Women's Dress Fashions as a Function of Reproductive Strategy (original) (raw)
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Fashion and Textiles, 2017
Review of the progress in any area of inquiry is significant as this assessment enables theory development, identification of trends in topics, funding, and research strategies (Lennon et al. 2001) as well as uncovers future research needs and directions (Damhorst 1990). Several such evaluations have been completed on dress topics including the meanings of dress (Damhorst 1990), the influence of dress on behavior (Johnson et al. 2008), and dress and aging (Twigg 2007) among others. Our interest was in providing a review of empirical research that utilized human participants and that addressed relationships between dress and sex. Several previous researchers either reviewed empirical dress research or performed a content analysis of
Ovulatory shifts in human female ornamentation: Near ovulation, women dress to impress
Hormones and Behavior, 2007
Humans differ from many other primates in the apparent absence of obvious advertisements of fertility within the ovulatory cycle. However, recent studies demonstrate increases in women's sexual motivation near ovulation, raising the question of whether human ovulation could be marked by observable changes in overt behavior. Using a sample of 30 partnered women photographed at high and low fertility cycle phases, we show that readily-observable behaviorsself-grooming and ornamentation through attractive choice of dressincrease during the fertile phase of the ovulatory cycle. At above-chance levels, 42 judges selected photographs of women in their fertile (59.5%) rather than luteal phase (40.5%) as "trying to look more attractive." Moreover, the closer women were to ovulation when photographed in the fertile window, the more frequently their fertile photograph was chosen. Although an emerging literature indicates a variety of changes in women across the cycle, the ornamentation effect is striking in both its magnitude and its status as an overt behavioral difference that can be easily observed by others. It may help explain the previously documented finding that men's mate retention efforts increase as their partners approach ovulation.
Clothing and Changing Sex Roles: Comparison of Qualitative and Quantitative Analyses
Home Economics Research Journal, 1990
The main objective of this exploratory study was to compare qualitative and quantitative data collection methods and results via an investigation of sex role changes and clothing. Clothing and other appearance variables from videotaped episodes of situation comedies aired from 1953 to 1988 were analyzed for masculinity and femininity. The results of both analyses were remarkably similar. The increasing masculinity of working women 's appearance as depicted in the sitcoms over time was found to be related to concomitantly changing sex roles, from highly differentiated roles in 1953-1957, when the least masculinity was found in women's appearance, to modestly differentiated roles in 1986—1988, when the most masculinity was found in women's appearance. Further, the clothing and appearance of working men and working women became less differentiated as sex roles became less differentiated. This was primarily due to the fact that women's appearance came to incorporate more, and men's appearance came to incorporate fewer, masculine elements. However, men's appearance did not come to incorporate more feminine elements.
Comparison of patterns of dressing for two generations within a local context
Fashion, Style & Popular Culture, 2019
This research explores the dressing patterns of two generations of women with similar educational levels, and both located in the upper Midwest, USA. Based upon a review of the theories about dressing, the expectation was that differences in patterns of dressing would arise between the two groups that differed in age and generational cohort group. This is significant in today's milieu in which sustainable best practices from fast to slow fashion are encouraged and differences in generational groups could change the approach to intervention. The total sample of 115 females included two groups, the first numbered 55 with an average age of 73 years and the second numbered 60 with an average age of 20 years. Participants responded to a survey focused on the contemporary American woman. The two groups were asked the same questions about how they desired to appear, how they strategized about their wardrobe and putting together of ensembles, and their shopping patterns. Analysis included a comparison of responses of each group. There were a few differences in patterns of dressing based upon age and generational cohort group, but the number of similarities pointed to other influences such as the similar location of the two groups.
