bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Domestic Versus Overseas Apparel Production: Dialogue with San Francisco-Based Manufacturers
Authors: Forney Judith C. , Rosen Diana M. , Orzechowski Janice M.
Published: October 2007

This exploratory study identified issues and concerns related to the American apparel industry. Dialogue with apparel manufacturers sought their responses to the following: factors influencing apparel production site selection; opinions on profitability, government intervention, and the future of the American textile and apparel industries; opinions regarding the quality of materials and production techniques in the U.S. and overseas; and awareness of industry-related programs and regulations. Management personnel from nine domestic and nine overseas apparel manufacturers based in the San Francisco Bay Area were interviewed. For the domestic firms the most important criterion for production site selection was lead time; for the overseas firms the most important criterion was cost. Both groups also identified quality control and sourcing as important. A recurring issue for both groups was inflexibility in domestic sourcing and production; they indicated that greater flexibility would increase American apparel industry profits. Both groups predicted more government intervention, increased prices, and continued inflexibility in the future. Not all respondents were aware of industry-related programs and regulations.
"She had a Web of Cloth to Weave": Women's Role in 19th-Century Textile Production
Authors: Wilson Laurel E. , Franck Lavina M.
Published: October 2007

It is known that during the 19th century men were professional weavers (Anderson, 1985), but there is proof that women also did commercial handweaving (Walker, 1981). The purpose of this investigation was to determine women's role in textile production through a content analysis ofprobate records of a region of North Carolina. Both quantitative and qualitative data werefound, but qualitative data illustrate most clearly women's role in textile production. Information from some of the documents in the probate files indicates that textile production was important in women's daily lives and that women in this region were involved in a form of commercial textile production.
Effect of Economic Stress on Perceived Clothing Deprivation Among High School Students
Authors: Francis Sally K
Published: October 2007

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of economic stress on perceived clothing deprivation among high school students. Questionnaires were completed by 336 ninth through twelfth grade students who were enrolled in home economics classes at six high schools. The students were 13 to 20 years of age; 82% were female. The clothing deprivation measure consisted of 27 items based on measures developed by previous researchers. Factor analysis generated two factors from the 27 items which were used as the two dependent variables in subsequent analyses: F1, Inability to Buy; and F2, Clothing Deprivation Relative to Peers. The students were divided into four groups according to reported level of economic stress. Results indicated that economic stress had a significant overall effect on perceived clothing deprivation. Univariate F tests revealed significant effects for both clothing deprivation factors. Post hoc tests indicated that for F1, the lowest economic stress group perceived less clothing deprivation than did any of the other three groups; also, the second lowest group perceived less deprivation than did the highest group. For F2, the highest economic stress group perceived higher clothing deprivation than did any of the other three groups.
The Social and Economic Cost and Payoffs of Industrialization in International Textile/Apparel Trade
Authors: Hamilton Jean A. , Dickerson Kitty G.
Published: October 2007

The focus of this paper is on the social costs and benefits associated with economic shifts in international textile and apparel trade and industrialization. Because these changes are important. virtually everywhere in the developed and developing world, the importance of assessing the social impact of these economic shifts in specific historical/cultural contexts is asserted. Attention is given to how the direction of these changes differs for producers in developing countries as compared with those who participated in the first Industrial Revolution in Britain. Finally, both the policy and educational implication of this broader comprehension of international textile trade are addressed.
Perceived Quality and Predicted Price: Use of the Minimum Information Environment in Evaluating Apparel
Authors: Heisey Francesann L.
Published: October 2007

Consumers. use many cues in forming perceptions ofprice and quality of apparel. The environment in which a cue is presented has been shown to be influential in its interpretation. The concept of the minimum information environment (MIE) is introduced and investigated. The MIE for apparel includes legally required labeling information, vendor name, and brand name. Subjects (40 female junior and senior Retail and Textiles and Clothing majors, enrolled in an apparel course at a midwestern university) evaluated quality and estimated the price for four identical sweaters on which the MIE had been manipulated. A direct, positive relationship between price and quality (p < .0001) was found with store type/prestige (p < .0280) and fiber content (p <.0001) appearing to influence predicted price primarily through effects on the perception of quality. No effects due to country of origin and care requirements could be detected on either predicted price or perception of quality.
"The Silk Worms of the East Must Be Pillaged": The Cultural Foundations of Mass Fashion
Authors: Hamilton Jean A.
Published: October 2007

