside that counts’ debate, 74% of men stated they do not think physical strength is key to ‘being a man’.
Looking into the qualities that men deem as showing success in their lives, health (57%) and mental health (52%) are the two biggest measures.
The research also found that a quarter of men don’t feel comfortable talking to anyone at all about their feelings and over half (58%) consider the pub to be their ‘safe space’ and are most likely to meet up with friends there, over anywhere else.
With all these emotions bottled up, on 28th November, Jacamo put its name above a pub, the Jacamo Arm-in-Arms, and encouraged men to come and talk more openly about their feelings. Open for one day only, it was a space for guys to understand one another better and freely express their emotions.
Panel talks with industry experts and sportsmen including Freddie Flintoff, Wasps rugby player Kearnan Myall, boxers Luke Campbell MBE and Dave Allen, were held throughout the day to encourage the conversation.
Kenyatte Nelson, Chief Brand Officer for Jacamo, commented “Our aim at Jacamo has always been to make men feel comfortable and stylish in the clothes that they wear, however it’s obvious from some of our findings that there are much bigger factors at play here, the subject of body confidence for men being just one of them.
“In a world of superficial bias, Jacamo seeks to champion the true measure of a man. We want to help drive a change in how men feel about themselves – it’s something the female fashion industry has made great strides in.
“What’s also been highlighted is the need to encourage men to talk more openly about some of these issues. As a brand, encouraging this conversation will only help us better understand and serve our customer.”
The Modern Manual 2.0 can be viewed in full here: https://www.jacamo.co.uk/shop/page/arm-in-arms-the-man-ual-2019-survey/show.action
You can watch the Jacamo Arm-in-Arms panel discussions here : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnpfTL2QP0TYsEG96u1vZn8XEn589JbN0
