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1| gum; llljfllljllll wt 11" 11 W Mllflfllfl m

This is to certify that the
thesis entitled
Survey of the Clothing Preferences and Buying
Practices of One Hundred Girls of
Roosevelt High School in Chicago, Illinois

presented by

 

 

Anne Rosner

has been accepted towards fulfillment
of the requirements for

._M_-A;__degree in TextileS,Clothing &
Related Art

Wwfl 5m

flajor professor

Date July 22, 1954

 

0-169

A SURVEY OF THE CLOTHING PREFERENCES AND BUYING
PRACTICES OF ONE HUNDRED GIRLS OF
ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL IN

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

By

Anne T. Rosner

M

A THESIS

Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of Michigan
State College of Agriculture and Applied Science
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

MASTER OF ARTS

Department of Textiles, Clothing, and Related Arte

195k

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The writer wishes to express her sincere
appreciation to Miss Hazel B. Strahan for her
guidance, interest and patient assistance
throughout the investigation; and to the students
at Roosevelt High School who served as subjects

and whose cooperation made this study possible.

338672

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER
I. INTRODUCTION AND STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
II. REVIEW OF.LITERATURE . . . . . . . . . .
III. METHODS AND PROCEDURE-.3. . . . . . . . . .
IV. FINDINGS AND INTERPREIATIONS . . . . . .
Buying Practices . . . . . . . . . . .
Wardrobe Adequacy . . . . . . . . . . .
'Sensitivity to Appropriate Dress . . .
Color, Type and Style Preferences . . .
V. SUMMARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
VI. CONCLUSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PAGE

29
35
61
82
9o
99

103

113

116

120

TABLE
I.
II.

III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.

XI.
XII.
XIII.
XIV.

XV.

XVI.
XVII.
XVIII.
XIX.

LIST OF TABLES

Age Distribution of Participating Students .

Distribution of Intelligence Quotients of
Ninety-four farticipating Students . . . .

Analysis of Size of Families . . . . . . . .
Occupational Classification of Fathers . . .
Employment of Mothers . . . . . . . . . . . .
Types of Student Employment . . . . . . . . .
hate of Pay of Employed Students . . . . . .
Expenditure of Earnings of Employed Girls . .
Activities Girls Shared with Their rarents .
Activities Girls Shared with Other Girls . .

Activities Girls Shared with Boys . . . . . .

Desired Sources of Approval . . . . . . . .I

Garments Made at home . . . . . . . . . . . .

Extent of Freedom of Choice in Selection and
Purchase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Factors of Influence Affecting Choices in
ClOthing . O o o o e o o 0 o o o o o o o 0

Sources of Fashion Information . . . . . . .

Analysis of Clothing Purcnasing Practices . .

Garments Tried On Before Purcnasing . . . . .'

Factors of Influence in Selection of Skirt and

8101186 00000000000000...

PAGE
36

3e
38
hi
h2

an
he
54
Sb

57
60

62

0’4

66

67
68

71

72

XX.

XXII.

XXIII.

mv.
XXV.
XXVI .
xxvxl.
XXVIII .

XXIX.

XXXI.

LIST OF TABLES (CONT.)

Information Desired on Slip Labels . .

Cowparison of Chicago and Milwaukee Findings

on Slip Labels . . . . . . . . . . .
Fabric Identification . . . . . . . . .

Financial Responsibility for Clothing
Expenditure . . . . C . O . . C 0 . .

Methods of Payment Used . . . . . . . .
Wardrobe Adequacy for Desired End Use .
Quantitative Comparison of Wardrobes .
Garments Worn fer Specific Occasions .

Appropriateness of Fabric to Design . .

Comparison of Girls' Selection of Appropriate

Fabrics with Accepted Selection . .

Wardrobe Color Preferences . . . . . .

Reasons for Preferences of Favored Garments .

Page
7h

75
77

Bl
82
83
85
91
9o

98
99
101

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Modern society is finally accepting the teen—agar as
an individual - an individual who counts. In 1952 there
were estimated to be 15,175,0001 teen-agers living in the
United States. In spite of their large numbers, research
on adolescents has lagged far behind research in other
fields of human development. According to Reid, little is
"known of how members of families in the United States are
clothed and what effect clothes have upon the personality of.
individual family members.“2 We perhaps know even less
concerning what the adolescent girl regards as clothing
needs which meet her varied activities and social require-
ments and her buying preferences and practices.

This study had as its primary purpose an investigation
of the clothing preferences and practices of one hundred
teen-age girls in Chicago. The specific objectives in this

survey are:

 

1 "Current Census Reports - Population Estimates, Series
P-Zfi, No. Q5 (Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Census, 1953). P. S.

2 Doris Jean Reid, “A Study of the Clothing Practices of Ufiuuu
High School Senior Girls,” (unpublished Master's thesis,
Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburgh, 1951), p. l.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(h)

(S)

(6)

(7)

To determine and compare their expressed clothing
preferences and buying motives with actual buying
practices.

To determine what factors influence their clothing
choices.

To determine the degree of independence of choice
shown in their shopping practices.

To evaluate the girl's Concept of wardrobe ade-
quacy as it is affected by the socio-econdmic
status of her family and the kind and amount of
her social participation with her family and peers.
To determine the extent to which this group has
developed a sensitivity of appropriateness of
dress for specific occasions.

To compare teen-age indicated preferences in color,
type and style with the garments which they own.

To relate the findings in this survey with those
of a study done in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which

had comparable objectives.

The investigation for this survey was carried on at

Roosevelt high School, Chicago, Illinois, in the winter and
spring of 1952-53.

Twenty-five freshman, SOphomore, junior and senior

volunteers who had taken or were currently taking a high-

school course in clothing participated in this survey. The

school is located in a better-than-average neighborhood,
the students representing upper-middle or middle-class
families. The average annual earnings of their fathers
was $5,200 for a family of four as determined by a survey
made in the home management classes in the spring of 1952.
The school records show the enrollment to be approximately
2,000 students whose scholarship and attendance was better
than the average for other high schools in Chicago.
Simultaneously a comparable study was being carried on
at West Division high School in Milwaukee,‘Wisconsin, by
Grace Leask. Miss Leask and the writer developed and used
the same questionnaire and interview schedule. Miss Leask's
description of west Division high School follows: .

This school of l,h00 students was located in a
transient neighborhood, with twenty-two percent of
the enrollees, as shown by school records, charac-
terized by truancy and early drop out. An average
home in this neighborhood was considered to be
rather unstable in that parental supervision was
often lacking during a large percentage of the day.
This was thought to be due to the fact that fifty
percent of the homes were broken, and also to the
fact that in fifty-five percent of the homes, both
parents were employed. Additional factors observed
about the students of this school and community were
that sixty percent of them.had part-time employment
and that the majority of their fathgrs were employed
as skilled and unskilled laborers.

 

3 Grace J. Leask, "A Survey of the Clothing Preferences
and Buying Practices of One hundred Girls of West Division
high School in Milwaukee, Wisonsin," (unpublished Master's
thesis, Michigan State College, East Lansing, 1953), p. h.

The differences in the socio-economic background of
these two groups of one hundred girls provided the oppor-
tunity for noting similarities and differences in their
clothing preferences and buying practices.

From these two surveys there should evolve suggestions
helpful in the planning of new or revisions of existing
curriculum.units in home management asvwell as units dealing
with clothing and personal development. It, likewise, may
provide information which will enable teachers and school
administrators to better understand certain behavior pat-
terns of these teen-age students. It may also contribute
to better understanding in parent-pupil-teacher relation-

ships.

CHAPTER II

REVlEW OF LITERATURE

In any survey or study one of the most interesting
and important aspects is the comparison of its findings with
those of former investigations. The writer found this par-
ticularly true when comparing these data with those of Leask1
as the same schedule was used in both surveys. The differ-
ences in the clothing preferences and buying practices in
these two groups composed of individuals representative of
different economic and social status was, in some eases, note-
worthy, and in others, negligible. In order to make a more
direct and complete comparison of the findings of the two
investigations references to the Leask survey have been in-
corporated into Chapter IV, Findings and Interpretations.

The review of literature, likewise, revealed some
differences and similarities. Most investigators agree
that "adolescense is the period of life in which clothes

assume the greatest importance."2

 

1 Grace J. Leask, "A Survey of the Clothing Preferences
and Buying Practices of One hundred Girls of West Division
high School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin," (unpublished Master's
thesis, Michigan State College, East Lansing, 1953), 117 pp.

2 Elizabeth B. Hurlock, Motivation in Fashion, (Archives
of Psychology, No. 111. New York: Celumbia University, 1929),

p. 69o

Read observed, "clothes may make growing up easier or
harder. They may become a symbol of security, an extension
of self, a way of identifying with someone else, or a means
of real satisfaction."3

"When dressed like other members of the group the indi-
vidual identifies himself with the group and feels that he
belongs to it."h

In addition to being an aid in developing a sense of
security Enty stated that the clothes of adolescents are
”extremely important in creating a good frame of mind for
academic achievement."5

Clothes have a significant social value. "The presence
of others, especially if they are not members of one's immedi-
ate family, semm to be a great incentive to carefulness about
appearance.”6

In order for young people to enjoy continued favor

and approval, according to Averill, they "must pay an

 

3 Katherine h. Read, "Clothes help Build Personality,"
Journal‘gf home Economics, h2:3h8, May, 1950.

h Elizabeth B. hurlock, Adolescent Develo ment, (New
York, McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 19h9). p. BEE. .

5 Jane E. Enty, "The Effect of Clothing on the Social
Adjustment of Adolescent Girls," (unpublished Master's thesis,
howard University, Washington, D. 0., 1950), p. 37.

6 hurlock, gp. cit., p. 5h.

absurdly exaggerated amount of attention and time to dress,
coiffure, make-up and personal appearance."7
Cannon and his associates sought to determine the ex-
tent personal appearance was a factor in the social accept-
ability of #37 elementary and high school pupils. They re-
ported, "all of the most popular girls from.the seventh through
the twelfth grades excel or conform closely to the normffound
for personal appearance."8
The psychological effects of clothing were studied by
Ryan at Cornell University. In surveying the opinions of
college girls she found there was a relationship between
the girl's feeling of general security and self-confidence in
her appearance. However, she was unable to determine which
was the cause and which was the effect, or whether both char-
acteristics were due to some third factor.9
Later a comparison was made by Ryan of college with
high school students; and rural with urban students and

boys with girls. She reported finding "no significant
difference between the rural and the city girl in self-

 

? Lawrence A. Averill, Adolescence_e A Study of the
Teen'Years (New'York, Houghton-Mifflinflfiompany, 1936), p. 125.

8 Kenneth L. Cannon, Ruth Staples, and Irene Carlson,
"Personal Appearance as a Factor in Social Acceptance,"
Journal 9; Home Economics, an: 712, November, 1952.

