Research Journal of Textile and Apparel

A Study on Clothing Descriptors for Women: Effects of Season, Income Per Month (IPM) and
Item-total (IT)
Frency Sau Fun Ng Patrick Chi Leung Hui James Tin Hang Yip
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To cite this document:
Frency Sau Fun Ng Patrick Chi Leung Hui James Tin Hang Yip , (1999),"A Study on Clothing Descriptors for
Women: Effects of Season, Income Per Month (IPM) and Item-total (IT)", Research Journal of Textile and
Apparel, Vol. 3 Iss 1 pp. 86 - 94
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 A Study on Clothing Descriptors for Women: Effects of Season, Income
Per Month (IPM) and Item-total (IT)
Frency Sau Fun Ng, Patrick Chi Leung Hui, and James Tin Hang Yip
Institute of Textiles and Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

ABSTRACT

In this study, the use of various clothing descriptors have been used to provide some insights
into clothing perception for 88 female students. The use of clothing descriptors to categorize
different aspects of clothing is a vital component of clothing selection, given the assumption
that explicit use of clothing descriptors may reveal implicit clothing categories. Season,
income per month, and total clothing descriptors used were shown to differentially affect the
use of various clothing descriptors such as brand, colour, quality, quantity, and size. The
results of this study have provided partial evidence for the effect of IT on the use of clothing
descriptors, perceived clothing functionality, and effects of financial constraints on brand
perception. Moreover, clothing descriptors seem to be useful in illuminating underyling
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schemas and processes for clothing selection. Implications for future research are discussed
in terms of clothing selection and purchase.

keywords: clothing perception, clothing categorization, clothing descriptors

1. INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study is to investigate female consumers' use of various clothing
descriptors in categorizing their anticipated clothing purchase throughout the year. The
general assumption lies in the fact that a consumer's explicit expression of clothing
descriptors reflects his or her implicit clothing categories. Furthermore, the understanding of
these clothing descriptors can provide further insights as to how consumers conceptualize
different aspects of clothing and, how these aspects relate to clothing selection. While
clothing descriptors merely refer to various adjectives that consumers use to describe
different parts or aspects of clothing, clothing selection is a collective term that entails the
integration of sensation, perception, selection, and purchase of clothing. Unfortunately, most
research studies tend to investigate clothing selection without considering clothing
descriptors as an important construct.

1.1 Clothing Selection Research

Clothing selection, as it pertains to categorization, has been previously examined by

researchers (DeLong & Lantz, 1980; Delong, Minshall, & Lantz; 1986; and Delong, Salusso-
Deonier, & Lantz, 1981). These studies suggest that individuals tend to form generalized
schema for the purpose of evaluating clothing products with respect to specific clothing
attributes. As suggested by Delong et al. (1986), consumers do perceive clothing properties
within a situational context. In continuation of this line of research, Buckley (1984-1985)
found three basic categories of dress (special occasion, bifurcated, and skirted dress). It is
important to note that categorization of clothing products may be partially formulated by a
consumer's perceived relevance of a clothing product to a particular event or occasion.

86 RJTA Vo.3 No.1

 Lennon & Davis have fonnulated some important theoretical foundations for the study of
clothing (Lennon & Davis, 1989a; Lennon & Davis, 1989b). These authors contend that
there are pre-processing and processing factors in an individual's perception of clothing. Pre-
processing factors (those that influence individual's clothing perception prior to his or her
actual perception) include task set, priming, perspective, salience, and context. On the other
hand, processing factors (those that are used by an individual while actually perceiving
clothing products) include cognitive schemata and individual differences. For definitions of
these tenns, please refer to Lennon & Davis (1989a) and Lennon & Davis (1989b). More
importantly, this distinction between pre-processing and processing factors remains to be
useful for designing future studies on clothing perception.

