Garments and Girl Power

GARMENTS AND GIRL POWER 1
Garments and Girl Power:
Adolescent Girls’ Clothing Choices and Feminist Participation
AP Research
Student
Teacher
School Name
May 2021
Word Count: 4319

Abstract
Since its inception, the women’s movement has had particular appeal to adolescent girls, though
their contributions to activist movements have long been overlooked. This paper analyzes one
specific modem of this political participation: fashion. Past research has established that fashion
can be used as a form of mobilization, “self branding,” and feminist activism, but few studies
have examined these trends within the adolescent female population, especially with respect to
consumerism and commodification. Through the distribution of a survey with variables
regarding fashion and feminism and a subsequent correlational analysis, this research was
designed to determine the role of clothing and style as a means for feminist activism among teen
girls. Results indicated that although specific styles of dress did not have correlations with
feminist ideologies, teen girls utilized clothing purchases as a method of political participation,
and were more motivated by political influence than “self branding.” These findings conclude
that adolescent girls contribute to activist movements in individualized and creative ways, and
signify the necessity of future research into both commodified activism and youth political
participation.
Keywords: fashion, feminism, teen girls, activism, commodification

Garments and Girl Power:
Adolescent Girls’ Apparel Choices and Feminist Perceptions
In the modern world, the clothing we wear speaks volumes about who we are and what
we believe. However, when it comes to communicating political opinions, style is a factor that is
often neglected, especially in regards to adolescents. “Fashion(ing) a Political Statement” from
Fordham’s Media and Entertainment Law Journal, states “Clothing and makeup can also move
beyond design and text on clothes to be imbued with symbolic associations that heighten or
sharpen their power to project messages”‌(Boland-DeVito, 2020, p. 38). Fashion‌‌and‌‌design‌‌are
‌tool‌s, f‌ or‌women especially, to‌‌get‌‌involved‌‌in‌‌politics and express their opinions and values.
After all, women are arguably the most prominent consumers of fashion. Despite this, prevalent‌
‌sexist‌‌stereotypes‌‌and capitalism that “reifies particular conceptions of femininity” (Duffy &
Hund, 2015, p.9) have ‌hindered‌‌some‌‌of‌‌this‌‌political involvement by limiting what is considered
“fashion” and “activism.” ‌Additionally,‌‌questions‌‌have‌‌arisen‌‌about‌‌whether‌‌the evolution of
‌certain‌‌political‌‌movements‌‌into‌mainstream‌‌and‌‌trendy‌‌designs‌‌is beneficial through raising
awareness or‌encourages ‌the‌‌perception‌‌of‌the movements as brief trends.‌
This topic has been significantly relevant in the past ten years, from political displays on
the Golden Globe red carpet to outfits worn by female senators at the State of the Union, and
social media has given both fashion trends and political movements a platform to thrive,
providing many people (specifically adolescents) with access to information about both.
Nonetheless, concerns exist within activist movements about the implications of widespread
dialogue regarding fashion and politics in pop culture and social media. An association with
consumerism, fashionable displays, and modern communications indicate, to feminist

researchers in particular, that today’s activist discourse may be too entwined with fleeting, trendy
concepts instead of situating itself as a more permanent movement (Repo, 2020).
Within the field of research on fashion and feminist activism, there is a lack of focus
specifically on adolescent girls' relationships with clothing and clothing’s association with
politics. The paper “Making Activism Accessible: Exploring girls’ blogs as sites of
contemporary feminist activism” states that while “girls’ activism can be difficult to locate,” it
still “is too often made invisible to adult researchers looking for more traditional activist
practices” (Keller, 2014, p.1).
While some studies address the women’s movement, a significant portion examine
activism and politics at large, rather than feminism specifically. Furthermore, although many
sources agree that clothing is an essential part of forming one’s individualized identity, few
explore what specific value the garments have in forming an individual political identity.
The discovery of these gaps led me to the formation of my research question: How do
teen girls’ style and clothing choices correlate with their feminist participation and perceptions?
Through the exploration of this question I hope to be able to focus more directly on teen girls and
the values they adhere to their garment purchases and personal “style.”
Literature Review
Clothing as a means for political expression and developing a “self-brand”
While it is known that clothing can express a great deal about a person, clothing is not
often recognized as a communicator of people’s personal values. Style can convey messages
through direct wording on clothing, manufacturing processes, brands or organizations, and
values (such as empowerment, individualism, or femininity) associated with specific styles. With
the rise of social media “trendiness” and increasing youth participation in politics, researchers
claim that “a growing sector of youth develops political intervention through the adoption of
distinctive everyday practices and lifestyles” (Genova, 2020, p.1) Certain styles and garments
may be an indicator of political leanings and serve as tools for youth to participate in politics.
Likewise, more direct stances are communicated through the purchase of clothing from
politically associated brands. “Feminist Commodity Activism" discusses this in regards to
feminism specifically, stating that “the communication of feminist concepts, images, and
slogans” is a significant part of bringing awareness to the movement. In modern times, this can
be demonstrated by such practices as “wearing feminist-themed garments on social media”
(Repo, 2020, p. 13).
Beyond communicating a single message, research agrees that clothing “is an element of
one’s embodied identity” (Butler, 1991, as cited in Sternadori & Hagseth, 2014, p.3) and is
utilized by women specifically to create an individualized “self brand.” Self branding is “the
strategic creation of an identity to be promoted and sold to others” (Marwick, 2013, as cited in
Repo, 2020, p.12). Women don’t necessarily have to want to “sell” something to participate in
self branding, rather, it is a part of presenting and promoting oneself to the world at large. This
correlates with the purchase of clothing that presents certain values or appearances, because
these garments are used to create and develop this “self brand.” If a woman wanted her self
presentation to reflect empowerment and “girl power,” she may purchase certain garments to
emulate this.
Clothing as a means for charitable contribution and encouragement of ethical and sustainable
consumption
In addition to expressing messages through wearing garments, the purchase of certain
clothing can be used as a form of political mobilization, as referenced in “Participation with