9 Mary 8- Ryan, "Psychological Effects of Clothing,"

Part I Survey of the Opinions of College Girls, Bulleti 882,
{Cornell University AgriculturalExperiment Station, Ithaca,

1952’, p. 150

confidence in appearance," although the urban girl tends to

have more clothes and more expensive ones, and to be more

conscious and interested in clothing than the rural girl.10

Self choice in clothing was also found to be related
to a feeling of confidence. Ryan's data disclosed that
those who always chose their own clothes were more apt to

feel better dressed than those who had their clothing

selected for them.11

The extent of independence exercised in the purchase
of clothing, recreational supplies, etc. by 510 girls and
#75 boys from.twenty-seven high schools in various parts of
the country was studied by Wilson. She reported that there
was a relationship, too, between the extent of independent
selection and the source of spending money. The boys and
girls who earned their own spending money were most inde-
pendent, while those who had an allowance were a little
less independent, and finally those who had no regular or

' fixed source of spending money made the least number of

independent selections.12

10 Mary S. Ryan, "Psychological Effects of Clothing,"
Part II Comparison of College Students with High School Stu-
dents Rural with Urban Student§,_and Boys with GirlngBulletin
‘2? )Cornell University Agricultura1.3m eriment Station, Ithaca,
93 , p. 26.

11 Mary 8. Ryan, "Psychological Effects of Clothing,"
Part I Survey of the Opinions of Cells 6 Girls,‘Bulletin 882
lagrnell University Agricu tural Experiment Station,*Ithaca,
19 2 ' p. 110

12 Gertrude V. Wilsonfi "Res onsibilities of Hi h School
Students in flying,” blishe Master' 3 thesis, niversity

of Chicago, Ch cage, 193 ). p. 7h.

In studying the apparel buying habits of five hundred
high school girls in Des Moines, Iowa, Smith indicated that
seven percent earned all of their clothing money and eighteen
percent most of it. She reported further that twenty-seven
percent of those employed purchased all, and forty-six
percent purchased most,of their own clothing.l3

Wolfe made a study of clothing purchases of one hundred
junior college women. Thirty-seven of the forty-nine em-
ployed students spent part of their earnings for clothing
and twelve used all of their earnings for clothing purchases.
Fifteen percent of these purchased all of their own clothing
while three-quarters of the total group bought their
clothing with some assistance. Wolfe further reported that
an only child was slightly more independent in.her purchasing
than a child from larger families.14

According to huriock the adolescent's interest in
clothes extends beyond selection to concern in their care

"so that they will remain fresh and attractive."15

 

13 Alma Marie Smith, "Apparel Buying Motives and habits

of high School Girls of Des Moines, Iowa " (unpubgished Master's
thesis, Drake University, Des Moines, 1955), p. 10 .

1h helen Wolfe, "A Study of the Spending fiesponsibilities
of a Selected Group of Junior College Women with Particular
Reference to Their Clothing Purchases," (unpublished Master‘s
thesis, Florida State University, Tallahassee, 1951), p. 82.

15 Elizabeth B. hurlock, Adolescent Development, (New
York, McGraw-hill Book Company, Inc., l9h9), p. 2E7.

 

10

This interest in care of clothing was confirmed by
Reid in her investigation of seventy-seven senior high
school girls. Two-thirds of these students reportedly
pressed their own clothes regularly and about one-half

16 Colvin likewise noted in a

brushed and aired them.
study of the clothing practices of one hundred high school
girls from De Kalb, Illinois, that one-third "always"
mended and "always" laundered their clothing while one-half
"always" pressed them.17
Research literature on the leisure time activities
of teen-agers seemeite be very limited. ‘Young people are
constantly being accused of not making intelligent use of
their leisure time. However, not enough studies and inves-
tigations seem.to have been made to confinm or deny this
accusation.
Rosencranz found that memberships in clubs and organi-

zations has a bearing upon women’s and girl's interest in

8
clothing.1

 

16 Doris Jean Reid, "A Study of the Clothing Practices
of Urban High School Senior Girls,” (unpublished Master's
theggs, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburgh, 1951),
p. .

17 Yolande McCaskill Colvin, ”A Study of the Clothing
Practices of One Hundred High School Girls of DeKalb, Illi-
nois," (unpublished Master's thesis, University of Colorado,
Boulder, 19h8), 62 pp.

18 Mary Lou Rosencranz, "A Study of Interest in Clothing
Among a Selected Group of Married and Unmarried women,"
(unpublished Master's thesis, Michigan State College, East
1081181118, 19u8), p. 1600

11

The dating behavior of college freshmen and sopho-
mores was studied by Connor and hall. The data from 267
anonymous questionnaires disclosed that "movies, dances, and
parties were the most frequently mentioned places for dating."19
Hurlock, too, found "going to the movies" a popular
leisure time activity for both boys and girls.20
The significance of clothing in.famd1y relationships
was studied by King through a series of personal inter-
views. She observed that "the adolescent had little interest
in adult companionship."21
To determine the activities participated in by two or
more family members Hawkins and'Walters interviewed eighty-
five families of varied economic status living in Still-
water, Oklahoma, in 1952. Their investigation revealed that
listening to the radio, visiting friends, entertaining friends,
attending movies, auto riding for pleasure, eating outside
of the home, picnicking and barbecues, and caring for home

grounds were the activities most frequently mentioned by the

participants}?2

 

19 Ruth Connor and Edith Flinn hall, "The Dating Behavior
of College Freshmen and Sophomores,“ Journal of home Economics,
uh: 279, April, 1952.

20 huriock,lgp. cit., p. 219.

21 Bernice King, "A Study of the Role of Clothing in
Family Relationships in Twenty-five Selected Families," (unpub-

lished Master's thesis, Michigan State College, East Lansing,
19u9), p. 102.

22 harold hawkins and James Walters "Family Recreation
Activities," Journal 2: home Economigg, ah: 623-626, October, 1952.

 

 

12

In 19h8 a survey was made of 27h families living in
hempstead, Long Island, to study the social and psychological
effects of television. One hundred thirty-seven of the
families had, and a like number did not have, television sets.
The data indicated that the television families showed a con-
siderably lower level of participation in most other types
of activities, as watching television preempts time and at-
tention given to hobbies, radio, movies and other leisure
timeaictivities. The television families engaged in fewer
activities outside the home than the comparable control
families. Coffin concluded that, "television‘tends to pull
the family together as a unit once'more.“23

9 Among the studies investigating the socio-psychologieal
effects of clothing, hurlock made the interesting observation
that the presence of friends, and to a lesser degree strangers,
were a "necessary" stimulus in one's appearance},4

Many of the participants in Ryan's study of the opinions
of college girls felt the need to define "well dressed.“

She reported that most frequently "well dressed" implied L

23 Thomas E. Coffin, "Television's Effects on Leisure
Time Activities,“ Journal 3; Applied Psychology, 32: 550-
558, October, 19h8.

2h Elizabeth B. hurlock, Motivation in Fashion, (Ar-
chives of Psychology, No. 111, New Xork: Columbia University,

1929), p. hl.

13

factors inherent in the social contributions made by
clothes. The reasons next most frequently cited she classi-
fied under social achievement. Being well dressed was
considered important to these girls "because people are
Judged by their appearance... Elothes help] in gaining
desired ends socially, attracting the opposite sex, or
obtaining a job.“ The less frequently mentioned connota-
tions of "well dressed" were: it expressed personality, it
compensated for deficiencies in other areas, and affected
the individual's mood.25
One of the conclusions made by hurlock in her study
of 1,h52 men and women and boys and girls was that more
people dress for their own sex and for both sexes than for
the opposite sex alone. In the case of the 38h girls of her
investigation, who ranged in age from sixteen to twenty-
seven years, twice as many dressed for their own sex and
for both sexes than for the opposite sex alone.26
Seventy-six percent of the group studied by Enty
preferred to please themselves rather than their friends
in the selection of clothes. Forty-four percent indicated
27

a desire for masculine approval.

25 Ryan, 22. cit., p. 31.
26 Hurlock, 93. cit., p. ii.

27 Enty, 22. Cite, Do 320

Adolescents prefer approval of their peers. According
to hurlock, adult approval is of little importance to
them.26

Buying practices in general and teen-age buying prac-
tices in particular have been the subject of many investi-
gations.

One phase of these buying practices deals with extent
of home sewing and purchase ofzsady-made garments. Smith
reported lh.8 percent of the five hundred girls who took
part in her investigation purchased all of their clothing
ready-made while 11.8 percent purchased none. About seventy
percent of the respondents indicated that most or some of
their clothes were ready-made.29

In analyzing her data, Reid found that of the total
garments in the high school girl's wardrobe that could have
been constructed at home, eighty-seven percent were ready-
made and thirteen percentivere made at home. Evening, sport,
and school dresses were more often made at home although
the participating students made few of these garments.30

Ryan reported “there was no difference between the

relative numbers of rural and urban girls wearing home made

 

28 Elizabeth B. hurlock, Adolescent Development, (New
York: McGraw-hill Book Company, Inc., 19h97, p. 2E0.

29 Smith, .92. Cite, p. 111....
30 Reid, 22. cit., p. 13.

15

or ready-made dresses. Almost ninety percent of both groups
were ready-made clothes.31

Ryan also compared the satisfaction experienced in
wearing a ready-made dress with one made at home. She re-
ported no significant difference between the two in terms
of satisfaction, although "there seemed to be a tendency for
the girl to feel better dressed in the dresses made at
home."32

Approximately three-quarters of the girls who took
part in the Colvin study reported they preferred skirts,
blouses and school dresses made at home because they could
have more clothes. Seventy-five to ninety-seven percent of
these same girls preferred ready-made suits, coats and
underwear because of their better style.33

In view of shmilar data the Third Clothing and Tex-
tile Seminar questioned the worthwhileness of existing

curricula that teach women and girls to construct clothing

at home when there seemed to be a greater need for helping

 

31 Mary S. Ryan, "Psychological Effects of Clothing,"
Part II Comparison of lelege Students with High School Stu-
gentsLmRuralgwithpUrban Students, and Boys with Girlg,
Bulletin SQE‘IEBrneii University Agricultural Experiment
Station, Ithaca, 1953): p. 16.

 

32 Mary S. Ryan, "Psychological.Effects of Clothing,"
gart_1g§urvey of the Opinions of Cpilege Girls, Bulletin 882
(Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station, Ithaca,
1952), p. 16.

33 Colvin, gp. cit., 62 pp.

lb

them.increase their ability to buy personal and family
1 ,
clothes wisely.’u

Coleman,35 and Colvin36 as a result of studying the
wardrobes of high school girls concluded that more time
in clothing classes should be allocated to the buying of

ready-to-wear.

One of the most comprehensive studies on buying prac-
tices was made by the MacFadden Publications, Inc., in 19h8-
13.9. The data for this study was secured from the Wage Earner
Forum.which was composed of 1,500 representative wage earner
families distributed throughout the United States.

6 While the data of Smith,37 Reid,38 and Ryan}9 agree
that most clothing worn by teen-agers today is ready-made
the Macfadden study reports that 100,000,000 store sales of
patterns were made in 19h8 while 18 to 20 million newspaper

sales of patterns are made annually. The Needlecraft Bureau,

.3h Stephanie Bayor and Marjory Wybourn, "Third Clothing
and Textile Seminar,“ Journal g£.home Economics, 42:803, De-

cember, 1950 .

