Apparel Styles Research Articles

Do university trademarks matter? Interaction between university-related apparel style and licensing status

PurposeBased on cue utilization theory, this study aims to examine effects of the style (fashion vs basic) and licensing status (licensed vs nonlicensed) of university-related apparel products (URAPs) as intrinsic and extrinsic cues, respectively, impacting university fans’ responses (i.e. attitudes, purchase intentions and purchase behaviors) and the moderating roles of personal factors (i.e. perceived university prestige, quality consciousness and uniqueness seeking).Design/methodology/approachData were collected via an online quasi-experiment employing a 2 (licensing status: licensed vs nonlicensed) × 2 (style: basic vs fashion) within-subjects design with a purposeful sample of 1,126 students and alumni of a Southeastern American university.FindingsResults show that consumers generally responded more favorably to licensed (vs nonlicensed) URAPs, especially for basic styles, whereas their responses to fashionable URAPs were more favorable for nonlicensed (vs licensed) URAPs. Furthermore, the positive effects of licensing status were stronger for consumers with high (vs low) perceived university prestige or quality consciousness. Consumers generally more favorably responded to basic (vs fashion) URAPs, but this style effect was weaker among those with a high (vs low) uniqueness seeking tendency.Originality/valueTheoretical explanations on URAP consumption have been scant in the product and brand management literature. This study fills this literature gap by conceptualizing extrinsic (i.e. licensing status) and intrinsic (i.e. style) cues crucial in URAP consumption from a cue utilization theory lens and demonstrating empirical evidence for the intricate interplays among the two cues and diverse personal characteristics.

A music-driven system for generating apparel display video

Video plays a great important role in online apparel sales, which is a vital tool for publicity and to provide consumers with space of imagination. However, as the apparel market rapidly updates in large amounts every day, creating videos for fast increasing clothes can be challenging and labor-consuming. Considering this, we present ApVideor, a music-driven video generation system customized for displaying clothes. This system consists of two main modules: music recommendation module and audio-visual synthesis module. The former assists users in searching background music that matches the apparel style, while the latter combines the audio and visuals into a video by music-driven approaches. Our user study suggests that this system makes the video creation process significantly easier and faster than manual creation. Meanwhile, the viewer test suggests that apparel-displaying videos created using our system are of comparable quality to those created manually by people who have worked with video editing.

Fast custom apparel design and simulation for future demand-driven manufacturing

PurposeA common pipeline of apparel design and simulation is adjusting 2D apparel patterns, putting them onto a virtual human model and performing 3D physically based simulation. However, manually adjusting 2D apparel patterns and performing simulations require repetitive adjustments and trials in order to achieve satisfactory results. To support future made-to-fit apparel design and manufacturing, efficient tools for fast custom design purposes are desired. The purpose of this paper is to propose a method to automatically adjust 2D apparel patterns and rapidly generate acustom apparel style for a given human model.Design/methodology/approachThe authors first pre-define a set of constraints using feature points, feature lines and ease allowance for existing apparels and human models. The authors formulate the apparel fitting to a human model, as a process of optimization using these predefined constraints. Then, the authors iteratively solve the problem by minimizing the total fitting metric.FindingsThe authors observed that through reusing existing apparel styles, the process of designing apparels can be greatly simplified. The authors used a new fitting function to measure the geometric fitting of corresponding feature points/lines between apparels and a human model. Then, the optimized 2D patterns are automatically obtained by minimizing the matching function. The authors’ experiments show that the authors’ approach can increase the reusability of existing apparel styles and improve apparel design efficiency.Research limitations/implicationsThere are some limitations. First, in order to achieve interactive performance, the authors’ current 3D simulation does not detect collision within or between adjacent apparel surfaces. Second, the authors’ did not consider multiple layer apparels. It is non-trivial to define ease allowance between multiple layers.Originality/valueThe authors use a set of constraints such as ease allowance, feature points, feature lines, etc. for existing apparels and human models. The authors define a few new fitting functions using these pre-specified constraints. During physics-driven simulation, the authors iteratively minimize these fitting functions.