The significance of clothing perception can be illustrated by a line of research studies which
focus on the social aspects of clothing (e.g., Feinberg, Mataro, & Burroughs, 1992; Forney,
Rabolt, & Friend, 1993; Nagasawa, Hutton, & Kaiser, 1991; and Roach-Higgins & Eicher,
1992). Overall, these studies suggest clothing as a social construct.

1.2 Clothing Descriptors for Clothing Categorization

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The role of clothing descriptors in people's categorization of different clothing has not been
previously investigated. Clothing descriptors such as brand (BR), Colour (C), Quality (QL),
quantity (QT), and size (S) appear to be convenient for the general public in evaluating
clothing products.

1.2.1. Brands ofClothing

Brand refers to the commercial label attached to clothing products for the purpose of retail
reference and advertising. Previous research on brand have investigated brand extensions
(the addition of products within a brand; John, Loken, & Joiner, 1998; Milberg, Park, &
McCarthy, 1997; and Park, Jun, & Shocker, 1996), brand names (Kohli & LaBahn, 1997),
brand equity (the addition of value or importance to a brand; Erdem & Swait, 1998), brand
alliance (the association between different brands; Simonin & Ruth, 1998), and brand choice
(preferences for an individual or a particular set of brands; Chernev, 1997). However, the use
of brand as a means of categorizing clothing products have not been investigated.

1.2.2. Clothing Color

In comparison to research on brand, there are only one study that pertains to clothing color
(Lind, 1993). In this study, clothing color has investigated in tenns of preferences - with no
direct implications for clothing categorization. However, it seems intuitive to the current
authors that color may serve as a useful categorization schema for consumers of various
demographic characteristics. The reason is because color perception is a fundamental skill
that an individual acquires early in his or her life. Moreover, color provides a direct and
imminent reference for consumers when referring to different clothes. Nevertheless, the use
of color descriptors remains to be examined in the present study.

1.2.3. Quality, Quantity, and Size

In addition to brand and color, quality, quantity, and size are also considered to be useful
categorization schemas for clothing products. Although these clothing attributes are
perceptually less direct (when compared to brand and color), they are often used after

RJTA Vo.3 No.1 87

 consumers formulate certain preliminary considerations for a particular clothing product
(e.g., economic and ergonomic considerations). However, there are no research studies on
these clothing descriptors with respect to clothing categorization. Thus, these descriptors will
be investigated in the present study.

1.2.4. Factors Affecting the Use ofClothing Descriptors

Season, income level, and the total amount of clothing descriptors used will be examined for
their effect on the use of different types of clothing descriptors. This part of the study intends
to provide preliminary evidence for the role of context in clothing categorization.
Furthermore, the choice of different descriptors in various season may illustrate how people
perceive themselves as a practical consumer of clothing products (perceived clothing
functionality principle) and, how contextual variables such as income level can affect people
endorsement of various clothing descriptors.

2. METHOD

2.1 Participants
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88 university female students (M age = 19.81, SD = .05), predominantly single (94.6%) and
financial subsidized by their parents (75.2%), volunteered to participate in this study. All
participants were asked to complete a questionnaire within approximately one hour.
Informed consents were obtained for all participants.

2.2 Material

A questionnaire was designed to assess people's categorization of clothing under different

seasons of the year. Sufficient space were provided for participants to write down (using a
variety of clothing descriptors such as brand names, general reference terms, or specialized
jargons - with the exception of abbreviations) the various types of clothing they anticipate to
buy in all four seasons. Demographic information such as age, sex, occupation (full-time vs.
part-time student), emploYment, major source of income (MSI) as well as gross total income
per month (IPM), and marital status were obtained in a checklist/fill-in-the-blank format.
Following O'Brien's (1984) suggestion on including a variety of response options, all
variables were presented in a fashion that maximizes response options.

