The shift isn’t just a matter of taste — it has ramifications for mass apparel, a significant segment of the economy, and the physical face of retail, which is the second-biggest private employer in the United States. Revenue from women’s apparel in the United States was $132.7 billion in 2021, up 7 percent from 2019, while sales of men’s apparel rose 11 percent from 2019 to $76.5 billion, according to data from the NPD Group, a market research firm.As more of that revenue shifts into denim, sneakers and the like, particularly for women, retailers must keep pace. Already, NPD found that dress footwear sales declined 34 percent l …
