Individuality in Clothing Selection and Personal Appearance

Message to Our Readers WhenIndividualitywas first published, it was one of the premier texts to address clothing choice as not merely a "right" or "wrong" choice but rather a way of producing a desired effect with which the wearer would be comfortable psychologically, physically, and socially. This now-classic text has continued to provide general guidelines for individual and family clothing choices through its five previous editions. It has been a major text for four decades by providing a broad base of knowledge at an introductory level for the general education of students--a task ignored by most clothing texts, which typically have either a more narrow, in-depth focus or target the more advanced student.Individualityis unique in that it meets the needs of the student who is interested in taking a single course in fashion as well as the student who aspires to become a fashion professional. Focus In this sixth edition,Individualitycontinues its tradition of providing a concise overview of fashion as it relates to the individual consumer. The primary aim of the authors is to offer students a basic overview of the various influences on individual thought processes regarding clothing preferences, how clothing is uniquely designed for specific target groups, and how clothing purchase choices are made. Conceptualization and Update In order to accomplish the challenge of providing students with the latest information in an organized and compelling format, the authors have divided the text into three sections. The basic organization of the text has remained essentially the same with the exception of Part I, in which the chapters were rearranged to begin with a macro view of consumers. Chapter 1, retitled Target Market Influences, is a discussion of the demographic breakdown of U.S. consumer groups and their responsiveness to fashion. It also discusses the impact of Generation Y (tweens and teens) on the fashion industry. Chapter 2 gives a brief overview of the fashion industry, specifically focusing on basic terminology, past and current influential designers, and theories of fashion movement. Chapter 3 covers the influences of an individual's culture on clothing and shows how diaspora has created an international fashion concept. Chapter 4, the sociopsychological influences on fashion, has few changes. Chapter 5 shows the physical influences of fashion with emphasis on the continuation of two conflicting trends: the idealization of the overly thin body and the dominance of processed foods in the U.S. diet. Part II examines the design elements and principles as applied to clothing. The reader is given definitions of line, shape, color, and texture and then shown how each is applied to fashion items. This explanation of design elements is followed by a discussion of how these elements are organized by emphasis, rhythm, unity, proportion, and balance by designers who create fabrics and fashion. Part III focuses on clothing selection issues facing consumers. Chapter 11 discusses the fit requirements of individuals in various age groups. This is followed by a discussion of clothing quality and its impact on price in Chapter 12. Chapter 13 updates previous editions' discussion of consumer clothing care including new methods of dry cleaning and care for new fibers. Chapter 14 specifically relates to wardrobe selection, emphasizing industry trends for careerwear such as the beginning of a movement in some companies back to a more traditional look for business apparel. Chapter 15 ends the book with a discussion of the retail environment of traditional bricks and mortar stores compared to the trend toward e-tailing--bricks & clicks. In general, the content of each chapter has been updated with new data and photographs. Activities have been updated to reflect fashion in the twenty-first century. An emphasis on fashion and the web has been addedMarshall, Suzanne Greene is the author of 'Individuality in Clothing Selection and Personal Appearance', published 2003 under ISBN 9780130358653 and ISBN 0130358657.