Style.” This paper also claims that when analyzing young activists and their apparel, the focus
should be on “how they think that their purchasing practices could impact political decisions and
social context” (Genova, 2020, p.2). This can be accomplished in a number of ways. For
example, “some products are bought in political shops, from an organization directly connected
with the political movements.”
Similarly, “the ingredients involved in the [clothing’s] manufacture, or the human or
environmental costs of making the fashion items” can also be influential factors in how the
garment is perceived and utilized politically (Boland De-Vito, 2020, p. 44). Many argue that the
fashion industry is exploitative, especially of female workers, and further criticisms have arisen
recently about the environmental consequences of mass clothing production (McRobbie, 2008,
as cited in Sternadori & Hagseth, 2014). Because of this, expressing feminist ideals through
clothing, and subsequently mass production and consumerism, could be considered a dangerous
contradiction because these industries participate in practices the feminist agenda is attempting to
moderate.
This emerging practice of purchasing goods as a way of participating in feminism is
called feminist commodity activism. The paper “Feminist Commodity Activism: The New
Political Economy of Feminist Protest” defines this as a movement where politics is made
marketable in the form of products advertised to consumers, often in conjunction with ethical
standards and charitable giving (Hawkins, 2012 & Brooks, 2015, as cited in Repo, 2020).
Consequently, purchasing items with a feminist cause attached to them is shown to be a way of
involving oneself in the movement.
Nonetheless, many express concerns that it is difficult for feminism that involves itself
with capitalism to express ideals outside of capitalist barriers of femininity. “Having It All”
communicates this, suggesting that women who participate in fashion “are bound to a capitalist
system that reifies particular conceptions of femininity” and “ensures they do not deviate too far
from their traditional roles as consumer” (Duffy & Hund, 2015, p.9). If feminism is to situate
itself in a consumerist context, it runs the risk of only being able to communicate
consumerist-adjacent ideals.
“Fashion” values and “feminist” values and their possible contradictions
Within this body of research, there are differing stances on whether fashion and feminism
can truly integrate and strengthen one another. Some of the papers acknowledged that, while not
necessarily true, stereotypes about fashion can be a hindrance to their usage as political
instruments. “Popular feminism and teen girl fashion blogs” states that fashion can be viewed as
“frivolous” or “at worst actively sexist or regressive” because of its association with traditional
femininity, which feminists tend to reject (Hunting, 2015, as cited in Dejmanee, 2018, p.7) . As a
result of this, any activist participation associated with fashion or femininity could be considered
less valuable to the movement.
“‘Having it All’ on Social Media” also discusses how consumerism can often be
associated with masculine qualities, making it difficult for women to exist in this sphere.
“Fashionable feminism or feminist fashion?” does however introduce the argument that “fashion
shaming,” or shaming women for participating in traditionally feminine interests, is
contradictory to feminist goals because it involves criticizing women for their individual choices
(Sternadori & Hagseth, 2014). “Feminist Commodity Activism” builds on this, claiming that in
this age of female empowerment, any traditionally feminine practice can be deemed “feminist”
when presented as a woman’s personal choice.

