Without realizing it, ovulating women buy sexier clothes. That was the conclusion of new research from the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. And, the analysis concludes, the ovulating subjects weren't trying to attract men; rather, they were trying to look better than the women around them.
Women at peak fertility unconsciously choose clothes and other items that enhance their appearance, according to Kristina Durante, a post-doctoral fellow at the Carlson School and co-author of the study. "If you look more desirable than your competition, you are more likely to stand out," the school quoted her as saying.
She added: "In order to entice a desirable mate, a woman needs to assess the attractiveness of other women in her local environment to determine how eye-catching she needs to be to snare a good man."
The study's researchers showed ovulating women photographs of attractive local women and asked them to choose clothing and accessory items to purchase.
Most of the women chose sexier products than those who had been shown photographs of unattractive local women or women who lived more than 1,000 miles away. Women who weren't ovulating didn't respond in kind.
According to Durante, the research has practical implications for marketers because ovulation may profoundly influence women's consumer behavior. In addition to clothing, the products included shoes, fashion accessories, cosmetics, health supplements, fitness products and medical procedures.
The research will be published in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Consumer Research.
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