Apparel Selection Criteria Related to Female Consumers' Lifestyle

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of lifestyle and evaluative criteria for apparel. A random sample of 2,000 female consumers, ages 25-44, was sent questionnaires resulting in a 45 percent return rate (n=842). Principal Components Factor Analysis with Varimax Rotation was used to reduce the number of lifestyle and evaluative criteria items to twelve factors. Coefficients of correlation were used to establish relationships between the lifestyle and evaluative criteria factors. Nineteen significant relationships existed between lifestyle and evaluative criteria verifying that consumers choose apparel products thatfit specific roles in their lifestyle. Results will benefit retailers in understanding consumers, educators in preparing students for apparel merchandising positions, and marketing specialists in planning product promotion strategies.