“It’s Not My Fault, It’s Ovulation”: Scientists Find a Biological Excuse for Buying Chanel and Louis Vuitton

A craving for Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Chanel may actually be written into female biology. Researchers have found that women may be more inclined to buy luxury goods and show them off to others during ovulation, according to the New York Post.

Forget chocolate cravings — could it be that, at a certain point in the month, you suddenly need a new Gucci bag, a Louis Vuitton dress or something from Chanel?

It turns out that women’s attraction to luxury goods may be perfectly natural. In fact, scientists believe it could have a biological explanation.

A new study suggests that during a particular phase of the menstrual cycle, women are more likely to purchase luxury products and display expensive designer items in public.

And researchers say this monthly urge to splurge may come with another surprising benefit: it could potentially increase a woman’s chances of attracting a male partner.

Researchers from South Korea and the United States hypothesized that women would have a stronger desire to buy and display luxury goods around ovulation — roughly two weeks before the start of menstruation.

This is the stage of the cycle when estrogen levels and fertility peak. Research has also suggested that women may experience increased sexual motivation around ovulation and may be more likely to initiate sexual contact.

The Bigger the Logo, the Stronger the Urge to Be Noticed

In the first experiment, researchers asked a group of women to draw logos of various luxury brands.

The result was striking: during ovulation, participants drew larger logos.

The researchers say the finding supports the idea that women may have a stronger desire for conspicuous luxury consumption during this phase — essentially wanting their expensive possessions to be more visible and more likely to catch men’s attention.

The researchers then asked the women what kinds of purchases they would like to make.

Women who were ovulating showed a significantly stronger desire to buy luxury goods for public display. Researchers did not find the same effect when it came to purchases intended for personal use.

According to the authors, this suggests that the desire to buy luxury goods may be linked specifically to the desire to be noticed.

In a third experiment, women who were closer to ovulation were more likely to choose a $100 gift certificate to a luxury retailer, such as Polo Ralph Lauren, rather than one for a more affordable store such as Old Navy.

But then came an intriguing twist.

When participants were told that men did not pay attention to women’s designer clothing, their interest in the luxury brand dropped — even among those who were ovulating.

Hermès as a Signal: “You Can’t Afford Me”

The researchers believe the findings may reflect a form of social strategy.

“What was most interesting to us was that the effect of ovulation on the desire to purchase luxury goods was not simply a general preference for more expensive products,” the researchers noted.

Instead, they argue, the effect appears to be social and strategic. It becomes stronger when luxury consumption takes place in public and has personal social significance, but largely disappears when women believe men are not paying attention to such signals.

The researchers also point out that men and women may use luxury goods for very different reasons.

One popular theory suggests that men display expensive cars, watches and other status symbols to signal to women that they possess sufficient resources and could be a reliable partner.

Women, however, may use luxury for a different purpose.

One theory is that expensive goods allow women to signal their own standards and discourage unwanted suitors.

Imagine a woman carrying a Hermès bag.

To a man who cannot afford such luxury, it could send a fairly unmistakable message:

“You’re not on my level.”

Another theory suggests that women may use luxury goods to signal to other women that their partner has high status — essentially a form of social self-presentation.

So the next time your hand mysteriously reaches for your credit card while shopping for a new designer bag, perhaps you shouldn't blame your lack of willpower.

Blame ovulation.