35 Frances Coleman, “how high School Girls Buy Clothing,"
Journal 2; home Economics, 31:100, February, 1939.

36 Calvin, pp. cit., 62 pp.
37 Smith, 2p. cit., p. 11h.
38 Reid, 2p. cit., p. 13.

39 Mary S. Ryan, "Psychological Effects of Clothing,“
Part II Comparisgp of College Students_yith high School Stu-
dents Rural with Urban Students, and Boys with Girls,_Bulletin
d 8 (Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station, Ithaca,
1 5

9 3), p. 16.

17

according to Macfadden, estimates that ninety-five percent
of all American housewives do some home sewing - fifty-two
percent are "creative” sewers while the rest do mostly
mending and darning.’+0

In a study made for the Simplicity Pattern Company,
and quoted by Macfadden, it was reported that fifty-four
percent of city women sew at home and that forty-nine
percent of them were in the upper-middle class.ul

Macfadden also referred to a survey made by Parent's
Magazine which found its reader mothers had made more gar-
ments for their daughters than for themselves - forty-three
percent as compared to thirty-one percent.”2

The garments most frequently made at home by the Wage
Earner wives were dresses - approximately sixty-nine percent
as compared to blouses, the next most frequently made item,
which constituted seven percent of the total. Less than five
percent of the total garments made at home were skirts.“3

Van Syckle investigated family practices in buying
large expenditure items of clothing, furniture and equipment.

Miss Van Syckle found that clothing items for children twelve

and over were most frequently planned by the husband, wife

 

no The Apparel and Accessories Market, (New York: Mac-
fadden Publications, Inc., 1950), p. 20,

hl Ibid., p. 22.
(4.2 Ibido, p. 230
A3 Ibid., p. 2h.

18

and child concerned. These teen-agers usually participated
in the purchase of their own clothing and in a few cases

did it alone. About three-fifths of the families who re-
ported a clothing purchase for an adolescent were cognizant
of'a personal preference by the girl for a particular color,
style or other detail among the values which they wanted to
get.

Independent choice, King found, was a very significant
factor in parent:child relationships but significantly more
important in teen-age-parent relationships."LS

Sister Eugenia Clare reported in her survey of home
management practices of fifty-one high school girls that
one girl in seven made her own decision as to when new ‘
clothing should be purchased. In three of every five cases
mother and daughter, together, made the decision, and in
six of the total cases, the mother alone decidedlhb

Ryan, in interpreting the data on the Opinions of

college girls observed that "those who always choose their

 

uh Calla Van Syckle, "Practices Followed by Consumers
in Buying 'Large Expenditure' Items of Clothing, Furniture
and Equipment," Technical Bulletin 22h, (East Lansing,
Michigan State College Agricultural Experiment Station, 1951).

p. 1h.
us King., 22. cit., p. 115.

h6 Sister Eugenia Clare, 0. P., "home Management Practices
of a Group of high School Girls," Journal 22 Home Economigg,
hb: 38, January, 19Sh.

l9

own clothing were more apt to feel well dressed than those

who have their clothing chosen for them.u7'
In respect to independent purchases, hyan found ap-

proximately eighty-five percent of both rural and urban

high school girls always or usually chose their own clothing.ha
Coleman,u9 Wolfe,SO Wilson,51 and Reid52 all reported

that teen-agers usually make their own clothing purchases

of less expensive items as underwear, blouses, skirts, etc.

but had assistance in the purchase of coats, suits, etc.
One-fourth of the Wage Earner's teen-age daughters

earned their own clothing money and seven of the one hundred,

according to the Macfadden study, had an allowance. There-

fore, approximately one-third of these girls had the economic

wherewithal to choose their own clothing and accessories

 

h? Mary S. Ryan, "Psychological Effects of Clothing, "
Part I Survey of the Opinions of College Girlp, Bulletin 882
(Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station, Ithaca,
1952), p. 11.

h8 Mary S. Ryan, "Psychological Effects of Clothing,“
Part II Comparison of College Students with high School Stu-
dents, Rural with Urban Students, and Boys with Girls,
Bulletin 898 (Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Sta-
tion, Ithaca, 1953), p. 15.

“-9 0019111811, Q. 222., Fe 990

 

50 welfe, pp. cit., p. 82.
‘51 Wilson, pp. cit., p. 73..
52 Reid, pp. cit., p. 16.

20

but only eighteen of the one hundred shopped alone. Mothers
were the favorite shopping companion for seventy percent
of these girls.53

Hurlock, too, was of the opinion that few adolescents
are satisfied with garments selected for them. She be-
lieved that they wanted a voice in the selection of their
clothing because they knew what was currect. Their Judg—
ments were "based on information from fashion magazines,
from displays in shop windows, from.the movies and from
radio reports."§‘i‘L

It was reported by Reid that ninety percent of her
senior high school girls read fashion magazines so that
they would keep themselves informed on fashionable goods.SS

Barr concluded, "Advertising seems to be more potent
as a source of fashion ideas than as a direct stimulus to
buying."56

Macfadden also made a study of the factors influencing
clothing selection by teen-agers. In the category of social
class influences. approximately two-thirds of the girls

twelve-to-fourteen years and one-half of the girls from

fifteen-to—seventeen years mentioned their classmates as

 

53 The Apparel and Accessories Market, pp. pip., p. 83.
5h hurlock, pp. cit., p. 2&7.
55 Reid, pp. cit., p. 25.

56 Estelle D. Barr A Ps cholo ical Anal sis of Fashion
Motivation, (Archives of PschoIogy, No. I71, New York:
CqumBIa University, l93h), p. 99.

 

21

a factor of influence. Thirty-eight percent of the younger
group and approximately twenty—five percent of the older
girls named their mother as an influence in the selection of
clothing. It was interesting to note that twenty-three
percent of the eighteen-to-twenty year group also mentioned
their mother as being influential in their selection of
clothing.

To nineteen percent of the twelve-to-fourteen year
old girls, and to twenty-six percent of the fifteen-to-
seventeen year olds, and to thirty percent of the group who
were eighteen-to-twenty years of age, price was an influ-
ential factor. Price was a more significant factor for
this latter group probably because at the older age many
girls were on "their own.9

Magazine styles were the most dominant type of adver-
tising for the teen-agers according to the Macfadden inves-
tigation. It doubled its effectiveness from approximately
twenty-eight percent in the group twelve-to-fourteen years
old to about fifty-seven percent in the eighteen-to—twenty
year old group. The awareness of advertising as such
abruptly rose from.a1most three percent for the younger
group to approximately seventeen percent for those in the

fifteen—to-twenty year group.57

 

57 The Apparel and Accessories Market, pp. cit., p. 82.

22

Various studies have investigated the types of stores
from which teen-agers buy their clothing. Macfadden,Sb
Smith,59 and ColemanbO found that adolescent girls most
frequently make their clothing purchases in department
stores, although the Macfadden survey reported that value
stores as Sears, Penny, Grant, Woolworth, Lerner and Three
Sisters, etc. were also frequently patronized.61

Two studies, those of Reid62 and Anderson63 reported
that ninety to ninety-eight percent of the teen-agers in
their studies tried on garments before making a purchase.

A number of investigations have included data on
quality factors considered in the purchase of clothing. A
project sponsored by the American home Economics Association
interrogated 3,5h5 consumers, of whom 2,175 were students,
on characteristics desired in the selection of a skirt. The
summary of the data revealed that these consumers showed most

interest in the fabrics used. Materials accounted for forty-

five percent of the votes on characteristics desired, and

 

58 gp;p., p. 19.

59 Smith, pp, p32,, p. 117.

60 Coleman, pp. pip., p. 99.

61 The Apparel and Accessories Market, pp. p1p., p. 19.
62 Reid, pp. p;3., p. 25.

63 Myrtle J. Anderson, "Who Pays for Returned Goods,“
Journal p2 home Economicp, uh:6h6. October, 1952.

23

eighty percent of those polled on "Information Wanted on
Labels." Good workmanship figured prominently in the
votes cast by these consumers. Design, fit, and sizebre-
ceived fewer votes yet enough to indicate them as real
problems in consumer satisfaction.6u

In a survey of brands sponsored by Women's Wear Daily
and quoted by Macfadden, it was found that sixty-three
percent of the stores reported that less than one-half of
the customers asked for blouses by brand name.()5

Miss Smith found that high school students had an in-
terest in reduced merchandise. "Basement specials}'"buying
at the end of the season" and "buying marked down gooas" were
most frequently mentioned. These students indicated little
interest in "slightly soiled“ merchandise.

In purchasing ready-made garments there is frequent
need for alteration. In a survey of teen—age figures, Wil-
kens found them to be different from the accepted "junior.“
"They were shorter, thicker through the waist and hips,
shaped entirely different from the way they would be a few
67

years later.“

 

6h T. Faye Mitchell and Jane C. Wilbur, "Consumers Speak
on Separate Skirts,“ Journal p; home Economics, A2: 19h,
March, 1950.

65 The Apparel and Accessories Market, pp. cit., p. 37.
66 Smith, pp. cit., p. 111.

67 Emily Wilkens, here's Looking at iou (New Xork:
G. P. Putnam's Sons, 19E8), p. hO.

 

 

Smith confirmed this observation when she reported
that almost sixty-three percent of her students had to have
their ready-mades altered.ba Anderson found that only
thirty-one percent of her group required alterations. let,
she felt this lower figure was significant enough to indi-
cate the need for more standardization in sizing.69

Among the numerous investigations that included data
on methods of payment in the purchase of clothing, Anderson,7O
Smith,7i Van Syckle,72 and Coleman?) all reported that cash
ranked highest in methods of payment. The use of the charge
account was the next preferred method of payment mentioned.
Most studies reported that approximately two percent of the
purchases were made by installment payments.

Wardrobe adequacy is a much more intangible factor
than buying practices in that standards and opinions vary -
to some a few gamments of good quality is preferred to a
larger wardrobe of less expensive items. It is personal in
that it reflects the individual's participation in various

activities. The wardrobe must be judged in terms of the

 

68 Smith, pp, pip., p. 116.

69 Anderson, pp. pip., p. 6h6.
70‘ppp.‘p;p.

71 Smith, pp. pip., p. 119.

72 Van Syckle, pp. pip., p. 30.
73 Coleman, pp. pip., p. 99.

25

needs of a particular person. Therefore comparison can
be only relative.

Ryan found when investigating the opinions of col-
lege girls that "those with the most clothes felt theyvvere
better dressed than those with fewer.“7u

According to hertzler, who investigated the problems
of 2,000 normal.ado1escent girls, twenty-one percent felt
their clothes were not adequate for their needs. For some,
this lack of proper clothing gave rise to feelings of in-
feriority. Other girls were kept from joining the group
of which they wanted to be a part.75

Reid reported that sixty-seven percent of the parti-
cipants of her survey'felt they had enough clothes and
ninety-five percent expressed the belief that their clothes
were as good as those of their best friend.76

Over ninety percent of the high school students felt
77

about as well dressed as the average, according to Ryan.

 

7h Mary S. Ryan, "Psychological Effects of Clothing,"
Part I Survpy of the Opinions of Collegp Girls,,Bu11etin 882,
(Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station, Ithaca,
1952), p. 12.