Apparel-based deep learning system design for apparel style recommendation

Purpose The big challenge in apparel recommendation system research is not the exploration of machine learning technologies in fashion, but to really understand clothes, fashion and people, and know what to learn. The purpose of this paper is to explore an advanced apparel style learning and recommendation system that can recognise deep design-associated features of clothes and learn the connotative meanings conveyed by these features relating to style and the body so that it can make recommendations as a skilled human expert. Design/methodology/approach This study first proposes a type of new clothes style training data. Second, it designs three intelligent apparel-learning models based on newly proposed training data including ATTRIBUTE, MEANING and the raw image data, and compares the models’ performances in order to identify the best learning model. For deep learning, two models are introduced to train the prediction model, one is a convolutional neural network joint with the baseline classifier support vector machine and the other is with a newly proposed classifier later kernel fusion. Findings The results show that the most accurate model (with average prediction rate of 88.1 per cent) is the third model that is designed with two steps, one is to predict apparel ATTRIBUTEs through the apparel images, and the other is to further predict apparel MEANINGs based on predicted ATTRIBUTEs. The results indicate that adding the proposed ATTRIBUTE data that captures the deep features of clothes design does improve the model performances (e.g. from 73.5 per cent, Model B to 86 per cent, Model C), and the new concept of apparel recommendation based on style meanings is technically applicable. Originality/value The apparel data and the design of three training models are originally introduced in this study. The proposed methodology can evaluate the pros and cons of different clothes feature extraction approaches through either images or design attributes and balance different machine learning technologies between the latest CNN and traditional SVM.

We wore “sloppy sweaters [and] tweed skirts”: Apparel for Wartime College Co‐eds with a Case Study of College Towns in Oregon

In August 1943, almost years after the United States entered World War II college-age women who read McCall's magazine were told that good college wardrobe starts off with a boxy coat, one suit, one skirt all the sweaters you can lay your hands on. Other musthaves included two dresses, one in crepe and one in wool, slacks, an extra jacket, warm sleeping pajamas, a woolly robe, and for housework, a pinafore (Corey 93). Two years later, in August 1945, with the war in Europe over, readers of Vogue magazine learned little had changed with regard to their college wardrobe: One, or three skirts you love and adore; with as many, and as different, changes of tops as you can manage with your clothes allowance (Campus Changes 130).After the United States went to war in December 1941, rationing, saving, and making-do became important to the home front war effort (Blum 94). In some contrast to the comments from a 1943 McCall's, quoted above, young people were told to conserve their clothing and to mend rips and restore dangling buttons and snaps to their proper places. It isn't sissy to sew a button on your coat-soldiers and sailors are required to have their own sewing kits (Allen & Briggs 17). In August 1942 a writer in the Ladies' Home Journal told young female readers that Clothing must be purposeful... Government regulations have not limited fashion or freedom of choice, but we must ration ourselves-buy every article with an eye to many uses (Cushman 2425).Although the number of men decreased on campuses during World War II many of the regular college activities continued, and clothing was needed for multiple occasions, events, and seasons. Writers of student publications advised an increasingly female student body on the appropriate or inappropriate attire for class, dances, and other campus events (Oregon State College AWS Handbook Co-ed Code 1943-44 41; Susy Co-ed Gives Tips To Rookies for Game 1).College women continued to be recognized as an important consumer group for the apparel industry during the war. Magazine editors, retailers, and apparel manufacturers recognized that these young people had specific clothing needs. If a young college-age woman was to page through the August college editorial section of women's magazines or Sunday August newspapers she would view multiple styles and types of clothing. Thus, these young consumers faced mixed messages about apparel consumption; should they purchase the appropriate clothing items for the multiple college events or should they be patriotic and thus frugal and make-do?Scholars have examined the influence of World War II on apparel styles and the textile and apparel industry. This has included investigations on patriotic fabrics and scarves (Atkins; Boardman), changes in newspaper editorial policies that impacted the fashion industry (Buckland & O'Neal), and the use of fashion to help support the war effort (Buckland). However, there has been little discussion on college women and their clothing choices during World War II. The researchers explore the tensions and ambivalences that co-eds from colleges and universities in western Oregon faced in order to better understand how this home front consumer market was influenced by American participation in World War II. College women carefully selected occasionspecific clothing; some was purchased, some home sewn, and some kept from previous years, in their attempt to balance between social expectations of appropriate dress and patriotism in their clothing choices.Three institutions of higher education in western Oregon were selected as a case study of co-ed dress and consumer behavior during World War II as a result of interviews conducted with women about their wartime consumer behaviors. During those interviews it was discovered that ten women had been college students in the Mid-Willamette Valley.2 The three institutions, Oregon State College, Oregon College of Education, and Willamette University, experienced wartime challenges similar to reports on other higher education institutions across the United States during the War. …