SpringerBriefs in philosophy, 2017
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Introduction to special collection on fashion and gender
Fashion and Textiles, 2016
In this special issue of Fashion and Textiles, we are pleased to present research focused on the interplay of fashion and gender. The theme for this issue followed from the fourth annual Fashion and … Symposium, held in the College of Design at the University of Minnesota in May 2015. The focus of the symposium was the relationships between fashion and gender. Authors of the 17 presented research papers, as well as other scholars from various fields of study, were invited to submit manuscripts of their work related to fashion and gender. This issue consisting of five research studies is the result of this process. Included in this issue is Matthews, Chaney and Opiri's article, "The Michelle Obama influence: An exploration of the First Lady's fashion, style and impact on women. " The authors of this article examine the impact of Mrs. Obama's sartorial style upon US women's fashion perceptions and purchase behavior. Interviews with women revealed that they believed that they could relate to Michelle Obama as a result of her appearance. Furthermore, Mrs. Obama's unique clothing selections encouraged the participants to also follow their own distinctive style when selecting clothing. Min's article, "Gendered role communication in marketing blue-collar occupational gear and clothing in the United States, " presents the results of a visual analysis of websites and advertisements selling blue-collar work apparel and personal protective gear. Min's analysis shed light on the lack of options available for women in these occupations. Furthermore, although gender equality is promoted in the workplace, individuals still express a sense of discomfort when viewing advertisements that portray women employed in blue-collar roles. The focus of Noh, Li, Martin and Purpura's article, "College men's fashion: Clothing preference, identity and avoidance" is young men, a group of fashion consumers about which little is known. Through interviews, the authors found that undergraduate males preferred to wear comfortable clothing, clothing that gives them confidence, and clothing that is situation-and context-appropriate. This research also revealed a troublesome pattern concerning male undergraduates' strong aversion to certain styles (e.g., gangster, gay). The interviewees held negative stereotypes about the people wearing these styles that are associated with African-American and homosexual men. The authors suggest that universities need to educate their students about the dangers of appearance stereotypes. Focus group and individual interviews were conducted by Reddy-Best and Harmon in their study, "Overweight boy's and girl's experiences with and perception of athletic clothing and its relationship to physical activity participation. " Reddy-Best and Harmon
Female sexual advertisement reflects resource availability in twentieth-century UK society
Human Nature, 2005
Evolutionary theory suggests that men and women differ in the characteristics valued in potential mates. In humans, males show a preference for physical attractiveness, whereas females seek cues that relate to resources and future earning potential. If women pursue marriage as an economic strategy, female sexual advertisement should increase during periods of poor economic conditions when the number of high-quality male partners becomes a limited resource. To test this prediction, measures of skin display and clothing tightness were taken for clothes portrayed in UK Vogue magazine from 1916 to 1999. These estimates of sexual advertisement were analyzed in relation to an index of economic prosperity (GDP), while controlling for general increases in economic conditions and sexual display over the course of the past century. The results indicate that female sexual display increases as economic conditions decline, with the level of breast display and the tightness of clothing at the waist and hips the key factors underlying this increase. Breast size and symmetry and female body form are secondary sexual characteristics that play an important role in sexual attractiveness. Since advertisement of these features increases as levels of competition for high-quality partners increases, females appear to use mar-Resource Availability and Human Mate Choice 267 riage as an economic strategy. Patterns of female fashion appear to be underpinned by evolutionary considerations relating resource availability to female reproductive success.
THE HISTORY OF GENDERED AND GENDER NEUTRAL CLOTHING .docx
This paper deals with the fact that from the 18th century to modern day, our clothes have been designed based on the gender assumptions. The first chapter provides a starting point for understanding why clothes are gendered by encapsulating the history of dress. The second chapter starts with definitions with regard to gender and sex. By analyzing a book, two papers and other sources for this part, I have come to the conclusion that gender is a social construct hence gendered clothing is also an imposition of societies. Gendered clothing creates sexual division and this affects people who does not fit in those two categories. The rest of the paper defines and gives examples of unisex and androgynous style. It suggests reshaping the fashion industry by ignoring the gender lines.