75 Alverda E. hertZICr, "Problems of the Normal Adoles-
cent Girl," California Journal pg Secondapy Education, 15:
11h-119, February, 19E0.

 

 

76. Reid, pp. cit., p. 27.

77 Mary S. Ryan, "Psychological Effects of Clothing,"
Part ll Comparison of College Students with high th001 Stu—
dentstRural with Urban Students, and Boys with Girls, Bul-
letin 898 (Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station,
Ithaca, 1953): P. 27.

 

26

It was hurlock who made the observation that the adol-

escent is no longer

satisfied with clothing that resembles the crowd. It

must be made of equally good material, it must come

from equally good stores, and it must be as eépensive

a wardrobe as that of the adolescent friend.

The last group of studies relates to specific clothing
preferences. Included in these preferences are these re-
lating to color, type and style.

While the review of literature revealed that much has
been written on the subject of color, few studies have re-
lated color to clothing preferences.

When colors are chosen for color's sake alone, that
is, without considering their use, pure colors are more
generally preferred than tints and shades. Furthermore,
blues, purples and reds are more preferred than greens,
yellows and oranges. Blue is the favorite color amongxmml
and red among wpgen. Red and blue are the respective
second choices.

This was Luckiesh's conclusion after studying the color
preferences of 236 college men and women. Cheskin made simi-
lar observations on color preferences.do

Smdth related color preferences to clothing. Almost
three-quarters of her participants preferred white as a

blouse color. Miss Smith also reported that blue was the

 

78 Rurlock, pp. cit., p. 137.

79 Matthew Luckiesh, Color and Colopp, (New York: D. Van
Nostrand Company, Inc., 1938), p.'5h.

80 Louis Cheskin, Colors - What They Can Do For You,
(New iork, Liveright Publishing Corporation, 19h7), p. 61.

27

favored dress and suit color by more than half the students.
Red was the second choice of a dress color but did not ap-
pear on the list of favorite suit colors. Grey was the
second most frequently mentioned suit color. her data also
indicated that blue or green was twice as popular as red
or wine for coats. Grey, brown and black were the other
specific colors mentioned as being favored for coats. More
than one-half of the students indicated preference for pas-
tels for sweaters.Bl

helman asked her students to indicate first, second
and third choices of colors they would like to wear. She
found a preference for light blue. Pink, aqua, black, red,
yellow, white and dark green were also mentioned in that
order of frequency.

Blue and green, Barr found to be the preferred colors
as well as her group's choice for becomingness.B3

One of the conclusions reached by hurlock was that
women's chief motivation in selection of clothing was the

51%

becomingness of the color.

 

81 Smith, pp. cit., 132 pp.

82 Lois G. helman, "The Relationship of Color and Line
of Dress to the Personality of the high School Girl,“ (unpub-
lished Master's thesis, Drexell Institute of Technology, Phila-
delphia, 19h8), p. 31.

83 Barr, pp. cit., p. 61.

8h Elizabeth B. hurlock, Motivation in Fashion, (Ar-
chives of Psychology, No. 111. New York: Columbia University,
1929), p. 68.

 

The findings of the Smith survey revealed that one-
color sweaters and skirts were preferred to those which
were made of fabrics with woven or applied design.6

Two of the investigations that included indicated
preferences in type of clothing agreed that casual and
.tailored clothes were much preferred over the frilly or
"dressy" type.ab’ 67

Research on preferences of specific articles of clothing
is very limited. The Macfadden study reported that approxi-
mately fifty percent of the girls twelve-to-fourteen years
old were nylon hose. There was an increase from ninety percent
in the fifteen-to-seventeen year group to ninety-seven
percent among girls from eighteen-to-twenty years of age.68

Hager, in a study of teen—agers' preferences in
socks, found in analyzing the questionnaires returned from
thirteen Florida high schools that the majority of the
girls preferred cotton socks for school wear but were nylon

U9

hosiery for special occasions.

 

85 Smith, pp. pip., 132 pp.

86 gp;g., p. 68.

87 helman, pp, pip., p. 35.

88 The Apparel and Accessories Market, pp, pip., p. 82.

89 Leila V. hager, "Project on Teen-agers' Preferences,"
Journal p; Home Economics, h3: 370, May, 1951.

CHAPTER III

METHODS AND PROCEDURE

An explanation of the purpose of, and reasons for,
this survey of the clothing preferences and buying prac-
tices of teen-age girls was presented to the students in
the home Economics classes at Roosevelt high School,
Chicago. A request was made for volunteers to participate
in the survey. The only lrmiting factor was previous or
current enrollment in high-school clothing.

The first twenty-five freshman, sophomore, junior
and senior.gir1s who volunteered were used for this inves-
tigation. While each age group was necessarily small, it
was hoped that evidences of maturity would be revealed by
this class year grouping.

The schedule prepared consisted of two parts. Part
one, the Personal Data Questionnaire was administered by
the investigator to groups of eight or ten girls in Decem-
ber of 1952. The investigator administered the second
part, Clothing Preferences and Buying Practices, in the
winter and spring of 1953. This latter questionnaire be-
came part of a personal interview as it was thought that

this method would give better understanding and cooperation

30

on the part of the girl and that the data obtained would
be more_valid. A copy of the complete schedule will be
found in the Appendix, pages lag-148.

To evaluate objectively the clothing preferences and
buying practices of these adolescents, consideration had to
be given to the girl, her family,her economic status as
determined by her parents' and her own employment, and her
participation in religious services, sports, clubs and
sororities and othermactivities in which she took part.

This made up the Personal Data Questionnaire.

The personal interview was designed to gain insight
into teen-age preferences as to color, type and style of
garments, the adequacy of her wardrobe in terms of her needs,
and the appropriateness of her clothes for special occasions.
It was likewise designed to determine specific characteristics

revealed in her buying practices.

Scales and Ratingp
The following scales and rating devices were used in
analyzing data:

1
1. Terman's classification of intelligence quotients:

Above lhO "Near'Genius of Genius
120-1h0 Very Superior Intelligence
110-120 Superior Intelligence
90-110 Normal, or Average Intelligence
80- 90 Dullness
70— 80 Borderline Deficiency

Below 70 Feeblemindedness

 

1 Lewis M. Terman, The Measurement of Intelligence.
(New York: houghton MiffIIn Company, 1916), p. 79.

31

2
2. The Dictionary of Occupations was used to classify
the father‘s occupation. A summary of the defini-

tions follows:

O---Professional and Managerial Occupations

a. Professional
Professional occupations include those that
require a high degree of mental ability by
the worker and are concerned with the theo—
retical and practical aspects of complex
fields of human endeavor. Typical profes-
sional occupations are those of doctor,
lawyer, architect, mechanical engineer and
chemist.

b. Semi-professional 7
Included in this group are occupations con-
cerned with the theoretical and practical
aspects of fields of endeavor that require
rather extensive educational or practical
experience, or a combination of such educa-
tion and experience for the preper perfor-
mance of the work. Chiropodists, tree sur-
geons, draftsmen, aviators and laboratory
technicians are typical semi-professional
occupations.

c. Managerial and Official Occupations
This group included occupations that are in-
volved primarily with responsible policy-
making, planning, supervising, coordinating,
or guiding the work activities of others,
usually through intermediate supervisors.
Typical of these occupations are managers or
presidents of business enterprises, superin-
tendents of construction projects and pur-
chasing and advertising agents.

l---Clerical and Sales Occupations

a. Clerical and Kindred Occupations
Those occupations are concernedvvith'the
preparation, transcribing, transferring,
systematizing, or preserving of written

 

2 "Dictionary of Occupational Titles," Volume 11
Occupational Classification and Industry Index (Washington,
$83G. United States Government Printing Office, March, 1949):

PP-

32

communications and.records in offices, shops
and other places of work where such functions
are performed.

b. Sales and Kindred Occupations
Included in this group are occupations con-
cerned with the sales of commodities, invest-
ments, real estate and services and occupa-
tions that are very closely identified with
sales transactions even though they do not
involve actual participation in these tran-
sections.

2---Service Occupations

a. Domestic Service Occupations
These occupations are concerned with the
usual functions in the maintenance of house-
hold and their environs, the cooking of
meals, the care of children, and similar
services that are performed in private homes.

b. Personal Service Occupations
These occupations are concerned with pere
forming services for persons that require
predominantly either direct contact or close
association with the individual. Typical
examples are barbers, waiters and practical
nurSQSe

0. Protective Service Occupations
In this group are those concerned with the
protecting or guarding of the country or its
political units, of buildings and other proper-
ty and of individuals. Workers range from
watchmen, to traffic policemen or detectives
or to those of soldiers or sailors.

d. Building Service Workers and Porters
These occupations are concerned with cleaning
the interior and equipment of buildings,
offices, stores and similar places and with
moving and carrying equipment, baggage and
other articles.

3---Agricu1tura1, Fishery, Forestry and Kindred
Occupations

a. Agricultural and horticultural Occupations
These occupations are directly associated
with the processes of growing and harvesting
vegetables, fruits, grains and other farm
crops; in the raising of poultry, livestock

33

and other animals and fowls for consumption,
their products, for pets or exhibition; and
the various phases of horticultural activities.

b. Fishery Occupations
These workers earn their livelihood by ac-
tivity engaging in catching or gathering
all types of seafoods, aquatic shells and
plants.

c. Forestry, hunting and Trapping Occupations
These occupations are concerned with the
development and care of forests and the grow-
ing and gathering of forest products, also
occupations of workers who guide hunting and
trapping parties or who engage in the hunting
and trapping of wild animals and game.

A and 5---Skilled Occupations

This group includes craft and manual occupa-
tions that require predominantly a thorough
and comprehensive knowledge of processes in-
volved in the work, the exercise of consider-
able independent judgment, usually a high de-
gree of manual dexterity, and in some in-
stances, extensive responsibility for valuable
product or equipment. Workers in these oc-
cupations usually become qualified by serving
apprenticeships or completing extensive
training periods.

6 and 7---Semi-skilled Occupations

Occupations that are characterized by one or

a combination of parts, of the following re-
quirements: the exercise of manipulative abil-
ity of high order, but limited to a fairly
well defined work routine; major reliance,

not so much upon the worker's judgment or
dexterity, but upon vigilance and alertness,
in situations in which lapses in performance
would cause extensive damage to product or
equipment.

8 and 9---Unskilled Occupations

These occupations involve the performance
of simple duties that may be learned within
a short period of time and that requires the
exercise of little or no independent judg-
ment. Characteristically such occupations

3h

do not require previous experience in the
specific occupation in question.

3. In the analysis and interpretation of answers to
questions thirty-one through thirty-four in which
the students were asked to indicate fabric prefer-
ences for specific designs of blouses, skirts,
school and "dressy" dresses it became evident that
a rating scale was necessary. These identical ques-
tions were given to twenty-two graduate students
majoring in home Economics at Michigan State College.
Majority agreement by these graduate students as to
the most appropriate fabrics for the different gar-
ments pictured were used as a basis for rating the
student's preferences.

