Why economists study hemline lengths and men's underwear sales for clues we could be headed for a recession
- Economists have tracked all sorts of buying behavior over the years that indicates the health of the economy.
- For example, one measure called the lipstick index says that people buy more little luxuries, like lipstick, when the economy is worse.
- These measures aren't foolproof and some are even downright wacky. But they could be a fun way to gauge which direction the economy is heading.
Lipstick index