Eighteenth century Scottish data provide rare documentation of the origins of a mass fashion system from the perspective of those who experienced it. This analysis focuses on the conceptual distinction between dress and mass fashion as a category ofdress, and it uses culture theory to propose a cultural-contextual explanation of the shift from dress to mass fashion in dress. It explains why dress becomes mass fashion only in the context of an emerging industrialized nation state with the necessary understructure to support a mass fashion system, a system with very different cultural requirements from dress and from aristocratic fashion. An analysis of Roach and Musa's (1980) definition of fashion makes it clear that the distinctions between these terms are far from trivial, for each implies different levels of socio-cultural complexity. Parallels between the mass fashion system that developed in late 18th-century Scotland and those of developing nations today are suggested.
Status Characteristics Theory: An Application to Clothing Research
Authors: Workman Jane E.
Published: October 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two variables on performance: a status characteristic (fashionability) and an opportunity to demonstrate competence. Sixty-two undergraduate female volunteers participated in the study. Fifty percent of the subjects, after being labeled either fashionable or unfashionable, were given an opportunity to demonstrate competence by making decisions about appropriate clothing for various situations. The other 50% were given no opportunity to demonstrate competence. Subjects who were given an opportunity to demonstrate competence improved their scores on a posttest twice as much as subjects who were not given an opportunity to demonstrate competence. Subjects who had been negatively labeled "unfashionable" and who were then given an opportunity to demonstrate competence improved their scores almost three times as much as subjects who had been negatively labeled "unfashionable" and who were not given an opportunity to demonstrate competence. Results suggest that persons in a lower status position relative to others can benefit from being given an opportunity to disprove that lower status label.
The Clothing and Textiles Research Journal: An Empirical Examination
Authors: Oliver Barbara A. , Mahoney Marianne Y
Published: October 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine volumes 1 through 7 of the Clothing and Textiles Research Journal (CTRJ) in relation to past trends in content areas of research reported, authorship, and sources of citations. Seven subject matter areas were identified: apparel design and manufacturing, consumer issues, cultural/historical, educational merchandising, social/psychological, and textile science. Of these, social/psychological research represented 26% of the empirical articles. Studies which focused on apparel design and manufacturing increased in number as the journal matured Individuals affiliated with land-grant institutions authored 94 of the 145 articles published Funding sources were acknowledged in one fourth of the articles. The Home Economics Research Journal was the most frequently cited publication in CTRJ articles.
Underlying Dimensions of Apparel Involvement in Consumers' Purchase Decisions
Authors: Thomas Jane Boyd , Cassill Nancy L. , Forsythe Sandra M.
Published: October 2007

The purposes of this study were (a) to determine if apparel involvement is composed of more than one dimension and, if composed of more than one dimension, (b) to determine if variation in apparel involvement dimensions is explained by fiber information sources and demographics. The sample chosen for this study was female apparel consumers (n = 540) from three Southern malls. A questionnaire consisting of an involvement measure, a fiber information source measure, and a demographic measure was handed to mall shoppers who completed and returned the questionnaire (n = 177). Using factor analysis two involvement factors emerged, indicating that apparel involvement is composed of more than one dimension. Analysis of covariance indicated that variation in apparel involvement dimensions is partially explained by fiber information sources. Analysis of variance found that one of the two identified apparel involvement dimensions differed based on 3 of 4 of the consumer demographic variables studied Results may benefit apparel marketers in developing promotional programs and retail management in training sales associates.
The Influence of the Perception of Mood and Self-Consciousness on the Selection of Clothing
Authors: Kwon Yoon-Hee
Published: October 2007

This study investigated the relationships between perception of mood, self consciousness, and the selection of clothing among male and female students. The statistical analysis of surveys of l4l females and ll3 males revealed that (a) females were more sensitive to different mood states than males and that this affected their choice of clothing; (b) as compared to males, females'private setf-consciousness and perceived moods, especially negative moods, affected their selection of clothing to a greater extent; (c) private setf-consciousness played a more important role than public self-consciousness on the effects of perceived moods on the selection of clothing for females; and (d) that females' clothing selection was more influenced by perceived mood among those scoring high than among those scoring low on private self-consciousness.
Body Measurement Specifications for Fit Models as a Factor in Clothing Size Variation
Authors: Workman Jane E.
Published: October 2007

Almost every apparel company employs a different fit model and develops its own size charts. As a result, there are widespread differences in sizing and fit of garments from various apparel manufacturers. It has been recommended that size charts need to be checked and revised every 10 years to reflect changes in characteristics of the U.S. population. The purpose of this research was to investigate one factor in sizing variation—body measurement specifications for fit models. Specifically, the focus was to determine current standards for size 8 and 10 fit models, to compare body measurement specifications for size 8 with size 10, and to compare current standards with those of 10 years ago to see if specifications have been revised Data for the study were collected from 1976 and 1986 trade journal advertisements for size 8 and 10 fit models. Data were analyzed using a t-test. Results showed a 1986 size 10 had significantly larger hip measurement specifications than a 1986 size 8. A comparison of 1986 and 1976 specifications revealed only one difference—hip measurement specifications for the 1986 size 10 were significantly larger than for the 1976size 10. A comparison of the range of measurement specifications between 1976 and 1986 revealed that a wider range existed in 1986 for both sizes 8 and 10 than existed in 1976.
Measurement of Fabric Drape and Its Relation to Fabric Mechanical Properties and Subjective Evaluation
Authors: Collier Billie J.
Published: October 2007