The choices of acceptable fabrics were:

Garment Fabric Choice
lst 2nd 3rd

 

Blouse 1 F A B
2 B F C
3 D 5 F
Skirt 1 E B D
2 A F B
3 B D A
_ School Dress 1 C F G
2 B C A
3 F C A

"Dressy“

Dress

kenJH
:ttIIU
Pitta
UUQ

CHAPTER IV
FINDINGS AND INTERPRETATIONS

In reporting the findings and their interpretations
a comparison will be made with the Leask1 survey whenever
significant differences and similarities occur.

The Personal Data Questionnaire was designed to pro-
vide background information for the interpretations of
findings relating to clothing preferences and buying prac-
tices of the participating students. Small groups of the
twenty-five freshman, sophomore, junior and senior girls
who were previously or currently enrolled in clothing classes
at Roosevelt high School in Chicago were given these ques-
tionnaires.

These questionnaires revealed the age distribution of
the group as shown in Table I. The ages ranged from thir-
teen to eighteen years with slightly more than fifty percent
of the students being in the fifteen and sixteen year age
group.

Eighty percent of the students included in the survey
were in the average grade placement for their age; seven

percent were a year or less younger while twelve of the

 

1 Grace J. Leask, "A Survey of the Clothing Preferences
and Buying Practices of One hundred Girls of West Division
high School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin," (unpublished Master's
thesis, Michigan State College, East Lansing, 1953), 117 pp.

36

one hundred students were ayyear or less over the average
age-grade placement. One junior girl was more than one

year older than the average for her group.

TABLE I

AGE DISTRIBUTION OF PARTICIPATING STUDENTS

 

 

 

 

iears
13 1A 15 16 17 18
Freshmen 2 l9 - - -
Sophomores - 1 20 h — -
Juniors - - 2 21 l 1
Seniors - _ - - 2 20 3
TOTALS 2 2O 26 27 21 h

 

According to the school records the Kuhlman-Anderson
Test of Mental Maturity had been given to ninety-four of

these one hundred students. No record could be found that

TABLE II

DISTRIBUTION OF INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENTS OF
NINETl-FOUR PARTICIPATING STUDENTS

 

 

I.Q. Number Percent

Below 70 - , 0
70-80 1 1
80-90 12 13
90-110 60 6h
llO-120 15 16
120-1h0 6 6

 

TOTALS ' 9A 100

this test or a similar test had been given the remaining
students. Table II shows that the intelligence quotients
ranged from seventy-seven to 127, the average being, 101.
Eighty-six percent of the volunteers were high school
youngsters with average, superior or very superior intelli-
gence quotients.

No attempt has been made to correlate the intelligence
quotients with any data obtained.

An analysis of the data revealed that ninety-three of
the one hundred girls who participated in the survey, or
twenty-three freshmen, twenty-two sophomores, twenty-three
juniors and all seniors were born in Chicago or a suburb.
Eighty-nine of the ninety-three girls born in Chicago or
environs had never lived elsewhere. Eight of the remaining
students had lived in Chicago the major portion of their
lives, while three resided in other communities the greater
part of the time. All of the latter group spent most of
their childhood in communities of two thousand or less
population.

Clothing preferences and buying practices of these
three non-urban teen-agers might have been influenced by
their residence in these small communities. however, this
probably is not a significant factor as inhabitants of non-
urban areas are becoming increasingly style conscious.

Radio, television, fashion magazines, advertising,

mercnandising and improved transportation nave created in
the small town shopper a knowledge of and demand for
fashionably styled clothing.

An analysis of the composition of the families of the
respondents showed that the average family consisted of

h.7b members. The Leask2 survey reported an average of 5.2

 

 

 

 

 

members.
TABLE III
ANALXSIS OF SIZE OF FAMILIES
Number in Family
3 u S 6 7 8 9 10 11 Average
Freshmen 3 11 6 3 2 - ' - - - u.6
Sophomores h 7 3 7 3 - - l - 5.1
Juniors 1 12 7 2 3 — - - — h.h
Seniors 3 12 8 l - - - - 1 u.h
TOTALS 11 h2 2h 13 8 - - 1 1 h.76

 

Eighty percent of all students in this survey, or
twenty-one freshmen and juniors and nineteen sophomores and
seniors, lived with both parents. Six of the remaining girls
had step-fathers. Divorce had broken eight of the one hun-
dred homes, as compared with thirty-one in the Leask3 survey.

The fathers of eight and mothers of three of the Chicago

 

39

students were deceased. In ten families the mother was the
head of the household. One senior girl lived with an aunt
and uncle as she had lost both parents. In tabulating sub-
sequent data the aunt and uncle have been classified as
parents.

Twelve of the one hundred participants of the survey
were the only child. Thirty-three were the only girl in
the family, and in twenty-three cases the participants were
the oldest daughter. Therefore, sixty-eight or more than
two-thirds of the respondents came from families where "hand-
me-down" clothing from an older sister was an impossibility.

The average number per household, which according to
the Bureau of Censusu includes any relative or boarder living
with the family, was n.35.

In four households the two grandparents lived with the.
family. Seven homes include one grandmother while a grand-
father was a member of four other family groups. One house-
hold included an aunt and another a cousin. A.married sister
and two nieces lived in the homes of two of the students.

In all, eighteen families included relatives as permanent

members. In none of the homes were there boarders or lodgers.

 

h "1950 Census of Population," Volume II Characteristics
of the Population, Part I, U. S. Summary(Washington, D.C.:
United States Government Printing Office, 1953), p. #3-

 

 

The data also revealed that both parents of sixty—five
percent of the girls were American born. In thirty-five
cases, or more than one-third of the entire group, both
parents were born in Chicago. Ten of the students included
in this survey were first generation Americans. Twenty-five
girls had one parent who was foreign born.

All respondents indicated that English was spoken in
their home. A foreign language was spoken only a part of
the time in the homes of forty-one students so it can be
reasonably assumed that considerable Americanization had
taken place in those homes.

An analysis of the occupations of the fathers and in-
formation on employment of mothers and participating stu-
dents gave an insight into the socio-economic status of
these families.

A summary of the occupations of the fathers is found
in Table IV.

Table IV shows twenty-one percent of the fathers were
engaged in professional or managerial occupations, while
thirty-five percent were classified as skilled and sixteen
percent as semi-skilled workers. Nine of the fathers did
clerical or sales work while five were employed in some
service capacity. One father was classified as an unskilled
worker.

No attempt was made in this investigation to determine

the salaries or wages of the fathers of the participating

 

in

TABLE IV
OCCUPATIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF FATHERS

 

 

Freshmen Sophomores Juniors Seniors Total

__- _.

Occupations
Professional and
Managerial
Clerical and Sales
Service
Agricultural,
Fishery, Forestry
Skilled
Semi-skilled
Unskilled
Retired
Deceased
ggknown (Divorcedl

pawns
I-F’U‘l
n)
Vuopa

mun.»
run—'4?

n$rl IFTC>I

IfUhJO¥?~JI
u)

nrfl$7P&;U1I

'naur4|\n<>n
IHNHon

 

girls. However, in a survey made by the girls in the Home
Management classes in the spring of 1952, in which many of
the respondents of this survey took part, it was found
that their fathers' average yearly earnings were $5,200.

In view of the occupational classification and the
average yearly earnings of the fathers it is assumed that
the majority of the participants came from upper-middle or
middle-class families.

LeaskS made the assumption that the majority of her
girls came from middle or lower-middle class families, as
the fathers of only six of her respondents were engaged in

professional or managerial occupations and seventy-one in

 

5 Leask, 2p. cit., p. 32.

skilled and semi-skilled occupations. Her data further re-
vealed that of the remaining fourteen, six were engaged in
service capacities and five were classified as unskilled
workers.

Although the average yearly earnings of the fathers
of the girls in this survey were quite high, it is rather
significant that thirty-six mothers felt the need or desire

to be employed outside the home. See Table V.

TABLE V

EMPLOYMENT OF MOTHERS

 

 

 

Full Time Part Time Total
Freshmen 7 2 9
Sophomores 7 2 9
Juniors 5 2 7
Seniors 8 3 11
TOTALS 27 9 36

 

Of this thirty-six, twenty-seven mothers were employed
full time and nine worked part time outside the home. While
this is above the national average - for the Bureau of Census
estimated that twenty-nine percent of the married women in the
United States were gainfully employed in 1950 - it is consider-

ably lower than the number of working mothers reported in the

g

6 "1950 Census of Population," Em loyment and Personal Char-
ggteristics S ecial Report Volume h, gart 1, Chapter A (wash-
ington, D.C.: United States GovernmentFPrinting Office, 1953),

p o 1A‘15 O

#3

Leask7 survey. In her study forty-one mothers were employed
full time and eight were engaged in part-time employment out-
side the home.

In twenty-five of the Chicago families both mothers and
daughters were employed. In all, seventy-two of the parti-
cipating students had been employed during the preceding
year.

Eleven of the students in the Chicago survey were em-
ployed only after school. Ten worked on Saturdays only and
six had been gainfully employed only during vacations.

Seventeen other girls worked both after school and on
Saturdays; or after school and during vacations; or only on
Saturdays and during vacations. Another twenty-six, or more
than one-fourth, of these teen-agers were employed after
school, Saturdays and during vacations. A

"Baby sitting" was the most common type of employment
for the freshmen students while selling was the most fre-
quent type of work after the freshman year. These results
are similar to those of the Milwaukee survey. However,
Leask8 reported thirty-two percent of the total group, or

twice as many of her students had been employed as "baby

sitters."

7 Leask, 92. 9_1_t_., p. 33.
8 Ibido, p. 370

TABLE VI
TYPES OF STUDENT EMPLOYMENT

W

Freshmen Sophomores Juniors Seniors Total

Baby sitting 9 5

Clerical and Office

Ice Skating
Instructor -

Nurse's Aid

Packaging and
wrapping

Piano Accompanist

Sales

Sales and clerical

Stock Girl

Teacher of Ballroom
Dancing

Telephone Operator - - -

H
I
H
H
FJPJ od$?NnaU1 toe: (DUI

I'mii I

lCQII I
H

IINI-F’ N!

PH HPNHH HH on
u:

 

TOTAL 15 13 20

13

 

"Baby sitting” was the lowest paid type of work in which
the students were engaged. Most of the girls so employed re-
ceived fifty cents an hour. Nurse's aid and some sales work
paid under seventy-five cents an hour. Other students 63h
ployed in sales received from seventy-five cents to a dollar

per hour as did those engaged in clerical, office and stock

 

 

 

 

 

work.
TABLE VII
RATE OF PAY OF EMPLOYED STUDENTS
Hourly Wages Freshmen Sophomores Juniors Seniors Total
Under 75¢ 9 6 5 I;
75 to 99;:I 6 7 13 12 3%
$1.00 and over - - 2 8 10

 

TOTAL 15 13 20 2a 72

 

AS

As the girls became more experienced and skilled their
rate of pay tended to increase. The two highest paid, were
seniors, who earned $1.50 per hour, one as a teacher of ball-
room.dancing and the other as a piano accompanist. The long
distance telephone operator, ice skating instructor, I.B.M.
operator, stenographer and some other office workers re-
ceived over $1.00 an hour.