2.3 Data Coding

The total number of clothing items listed for each season (SN; 1 = spring, 2 = summer, 3 =
fall, and 4 = winter) were counted, recorded and summated for each participant (itemtotal;
IT). Furthermore, the use of various clothing descriptors were counted and classfied
according to the following dimensions: BR, C, QL, QT, and S. Participants' sex, occupation,
and emploYment were arbitrary coded, with the exception of MSI (1 = parents, 2 = siblings, 3
= relatives, 4 = spouse, 5 = friend, 6 = emploYment, and 7 = others), IPM (where participants
write down an approximated numeric value), and marital status (1 = single, 2 = engaged, 3 =
married, 4 = divorced, 5 = widowed, and 6 = involved in a relationship with someone right
now).

88 RJTA Vo.3 No.1

 3. RESULTS

3.1 Inter-relationships Between Clothing Descriptors

Intercorrelations were calculated for BR, C, QL, QT and S and, presented below in Table 1.
Correlations between C and BR, QL, and S were significant at I! < .01, with the strongest
correlation between C and QL. In contrast, the correlation between size and quality had the
weakest strength. Quantity was not significantly correlated with any clothing descriptors.
Furthennore, negative correlations (though generally weak and non-significant at I! < .05)
were obtained between BR and S, and between C and QT. All other correlations obtained
were non-significant at I! < .05.

Table 1. Intercorrelation Matrix for Clothing Descriptors

Clothing Descriptor
Clothing BR C QL QT
Descriptor
BR
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C .15**(327)
QL .07 (326) .25**(326)
QT .05 (326) -.045 (326) .01 (325)
S -.11 (327) .16**(327) .14* (326) -.09 (326)
Note. Values in brackets denote the sample size used for calculating that particular
correlation coefficient.
* I! < .05. ** I! < .01.

3.2 Data Recoding

Data are recoded according to the frequency distributions (in tenns of both data counts and
percentages) calculated for IPM (M = 1984.87, SD = 1184.96) and IT (M = 9.58, SD = 4.92)
and, are presented as follows:

According to Figure 1, categorical values were obtained by using approximated quartiles as

cutoff points. Data were recoded (into revised-IT; R-IT) as follows: 1 for IT (= 0, 4, 5, or 6;
34th percentile), 2 for IT (= 7, 8, or 9; 56th percentile), 3 for IT (= 10, 11, or 12; 71th
percentile), and 4 for IT (~ 13).

Data for IPM are recoded (into revised-IPM; R-IPM) using a procedure similar to those for
IT. Equal percentiles were used as cutoff points for recoding IPM: 1 for IPM (= 220 through
1000; 27 th percentile), 2 for IPM (= 1200 through 2000; 74th percentile), and 3 for IPM (~
2500).

Cases where participants failed to respond, as oppose to responding in such a way that did not
fulfill certain requirements (i.e., coded "0" for a variable), were classified as missing data.
The frequency of missing data for BR, C, QL, QT, S, and R-IPM were 25, 25, 26, 26, 25, and
40 respectively. It is important to note that participants failed to respond most often with
respect to R-IPM. Furthennore, the frequency of missing data in each of these variables is
not necessary due to the inherent nature of these variables. For example, a participant may
have failed to respond due to the season. As a result, a participant's failure to respond to a

RJTA Vo.3 No.1 89

 particular season may adversely affect the frequency of missing data for other variables as
well.

Figure 1. Frequency Distribution for IT (N = 88)

120

110

100
1:
Q) 90
o
'- 80
rf
Q)
70

> 60
~
"3 50
E 40

a 30

20

5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 22
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 21 24
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lte~Total

Figure 2. Frequency Distribution for IPM (N = 78)

120

110

'E 100
Q)
(,) gO
l-

ff 80
70

60

50

40

30

20

10
o .I.-_~ ~

Missing 600 gOO 1200 1500 1700 2500 4000 8000

220 800 1000 1300 1600 2000 3000 5000

Income Per M:>nth (IPM)

Note. 10 participants failed to provide data for IPM and thus, were excluded from this part
of the analysis.