Fabric drape of a number of fabrics was measured using a digital Drape Tester and was found to be significantly correlated with the subjective evaluation of drape. Fabrics were draped on two different-sized pedestal plates, and differences in draping behavior between plates and among fabrics were determined Composite drape values measured on the Drape Tester differentiated the draping behavior of the different fabrics. Drape was also correlated with mechanical properties of the fabrics. The mechanical property values were used to formulate predictive equations for fabric drape. Shear hysteresis and bending resistance were found to be most closely associated with fabric drape.
Eider Skin Garments Used by the Ungava Unuit from the Belcher Islands, Northwest Territories: Construction and Context
Authors: Oakes Jill
Published: October 2007

Until recently, ancient skin clothing construction procedures using a variety of mammals, frsh, and birds have been passed down from one generation to the next in Inuit culture. Since about 1890, eider skins have been used for clothing on the Belcher Islands by the Ungava Inuit. Since the 1960's few young people have learned the historical skills of producing eider skin clothing from their elders. These skills have become obsolete in today's modern world

The purpose of this research paper is to record procedures used to construct, lay out, alter, and maintain bird skin garments. It is critical to document these techniques before the elders who have the knowledge pass away. Participant-observation technique supplemented with data from museum artifacts, historic photographs, archival sources, and literature was used to collect detailed information on production procedures used to make men's, women's, and children's parkas, bonnets, stockings, and overslippers. A comparison is made between historical and contemporary sewing tools, construction techniques, and materials used in bird skin garments.

Findings provide a more complete understanding of the role of dress in social/cultural survival. Findings also record an obsolete garment construction technique which will enable future generations to learn about their own historic material culture based on information presented by their ancestors.
Wardrobe Consultant Clientele: Identifying and Describing Three Market Segments
Authors: Fuller Barbara K. , Blackwell Suzannah C.
Published: October 2007

This study examined department store customers who seek additional advice from wardrobe consultants in making purchase decisions. Shopping attitudes of these customers were measured and analyzed to identify different consumer types. Using cluster analysis, three distinct market segments were found among consumers who engage the services of a wardrobe consultant: cautious consumers, recreational consumers, and convenience consumers. Demographic profiles were developed using personal characteristics and expenditure patterns for each of the three consumer types. Differences among the three market segments were then analyzed to suggest ways of developing marketing strategiesfor each segment. Of the three market segments the convenience consumerproduces the greatest opportunityforservice-oriented retailers. In addition to being the largest group, their demographic profile indicates a slightly younger group with higher incomes and a willingness to delegate shopping to a surrogate.
Effect of Perceived Clothing Deprivation on High School Students' Social Participation
Authors: Francis Sally K
Published: October 2007

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect ofperceived clothing deprivation on social participation of adolescents. A questionnaire was developed to measure perceived clothing deprivation and social participation. The sample was comprised of 338 high school students enrolled in ninth through twelfth grades at six high schools. Factor analysis generated two clothing deprivation factors: Inability to Buy and Clothing Deprivation Relative to Peers. Two social participation factors were also generated: Social Competence and Social Participation. Results indicated that clothing deprivation had a significant effect on social participation. A multivariate analysis of variance revealed significant main effects for both Inability to Buy and Clothing Deprivation Relative to Peers. Univariate F tests revealed significant main effects for both clothing deprivation factors on both social participation factors.
Patronage Behavior of Apparel Shopping: Part I. Shopping Orientations, Store Attributes, Information Sources, and Personal Characteristics
Authors: Shim Soyeon , Kotsiopulos Antigone
Published: October 2007

This is the first part of a two-part paper which deals with patronage behavior of apparel shopping. Part I examines the comprehensive relationships among key variables which impact patronage behavior of apparel shopping. Nationwide data (N = 482) were analyzed by utilizing multiple regressions to investigate the relationships among patronage behavior, store attributes, shopping orientations, information sources, and personal characteristics. Based on the results, patronage profiles for discount store, specialty store, department store, and catalog shopping were developed Predictors of store attributes, shopping orientations, and information sources were identified. Marketing implications are discussed
The Development of American Menswear Pattern Drafting Technology, 1822 to 1860
Authors: Davis-Meyers Mary L.
Published: October 2007