Therefore, while researchers in this discipline agree that some may perceive fashion and
feminism as contradictory, not all believe this to be reality. “Making Activism Accessible”
clarifies this, stating “When what ‘counts’ as political is framed around a narrow set of practices,
it is little surprise that girls are often characterized as apolitical” (Harris, 2008, as cited in Keller,
2014, p.3). All the researchers that focused specifically on adolescent girls agreed that because of
the aforementioned restrictions on what is “activism,” young girls’ forms of activism, for
example, expression through style, can be disregarded or undervalued.
Commodity feminism and “trendy” feminism’s perceived negative impacts
Numerous concerns exist about the recent factors that have come to dominate feminism;
mainly, that the recent popularity of feminism will allow it to be viewed as a brief trend, rather
than a long term, large scale movement. “Feminist Commodity Activism” insists that “...the
disposability of mass-market goods potentially translates into the disposability of political ideas
and movements” (Repo, 2020, p.15) and that buying a “feminist commodity” may be a
momentary expression of “counterculture coolness.” Thus is the nature of fashion: an item is
“in” for a time and then “out.” This creates concerns for feminist organizers who hope to create a
much more lasting impact.
Despite all of this, much of the research does agree that “the trendiness of feminism has
given it prominent [sic] public platform” and can introduce girls to concepts of empowerment
they may not have seen otherwise (Repo, 2020). “Feminist Commodity Activism” expresses that
although feminist commodities can spark challenges, they may still “lead people to join feminist
organizations, demonstrations...or to become involved with feminist initiatives in their
community.” “Making Activism Accessible” sums this up perfectly, stating that “it is imperative
to recognize both the opportunities and limitations of ‘making feminism visible’ with a critical
lens to the cultural context and movement goals” (Keller, 2014, p.20).
Hypothesis
After an examination of the literature in the field, I predict there will be a connection
between the style with which participants identify and whether they are feminists or participate
in feminist activism. I expect that the styles that are least associated with feminity or “girliness”
will be the most “feminist.” Finally, I anticipate that the girls surveyed will participate in
feminist commodity activism through their clothing purchases and express an interest in clothing
related to women’s issues.
Method
My method was correlational research via a survey. The survey was distributed amongst
teenage girls to gather data on the participants’ clothing choices and feminist perceptions. I
utilized wide range communications, such as school-wide emails and social media, in order to
assemble a large and varied group of participants within the age group I was examining. I made
sure to clarify in my process that respondents to my survey must identify as female and be
between the ages of 13 and 18. After gathering 195 anonymous responses, I analyzed the
patterns and connections between the two sections: clothing and feminism.
In the clothing section, the variables present in the survey were:
1) consideration of sustainability when purchasing clothing
2) consideration of ethics when purchasing clothing
3) consideration of individuality when purchasing clothing
4) conformity to Traditional Feminine Presentation (TFP)
5) chosen Style Description Word (SDW, from a list with examples)

These variables were chosen because of their relevance to the area of study and the
information they provide about clothing concerns and specific purchasing habits.
In the feminism section, the variables present in the survey were:
1) considered importance of women’s issues
2) identifying as a feminist (yes/no)
3) likeliness to purchase clothing with a feminist slogan
4) likeliness to purchase clothing with a feminist cause
5) value placed in activist connected clothing
These variables were chosen in order to establish the extent of the girls’ political
participation and determine if there was a contrast in the different forms of participation (slogan
v. cause).
My survey consisted of 12 multiple choice questions, several of which had a scale
connected to them for participants to rate the importance of certain variables (mostly a scale of
1-5 or a scale from “Very Unlikely” to “Very Likely”). A consent and agreement form was
attached to the survey and participants could only complete the survey after acknowledging that
they fit within the parameters of my research (teenage females). A full record of the survey can
be found in Appendix C. Responses were received and analyzed using Google Forms (the
medium through which the survey was distributed) and spreadsheet formulas.
When analyzing my responses and correlations, I utilized the COUNTIF function on
Google Sheets, which allowed me to quantify the portions of respondents that fit within two
different factors. For example, determining the number of participants that chose the
“Streetwear” Style Description and often considered sustainability when purchasing their
clothing. After calculating the correlations between the variables in my study, I was able to
identify the factors with the strongest connections and determine what those connections meant
to the larger context of my research question.
My research design was based on precedents in this discipline, namely qualitative direct
account based research. A number of studies in my literature review were conducted through
interviews, surveys, and analysis of the habits and accounts of women and girls. By using
multiple choice only, I was able to better quantify my research for easier analysis. The survey
was completely anonymous and brief in order to gather more honest responses and avoid losing
the attention of respondents.
My research question: “How do teen girls’ style and clothing choices correlate with their
feminist participation and perceptions?” lends itself perfectly to a correlational research study. A
survey with distinct variables is the ideal way to analyze specific factors in the two areas
(clothing and feminism) and quantify their relationship. I was limited mainly by the scope and
anonymity of my study because I cannot know the range of demographics of my participants and
how that could have impacted their answers. Additionally, the lack of free response questions in
my survey, while simplifying the data, eliminates some of the nuance in the answers and doesn’t
provide me with any detailed personal accounts. As with any survey, there is the possibility of
dishonest answers, however, anonymity should aid in reducing this.
Results
The survey garnered 195 respondents with an even distribution of ages. The participants
displayed an even distribution of chosen Style Description Words (SDWs) with the exception of
“Punk” and “Classic” which received too few respondents and were subsequently removed from
the data (see Appendix A). Additionally, a few questions in the survey, one about thrift shopping
and one about individuality, didn’t appear to garner any relevant results and were therefore
removed from the data (see Appendix A and Appendix B). Generally, the respondents seemed to
be concerned with women’s issues and engaged in the topics measured. 90% stated that they
placed a high priority on women’s issues, 64% said they identified as feminists, and 80% were
Very Likely or Likely to purchase clothing with an associated feminist cause. The participants
also indicated a moderate level of concern for sustainability and ethics when purchasing clothing,
with about 27% of respondents stating that they consider both of these factors Often or
Occasionally.
Feminist Connections
In regards to the group that identified as feminists, the SDW chosen had little to no
connection to their feminist identity, indicating that there isn’t a dominant clothing style among
feminist teens. However, some correlation existed between a few SDWs and certain clothing
purchasing habits. Overall, many respondents said they would be Very Likely or Likely to
purchase clothing associated with a feminist cause, but certain SDWs had higher percentages,
such as 94% of Bohemian and 86% of Streetwear. In addition, when it came to the likeliness to
purchase clothing with a feminist slogan, Streetwear was the only SDW that stood out, with 70%
of Streetwear respondents stating that they would be Very Likely or Likely to buy clothing such
as this.
Within the feminist group, 60% stated that they were Very Likely or Likely to purchase
clothing with a feminist slogan, compared to only 35% of those who did not identify as feminists
(“non-feminists”). Similarly, 92% of feminists were Very Likely or Likely to purchase clothing
with an associated feminist cause, as opposed to only 35% of “non-feminists.” These findings
suggest a substantial involvement in activism through clothing within the feminist group of
respondents. It is also important to note that the feminist group had a higher percentage of
participants motivated to purchase clothing with a feminist cause rather than a feminist slogan,
denoting a greater interest in political impact rather than “self branding.”
It appears that feminist commodity activism is a present trend in this data, seeing that a
substantial majority of feminists demonstrated an interest in communicating their activism
through the purchase of apparel in conjunction with charitable giving, or, as stated in the survey,
“clothing with a feminist cause.” As previously referenced, research in this field suggests that
when analyzing young activists and their clothing purchases, the focus should be on “how they
think that their purchasing practices could impact political decisions and social context”
(Genova, 2020, p.2). Within the context of this data, it is clear the teen girls surveyed wish to
impact political decisions through clothing purchases, with 80% of overall respondents stating
that they would be Very Likely or Likely to purchase clothing with an associated feminist cause,
such as proceeds going towards a feminist nonprofit or a female politician’s campaign.
Sustainability and Ethics Connections
A considerable correlation existed between concern with women’s issues and concern
with purchasing sustainable and ethical clothing. 100% of the respondents who stated that they
often consider sustainability when purchasing clothing also rated women’s issues a high-level
priority (4 or 5 out of 5), and 98% of the respondents who said they often consider ethics also
rated women’s issues a high level priority. In fact, no one who said they often considered
sustainability or ethics rated women’s issues a low priority. These results indicate a strong
connection between these factors of clothing production and feminist issues and suggest that
adolescent girls may attempt to moderate these factors through apparel purchases.
In terms of specific styles of dress, there was little to no correlation between concern with
sustainability or ethics and SDW, indicating that no one clothing style is more sustainably or
ethically conscious than any other.
Femininity and Style Connections
The goal of the questions in this section was to determine whether outward “girliness” or
femininity exhibited a correlation with any of the other variables. The survey asked participants
to rate their level of Traditional Feminine Presentation (TFP) on a scale of 1-5. The Preppy style
had the largest percentage of participants with a high level of TFP (85%), followed by the
Bohemian style with 56% of its members. The Grunge style had the lowest level of TFP, with
59% of its members choosing a 1 or 2 rating. This insinuates that the Preppy and Bohemian
styles would be considered most “girly” and the Grunge style the least.
There was little to no correlation between participants’ level of TFP and if they identified
as feminists, indicating that outward feminity had minimal influence on whether a respondent
possessed feminist ideologies. Similarly, there was little to no correlation between level of TFP
and likeliness to purchase clothing with a feminist slogan, signifying that clothing with this
messaging is unrelated to presenting “girly” or “non-girly.”
The survey also asked how important it was to participants that their clothing be related
to activism. Results indicated that little to no correlation existed between the respondents’ chosen
level of importance and SDW, suggesting that no one style of dress is more likely than another to
express activism through their clothing. However, 72% of those who said it was Very Important
or Important that their clothing be connected to activism identified as feminists, implying that the
feminist group of respondents made up a considerable portion of those who use clothing as a
means for political participation.

