Spending on womenswear is decreasing - but there's one category bucking the trend, according to Roy Morgan Research.
The proportion of Australians aged 14+ buying womenswear in an average four-week period has decreased by almost five percentage points since 2008.
The research firm claims the figure has dropped from 37 per cent to around 32 per cent of the population.
The women’s sportswear category, on the other hand, has remained fairly stable over the same period.
Roy Morgan research even reveals a moderate rise in sales between October 2012 and September 2013.
Roy Morgan Research consumer products group account manager Warren Reid said the results are reflected in practice.
“Despite consumer confidence slowly increasing and international clothing retailers such as Zara and Topshop opening in Australia in recent years, the proportion of the population buying women’s clothing on the whole is declining.
"Obviously, womenswear is a very broad category, and there are some exceptions. Sales of women’s dresses, for example, are much higher than they were six years ago, despite showing no growth in the last couple of years.
“Women’s sportswear, meanwhile, has been reasonably consistent, and has seen a subtle increase in the last year.
"The success and expansion of active-wear retailer Lorna Jane forms part of this category’s consistent performance; even discount stores such as Big W have released their own celebrity co-branded active-wear ranges.
“On top of this, an increasing number of Australian women are participating in sports — particularly individual sports —which has almost certainly had a flow-on effect on sportswear purchases. A daggy tracksuit or old t-shirt and shorts are no longer sufficient: Aussie women want to look stylish and feel comfortable at the same time.”
Bought womenswear or women’s sportswear in an average 4-week period
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia), Oct 2007 – Sep 2013, Australians 14+ average per 12 months n= 19,700. NB: Womenswear includes outerwear, underwear, socks, hosiery and sleepwear.