Men in red: A reexamination of the red-attractiveness effect

Elliot, Kayser, Greitemeyer, Lichtenfeld, Gramzow, Maier, and Liu (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 139(3), 399-417, 2010) showed that presenting men in front of a red background or with a red shirt enhances their attractiveness, sexual desirability, and status in the eyes of female observers. The purpose of the present research was to gain further insights concerning the robustness and the ecological validity of this red effect. In two experiments, we replicated the basic paradigm used by Elliot et al. Experiment 1 was a close replication of the first experiment in their original series. We presented the photo of a young man used by Elliot et al. on either a red or white background and asked participants (N = 89, female subsample n = 72) to rate it with regard to perceived attractiveness. Experiment 2 (N = 32) represents a somewhat more complex version of the first experiment; we increased the variance of the stimuli by showing photos of multiple men wearing different apparel styles (formal and casual, respectively). We did not find any significant impact of red in either of the studies. What we found, however, was a significant effect of apparel style with attractiveness ratings being higher for men wearing formal apparel than for men wearing casual apparel. Our results question the robustness and the ecological validity of Elliot et al.'s finding. On a more general level, they further point to limitations arising from (often necessary) restrictions in experimental designs.

Applying the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process to Construct the Product Innovative Service System of Wedding Photography Apparel

This study aimed to investigate the indicators of the wedding photography apparel product system in order to construct the wedding photography apparel product system indicators and analyze the hieratical weights of the wedding photography apparel product system indicators. By using the Delphi method and the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process, this study constructed the questionnaire for wedding photography apparel product system indicator weights. This study used the mean and standard deviation to learn about the distribution of opinions of the experts and scholars. According to the findings of this study, for the fuzzy weight analysis results of the wedding photography apparel product system indicators, the most important indicators are the product-service indicators. Moreover, for the product-service indicators, the wedding apparel package service is the most important. For the information platform indicator, the wedding apparel style opinion platform is the most important. For the maintenance and recycling indicators, the wedding apparel second-hand auction/donation is the most important. For the sales market indicators, the wedding apparel store sales/rental is the most important. The main purpose of the indicators of the wedding photography apparel product system constructed in this study is to propose detailed items and connotations to provide a substantial reference and basis of business strategic indicators for the wedding photography enterprises.

Pretty and Patriotic

The War Production Board issued limitation order 85 in April 1942 in order to conserve fabric and manpower needed for the war effort. The United States government hoped to curb, at least temporarily, the purchase of apparel and other goods to help support the war effort by restricting materials needed for the war. However, the apparel industry was one of the leading consumer industries in the United States, and putting it on hold was not only impractical but could harm the domestic economy. The United States apparel industry even marketed goods as patriotic to stimulate, not curb, consumer spending. The purpose of this research was to examine how female consumers of women’s apparel were influenced by the federal regulations of women’s apparel during World War II. We also examined extant wartime apparel in order to provide a more complete picture of women’s wartime apparel styles.