Limitations
A few limitations appeared while examining the data, one of the main ones being the
large number of participants that identified as feminists. This could have possibly skewed the
data relating to certain patterns within the feminist identity. If too many of my participants were
feminists I would be finding trends among my participants, not feminists specifically. Similarly,
a large majority of participants rated women’s issues a high priority and a large majority stated
that they would be Very Likely or Likely to purchase clothing with an associated feminist cause,
which may have skewed the correlation percentages for these factors higher. Overall, likely one
of the biggest limitations present in my research was the anonymity of the survey because it kept
me from being able to analyze the demographics of my participants and determine whether they
had any influence on the trends in the data.
Conclusions and Future Directions
While Bohemian, Streetwear, and Grunge appeared to be the most feminist correlated
Style Description Words, my results indicated that the specific style of dress chosen by the
participants wsd mostly unrelated to the other variables. This refutes my hypothesis that a
connection would be exhibited between style and whether participants identifed as feminists and
participated in feminist activism. Additionally, I anticipated a lower level of Traditional
Feminine Presentation among the feminist group, mainly because of a tendency to reject the
“traditionally feminine” suggested by certain studies, but ultimately found femininity to have
little impact on the feminist respondents whatsoever. These findings display the changing
landscape of presentation within the feminist movement as opposed to past stereotypes of
feminists as completely uninterested in “girliness.”