In summarizing the weekly earnings of these students
it was found that fourteen girls averaged less than five
dollars per week, seven between five and ten dollars. The
wages of fifteen of the students were between ten and fif—
teen dollars a week while twenty-six or more than one-third
of the employed girls earned in excess of $15.00 per week.
Ten Juniors and fourteen seniors belonged to this latter
group.

, Full time employment during the summer months greatly
increased the yearly earnings of the respondents. The seven
reporting full—time summer employment earned an average of
$32.21 per week. One girl received $h5.00 per week. It is
rather significant that these girls were willing to give up
these relatively lucrative summer jobs to return to school.

A blouse and skirt, such as the girl would wear to
school, would be appropriate for many of the above-named
positions. For some of the skilled jobs special clothing

suitable to the specific type of work was needed.

 

 

 

TABLE VIII
EXPENDITURE OF EARNINGS OF EMPLOYED GIRLSs

=2;_ 3 ll 733-53

Fresh- Sopho-

men mores Juniors Seniors Total Percent
Clothing 13 11 20 22 66 91
School Expenses 11 11 17 2O 59 82
Entertainment 12 10 13 11 M6 6h
Gifts 5 3 ll 16 35 h9
Savings 5 2 7 16 3O hl
Personal Needs 7 3 6 12 28 39
Church and

Charity 1 1 3 1 6 8

Family Support 1 1 - l 3 h
Music Lessons - ~ 1 - 1 1

—_ L; —_— A..— ‘_-‘

«Not all girIs listed five items for which their earnings
were used. .

The fact that ninety-one percent of the employed
girls spent part of their earnings for clothing indicates
the importance clothes have for these youngsters.. It can
be assumed that one of the primary reasons for working was
to provide themselves with more or different types of clothing
than their parents could or have provided for them.

While ninety-one percent of the employed students used
part of theirvvages for clothing, eighty-two percent used a
part for school expenses, including transportation and lunch
money. It was apparent that most of the students felt the
social need for buying their lunches rather than bringing
them from home. The ability of some of the students to de-

fray part or all transportation, lunch and other school

1+7

costs may well account for the fact that eighty percent of
all students attending Roosevelt High School, graduate. It
is interesting to note that more than twice as many students
in the Chicago survey contributed to their school expenses

as Leask9

reported in her inventigation.

Sixty-four percent of the employed Chicago students
paid for a part of their own entertainment costs and fifty
percent used a part of the earnings for gifts for their
family and friends. It was,likewise, interesting that
forty-one percent of the employed girls set aside a part
of their earnings as savings. Sixteen of the seniors indi-
cated that they planned to use their savings for college
expenses.'

Cosmetics, beauty-shop, stationery, dry—cleaning and
music lessons were paid out of the earnings of forty percent
of the employed students. Eight girls reported donations
to church and charity.

Another interesting difference between the Chicago and
Milwaukee surveys was in respect to contributions toward
the support of the family. Only four of the Chicago parti-
cipants made such contributions as against fourteen in the

10

Milwaukee investigation.

M

9 lglg°e P0 38-
10 Ibid., p. 38.

While the students were not requested to indicate the
proportion of earnings allocated for any specific purpose
it seems noteworthy that so many of the Chicago students
presumably felt the need for remaining in school. Like—
wise, approval of their peers in respect to their standard
of dress as well as in the buying of school lunches appears
to be among the significant reasons for their part-time
employment.

An analysis of the home responsibilities showed onlv
forty girls checked five or more items so classified.
Thirty of the employed students were among this group. Of
the sixty teen-agers who had less than five home responsibil-
ities only one-third of their mothers were employed outside
the home.

Sixty-eight percent of the youngsters indicated that
they were regularly responsible for cleaning their own
room, sixty-one percent cleaned up after meals and forty-
five percent were regularly responsible for cleaning the
house. Fifty-four percent took their own clothing to the
dry cleaner and forty-three percent did their own ironing.
Less than one-third laundered their own clothing regularly.

On the whole, these teen-agers did not have many home
responsibilities. It is rather significant that thirty of
the forty girls who had five or more home responsibilities

were also employed.

The next five questions of the Personal Data Question-
naire dealt with the student's participation in church,
sports, clubs and other activities shared with family and
friends. These questions were designed to determine whether
the kind and extent of their social participation was indi-
cated as a contributing factor in the girl's concept of the
adequacy of her wardrobe. _

Approximately one-half of the respondents attended re-
ligious services regularly, and one-fourth, frequently. The
remaining fourth indicated that they seldom or rarely attended
services.

Data in the Leask11 survey revealed a.much higher regular
church.attendance - sixty-six percent as contrasted with
fifty percent. This difference may, in part, be explained
by the fact that many of the students included in this in-
vestigation are of the Jewish faith and their regular re-
ligious services are more frequently attended by the men
and the boys of the family.

' The students showed a great deal of interest in sports
outside of school. Fourteen of the one hundred girls parti-
cipated regularly or frequently in five or more sports.
Twenty indicated active participation in four sports and
twenty-two in three sports activities, while twenty-four

took part in only two sports. Sixteen students took part

 

11 Ibid., p. 39.

50

in but one, while only four did not actively participate in
any sport outside of school.

This sports participatinn on the part of the Chicago
girls was significantly different than that of the Milwaukee
students reported by Leask.12 She characterized their par-
ticipation as "comparatively insignificant."

Roller skating was the most popular sport for the Roose-
velt High School students as sixty percent of the respondents
indicated that they skated. Swimming was enjoyed by fifty-
seven percent. Bowling and ice skating ranked third and
fourth with forty and thirty-six percent respectively, of
the students participating in those sports. Volley ball,
baseball and tennis ranked next in popularity. Other sports
in which the girls took part to a lesser degree were riding,
basketball, bicycling, captainball, hiking, ping-pong, golf,
fishing, fencing, calisthenics, tobogganing and badminton.

Special sports clothes needed by the participant of
specific activities included bathing suits, caps, bowling
shoes, tennis shoes, shorts, "gym" suits, riding breeches,
"jeans" and boots.

The data from question nineteen revealed the fact that
these girls were members and participants of many organized
clubs and sororities. Seventy girls were members in one

or more organizations. One junior had membership in four

12 Ibido, p. 14.0.

51

different groups while ten girls belonged to three. Twenty-
two had.memberships in two organizations, and thirty-one
girls had membership in but one. In total, these seventy
students held memberships in 159 organizations.

Fifty-seven of the seventy indicated they attended
meetings regularly. Thirty-nine indicated that they held an
office while ten had been president of their respective groups.

The Milwaukee survey13 showed that fifty-six of the one
hundred girls had never held club memberships. Of the forty-
four who reported club memberships, few had ever held office.

There were sixty-three different organizations in which
the Chicago students held memberships. Thirty-six of these
were social clubs many of which were connected with neighbor-
hood social centers. Nine of the organizations were sorori-
ties and were predominantly social in character. Nine others were
affiliated with religious organizations. Two indicated.mem-
berships in organizations primarily for health and body
development and one named Junior Achievement.

Every girl reported she attended two or more of the
social activities sponsored by her group. The majority of
functions listed were either dances or social in character.
Approximately one-fourth of the functions were sporting
events as splash parties, bowling parties, hikes, etc. Less
than one-fifth of the activities were luncheons, teas,

A A.—

13 Ibid., p. 39.

banquets, etc. Charity programs, pajama parties, fashion
shows, theater parties, Parent's Night, talent shows and con-
ventions were other events listed.

While skirts and blouses would be appropriate for some
of these activities, many more of the occasions listed re—
quired a dressier type of garment. As the same "crowd" would
be together for many of these different events the girls did
not want to be seen in the same garment too often. There-
fore, several suitably styled garments were a social necessity
to give the wearer the prestige and approval she desired.

Responses to the question, "Do you date?" again showed
that these adolescents were definitely social-minded. Forty-
two of the girls dated regularly; thirty-six frequently;
twelve seldom and ten reported that they did not date. Five
freshmen, three sophomores and two juniors reported they
never dated. All seniors indicated that they had boy friends.

Responses from thirty-four girls, or more than one third
of the girls who dated, reported that they were "going steady."
As this included five freshmen, eight sophomores, thirteen
juniors and eight seniors these responses might imply that
their concept of "going steady" meant dating one boy only.
Probably some of the older girls interpreted the meaning in
its accepted sense.

To summarize: the average girl participated in 3.2h of

the four activities listed, namely, church, sports, clubs

and dating. This shows great social mobility on the part of
these students. In order for the girl to be happy in her
participation in the various activities of the social groups,
she felt the need for different types of garments suitable
for the varied activities in which she took part. As many
of the events included the same group of friends she also
felt the need for an adequate number. Probably it was this
feeling of need for appropriate number and type of garments,
many of which the parent would not or could not provide, which
gave the incentive to engage in part-time employment.

In activities shared with parents there was again a
high participation. The findings are summarized in Table IX.

It is rather significant that so many teen-agers have
Joined their parents in enjoying television and, to a lesser
degree, radio programs. Television has been especially suc-
cessful in bringing families together in sharing leisure-
time activities. For the entire family apparently television
has developed into a "social necessity." In order to belong
to the group and be a good participant in conversation, wheth-
er he be an adult, a teen-ager of a six-year-old, it seems
that one must be acquainted with television programs and
stars.

Eating together, dining out and going on picnics were
activities that seventy girls shared with their parents.

Fifty-one girls reported they went shopping with their

Sh

TABLE IX
ACTIVITIES GIRLS SHARED WITH THEIR PARENTS

 

 

Freshmen Sophomores Juniors Seniors Total

Television and Radio 21 26% 21 2h 92
Eating, dining out,

picnics 15 22 20 13 70
Shopping 1h 12 12 13 51
Visiting or enter-

taining relatives 15 - ll 10 1h 50
Talking and planning 7 9 9 11 36
Movies 9 10 10 6 35
Visiting or enter-

taining friends 11 u 7 7 29
Sing, dance, play

cards, read A 5 7 5 21
Riding for pleasure 3 5 6 6 2O
Athletics activities as

bowling, fishing, etc. 1 3 12 2 18
Church 2 2 3 a ll

 

*Some students indicated that they participated in both activi-
ties with their parents making total more than 25.

parents. Only seventeen of the one hundred girls in the Mil-
waukee surveylu included shopping as a family activity. Leask
also found that personal independence in shopping increased
for the older school year groups. In the Chicago investiga—
tion the four school year groups responded rather similarly to
shopping as a family activity.

Seventy-nine participants included visiting and enter-
taining relatives and friends as an activity shared with
their families. This, in addition to the fact that more than

one-third of the students listed "talking and planning" as

 

1h Ibid., p. kl.

U1
U1

a family activity, indicates a feeling of security and under-
standing between these girls and their parents.

Choing to the movies as a family group was a regular
activity in thirty-five families. The other activities
which these girls listed gave further evidence that they
belonged to families that "did things together." The home
apparently was an important part of their world.

