| Though tools are traditionally the | | | | rely on the man of the house to put up |
| domain of the males, there are an | | | | those new shelves), there are now |
| increasing number of tools aimed at the | | | | specially designed girls tool sets. The |
| fairer sex appearing on the market. | | | | main difference in a tool set for the |
| Take one of the most masculine pieces of | | | | girls and a tool set for the guys is the |
| equipment of all time - the Swiss army | | | | colour; the ladies' kits tend to come in |
| knife. Ever since the boy scouts were | | | | pink or in floral designs and some even |
| formed the penknife has been an | | | | come in a stylish hand bag style case, |
| essential piece of kit for any straight | | | | which not only looks good but is also |
| guy. Infinitely useful with their | | | | bound to keep the men's hands off your |
| various corkscrews, blades, pliers, | | | | tools. |
| toothpicks and tweezers, there are few | | | | The auto-industry is also recognising |
| men who don't own at least one of these. | | | | that females offer a significant market |
| However, Victorinox, the company behind | | | | to tap and as such have begun to offer |
| the classic Swiss army knife have in | | | | female-specific roadside tool kits |
| recent years sought to double their | | | | containing all the essential emergency |
| customer base by making penknives aimed | | | | supplies such as jump leads, mobile |
| most definitely towards the ladies. The | | | | phone chargers, screwdrivers, hammers |
| classic knifes are now available in more | | | | and ratchets - again available in pink. |
| female colours (think: pink) as well as | | | | The move into the female market has |
| more compact, elegant designs that would | | | | generally been very well received, |
| slip into a handbag. Other innovations | | | | though there are some hardy feminists |
| that target the female market include | | | | who feel that pink tool kits are |
| the SwissCard, a credit card sized | | | | patronising and have pointed out that |
| multi-tool that fits neatly into a | | | | women don't need tools to be pink to be |
| wallet and contains the essentials such | | | | able to use them. |
| as a nail file, mirror and scissors. | | | | However, the feminised tool sets |
| Other companies have also sought to | | | | continue to attract girls into this |
| feminise what has always been considered | | | | traditionally male dominated area and |
| the domain of the male. In a bid to | | | | for the fairer sex, and the |
| encourage more ladies to take matters | | | | manufacturers alike, that can't be a bad |
| into their own hands (and not to have to | | | | thing. |