Between 1822 and 1860 American pattern drafting technology changed from a direct system of drafting to a proportional system, enabling the menswear ready-to-wear trade to develop standardized patterns. The emergence of standardized patterns coincided with the transformation of the American menswear tailoring industry from a handmade customized production system to a mechanized ready-made manufacturing system. This study examined 41 American pattern drafting systems to determine trends in drafting technology. Besides their technological value these systems also provide information on regional specialization, the conveyance of pattern drafting technology, and the level of skill artisans needed to remain competitive in the early industrial American menswear garment industry. The development of standardized pattern drafting systems in early 19th-century America provided one of the catalysts to transform the menswear ready-to-wear tailoring trade into a large scale factory production system.
Meanings in Mid-Nineteenth Century Dress: Images from New England Women's Writings
Authors: Gordon Beverly
Published: October 2007

This article draws on the writings, including diaries, letters, etiquette books, and popular fiction, of mid-nineteenth-century women to explore the roles and meanings of dress in everyday life in Victorian New England By mid-century, with the rapid change engendered by industrialization, immigration, and urbanization, individuals were especially concerned about their social position and were preoccupied with social front, the persona they presented with their attire.

Women were the prime monitors of their own and their family's dress and were responsible for front, as well as assembly, upkeep, and management of clothing. Their sense of self was intimately tied up with appearance, and they struggled simultaneously to keep up-to-date and to avoid being too fashionable and thereby conspicuous. Women's writings about dress indicate a general acceptance of their prescribed roles, including modesty, domesticity, nurturance, thrift, and piety.

Personal accounts mirror the great amount of backrtage labor that was necessary to maintain the proper social front and the constancy and centrality of managing and caring for clothes. The women who emerge from the writings are hard workers, good managers, and intelligent and concerned individuals.
The Art Needlework Movement: An Experiment in Self-Help for Middle-Class Women, 1870-1900
Authors: Gunn Virginia
Published: October 2007

In the late-nineteenth century American middle-class women often searched for ways to earn money, hoping to discover alternatives to the menial and low-paying jobs usually open to females. Following the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition, these women capitalized on growing interest in art, aesthetics, and home beautification. They established Societies of Decorative Art and Schools of Art Needlework, self-help organizations which provided salesrooms to market fashionable needlework, art, and crafts on consignment. The initial success of these efforts helped participants build confidence, but in the final analysis art needlework proved no better a means of self-support than plying the needle in the garment trades. The ultimate failure of the art needlework experiment helped convince women that they would have to push for educational and career opportunities traditionally closed to them.
The Comely Rowers The Beginnings of Collegiate Sports Uniforms for Women Crew at Wellesley, 1876-1900
Authors: Warner Patricia Campbell
Published: October 2007

Wellesley College, opened in 1875, had rowing from the beginning. Crews designed and wore individual costumes to distinguish their classes, starting in the sophomore year. These uniforms represent the earliest team uniforms for women in a collegiate setting in the United States. Costume became an important element of Float Day, the annual rowing event that lasted until 1948. However, the first 25 years, until 1900, were most important in developing a suitable uniform for the sport. From the first, the gymnastic dress was the model; in the 1880s fashion overtook function, but in the 1890s, because of improved rowing shells, regulation gymnasium costume became the norm.

Archival written and photographic materials provided primary sources, but photo documentation raised important questions and problems for the historic researcher dealing with chronological dating.
Development and Effectiveness of a Computer-aided Pattern Design Tutorial
Authors: Belleau Bonnie D. , Orzada Belinda T. , Wozniak Patricia
Published: October 2007

The purposes of the study were to develop and evaluate a computer-aided pattern design tutorial and to survey student attitudes toward computer technology and CAD systems. A tutorial developed by the researchers was based on a software package currently being used by industry. Student attitudes toward computer technology and CAD systems were examined with a Likert-type attitude scale. Students received instruction in traditional (manual) flat pattern design methods, completed dart manipulation exercises (pretest), and then completed the same exercises using the CAD system (posttest). The attitude scale was administered before and after using the CAD system. The tutorial was as effective an instructional tool as traditional methods of teaching pattern design. There were no significant differences in student attitudes before and after completing the tutorial. Many students were computer-literate prior to the study and had already developed positive attitudes toward technology and CAD systems. Future plans include refinement and expansion of the tutorial.
Clothing and Bedding Practices and Hypothermia Awareness of Elders: A Comparative Study
Authors: Zbikowski Patricia , Loker Suzanne
Published: October 2007

