Chapter I

CLOTHING DECISIONS

This chapter covers the

following lessons:

Lesson 1. Wearing Clothing

Considerations
Lesson 2. Purchasing Clothing
Considerations

Definition of Key Terms

Clothing. An item worn on the human body. It is specifically made of fabrics

or textiles, animal skin or other thin sheets of materials put
together.

Fashion. The prevailing style during a particular time.

Odd. Different from what is usual or expected.

Ply. How many yarns are twisted together to make a single thread.

Wardrobe. A collection of wearing apparel.

Vanity sizing. The practice of labelling clothing with sizes smaller than the
item’s measurements and industry standards would indicate.
 Concept Building:
What You Need to Know

Learning Outcomes
In this lesson, students are expected to have:
1. identified considerations in wearing and purchasing clothing;
2. analyzed psychological reasons why clothing is important; and
3. increased awareness on the economic and environmental
influences of clothing decisions.

Lesson 1- Wearing Clothing Considerations

Purposes of Clothing
Why do people wear clothes? People wear clothes to fulfill certain physical,
psychological and social needs.

1. PHYSICAL NEED
PROTECTION
Clothing is used to give physical protection to the body and to prevent harm
from the climate and environment.
➢ weather- windbreakers, raincoats, hats
➢ environment- shoes, cycling helmets
➢ occupational hazards-hard hat, pads for football, medical gown
➢ from enemies- camouflage, bulletproof vests

2. PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS
It affects a person’s mental attitude or morale in a positive way.

ADORNMENT
Adornment is decoration. It enhances a person’s personality and is used to
enhance attractiveness or beauty. It varies by cultures and time.
➢ People wear clothing to enhance their appearance and attract
attention.
➢ These decorations express uniqueness and creativity and bring
admiration and recognition.
➢ Throughout the history, people have adorned their bodies with
cosmetics, body paint, body piercing, and tattoos in addition to
clothing and jewelry.

IDENTIFICATION
➢ Clothing can help identify people as members of a group.
➢ Uniforms are a way of identifying roles, giving a sense of belonging and
setting a position of authority.
➢ Colors of specific jewelry can be used as identification.
 ➢ Ceremonial garments provide identification.

3. SOCIAL BNEEDS
MODESTY
➢ Refers to what people feel is the proper way for clothing to cover the
body according to the code of decency of their society.
➢ It dictates the appropriate way to cover the body for social acceptance.
➢ It is different for each society, from one situation or activity to another
and can change over time.

STATUS
➢ is the used of clothing to show or gain higher rank in society, social
acceptance and peer-approval.

SOCIAL INHERITANCE
➢ Traditions or customs, passed on from generation to generation that
influence dress according to culture.

Factors Affecting Clothing Selection

The clothes that you choose to buy and wear are influenced by several
factors such as personality, age, season, occasion, income and occupation and
fashion.

1. PERSONALITY
The personality, value and culture of a person can be judge easily from his
dress. Improper dressing makes a person a laughing stock and cause inferiority
complex. On the other hand, proper dresses help in building self-confidence which is
essential for the proper development of personality. This affects our behavior and
mannerism and develops harmony and personality.

2. AGE
Different clothes are required for different age groups. Therefore, you
should be careful in selecting clothes for a particular age group.

3. CLIMATE
The main purpose of clothes is to cover the body. Clothes protect us from
heat and cold and help us in maintaining body temperature in adverse
circumstances. Knowledge of selecting clothes according to climate is essential.

4. OCCUPATION
Clothing is associated with profession. Working people should wear formal
and decent clothes. Vulgar and improper clothes should be avoided. Clothes should
give a feeling of being smart and active.
5. FIGURE
Every person has a unique figure. people should wear clothes in accordance
to his figure irrespective of latest trends in fashion and design. Whatever is the body
shape, clothes can make it look different. By proper us of colors and clothes the
figure flaws can be camouflaged or salient features can be highlighted.

6. OCCASION
Clothes should be suitable to the occasion. If they are not in accordance to
the occasion and place, they would look odd. Therefore, in the selection of clothes,
care should be taken about the occasion on which they are to be worn.

7. FASHION
When buying and wearing clothes, a person must follow latest trend in
fashion. Fashionable clothes look beautiful. One looks odd when one goes out of
fashion. Few fabrics and colors are in fashion while other are not. When buying
clothes, a person must follow latest trend in fashion.