Underneath the glittering maze: Decorum and décolletage in high fashion, 1937–2004

This article considers how seemingly rapid changes in apparel styles are really part of long and complex evolutionary patterns that link today's technology and apparel with ancient human practices. We began by replicating Richardson and Kroeber's classic study of evening gowns. Fashion plates in American and European magazines were measured during the period from 1937 through 2004. The length and width of décolletage were measured for 20 fashion plates per year. Results were plotted on graphs and are discussed in a cultural context. For example, we found that bareness of décolletage was moderate in the late 1930s, increased in the early 1950s, decreased again in the late 1960s, and then increased until 2004. Width of décolletage showed a somewhat steeper increase than length of décolletage. We suggest that for the last 67 years décolletage and its regular alternation between modesty and exposure is the centerpiece of evening-wear fashion. Our findings are discussed in light of the fashion theory espoused by Flugel and Sapir. Finally we demonstrate that the relationship between décolletage measurements and their standard deviations remain like those predicted by Richardson and Kroeber in 1940.

Forecasting the US fashion industry with industry professionals – part 1

PurposeThe paper aims to investigate the opinions of professionals working in various levels of the fashion industry on the future (i.e. the next ten to 20 years) of the industry.Design/methodology/approachThis is a two‐part study, with this part focusing on the future materials of fashion and on fashion design. The second part focuses on the future of fashion production and retailing. Data in the form of essays were collected from 62 professionals. The constant comparative method and open coding were used in analysis of the data.FindingsTechnological advancements were predicted as a major force for changes. Participants predicted the continued development of specialized fibers or fabrics for specific functions. Participants also predicted that future apparel styles would emphasize individuality, comfort, casualness, unisex, and ethnicity. Design and product development processes would be heavily dependent on digital technology; as a result, the role of technical design would grow in importance. Companies that can embrace technology without eliminating the art elements of the business – functional with an aesthetic touch – would remain in an advantageous position to sustain business profitability. Collaboration was also identified as an emerging trend.Practical implicationsThe findings can help academics in developing research ideas and making curricular decisions.Originality/valueLimited research exists addressing the views of a wide variety of professionals on the future of the fashion industry. The examination of professionals' opinions may provide insights into the future that are useful for making decisions on career directions, selecting educational experiences, and planning strategies.

The U.S. Apparel Industry

The purpose of the study was to identify what prospective professionals in the apparel industry believe the future holds for the industry in the next 10 to 20 years. Essays were collected from 30 apparel design and 48 retail merchandising majors. Participants predicted that technological developments would be the prominent force for changes across all levels of the future apparel industry. They forecasted the continued development of specialized fibers or fabrics for specific functions and apparel styles emphasizing function, practicality, comfort, and individuality. Total automation and a wide adoption of mass customization were predicted for production. Consumers were expected to use only the Internet or brick-and-mortar stores in conjunction with the Internet. Based on their predictions, the authors provide a glimpse into the possible future of the apparel industry and suggest directions for further research.

Fashion in Context: Apparel Styles Worn by Young Women in the United States and South Korea in the 1970s

The purposes of our study were to examine and compare the styles adopted by young women in the United States and South Korea in the 1970s and to interpret the reasons for the similarities and differences within the historical and cultural context. Fifteen women from each culture who were college students in the 1970s were interviewed. Respondents from both cultures reported that relatively casual and comfortable styles were prevalent, reflecting women's changing roles. U.S. apparel styles, however, were more casual and comfortable, whereas Korean styles remained relatively feminine and formal. In the United States, individualism and masculinity were dominant cultural values that influenced styles and behaviors concerning dress. Koreans held onto collectivism and femininity, yet underwent the process of melding traditional and newly adopted values due to Western influences. This study furthers understanding of U.S. and Korean social changes through dress during the 1970s and the dynamic interplay of fashion1 and value changes.