The portion of my hypothesis that was affirmed was my prediction that the girls surveyed
would participate in feminist commodity activism through their clothing purchases and express
an interest in clothing related to women’s issues. My participants did display a likeliness to
purchase clothing associated with feminism and appeared to exhibit behaviors associated with
feminist commodity activism, validating the literature in this field that suggests this form of
activism is becoming increasingly prevalent.
In regards to sustainable and ethical production of clothing, it appeared that these factors
exhibited a considerable connection to women’s issues. This reflects theories in this area of study
that suggest the modern feminist movement is broadening to include environmental and labor
concerns, and my research implies this may be an even more notable trend among adolescents.
Future research could likely find a wealth of information on how the feminist agenda includes
these factors and the impact that youth and the clothing industry have on this.
One of my most essential findings was that participants were more likely to purchase
clothing with a feminist cause than a feminist slogan. This trend was prominent among both the
general participants and the feminist participants. These findings suggest that the teen girls were
more motivated by the direct impacts their purchases could have, such as a charitable donation,
rather than the “self branding” perspective, namely, presenting oneself as a feminist through
slogans or wording. These results somewhat contradict research on this topic that indicate a
transformation towards consumerism, and suggest, rather, an interest in more tangible and lasting
influences, as opposed to trends or personal presentation. This provides hopeful signs regarding
concerns about the commodification or fleeting impact of “feminist” garments.
My research was ultimately successful in providing more information about the behaviors
and attitudes of adolescent girls. While my survey was unable to find a connection to specific
styles of dress or femininity, there were notable correlations with certain clothing purchasing
habits or beliefs about fashion. My process was able to fill the gap present in this field
surrounding teen girls and was able to provide a unique perspective on commodification and the
modern feminist movement. Future research should continue to explore teen girls’ unique
approach to the women’s movement, as it is often overlooked by current activism research, and
examine how emerging tactics of political involvement, such as social media and artistic
expressions, are taking hold in adolescent girls’ lives. The lens through which activism is framed
can often exclude the creative participation most exhibited by teen girls and when it comes to
making a difference, girl power should not be underestimated.

References
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‌Issues‌‌that‌‌Arise‌‌from‌‌Banned‌‌Political‌‌Clothing‌‌and‌‌Other‌‌Controversial‌‌Fashion‌Items‌
‌in‌‌Light‌‌of‌‌the‌‌U.S.‌‌Supreme‌‌Court’s‌‌Decision‌‌in‌‌Minnesota‌‌Voters‌‌Alliance‌‌v.‌‌Mansky.‌
‌Fordham‌‌Media‌‌and‌‌Entertainment‌‌Law‌‌Journal‌,‌‌Volume‌‌30‌.
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Dejmanee, T. (2018). Popular feminism and teen girl fashion blogs. Journal of Media and
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Duffy, B. Hund, E. (2015). “Having it All” on Social Media: Entrepreneurial Femininity and
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Genova, C. (2020). Participation with Style. Clothing among Young Activists in Political
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https://doi.org/10.3390/soc10030055
Keller, J. (2014). Making Activism Accessible: Exploring girls’ blogs as sites of

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APPENDIX A
General Results
Table A1
How old are you?
Age Number of Participants Percentage of Participants
13 26 13.3%
14 31 15.9%
15 34 17.4%
16 36 18.5%
17 41 21%
18 27 13.8%
Table A2
How often do you consider sustainability/environmental impacts when purchasing clothing?
Response Number of Participants Percentage of Participants
Never 23 11.8%
Rarely 52 26.7%
Occasionally 74 37.9%
Often 37 19%
Don’t Know or Neutral 9 4.6%
Table A3
How often do you consider ethics when purchasing clothing?
Never 27 13.8%
Rarely 53 27.2%
Occasionally 59 30.3%
Often 51 26.2%
Table A4
Do you OFTEN shop at thrift stores/second hand shops? (Check all that apply.)
Yes, because I like finding unique 91 46.7%

or vintage clothing.
Yes, because it is more affordable. 95 48.7%
Yes, because it is better for the 67 34.4%

environment.
Yes, because I don’t have to support 52 26.7%

unethical companies.
No, because I’d rather get styles off 12 6.2%

the rack.
No, because I don’t like the 16 8.2%

clothing at these stores.
No, because I find second hand 12 6.2%

clothes unsanitary.
No, because financially there’s no 33 16.9%

reason for me to.
Reason not listed. 45 23.1%
Table A5
On a scale of 1-5, how much do you value uniqueness/individuality when purchasing clothing?
1 12 6.2%
2 25 12.9%
3 71 36.6%
4 65 33.5%
5 21 10.8%
Table A6
On a scale of 1-5, how much do you think your personal style fits within the ideals of traditional feminine
presentation?
1 11 5.7%
2 50 25.8%
3 70 36.1%
4 52 26.8%
5 11 5.7%
Table A7
Select the description you think best describes your personal style.
Sporty 36 18.6%
Bohemian 16 8.2%
Grunge 34 17.5%
Preppy 13 6.7%
Punk 4 2.1%
Streetwear 37 19.1%
Classic 3 1.5%
Casual 51 26.3%
Table A8
On a scale of 1-5, how important are women's issues to you?
1 3 1.5%
2 4 2.1%
3 12 6.2%
4 49 25.1%
5 127 65.1%
Table A9
Would you identify yourself as a feminist?
Yes 124 63.9%
No 17 8.8%
Table A10
How likely are you to buy an item of clothing with a feminist message or slogan on it?
Very Unlikely 24 12.3%
Unlikely 37 19%
Likely 71 36.4%
Very Likely 30 15.4%
Table A11
How likely are you to buy an item of clothing with a feminist cause attached to it?
Very Unlikely 4 2.1%
Unlikely 12 6.2%
Likely 76 39%
Very Likely 79 40.5%
Table A12
How important is it to you that your clothing is connected to activism?