This study investigated the clothing and bedding habits and awareness of hypothermia of rural Vermont elders. It also compared the awareness of hypothermia and relevant clothing and bedding habits of elders living in warm (northern Florida) and cold (Vermont) climates. Results showed Vermont elders to have a greater awareness of hypothermia, its definition, and its causes, though less than 10% of either warm or cold climate elders correctly identified symptoms of hypothermia. Florida respondents claimed a greater use of clothing and bedding articles to keep them warm during the day or in bed at night. Vermonters used sweaters during the day and pajamas/gowns and flannel sheets at night to keep warm significantly more than did northern Floridians. Northern Floridians wore socks, slippers, robes, coats, pajamas/gowns, and hats significantly more than Vermonters did to keep warm during the day and socks, underwear, and hats more at night. They also used regular sheets, bedspreads, electric blankets, quilts, and heating pads more than Vermonters did to keep warm in bed. The researchers concluded that both warm and cold climate elders need to be educated about the dangers of hypothermia and about the clothing and bedding practices that prevent its occurrence.
Effect of Consumer Socialization on Clothing Shopping Attitudes, Clothing Acquisition, and Clothing Satisfaction
Authors: Francis Sally , Burns Leslie Davis
Published: October 2007

The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of consumer socialization on attitudes toward clothing and shopping and means of acquiring clothing and to investigate the effects of consumer socialization and selected clothing and shopping attitudes on clothing satisfaction. Subjects were 70 mother/daughter pairs who completed parallel questionnaires. Results indicated similarities between mother and daughter pairs for means of clothing acquisition and for overall clothing satisfaction. For both mothers and daughters high fashion involvement and high shopping enjoyment contributed to overall clothing satisfaction. Results are discussed in terms of consumer socialization and satisfaction theories.
Pigskin as a Component of the International Leather Market
Authors: Kunz Grace I. , Albrecht Juliana , Stout Shari , Horne Lena
Published: October 2007

A model of the structure of the leather market system is presented and discussed relative to pigskin markets. Pigskin represents only a small portion of the total leather market even though annual worldwide slaughter of hogs exceeds 750 million. Greater utilization of pigskin by textile and apparel professionals is hampered by an unreliable supply of leather-quality domestic pigskins and an inadequate pigskin marketing system.
Clothing Fashionability and Students with a Disability: Impressions of Social and Mental Competencies
Authors: Nisbett Donna J. , Johnson Kim K. P.
Published: October 2007

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of clothing fashionability and gender of a student with a disability, in combination with a perceiver's gender and affiliation with an individual with a disability, upon impressions of social and mental competencies of a student with a disability. Subjects were 183 undergraduates who each received a questionnaire and photograph depicting either a male or female wearing fashionable or unfashionable clothing while seated in a wheelchair. Subjects indicated their impressions of the stimulus by responding to a social desirability scale, a social competence scale, and a mental competence scale. Data were analyzed using analyses of variance and the Neuman-Keuls test. Results suggest that, for female students with a disability, wearing unfashionable clothing can be detrimental when others are forming impressions of mental competence. Results from subjects in this study did not support the notion that wearing fashionable clothing could lessen the salience of a disability.
The Fabric's the Thing: Literal and Figurative References to Textiles in Selected Plays of William Shakespeare
Authors: Owens Nancy J. , Harris Alan C.
Published: October 2007

Shakespeare revealed his notion of the nature of his times and culture in his plays. In this study the authors concentrate on terms and references identified with textiles used in dress in the plays of William Shakespeare. They categorize those terms which are literal and those which are figurative. The analysis demonstrates that Shakespeare, a product of and interactive with his times, ultimately stated important generalizations regarding social, economic, and political conditions in Elizabethan society by means of those terms and references.

Class consciousness, for example, permeated every aspect of Elizabethan society, and this comes through clearly in the distinctions made between three-ply velvet and hempen homespun, between silk and Welsh, flannel. By understanding the historical and social contexts of the terms used in the plays, the reader has a clearer understanding of the meaning of the plays as well as a deeper appreciation of the importance of textiles as used in dress throughout history. In addition, the analysis has validity for our own age as we use material in apparel to state aspects of, conditions of, issues in, or beliefs about our culture. The study, moreover, results in an applied, interpretive strategy for symbolically analyzing language phenomena in a literary creation.
A Study of the Readability of Selected Commercial Patterns
Authors: Parker Sue M. , Brown David M. , Moore Linda J.
Published: October 2007

The purpose of this study was to analyze the readability of 112 commercial patterns acquired from a local fabric store. The objectives of the study were to ascertain (a) the range of readability of the pattern texts; (b) the average readability of the pattern envelopes, glossary texts, and guide sheet texts; (c) any significant differences among the three types of passages; and (d) the degree of consistency in readability among the passages. The passage instructions possessed wide ranges of readability. The average readability of the passages ranged from grade 5 for the guide sheet texts to grade 8 for the pattern envelopes. Significant differences existed among the means of the three passages, and there was little consistency in readability among the passages.
Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions of Agricultural Workers Toward Disposable Protective Coveralls
Authors: Perkins Helena M. , Crown Elizabeth M. , Rigakis Katherine B. , Eggertson Bertha S.
Published: October 2007

The purpose of this study was to understand better the behavior of grain farmers toward the use of disposable protective coveralls by measuring beliefs, attitudes, and other components of the Fishbein-Ajzen theory of reasoned action and determining relationships among these components.