Although most teen-agers reported they watched tele-
vision with their parents, they preferred to attend movies
with their girl friends. Sports were second in popularity
as an activity shared with other girls. Sixty-five of the
one hundred respondents went roller or ice skating, bowling,
or played tennis, etc., with their girl friends. Only six

listed spectator sports as an activity shared with other

 

 

 

girls.
TABLE X
ACTIVITIES GIRLS SHARED WITH OTHER GIRLS
Freshmen Sophomores Juniors Seniors Total

Movies ‘ 23 19 20 17 79
Sports- active and

spectator l8 19 20 1h 71
Visiting and enter- ,

taining friends 10 9 11 19 19
Shopping 11 9 11 12 A3
Records, radio,

television 8 l3 8 8 37
Club meetings 7 7 11 9 3h
Walks 6 12 3 u 25
Hmmework 5 5 7 h 21
Cokes, sodas 3 6 3 2 1h
Dances 5 h - l 10
Cards - 3 2 3 8
Church k 1 - 2 7

I
>
I

 

Since visiting and entertaining friends was mentioned
by forty—nine girls, it was further evidence that teen-agers
and their activities were welcomed in their homes. In turn,
the girls were not ashamed either of their homes or their
parents.

Forty-three girls shopped with their friends and thir-
teen reported they spent part of their leisure time with their
friends at club and sorority meetings. As seventy students
reported they had club and sorority memberships it would seem
that a number of them neglected to list club meetings as an
activity shared with their girl friends.

School homework was listed as being done with friends
by twenty-one girls. This is a sufficient number to assume
that good scholarship was not looked down upon by the group.
The other activities listed further indicated a wide range
of interests.

There was less variety in the types of activities girls
shared with their dates than with their family and girl
friends. Table XI summarizes the activities girls shared with
their boy friends.

Attending movies and drive-ins were most frequently
mentioned as the social activity on dates. Dancing, sports,
parties and other socials ranked second, third and fourth
respectively in popularity.

The average number of activities which the girls and

their parents enjoyed together remained fairly constant for

57

each of the four class year groups. The average number of
activities in which girls participated with other girls de-
creased during the junior and senior years while the num-

ber of activities with boys increased steadily.

TABLE XI
ACTIVITIES GIRLS SHARED WITH BOYS

 

 

Freshmen Sophomores Juniors Seniors Total

A__

Movies and

Drive-ins 20 22 23 2h 89
Dancing 13 15 20 2O 68
Sports-Active

and spectator 11 » 11 20 16 58
Parties and

Socials 12 ll 15 14 52
Eating out , 2 9 10 10 31-
Car riding 6 7 7 11 31
Visiting and

talking 7 1 6 10 20
Television - 2 k 8 1h

 

The respondents listed an average of h.61 activities
shared with their parents and 5.52 with girl friends. Girls
who dated indicated an average of n.65 different activities
shared with their boy friends.

Since the events listed were so varied specific types
of clothing were necessary if the girl was to be appropriately
dressed for every occasion. Her repetitive participation in
these activities, especially if they were shared with the
same person or group would necessitate a number of different

garments suitable for these occasions.

58

Except for church attendance the group in this survey
showed much greater participation in social affairs than
their Milwaukee counterparts.

Douglass and Grieder state:

There can be no doubt that by making secondary
and higher education widely accessible, the American
people have made social mobility one of thelgistin-
guishing characteristics of American life.

The data suggests that membership and participation in
diverse social activities may be a factor influencing con-
tinuation and desire for completion of high school, and,
if possible, some college training. The data, likewise,
suggests more than average social mobility for the one
hundred girls in this Chicago group.

Questions twenty-two through twenty-five further at-
tempted to give an insight into the girl's social partici-
pation by showing the relationship of the importance of
her personal appearance for specific social occasions both
to herself and to those from whom she desires approval.

In answering the question, "For what occasions are
you particularly interested in being well dressed?” the
students indicated that it was for special events at which
"dressy" clothes were appropriate or on the occasion of
a date. The frequency of these activities required that a
sizable portion of their clothing would necessarily have

to be suitable in type and style for such occasions.

 

15 Harl R. Douglass and Calvin G eder, American Public
Education, New York: Ronald Press, 19 . p. 7.

59

Adequate and appropriate clothing, therefore, played
a significantly important role in the lives of these girls.
In order to secure approval of their peers they were willing
to work if necessary, so as to be able to present an appear-
ance which they felt necessary for their social progress.
They have told the investigator repeatedly that they did not
think it was their parent's responsibility to provide them
with the kind of wardrobes which they personally regarded
a ”social necessity." Since they did not feel it was their
parent's duty they were willing to assume the responsibility
for supplementing their wardrobes through their own efforts.

The participants sought advice on what to wear more
frequently for "dress up" events than for any other activity.
Parties, proms, weddings and dinners were the events most
frequently named. Mother and girl friend were invariably
named as the persons from whom an opinion was sought.

"For whom do we dress?" has traditionally been a con~
troversial topic. These four class-year groups of stu-
dents were fairly consistent in their responses concerning
from.whom they preferred to receive compliments on their
appearance. The girls most desired approval from the boy
friend; second from their girl friend, although their mothers
were mentioned almost as frequently. There was considerable
less expressed desire for approval from their fathers than
from.their mothers. Moreover, the girls indicated that they

were more desirous of receiving compliments from.their

60

TABLE XII
DESIRED SOURCES OF APPROVAL

 

*—
—

Freshmen Sophomores Juniors Seniors Total

 

Boy friend 19 16 20 2h 79
Girl friend 15 16 1h 17 62
Mother ' 13 18 17 13 61
Father 13 11 9 7 no
Brother 5 6 3 10 2h
Sister 3 7 l 15
Family friend 2 h 2 - 8
Teacher 1 l 2 - h
Grandmother 2 - - - 2
"Boss" ~ - ~ 2 2
Aunt - - 1 - 1
Uncle - - - 1 1

 

brothers than from their sisters. Table XII lists the indi-
viduals from whom compliments concerning their appearance
were desired.

The numerous social functions attended by the girls in
this study helped in the development of poise and selfbconfidence
in respect to their own judgment of their personal appearance.
Ninety-one of the one hundred girls approved of their own
appearance. The reasons most commonly given were: "I am
clean and neat at all times"; "I always try to look my best";
"I am appropriately dressed for the occasion" and "I wear
what looks best on.me."

AThe reasons given by the nine who did not approve of~
their own appearance indicated that they had too few clothes;

that they were too-heavy or that they didn't wear the right

61

colors and right color combinations. One girl felt she
did not know how to dress well as yet, and another said she

looked "sloppy."

Buying Practices

Part II of the questionnaire was administered by the
investigator during individual personal interviews in order
to get a truer picture of the teen-ager's buying practices
and clothing preferences. While it was much more time con-
suming than if group administered, it was felt that the
girls would better understand the meaning of the questions
and with some prodding would give more complete and accurate
responses than by group administration.

The significant need for developing good buying practices
was established when the data of the survey revealed that
fifty-one of the one hundred participants purchased all of
their clothing ready-made. Leask16 reported that approxi-
mately twenty-five percent of her respondents, likewise,
purchased all of their clothing ready-made.

In both studies the respondents had taken or were
taking high school clothing. The above data on buying prac-
tices suggests that there was currently little carry over
of the construction skills learned in the classroom. It,

therefore, seems advisable, on the basis of these data, that

k

16 Leask, 22. cit., p. u8.

62

factors inherent in the intelligent purchase and use of
ready-to-wear clothing should be given greater emphasis
in the clothing curriculum if it is to best serve the

girls' need.

 

 

 

 

TABLE XIII

GARMENTS MADE AT hOMB

Garment , Number
All Part None
Coats 2 1 97
Suits 3 h 93
School Dresses - 19 81
Date Dresses 1 15 84
Blouses 1 3h 65
Skirts 2 #3 SS
Lingerie - l 99
Active Sports 1 26 73

 

Table XIII lists blouses and skirts as the items most
frequently constructed at home. however, only one girl re-
ported that all of her blouses were home sewn and two girls
indicated that all of their skirts were made in the home.

A summary of the reasons given for home sewing follows:
twenty-one felt it was cheaper; sixteen said she or her mother
got enjoyment out of sewing; eleven stated that garments such
as skirts, blouses and sport clothes were easy to make; and
ten said they fitted better. Eight girls liked the styles
or fabrics better than in ready-to-wear garments and four

gave better workmanship as their reason for home sewing.

63

Although Lairdl7 says women make many impulsive pur-
chases, it is assumed in this survey that buying practices
begin with the recognition of need.

Ninety-eight of the one hundred participants indicated
that there was consultation with someone regarding their need
of major clothing items such as coats, suits, dresses, and
shoes. Seventy of these ninety-eight students listed their
mother as the only person with whom they consulted. ,Four
mentioned both mother and father and six consulted both
mother and sister. Mother and girl friend; mother and aunt;
aunt and cousin and girl friend only were also named. Two
junior girls reported that they conferred with no one con-
cerning their clothing needs.

The answers to question three, "Are you allowed to buy
what you like?" revealed that fifty-eight of the students
were always permitted freedom of choice in their clothing
purchases. Thirty-seven indicated that they frequently could
buy what they liked and only five seldom enjoyed this privi-
lege. Except for seniors, this independence increased as
the girl grew older. See Table XIV.

The reasons most frequently given for this independence
of choice were: "I have to wear the clothes"; "I earn.my
own clothing money“; "my mother feels that I have good judg-

ment"; and "I have good judgment."

 

17 Donald A. Laird, What Makes People Buy, New York:
McGraw-nill, 1935. p. 138.

bu

TABLE XIV
EXTENT OF FREEDOM OF CHOICE IN SELECTION AND PURCnASh

 

 

Freshmen Sophomores Juniors Seniors Total

 

Always ll 13 lo 16 58
Frequently 12 10 6 9 37
Seldom 2 2 1 .. 5
Never - - - - O

 

The frequency with which the students purchased what
they liked and the reasons given were similar to those re-
ported in the Leask18 survey.

Probably the reason many of the Chicago students made
their purchases with confidence was due to the fact that half
of the students.reported that they frequently went shopping
with their parents so that the shopping activity became a
learning experience. Often the girls might feel that they
were purchasing what they liked, whereas, actually they were
being guided by the parents to make the most appropriate
choice. 6

While ninety-eight percent of the students indicated
there were varying degrees of consultation regarding their
clothing requirements, sixty—three students responded that
they sought their mother's advice on the selection and pur-

chase of specific clothing garments. Eleven girls reported

that they sought the opinion of their mothers and girl

 

18 Leask, gp. cit., p. 52.

65

friends, while eight listed the girl friend as the only
person from whom she would seek advice. Mother and sister
were mentioned by seven girls and the sister of six other
students assisted with problems in selection and specific
clothing purchases. Father, aunt, boy and girl friend
were also mentioned as persons from whom they sought ad-
vice. A junior reported that she sought no one's advice
Ion her selections and purchases.

It will be noted from these data that the parents
were a significant factor in the consultation on needs and
opinions sought in specific selections and purchases and,
as shown in Table XV, as an important influence in making
clothing choices.

Two-thirds of the participants named parents as a
factor of considerable influence in the choice of their
clothing. Best girl friend, store window displays, clothing
ads in magazines and clothing worn by classmates were men-
tioned by more than half of the students as influential fac-
tors in determining choices of clothing.