Psychological Reasons of Wearing Clothing

1. It could be an emotional reason.
2. You could just fear change.
3. It might have to do with the near-exposure effect.
4. It can be dependent on your job.
5. If you’re having an identity crisis.
6. It may be because of the bloggers.
7. Your self-esteem plays a big part.

Lesson 2. Purchasing Clothing Considerations

Factors Affecting Clothing Behavior

It is always necessary to determine and explain the factors that greatly
affect our clothing behavior. Following are some important factors that greatly affect
the clothing behavior of man.

1. Technological Reasons
This modern age is considered as “technological era” were in even a child is
already equipped with the latest information. It can be easily said that the latest
technology captures attention of people in choosing the styles, designs and cuts
that suits their personality.
Technological advancements have also changed the mind sets of people
around the world by giving them a multiplicity in clothing items. With the advent of
many latest machinery, people can have the opportunity of having cost effective,
quick, ready to wear, easy to care and easy to handle garments.
Technological changes also bring latest developments in the field of
manufacturing garments.
 Branding and marketing also brought great changes in the field of textiles and
clothing. There are now many ways on introducing a new product that would
immediately captures the attention of the customers.

2. Psychological Factors
Clothing is the most important feature of our lives. Psychological factors
greatly affect the clothing choices of people. When we buy an article of clothing, we
consciously or unconsciously think about its relationship with our personality type. If
anybody is in a happy mood, he/she can easily go with the bright and sharp colors
whereas light and dull colors are usually used in the state of depression, sadness and
gloominess. For example, red color is always associated with the feelings of love and
happiness and yellow or orange shades relate with the sun, feeling of warmness and
anger.
Texture of material is also relevant to the psychology of our minds. For
example, some people prefer to buy a comfortable dress if no matters it is out of
fashion, whereas especially teenagers are more interested in wearing out something
trendy no matters if it creates uneasiness for them. Moreover, it is also said that
when we wear harsh, rough and tough stuff, we are more apt to behave in the same
manner as discourteous, ruthless and rude with others. Same is the case, when we
wear light and soft materials; it helps us to behave in cool, blissful, cheerful and
happy mood.
3. Social Factors
Choosing our clothing greatly depicts our societal values and ethics. Man is a
social animal. Group acceptance has a crucial role in acceptance of clothing.
Everyone wants to be a member of the society in which he lives. But if you deviate
from the set rules and standards of the society then you will be no longer be a part
of it.
If you are very social, then definitely you need to expand your wardrobes
according to the latest trends and styles. And if someone is not very social, he/she
needs less number of clothes.
There are different levels of modesty in different cultures and religions. For
example, any article of clothing that is acceptable in one religion may not be
acceptable in another religion, so while choosing an outfit, one should know his/her
limits and boundaries set by their religion.

4. Economic Factors
Economy is always the most important factor in bringing change in one’s
lifestyle. Families with fewer members have the opportunity to spend a lot of
money on their clothing whereas it becomes difficult for a large family.

5. Aesthetic Factors
Aesthetics should be considered in deciding what to buy and what to wear.
Clothing can be considered as a complete set of expressions that reflects the whole
personality. For example, when anyone wants to become prominent in a gathering,
he/she always look for some unique and different cuts and styles in their dressing
unlike those people who do not want to be prominent in gatherings, they remain
simple, and calm in choosing their attire.

Important Factors to Consider When Buying Clothing

People have different preferences and taste when it comes to clothing selection.
There are those who prefer dark and pastel colors while others are into those that
are printed or plain. The following are different aspect you should consider when
buying clothing.

1. Lines
Lines in clothing reveals the dimensions of the length and width and can
also create shape and form in enclosed spaces. If lines are used in clothes,
they van reveal visual impressions, you can look thinner, heavier or shorter.
They can also create optical effects by making your hips look larger or
smaller, for instance, if you want to look smaller you consider clothes with
vertical lines. Those with horizontal lines can make you look wider and
shorter while clothes with diagonal lines make you look taller or shorter.

