STORY:
Machismo Trends 2000

Cigars are out, scotch is in as symbols of guyness begins to change

(Everything2000) Last year you could buy a guy a cigar and you would be hip. This year, that’s not the case. The trends for a new millennium are changing and it’s time to catch up.

Cigars are out. In fact, today there's a glut of hand-rolled cigars and an estimated 10 percent drop in cigar sales this year. Cigar bars and cigar stores are declaring bankruptcy in record numbers.

The cowboy and country craze peaked in the mid-1990s, and boot manufacturers are now having a tough time competing against Nike and other forms of athletic footwear, losing out to sneakers even in the traditional cattle country of the West. Cowboy boots make up barely 1 percent of the American footwear market.

And while there are few reliable figures that mark the tattoo industry, there's a general feeling that the frenzy for body ink has cooled, buffeted by other forms of self-mutilation, such as body piercing.

Now that the attention is off of cigars, boots and tattoos what is in for men these days? Some experts say Harley's are still hot. Demand for the bikes exceeds production. Cigars may be out, but Zippo lighters are in. Sales figures show the lighters soaring in popularity. Guys seem to like to carry them around, whether they smoke or not.

Beef is back. Beef demand is headed back up according to recent statistics. That’s after a 20-year decline in sales.

How about a shot of bourbon with that beef. Bourbon and scotch seems to be selling these days.

It is too early in the new century to pick which items will be hottest and attract the most attention. However, the trends are pointing toward beef and bourbon so if you’re looking for a gift you might want to buy a dinner certificate at a steak house or a bottle of booze. (Source: Star Tribune)

DATE: 1/28/2000

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