Benefit Segmentation of the Korean Female Apparel Market: Importance of Store Attributes

This study identified segments of Korean consumers of female apparel and determined the relative importance of various store attributes. Six hundred and nineteen married women aged 20 to 59, from Seoul completed questionnaires regarding (a) benefits they sought from apparel, (b) importance of attributes of stores selling apparel and (c) personal demographics. Data were reduced using factor analysis, categorized using cluster analysis and analyzed using ϰ2 tests, t-tests and ANOVAs. Three segments of Korean female consumers were identified: brand-oriented (33.2%), budget-oriented (40.4%) and fashion-oriented (26.4%). Interactions between segment and education were significant for the importance of three store attributes: price/variety, discount policy and customer service/convenience. Significant differences among the three segments were also found in importance of information sources/promotion and apparel style.

Appearance and self-presentation research in gay consumer cultures: issues and impact.

Individuals present themselves to others through a variety of verbal and non-verbal behaviors. Appearance represents a non-verbal behavior which consumes a significant amount of our time, effort, and thought. We create and monitor our appearances in relation to cultural standards of attractiveness, relying on a wide range of appearance products and services to do so. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of appearance and self-presentation among gay consumers, to discuss issues relating to conducting gay consumer research, to discuss implications for marketing strategies, and to suggest recommendations for further research on specific aspects of appearance management as they may affect marketing to gay consumers. Two studies are reported herein. The first study examines differences in perception among homosexual men when viewing a stimulus person dressed in six distinctly different modes of expression. Social impressions of the stimulus person were different on 15 pairs of characteristics, with certain modes of dress resulting in greater consistency of response and others resulting in greater variability of response. The second study explores differences in aesthetic responses between homosexual and heterosexual men with respect to 14 apparel style categories and 3 fragrance categories. It was found that homosexual men had significantly different responses to innovative, trendy variations in 6 categories of dress, while both homosexual and heterosexual men had similar responses for classic, traditional variations in style categories that might constitute a basic college campus wardrobe (jeans, casual shirts, casual pants, underwear, and coats). Scent preferences also differed between the two groups of respondents. Homosexual men preferred floral, sweet fragrance categories and oriental, spicy categories, while heterosexual men preferred woody, green fragrance categories. These studies suggest that different appearance aesthetics may operate for homosexual and heterosexual men, findings that may have implications for marketing strategies and for understanding the importance of appearance in socialization and self-presentation. Issues relating to conducting consumer studies such as these are discussed, including approval from institutional review boards, sample selection and setting, and measurement. Marketing strategies are discussed relative to target market, product, promotion, distribution, and pricing. Finally, recommendations are offered for further research relating to appearance and self-presentation among gay consumers.

Attitudes of Women over 50 toward Apparel and Media

This study was designed to measure attitudes of women over 50 years of age concerning apparel and media. A factor analysis of survey responses indicated that the items fell into five meaningful clusters and provided some insight into how respondents felt about apparel and media. Apparel was important to respondents, particularly for feelings of well-being, in social and economic success and making a favorable first impression, and when purchasing new apparel styles and colors. Many of the clothing images promoted by media depicting younger people did not appeal to these women over the age of 50. There was also dissatisfaction with types and fit of available apparel.

Adult's Perception of Male Garment Styles

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of male apparel styles (daring, conservative, formal; casual) on American adult perceptions of personal traits of men. The relationship between personal traits on each of the garment styles and the clothing interest of viewers was determined Results indicated that a male stranger dressed in the daring style was considered unattractive, not intelligent, but very popular; a male stranger formally dressed was considered attractive, intelligent, and popular; a male stranger casually dressed was viewed as unattractive, not intelligent, and not popular; and a male stranger conservatively dressed was seen as attractive and intelligent but not popular. Respondents with high clothing interest rated the conservatively dressed male stranger as more sociable than the stranger dressed in the daring and casual styles and preferred the formally dressed stranger.