3.2 Missing Values

3.3 Effects of season, R-IT, R-IPM on Clothing Descriptors

The effects ofSN (M = 2.50, SD = 1.12), R-IPM (M = 1.99, SD = .73), and R-IT (M = 2.40,
SD = 1.23) on BR (M = .13, SD = .49), C (M = .33, SD = .76), QL (M = .37, SD = .69), QT
(M = .38, SD = .67), and S (M = .38, SD = .70) were assessed by using one-way ANDVA.
Levene's E-test was also performed to assess the homegeneity of variance for each of these
factors. In cases where Levene's E-test was significant (i.e., violation of the homogeneity of
variance assumption), Hopkins, Hopkins, and Glass's (1996) table was used to approximate
adjusted alpha levels for such violation. Adjusted alpha levels (which represents Q = .05 in

90 RJTA Vo.3 No.1

 cases where homogeneity of variance can be correctly assumed) were approximated by using
the ratio between comparison groups' means and the ratio between comparison groups'
variances. For cases where significance levels (as dictated by one-way ANOVA) appeared to
be rather large (i.e., Q ~ .10), they were assumed to be non-significant even when adjusted
alpha levels were used. The logic behind this assumption lies the fact that an adjusted alpha
level of .15 requires combinations of mean and variance ratios such as: crl2/crl = 2.80, nl/n2 =
.20; or crl 2/crl = 3.90, nl/n2 = .33 which are not very likely in this study. Thus, alpha levels
for these cases, where Q ~ .10, were not adjusted. The results of Levene's F-test and the main
effects ofSN, R-IT, and R-IPM are presented in Tables 2 and 3 respectively.

Table 2. Levene's F for SN, R-IT, and R-IPM on Clothing Descriptors

Levene F
Clothing SN R-IT R-IPM
Descriptor
BR 9.92** 38.79** 24.49**
C 6.78** 28.56** 5.22*
QL 1.68 18.43** 5.11 *
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QT 3.41 * 13.28** 1.46

S 6.90** 13.53** 3.27*
* p < .05 ** p < .001

Table 3. Main Effects ofSN, R-IT, and R-IPM on Clothing Descriptors

Clothing SN R-IT R-IPM

Descriptor
BR 2.45 9.22* 5.77*
C 1.94 8.07* 1.69
QL 0.73 4.93* 1.99
QT 1.32 5.23* 0.34
S 3.59* 7.89* 1.23
* p < .05 ** p < .001

3.3.1 Effects ofSeason

As the results indicated, Levene's E-test was significant for BR, C, QT, S, but not QL, with
respect to SN. Thus, all alpha levels were adjusted for all mean comparisons, with the
exception of those comparisons that involve QL. SN has an effect on S. Specifically, the
number of size descriptors used for winter was significantly greater than those used for fall (Q
< .05). All other effects were non-significant at Q < .05.

3.3.2 Effects ofR-IT

Similarly, Levene's E-test was significant for BR, QL, QT, and S, with respect to R-IT.
Adjusted alpha levels were used for all mean comparisons. R-IT has an effect on BR, C, QL,
QT, and S. With respect to BR, the number of descriptors used by people (R-IT = 3) was
significantly greater than those (R-IT = 1), P < .05. Moreover, the number ofBR descriptors
used by people (R-IT = 4) was significantly greater than those (R-IT = 1), (R-IT = 2), and (R-
IT = 3), p < .05. With respect to C, the number of descriptors used by people (R-IT = 3) was

RJTA Vo.3 No.1 91

 significantly greater than those (R-IT = 1) and those (R-IT = 2), Q < .05. In addition, people
(R-IT = 4) used signficantly more C descriptors than those (R-IT = 1) and those (R-IT = 2), Q
< .05. For quality, the number of descriptors used by people (R-IT = 3) and those (R-IT = 4)
were significantly greater than those (R-IT = 1), Q < .05. In terms of quantity descriptors,
people (R-IT = 4) used significantly more descriptors than other people (R-IT = 1), (R-IT =
2), (R-IT = 3), Q < .05. With respect to size descriptors, people (R-IT = 3) used significantly
more descriptors than those (R-IT = 1), (R-IT = 2), and (R-IT = 4), Q < .05. Moreover,
people (R-IT = 4) used significantly more S descriptors than those (R-IT = 1), Q < .05. All
other effects were non-significant at Q < .05.