The results indicate that most of the farmers believe that wearing disposable coveralls would provide the best method of protection and a more secure feeling about pesticide use. Respondents believe important referents such as their spouses will likely suggest that disposable coveralls should be worn while applying pesticides. Overall, farmers have positive attitudes and behavioral intentions.

Pearson correlations and regression analyses indicate significant relationships among all components of the model. Attitude and subjective norm together provide considerable influence on behavioral intention with attitude being the stronger component. Thus the Fishbein-Ajzen model was applied effectively to the behavior of wearing disposable protective coveralls.
The Accuracy of Size Information on Men's Prewashed Jeans
Authors: Sieben Wanda A. , Chen-Yu Hsiu-I Jessie
Published: October 2007

Consumers use size statements on garment labels to locate garments with a satisfactory fit. Accurate size information assists consumers to make efficient decisions in finding specific garments to purchase or to try on. The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of information on garment size labels. Two hundred and forty men'sprewashed jeans were measured to identify discrepancies between the stated and measured dimensions of the waist and inseam. The paired t-test and analysis of variance were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that the stated dimensions on men's jeans were significantly different from actual dimensions. Discrepancies between stated and measured dimensions of men's jeans were significantly different among the low, medium, and high price ranges. When manufacturer-promoted brands and retailer private label brands were compared, the discrepancies at the inseam were different, but there was no significant difference at the waist. Implications for apparel manufacturers' quality control programs and consumer education are discussed
New Product Development: Testing the Concept of Customized Patterns
Authors: Caldwell Lark F. , Workman Jane E.
Published: October 2007

The New Product Development Process (Kotler, 1984) is the model for a concept test of customized patterns. Customized patterns are an improvement over commercial patterns through computer-aided design technology. This study surveys fabric retailers to assess reactions to marketing techniques and concerns related to the introduction of customized patterns. A questionnaire, completed by 45 selected fabric retailers, measured reaction to customized patterns and predictions of customer reactions to price, methods of processing orders, advantages and disadvantages, and interest in customized patterns. Within-subjects repeated measures MANOVA and difference contrast t-tests were used to analyze the data. An overall favorable reaction to customized patterns exists. Suggestions are presented for the New Product Development Process for customized patterns.
Demographic and Lifestyle Characteristics as Predictors of Fashion Opinion Leadership Among Mature Consumers
Authors: Huddleston Patricia , Ford Imogene , Bickle Marianne C.
Published: October 2007

This study identifies demographic and lifestyle characteristics as predictors of fashion opinion leadership for mature consumers. A fashion opinion leader is an individual who has influence on decisions of other people to accept or reject an innovation (Rogers, 1983). A sample of 711 out of 2003 mature consumers completed questionnaires for a 35 percent response rate. The underlying lifestyle characteristics and the dimensions of fashion opinion leadership in the mature consumer were determined with factor analysis. Multiple regression analysis revealed that lifestyle dimensions of Positive Thinker, Shopper, Socially Active and Credit Prone were predictors of fashion opinion leadership. No demographic characteristics (age, income, educational level, house size, occupation) were predictors of fashion opinion leadership.
The Development and the Evaluation of Costume Reproduction Pattern Blocks for an 1880's Woman's Dress
Authors: Marendy Michael
Published: October 2007

The purpose of this study was (1) to document an 1880's bustle dress and (2) to develop a set ofperiod pattern blocks which would authentically reproduce the bustle dress. The study garment was part of the Historic Costume and Textile Study Collection at the University of Alberta. The following question was addressed: for a standard size 12 what will produce the most authentic reproduction of the study garment; (1) drafting a pattern using an 1880's pattern making system, (2) drafting a pattern using a contemporary pattern making system or, (3) grading a pattern taken from the study garment? Using patterns taken from the dress, an 1880's bustle and petticoat, and an original pattern of an 1880's corset, toiles were produced to check the accuracy of the original patterns. The patterns were graded using the Price and Zamkoff (1974) grading system and British standard size 12 measurements. Two standard size 12 patterns of the study garment were developed using the Thomson (c. 1887) and the Aldrich (1985) drafting systems. Toiles were produced, and then mounted on dress forms padded to simulate British standard size 12 body shapes. A panel of experts evaluated the toiles and ranked them from most authentic to least authentic. The toile developed from graded pattern pieces was chosen as the most authentic reproduction of the study garment.
Effects of Two Nonpersonal Information Sources on Student Buyers Evaluation of Apparel Merchandise
Authors: Anderton Beth A. , Workman Jane E.
Published: October 2007