Irrelevant 30 15.4%
Somewhat Irrelevant 67 34.4%
Important 53 27.2%
Very Important 4 2.1%
Don’t Know or Neutral 41 21%

APPENDIX B
Further Results and Correlations
Table B1
Sustainability and SDW Correlations
Style Description Word Number of “Often Consider” Percentage of SDW Group

Participants
Sporty 6 ≈17%
Bohemian 5 ≈31%
Grunge 10 ≈29%
Preppy 2 ≈15%
Streetwear 3 ≈8%
Casual 10 ≈20%
Note: Portions of the Style Description Word groups that often considered sustainability when purchasing clothing.
Table B2
Ethics and SDW Correlations
Style Description Word Number of “Often Consider” Percentage of SDW Group

Participants
Sporty 5 ≈14%
Bohemian 6 ≈38%
Grunge 15 ≈44%
Preppy 4 ≈31%
Streetwear 4 ≈11%
Casual 14 ≈27%
Note: Portions of the Style Description Word groups that often considered ethics when purchasing clothing.
Table B3
Thrift Shopping and Activist Clothing Correlations
Often Thrift Number of Number of Percentage of Number of Percentage of

Shop? Participants “Activism “Activism “Activism Very “Activism Very
Important” Important” Important” Important”
Participants Group Participants Group
Yes 109 33 ≈30% 3 ≈3%
No 47
Note: Portions of participants who often thrift shop and state that their clothing being connected to activism is Very
Important/Important.
Table B4
TFP and SDW Correlations
Style Description Number of HIGH Percentage of SDW Number of LOW Percentage of SDW
Word TFP Participants Group with HIGH TFP Participants Group with LOW
TFP TFP
Sporty 13 ≈36% 8 ≈22%
Bohemian 9 ≈56% 1 ≈6%
Grunge 3 ≈9% 20 ≈59%
Preppy 11 ≈85% 1 ≈8%
Streetwear 8 ≈22% 17 ≈46%
Casual 18 ≈35% 11 ≈22%

Note: Levels of Traditional Feminine Presentation in the Style Description Word groups. High TFP is classified as a
rating of 4 or 5 and Low TFP is classified as a rating of 1 or 2.
Table B5
Identifying as a Feminist and TFP Correlations
TFP Rating Number of Feminist Percentage of Number of Percentage of

Participants Feminist Group Nonfeminist Nonfeminist Group
Participants
HIGH 37 ≈59% 7 ≈11%
LOW 43 ≈70% 6 ≈10%

Note: Feminist identification in the different levels of Traditional Feminine Presentation.
Table C6
Likeliness to Purchase Clothing with a Feminist Slogan and TFP Correlations
TFP Rating Number of ¨Very Percentage of TFP Number of ¨Very Percentage of TFP
Likely/Likely” Level Unlikely/Unlikely¨ Level
Participants Participants
HIGH 30 ≈45% 23 ≈37%
LOW 32 ≈52% 20 ≈33%

Note: Likeliness to purchase clothing with a feminist slogan in the different levels of Traditional Feminine
Presentation.
Table B7
Identifying as a Feminist and SDW Correlations
Style Description Word Number of Feminist Percentage of SDW Percentage of Feminist

Participants Group Group
Sporty 19 ≈53% ≈15%
Bohemian 12 ≈75% ≈10%
Grunge 24 ≈71% ≈19%
Preppy 10 ≈77% ≈8%
Streetwear 25 ≈68% ≈20%
Casual 31 ≈61% ≈25%

Note: Style Description Words among feminists.
Table B8
Women's Issues and SDW Correlations
Style Number of High Percentage of Percentage of Number of Low Percentage of

Description Priority SDW Group High Priority Priority SDW Group
Word Participants Group Participants
Sporty 33 ≈92% ≈19% 0 0
Bohemian 15 ≈94% ≈9% 1 ≈6%
Grunge 31 ≈91% ≈18% 1 ≈3%
Preppy 12 ≈92% ≈7% 0 0
Streetwear 34 ≈92% ≈19% 1 ≈3%
Casual 43 ≈84% ≈24% 4 ≈8%

Note: Importance of women’s issues in the Style Description Word groups. High Priority is classified as an
importance rating of 4 or 5 and Low Priority is classified as an importance rating of 1 or 2.
Table B9
Likeliness to Purchase Clothing with a Feminist Slogan and SDW Correlations

Style Description Number of “Very Percentage of SDW Number of “Very Percentage of SDW
Word Likely/Likely” Group Unlikely/Unlikely” Group
Sporty 15 ≈42% 12 ≈33%
Bohemian 6 ≈38% 5 ≈31%
Grunge 22 ≈65% 12 ≈35%
Preppy 6 ≈46% 4 ≈31%
Casual 23 ≈45% 19 ≈37%