3.3.3 Effects ofR-IPM

Levene's E-test was significant for BR, C, QL, S, but not QT. Unlike R-IT, R-IPM has an
effect only with respect to BR. Specifically, people (R-IPM = 3) used significantly more BR
descriptors than those (R-IPM = 2), Q < .05. All other effects were non-significant at Q < .05.

4. DISCUSSION
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4.1 Amount of Clothing Descriptors as a Result of Perceived Clothing Items

As shown in this study, females tend to recall and use more clothing descriptors when more
clothing items were anticipated to be purchased. This is particularly true for those who have
13 or more anticipated clothing items in total. Subsequently, an individual who anticipate a
strong need for clothing in a particular season may be more alert to various clothing
dimensions. An important implication from this finding is that retailers should consider
differences in consumers'attentiveness to clothing dimensions between each season and other
situational factors when advertising various clothing products. However, individuals who
perceive their clothing needs as relatively low throughout the year may not necessarily be
affected by the number of perceived clothing items with respect to the amount of clothing
descriptors employed by these individuals. It may be possible that individuals with low
perceived-clothing needs are more susceptible to the effects of other situational and/or
personal characteristics, with respect to their choice and usage of various clothing descriptors.

4.2 Evidence for Perceived Clothing Functionality

As stated earlier, the principle of perceived clothing functionality assumes that people
generally perceive themselves as practical consumers of clothing. That is, an individual will
tend to anticipate their choice of clothing according to certain clothing needs (e.g., season-
oriented clothing). With this in mind, size was shown to be the most convenient clothing
dimension on which an individual can assess the practicality of various clothing (with respect
to each season). Other clothing dimensions such as brand, colour, quality and quantity were
not significantly affected by season. Thus, females (at least on a perceptual level) seem to be
practical consumers of clothing, contrary to the general stereotype that females often engage
in various irrational shopping behaviors.

4.3 Financial Constraints on the Use of Brand Descriptors

The fact that R-IPM affected only the use of brand descriptors by female participants raises
the issue of financial constraints with respect to brand perception. More specifically, an
individual's perceived R-IPM can inhibit her frequency on the use of various brand names.

92 RJTA Vo.3 No.1

 This inhibition may suggest a certain degree of cognitive association between one's financial
capabilities and her use of brand descriptors.

However, the exact nature of this cognitive inhibition must be re-examined in future studies
in order to provide more insights on the influence of financial status on brand perception. An
individual's value, habit, and expectations (with respect to clothing) may be susceptable to
such inhibition. Intuitively, clothing perception remains to be further explored as a
multidimensional construct. More importantly, the role of clothing perception in the design
and manufacturing has yet to be determined. According to Burnett and Dunne (1986), the
use of student participants in the present study does limit the generalizability of these results
- thus, research on clothing perception should include people with different demographic
characterisics (especially age, sex, and income levels).

5. CONCLUSION

In the present study, clothing perception has been investigated in terms of various clothing
descriptors for female students. The effects of season, R-IPM, and IT have been assessed and
evaluated for clothing descriptors such as brand, colour, quality, quantity, and size. The most
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influencing factor on the use of clothing descriptors appears to be R-IT, while season and R-
IPM had an effect on size and brand respectively. That is, there is partial evidence to support
the assumption that the use of clothing descriptors may reflect (to a certain degree) an
individual's clothing selection under various conditions. Nevertheless, there has been
preliminary evidence for IT's effect on various clothing descriptors, perceived clothing
functionality principle, and the possibility of financial constraints on using brand descriptors.
Furthermore, this study suggests that clothing descriptors may be useful indicators of the
underlying processes for clothing selection.

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