2. Texture
When buying clothes, it’s important to evaluate the texture of the fabric
used. You need to consider whether it’s comfortable, soft or pleasing to the
eyes given that these aspects play a role in the selection process. Texture
always creates an impression that is well understood by our sense of touch
and sight. For instance, dull fabrics can make you look smaller while bulky
fabrics can make you look heavier in the clothes you wear. On the other
hand, if you consider smooth fabrics for your clothes then you might look
smaller

3. Workmanship
People tend to be meticulous when buying clothes and this means that
they inspect every inch of the clothes to look for damages or defects. When
you are buying clothes, it’s important to look into different quality aspects
such as adequate and even seam allowance, small machine stitches and
correctly placed darts. It’s also equally important to consider properly knitted
and stitched buttons and that the button holes are even spaced and correct in
length.

4. Color
Color is an important aspect of clothing since it can reveal your mood
and personality. Some clothes look good on you because of the colors while
others can show your best features like your eyes or hair. If you want to look
small, you should consider buying clothes with dark, cool and dull colors. To
look big consider buying clothes with light, warm and bright colors. Clothes
 with contrasting colors will make you appear short while white and light
colors tend to lighten your skin

Specific Things to Pay Attention When Buying New

Clothes

1. The flexibility and width of a shoe

Many shoes on the market look fashionable, but they are not good for
your feet. When buying shoes, try to bend and twist them to check their
flexibility. A shoe should bend under the ball of the foot, and there should be
some resistance when twisting. When trying on the shoes, walk on hard
surfaces as well as carpet to see how the shoe feels on both.
Pay attention not only to the length but also to the width. Make sure
there is enough room to slightly wiggle your toes. If you can't move your toes
at all, the shoes are too tight.

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2. Matching patterns
In high-quality clothes, patterns (plaid or horizontal stripes)
should match up at the seams and sleeves. Manufacturers of cheap clothes
often skip this detail to keep costs affordable because matching often means
cutting out the individual pieces of the garment. However, mismatching can
be exaggerated to give a garment an eccentric look.

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3. The perfect length of jeans
For women, the choice depends on the type of jeans. With ankle pants,
the hem should be positioned just above or right on your ankle bone; skinny
jeans should offer a clean, ankle-length look; straight jeans should cover the
top of your feet. Remember to choose clothes that fit your body type.
When choosing jeans for men, go for those that are long enough to
cover the socks but short enough not to cover the shoes.

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4. The quality of the fabric

Always check the label. Even though synthetic fabric is cheaper and
often blended with natural materials, it doesn't last as well as natural fabric
does with repeated laundering. Hold the fabric up to the light to judge its
weight and the density of the weave.
Finally, check the seams on both the inside and outside of the garment.
It is a warning sign if they are sloppy, loose, or stitched over multiple times.

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5. Don’t trust the size label
Although a standard sizing chart was used in the past, most brands
today seem to develop their own sizing system. Another problem with sizes
is so-called "vanity sizing." According to research, a size 8 dress today is
about the same as a size 16 dress in 1958. Therefore, you should always try
different sizes on, and choose the one that fits best.

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6. Dress for shopping success

If you are going to buy shoes, wear a pair that you can easily slip on
and off. In general, choose comfortable clothes for your shopping trip, but
wear the undergarments you would wear under the clothes you plan to
purchase.

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7. The time of the year
Some things may be cheaper during a certain month or even day than
others.

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8. Mandatory waiting period

Do not buy an item you like immediately. Some sources advise waiting
for about a week after you see an item in the store. Often, after this waiting
period is over, you decide that you don't really want it and never go back.
Remember that according to financial planners, you should not spend more
than 5% of your salary on clothes.

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9. “Cost per wear’ equation

When deciding whether to buy an expensive garment or to go for its
cheaper equivalent, use a "cost per wear" equation. It is the sum of the price
of the garment and its maintenance divided by the number of times you’ll
wear it. According to this equation, for clothes you are going to wear
regularly, it is better to choose a more expensive but higher quality item as it
will serve you longer. The reverse is true for the items you won't wear
regularly.

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References:

https://www.preservearticles.com/education/what-are-the-factors-that-influence-th
e-selection-of-clothes/13168

http://www.brainkart.com/article/Factors-Affecting-Selection-Of-Clothing_1860/

https://www.theotherpage.com/factors-to-consider-when-buying-clothing/
https://brightside.me/inspiration-tips-and-tricks/10-important-things-to-pay-attenti
on-to-when-buying-new-clothes-431910/

https://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/6025/factors-that-affect-the-clothin
g-choices-of-women-in-new-era