Self-Consciousness and Clothing Behavior: Values, Interests and Attitudes

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if attitudes toward conformity, clothing interests, and fashion opinion leadership influence mood, role-playing and self-image among graduate students in an urban university. The secondary purpose was to investigate sex differences between men and women relative to these attitudinal variables. Guided by the frameworks of self-concept, interpersonal congruency, and the response evocation and selfpresentation theories, the research questions were: (1). Is there a relationship between attitudes toward conformity and (a) mood and (b) role playing? (2) Is there a relationship between clothing interests and (a) self-image and (b) role playing? (3) Is there a relationship between fashion opinion leadership and (a) role playing and (b) self-image? (4) Is there a relationship between sex and (a) attitudes toward conformity (b) clothing interest (c) fashion opinion leadership (d) mood, (e) self-image, and (f) role playing? A survey questionnaire was administered to the study participants and analyzed by means of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The results of this study showed that there were statistically significant relationships between attitudes towards conformity, clothing interest, and role playing. Study results lead to the conclusions that conformity and enhancement of self- image are openly manifested in clothing behavior and that sex and religious affiliation has a negligible influence on attitudes, clothing interests, and the values attached to clothing by the respondents.