Note: Likeliness to purchase clothing with a feminist slogan in the Style Description Word groups.
Table B10
Likeliness to Purchase Clothing with a Feminist Cause and SDW Correlations
Style Description Number of “Very Percentage of SDW Number of “Very Percentage of SDW
Word Likely/Likely” Group Unlikely/Unlikely” Group
Sporty 25 ≈69% 5 ≈14%
Bohemian 15 ≈94% 0 0
Grunge 28 ≈82% 1 ≈3%
Preppy 9 ≈69% 2 ≈15%
Casual 41 ≈80% 4 ≈8%

Note: Likeliness to purchase clothing with a feminist cause in the Style Description Word groups.
Table B11
Likeliness to Purchase Clothing with a Feminist Slogan and Feminist Identity Correlations
Identify as a Number of Percentage of Percentage of Number of Percentage of Percentage of

Feminist? “Very Likely/ Feminist/ “Very Likely/ “Very Feminist/ “Very
Likely” Nonfeminist Likely” Unlikely/ Nonfeminist Unlikely/
Participants Group Group Unlikely” Group Unlikely”
Participants Group
Yes 75 ≈60% ≈74% 31 ≈25% ≈31%
No 6 ≈35% ≈6% 9 ≈53% ≈15%

Note: Likeliness to purchase clothing with a feminist slogan in the feminist and nonfeminist groups.
Table B12
Likeliness to Purchase Clothing with a Feminist Cause and Feminist Identity Correlations
Identify as a Number of Percentage of Percentage of Number of Percentage of Percentage of

Feminist? “Very Likely/ Feminist/ “Very Likely/ “Very Feminist/ “Very
Likely” Nonfeminist Likely” Unlikely/ Nonfeminist Unlikely/
Participants Group Group Unlikely” Group Unlikely”
Participants Group
Yes 114 ≈92% ≈74% 5 ≈4% ≈31%
No 6 ≈35% ≈4% 4 ≈24% ≈25%

Note: Likeliness to purchase clothing with a feminist cause in the feminist and nonfeminist groups.
Table B13
Activist Clothing and TFP Correlations
Clothing Number of Percentage of Percentage of Number of Percentage of Percentage of

Connected to HIGH TFP Activism HIGH TFP LOW TFP Activism LOW TFP
Activism? Participants Rating Group Group Participants Rating Group Group
Very 15 ≈26% ≈24% 18 ≈32% ≈30%

Important/
Important
Irrelevant/ 36 ≈37% ≈57% 30 ≈31% ≈49%

Somewhat
Irrelevant
Note: Importance of clothing being connected to activism in the different levels of Traditional Feminine
Presentation. High TFP is classified as a rating of 4 or 5 and Low TFP is classified as a rating of 1 or 2.
Table B14
Activist Clothing and Women's Issues Correlations

Connected to High Priority Activism High Priority Low Priority Activism Low Priority
Very 55 ≈96% ≈31% 0 0 0

Important/
Important
Irrelevant/ 81 ≈84% ≈46% 7 ≈7% ≈100%

Somewhat
Irrelevant
Note: Importance of clothing being connected to activism in the different levels of priority of women’s issues. High
Priority is classified as an importance rating of 4 or 5 and Low Priority is classified as an importance rating of 1 or
2.
Table B15
Activist Clothing and Feminist Identity Correlations

Connected to Feminist Activism Feminist Nonfeminist Activism Nonfeminist
Very 41 ≈72% ≈33% 2 ≈4% ≈12%

Important/
Important
Irrelevant/ 55 ≈57% ≈44% 14 ≈14% ≈82%

Somewhat
Irrelevant
Note: Importance of clothing being connected to activism in the feminist and nonfeminist groups.
Table B16
Activist Clothing and SDW Correlations
Style Description Number of “Very Percentage of SDW Number of Percentage of SDW

Word Important/ Group “Irrelevant/ Group
Important” Somewhat
Participants Irrelevant”
Participants
Sporty 12 ≈33% 18 ≈50%
Bohemian 5 ≈31% 6 ≈38%
Grunge 14 ≈41% 15 ≈44%
Preppy 3 ≈23% 8 ≈62%
Casual 12 ≈24% 26 ≈51%

Note: Importance of clothing being connected to activism in the Style Description Word groups.
APPENDIX C
Record of Survey
Figure C1
1. How old are you?
❏ 13
❏ 14
❏ 15
❏ 16
❏ 17
❏ 18
2. How often do you consider sustainability/environmental impacts when purchasing clothing?
❏ Never
❏ Rarely
❏ Occasionally
❏ Often
❏ Don't Know or Neutral
3. How often do you consider ethics when purchasing clothing? (For ex: labor conditions and fair pay)
❏ Never
❏ Rarely
❏ Occasionally
❏ Often
4. Do you OFTEN shop at thrift stores/second hand shops? (Check all that apply.)
❏ Yes, because I like finding unique or vintage clothing.
❏ Yes, because it is more affordable.