This study was designed to identify the impact of two nonpersonal information sources, fashion videos and fashion photographs, on evaluation of apparel merchandise by student retail buyers. Two subject groups were asked to view three styles of a vendor's collection by media of a fashion video or a fashion photograph. Subjects responded to six questions about quality, price level, likelihood of purchase, amount of information, ease of purchase decision, and confidence in purchase decision. MANOVA and ANOVA were performed to determine whether the responses of the two groups differed based on medium used for presentation. Subjects were more likely to purchase fashion styles from a fashion video than from a fashion photograph. Subjects received significantly more information from the fashion video to use in making a purchase decision than from fashion photographs. Results from this study suggest that vendors should be encouraged to produce fashion videos to communicate product information and updates to retailers.
Use of a Crocking Test Method to Measure the Transfer of Pesticide from Contaminated Clothing
Authors: Obendorf S. Kay , Love Angella M. , Knox Trudie
Published: October 2007

Crocking tests methods and equipment are proposed as a method to study pesticide transfer from contaminated clothing. An AATCC crockmeter was used to stimulate the action of skin rubbing against a contaminated fabric surface. Fabrics commonly worn by agricultural workers were contaminated with 14C- labelled methyl parathion and mounted on the crockmeter. The mechanical finger was covered with clean, dry, unfinished fabric and rubbed against the contaminated specimen. The amount of pesticide transferred to the clean fabric was measured by liquid scintillation counting of the radiotracer. Tests showed that more pesticide was transferred from contaminated 65% polyester/35% cotton fabric than from 100% cotton fabric. More pesticide was transferred from heavier weight cotton denim than from lighter weight cotton denim. The nondurable starch finish reduced the pesticide transfer from both the 100% cotton fabric and the 65% polyester/35% cotton shirtweight fabric. These cloth-to-cloth transfer studies have demonstrated that pesticides can be transferred from contaminated garments by mechanical rubbing and suggest that fabric parameters play an important role in pesticide transfer. To use this to select or develop clothing to reduce the health risk from secondary pesticide exposure, further work is needed to relate the fabric-to-fabric transfer to that observed for fabric to skin in field conditions.
Shopping Enjoyment, Perceived Time Poverty, and Time Spent Shopping
Authors: Forsythe Sandra M. , Bailey Anne W.
Published: October 2007

The purpose of this study was to propose an enjoyment-based motivational framework for shopping behavior research. The effects of shopping enjoyment, perceived time poverty, and selected demographic variables on the amount of time spent shopping among employed customers of a large Midwest retail firm were investigated. Analysis of covariance was used to analyze the simultaneous effect of the classification and measurement variables on time spent shopping. The factors affecting time spent shopping were found to be complex and interrelated. Significant main and interaction effects were found for shopping enjoyment, marital status, and age. Shopping enjoyment was positively related to time spent shopping; however, the effect of shopping enjoyment was mediated by marital status. The findings did show that shopping enjoyment is a viable motivational construct influencing time allocation to shopping and provided support for extending traditional utility maximization models to include shopping enjoyment.
Challenges of the 1990s: Clothing and Textiles Enrollment Trends and Program Issues
Authors: Feather Betty L.
Published: October 2007

Major changes are occurring in higher education. Clothing and textiles programs with origins in home economics face many challenges as they move into the 21st century. The three purposes of this study were (1) to examine enrollment patterns, staffing and department configurations; (2) to ascertain the extent of departments' involvement in recruitment and enrichment or improvement activities, and perception of environmental conditions affecting programs; and (3) to test hypotheses concerning potential differences between large and small programs for recruitment, enrichment or improvement and environmental conditions. One questionnaire was mailed to the administrator of every department (234) with faculty who were members of the International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) in the United States, 160 administrators provided usable responses. Seventy percent of the administrators indicated their departments were multidisciplinary. Small programs, fewer than six faculty, constituted seventy percent of the sample used in the analysis. MANOVA and Hotelling's T2 procedures identified differences between large and small programs for recruitment (F(10, 119) = 1.86, p < .05), with large programs indicating greater recruitment activities. The other two hypotheses approached significance by program size for enrichment or improvement activities (F(10,128) = 1.71, p = .08) and perceptions of environmental conditions (F(12,119) = 1. 73, p = .07). Conclusions and implications focus on critical issues and concerns.
Clothing, Sex of Subject, and Rape Myth Acceptance as Factors Affecting Attributions about an Incident of Acquaintance Rape
Authors: Workman Jane E. , Orr Robin L.
Published: October 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of victim's clothing, sex of subject, and rape myth acceptance on attributions concerning an incident of acquaintance rape. Subjects were male and female university students who read a scenario depicting acquaintance rape, viewed a photograph of one of three female models in a short, moderate, or long skirt, answered ten questions concerning their perceptions of the incident, and completed a Rape Myth Acceptance scale. Main effects were found for sex of subject, for rape myth acceptance, and for victims's clothing. There were 2-way interactions between rape myth acceptance and victim's clothing for four questions. Results of this study document existence of a belief in, and potential effects of, rape myths. Since belief in rape myths is likely to interact with clothing cues to affect perceptions of a victim, it is important that a rape victim's clothing not be allowed as evidence in a trial.
Product Line Characteristics as Determinants of Quick Response Implementation for U.S. Apparel Manufacturers
Authors: Ko Eunju , Kincade Doris H.
Published: October 2007

The purpose of this study was to identify the implementation of QR technologies by a broad spectrum of U.S. apparel manufacturers and to examine relationships between organizational characteristics and implementation of QR technologies. Conceptual framework for the study was based on the environmental interpretation model in the business domain (Daft & Weick, 1984, p. 284). The implementation level of selected QR technologies was the dependent variable, and the independent variables were product category, fashion change, and seasonal change. A better understanding of QR is needed to increase implementation of this approach to environmental change.

A random sample of 306 U.S. apparel manufacturers was selected from a purchased list. A mail questionnaire was pilot tested, and the revised survey questionnaire was sent to plant managers. Adjusted response rate was 47% (n = 103). Descriptive statistics and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for data analysis. The most frequently used QR technologies were small lot orders, production planning with customer, computerized inventory, and short cycle cut planning. Fashion change was significantly related to implementation of QR technologies. This study contributes to the knowledge of the fashion change variable and has implications for strategic planning by U.S. apparel manufacturers.
Bringing Civilization to the Frontier: The Role of Men's Coats in 1865 Virginia City, Montana Territory
Authors: Meyer Deborah J. C. , Wilson Laurel E.
Published: October 2007

This study focuses on men's coats recovered from the steamboat Bertrand to determine what men of Virginia City, Montana Territory, wore and how the coats reflected the society in which they lived. Diaries, letters, merchant account and day books, and 137 men's coats were primary source materials. Content analysis of Virginia City photographs and museum artifacts indicates that the men of Virginia City, in their desire to obtain goods and services, cultural institutions, and social amenities familiar to them, made Virginia City a civilized city. The men's coats uncovered from the Bertrand reflected eastern fashion and social customs and played a role in bringing civilization to the Montana frontier.
Applicability of the Engineering Design Process Theory in the Apparel Design Process
Authors: Regan Cynthia L. , Kincade Doris H. , Sheldon Gwen
Published: October 2007

An effective apparel design process is key to the successful launch of an apparel product. Application of engineering design process theory, the foundation of the design process, may enhance understanding of the apparel design process. Goals of this research were to: (a) interpret actions and decisions made during the apparel design process, (b) determine whether the specific stages of engineering design process theory were used by apparel designers and merchandisers, and (c) determine applicability of engineering design process theory to apparel design. The research method was interpretive qualitative research employing triangulated methods of long interview and observation. Interview questions focused on actions and decisions made during the apparel design process. Inter-rater reliability and respondent validation were used to increase research reliability. Results showed that there is a systematic building block process to designing apparel lines and a direct relationship between engineering design process theory and process steps used by apparel design associates.
Organizational Culture for Small Textile and Apparel Businesses in Guatemala
Authors: Dickson Marsha A. , Littrell Mary A.
Published: October 2007

The organizational culture of small Guatemalan businesses that produce textile and apparel products for export to the U.S. was a) profiled using field research and case study methods and b) compared with past research describing the cultures and management practices of apparel businesses located in the U.S. and abroad. The overall profile of organizational culture included improved family well-being as a motivating force for initiating and sustaining business. Cooperative management provided mutual respect and fairness among all members. Little organizational risk-taking was evident, yet joining the group was an indicator of individual initiative. The objective of creating a successful business required new product development with wholesale customers serving as the primary source of new product ideas. Having a central workplace enhanced group communication and product quality. Similarities among the Guatemalan and other apparel and craft businesses were noted in terms offinancial need, importance of family, geographic marketing focus, product development strategies, and risk in ownership. Variables for consideration by development planners are identified.