❏ Yes, because it is better for the environment.
❏ Yes, because I don’t have to support unethical companies.
❏ No, because I’d rather get styles off the rack.
❏ No, because I don’t like the clothing at these stores.
❏ No, because I find secondhand clothes unsanitary.
❏ No, because financially there’s no reason for me to.
❏ Reason not listed.
5. On a scale of 1-5, how much do you value uniqueness/individuality when purchasing clothing?
❏ 1-I don’t care at all about my clothing being unique/individual.
❏ 2
❏ 3
❏ 4
❏ 5-It is extremely important to me that my clothing is unique/individual.
6. On a scale of 1-5, how much do you think your personal style fits within the ideals of traditional feminine
presentation?
❏ 1-My style does not represent traditional femininity at all.
❏ 2
❏ 3
❏ 4
❏ 5-My style represents traditional femininity significantly.
7. Select the description you think best describes your personal style.
❏ Sporty (athletic wear, leggings, oversized sweatshirts)
❏ Bohemian (Earth tones, long dresses, bell bottoms)
❏ Grunge (ripped jeans, black boots, flannel shirts)
❏ Preppy (cardigans, cloth-wrapped headbands, pearls)

❏ Punk (band logos, leather jackets, customization (pins/patches))
❏ Streetwear (hoodies, brand name sneakers, baggy pants)
❏ Classic (“polished,” pencil skirts, workwear)
❏ Casual (jeans, t-shirts, sneakers)
8. On a scale of 1-5, how important are women’s issues to you?
❏ 1-Not important at all.
❏ 2
❏ 3
❏ 4
❏ 5-Extremely important.
9. Would you identify yourself as a feminist?
❏ Yes
❏ No
10. How likely are you to buy an item of clothing with a feminist message or slogan on it?
❏ Very Unlikely
❏ Unlikely
❏ Likely
❏ Very Likely
11. How likely are you to buy an item of clothing with a feminist cause attached to it? (For ex: the brand
donates to a women’s organization)
❏ Very Unlikely
❏ Unlikely
❏ Likely
❏ Very Likely
12. How important is it to you that your clothing is connected to activism?
❏ Irrelevant
❏ Somewhat Irrelevant
❏ Important
❏ Very Important

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GARMENTS AND GIRL POWER 1

Garments and Girl Power:

Adolescent Girls’ Clothing Choices and Feminist Participation

Word Count: 4319

consumerism and commodification. Through the distribution of a survey with variables

Keywords: fashion, feminism, teen girls, activism, commodification

Garments and Girl Power:

Adolescent Girls’ Apparel Choices and Feminist Perceptions

often neglected, especially in regards to adolescents. “Fashion(ing) a Political Statement” from

sharpen their power to project messages”‌(Boland-DeVito, 2020, p. 38). Fashion‌‌and‌‌design‌‌are

‌sexist‌‌stereotypes‌‌and capitalism that “reifies particular conceptions of femininity” (Duffy &

Hund, 2015, p.9) have ‌hindered‌‌some‌‌of‌‌this‌‌political involvement by limiting what is considered

“fashion” and “activism.” ‌Additionally,‌‌questions‌‌have‌‌arisen‌‌about‌‌whether‌‌the evolution of

‌certain‌‌political‌‌movements‌‌into‌mainstream‌‌and‌‌trendy‌‌designs‌‌is beneficial through raising

awareness or‌encourages ‌the‌‌perception‌‌of‌the movements as brief trends.‌

consumerism, fashionable displays, and modern communications indicate, to feminist

concepts instead of situating itself as a more permanent movement (Repo, 2020).

practices” (Keller, 2014, p.1).

Clothing as a means for political expression and developing a “self-brand”

through direct wording on clothing, manufacturing processes, brands or organizations, and

politically associated brands. “Feminist Commodity Activism" discusses this in regards to

be demonstrated by such practices as “wearing feminist-themed garments on social media”

(Repo, 2020, p. 13).

In addition to expressing messages through wearing garments, the purchase of certain

clothing can be used as a form of political mobilization, as referenced in “Participation with

with the political movements.”

Similarly, “the ingredients involved in the [clothing’s] manufacture, or the human or

This emerging practice of purchasing goods as a way of participating in feminism is

involving oneself in the movement.

“Fashion” values and “feminist” values and their possible contradictions

less valuable to the movement.

shaming,” or shaming women for participating in traditionally feminine interests, is

when presented as a woman’s personal choice.

example, expression through style, can be disregarded or undervalued.

Commodity feminism and “trendy” feminism’s perceived negative impacts

momentary expression of “counterculture coolness.” Thus is the nature of fashion: an item is

much more lasting impact.

organizations, demonstrations...or to become involved with feminist initiatives in their

related to women’s issues.

In the clothing section, the variables present in the survey were:

1) consideration of sustainability when purchasing clothing

2) consideration of ethics when purchasing clothing

3) consideration of individuality when purchasing clothing

4) conformity to Traditional Feminine Presentation (TFP)

5) chosen Style Description Word (SDW, from a list with examples)

In the feminism section, the variables present in the survey were:

1) considered importance of women’s issues

2) identifying as a feminist (yes/no)

3) likeliness to purchase clothing with a feminist slogan

4) likeliness to purchase clothing with a feminist cause

5) value placed in activist connected clothing

My survey consisted of 12 multiple choice questions, several of which had a scale

When analyzing my responses and correlations, I utilized the COUNTIF function on

to the larger context of my research question.

the attention of respondents.

dishonest answers, however, anonymity should aid in reducing this.

denoting a greater interest in political impact rather than “self branding.”

substantial majority of feminists demonstrated an interest in communicating their activism

such as proceeds going towards a feminist nonprofit or a female politician’s campaign.