Since store window displays were listed in the first
five influences it reiterates the importance of shepping as
a significant activity for the girls. Also mentioned were
the best boy friend, articles in magazines, style shows and
clothing advertisements in newspapers. Interior store dis-
plays, pattern books and newspaper articles were less fre-

quently factors of influence. Mail order catalogs were more

66

TABLh AV

FACTOHS OF INFLUENCE AFFECTING CHOICES IN CLOTHING

 

 

 

Influences Responses
Parents 66
Best girl friend 57
Store window displays 56
Clothing ads in magazines 55
Clothing worn by classmates 55
Best boy friend 29
Articles on clothing in magazines 28
Style shows 26
Clothing ads in newspapers 2h
Interior store displays 21
Store pattern books 20

Articles on clothing in newspapers 19
Clothing ads in mail order catalogs 1h

Movies 11
Television programs 8
Sales clerk 7
Others - brother, model, family
friends. h
Teachers -

 

influential than movies or television. The sales clerk appar-
ently was an insignificant factor in determining selections
made by these teen-agers. None of the participants listed

the teacher. The teacher might be indirectly influential
through class discussion on basic principles of color and

line in dress, workmanship and/or fabric suitability and
serviceability. The extent to which the teacher was a factor
of influence might be limited, in part, to the emphasis she

put on buymanship in the classroom.

67

TABLE XVI

SOURCES OF FASHION INFORMATION

 

T h-h‘

 

 

* A

I

 

vw— -— --

 

Sources Number of Responses
Magazine Advertisements 93
Magazine Articles 76
Newspaper Advertisements 72
Store Window Displays 63
Newspaper Articles 57
Clothing Worn by Others h?
Television Shows AZ
Style Shows 2h
Store Pattern Books 22
Mail Order Catalogs 15

AM

The validity of Barr’s observation that, “advertising
seems to be more potent as a source of fashion ideas than as

“19 seems to be confirmed by

a direct stimulus to buying,
these data as shown in Table XVI. Ninety-three percent of
the participants indicated that magazine advertisements
were sources of fashion information. The fact that more
than three-quarters of the students also mentioned maga-
zine articles would indicate that such periodicals as
Vogue, Seventeen, Charm, etc., were not only accessible

to the girls but also actually helped determine their con-
cept of fashion trends and ultimately their purchases.

The same is true of newspaper advertisements and articles,

but to a lesser degree. These data further indicate the

*4

19 EstelkaD. Barr, A Psychological Analysis of Fashion
Motivation, (Archives ofITsychology, No. 171, New Xerk:
Columbia University, 193M, p. 99.

 

68

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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m I om msoasom H a N snowmen
m I om mHOHssn : I HN moaosonoom
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H H mm noenmoam * muHsm
mmaam mm I N unoasom
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mH I OH mnoanh :N H I nonosonoom
NH H m moaoaosoom mm H H noszmoam
mH N I m Gosamoam neon nopaHB
nomnoan
museasm tho 0G0H< opossum tho OGOHd
one Haac paoAdm HaHo one Han possum HnHo

hm empooaom

 

HH>N mumda

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mMoHBodmm mszdmomDm wszeoHo mo mHmMu<z<

 

69

importance of shopping as an activity in the livts of
these girls.

Forty of the forty-seven girls who listed "clothing
worn by others" were specific and named their peers.
Enough of the participants mentioned television shows
that television is indicated as an important media in
fashion information.

Analysis of the buying practices of specific garments
disclosed that the respondents purchased such major items
as coats, suits and dresses, and to some extent shoes, with
the assistance of their parents. In general, more inde-
pendence was shown by the junior and senior girls as seen in
Table XVII.

More independence was shown in the purchase of win-
ter coats, suits and dresses by the Milwaukee‘20 students
than by the Chicago group. however, the Chicago girls gave
more evidence of independence in the purchase of the other
items listed.

Some of the Chicago respondents indicated that their
parents purchased some items of clothing for them. When
questioned, the girls explained that these items of apparel
were secured through wholesale outlets. The parents made I
the initial pro-selections on such garments as coats, suits,

blouses, skirts and shoes, but the girl, herself, made the

final choice.

 

20 Leask, 22. cit., p. 55.

When the girls were asked to specify the types of
stores from which they purchased their clothes, seventy-
nine indicated that they most frequently patronized de-
partment stores. The neighborhood specialty shop ranked
as a second choice. Thirty-five teen-agers frequently
bought their clothing in downtown specialty shops while
only ten used mail order facilities frequently. Twelve
students frequently made clothing purchases from.a whole-
sale outlet.

Only seventeen students signified that they shopped
by telephone. CThe items most frequently purchased by this
method were lingerie, hosiery, blouses and sweaters.

In frequency of mention the stores patronized by the
Milwaukee students were the department store; the downtown
specialty shop; the neighborhood specialty shop and mail
order companies.

In response to the question as to whether or not they
shopped in several stores before purchasing, forty-five
Chicago students reported they "always” shopped in several
stores before purchasing. Another forty-five frequently
shopped several stores before buying. Only two girls indi-
cated that they seldom looked in several stores before
making a purchase.

In the Milwaukee study fifty-eight girls gave indi-
cation that they shopped in several stores before making

 

21 Ibid., P. 590

71

a final selection and another thirty-nine, frequently did.22

The findings of the Chicago study show that the four
groups responded similarly to the question as to which gar-
ments they tried on before purchasing. There was almost
unanimous agreement that coats, suits and date dresses should
be tried on. Eighty-seven students mentioned that they would

.not buy a wool skirt except after determining whether or not

it was satisfactory in fit and line. More than two-thirds of

TABLE XVIII
GARMENTS TRIED ON BEFORE PURCHASING

 

 

 

 

 

- __ ”*_I‘; .4: .1; ‘ ___I‘ A-:Af—r ‘~-—
Item. Always Frequently Seldom. Never
Coat 99 l - -
*Suit 89 10 - -
Cotton Dress 67 25 ? I
Date Dress 93 b - 2
Blouse la 56 25 5
Sweater 19 36 25 20
wool Skirt 87 10 3 -

I
E
t

a Not all girls had suits

the respondents "always“ tried on cotton dresses before buying
and the majority tried on blouses before purchasing. how-
ever, one-fourth said they seldom.tried on blouses.

There was less agreement in respect to purchasing

sweaters. Nineteen girls "always“ tried them.on, whereas,

 

22 Ibid., p. 60.

72

thirty-six frequently did. One-fourth said they seldom tried
sweaters on while a fifth would make this purchase without
trying on.

Responses to the question in which the girls were asked
to indicate what they considered the three most important
factors in the selection of a skirt and blouse are summar-

ized in Table XIX.

TABLE XIX
FACTORS OF INFLUENCE IN SELECTION OF SKIRT AND BLOUSE

 

 

 

Factors Number of Responses
Skirt Rank Rank Blouse

Style 78 l 1 80
Price 62 2 3 50
Workmanship Sh 3 h #9
Color #9 u 2 5“
Fiber 21 S 6 19
Cars 16 6 S 28
Upkeep 7 7 9 2
Brand 6 8 8

Labels 6 9 7 10
Fit 1

k

Style was the most significant factor in selecting both
skirts and blouses. Price was second in importance for
skirts, and third, in the selection of blouses. It was also
rather significant that workmanship ranked so bmportantly
as a factor influencing their selections for both of these
garments. These responses suggest the need for further

study in order to determine the teen-agers meaning of good

73

workmanship. Color, too, had an important place in their
selection of blouses and skirts. The adolescent has learned
"mixing and matching" greatly increases her wardrobe.

As the majority of girls indicated that they either
always or frequently washed and ironed their own apparel
it was surprising that only twenty-eight and sixteen re-
spectively mentioned ease of care as factors influencing
their choice in blouses and skirts.

Fiber content was more significant in choosing a skirt
than a blouse. Informative labels, cost of upkeep and brand
names were of less importance. One girl indicated that fit
was a determining factor and added it to the list. There
is no doubt that fit should have been included in the list
of factors.

To gain further insight into the buying practices of
teen-agers, they were asked to list information that should
be included on a good informative label for a slip. Table XX
summarizes the findings.

The majority of these students indicated type of mater-
ial, size and washing directions as essential information
which should be provided on the labels for slips. Informa-
tion regarding "shrinkage" was mentioned as desirable by-
approximately one-third of the students. To a lesser degree
the manufacturer's name, ironing instructions, price, quality
or guarantee, colorfastness and brand name were deemed.ngcog-

sary for an adequate informative label for slips.

71;

TABLE XX
INFORMATION DESIRED ON SLIP LABELS

 

Item Number
Type of Material 85
81. 2e 61
Na ahing Directions 52
Shrinkage 32
Manufacturer's Name 23
Ironing Instructions 19
Price 1’4»
Quality or Guarantee 13
Co lorfastness 12
Brand Name 10
Proportional or Length )4.
Percent of Fiber. ‘ h
Style Number LI.

0151 3y four students mentioned fiber content. Many more
Pr0b‘b13 meant fiber when they listed type or kind of mater-
ial a1131c» rayon, nylon and silk are textile terms more com-
monly used among teen-agers than fabric terms such as crepe
and 3&t: in. Four also indicated that they would want to know
if the garment was proportioned in regard to length.

IrIbi‘oughout this section on buying practices there has
been Qonsiderable similarity in the responses of the Mil-
"auke Q and Chicago groups. This has been true on influences,
0131111 Qns sought, dependence in purchasing and other practices.
It “as especially interesting to compare the responses con-

cerning what constituted a good informative label for slips.

75

These data seem very significant as the question appeared

on the interview schedule as an open end question.

TABLE XXI
COMPARISON OF CHICAGO AND MILWAUKEE FINDINGS ON SLIP LABELS

 

 

;

 

Milwaukee 23 Chicago

I ten Number Item Number
Fabric 7)... Type of material ' 85
$136 55 Size 61
Laundering Instructions 52 Washing instructions 52
Ironing Instructions 39 Shrinkage 32
SWOP 1 zed Shrunk 38 Manufacturer's Name 23
P 1' 1°C 23 Ironing Instructions 19
Manure; <3 turer 2.1 Price 114.
Durabi ljty 16 Quality or Guarantee 13
Colorf a. atness ll Colorfastness 12
3153719 <3 :1" cut of garment 7 Brand Name 10
F11”? ecntent in percent 6 Proportional or length )4.
Brand «DI me 6 Percent of fiber 14
Other I tom: 5 Style Number 1;,

 

The items mentioned are almost identical and while the
MbeI‘ of similar responses differ, the numerical order or
rank 01‘ the specific factor is practically the same.

The Chicago girls showed considerable interest in mer-
chandi se which had been reduced in price. Fifty-one students
indicated that they looked through racks of skirts on sale
while thirty-nine only frequently followed this practice.
Eight infrequently shopped for sale merchandise and only two

reported that they never looked through racks of reduced
A
23 Ibid., p. 56' .

 

76

skirts.. The girls showed less interest in "clearance
‘table" :Inerchandise. Twenty-seven "always" looked at these
sale items and fifty-one did so frequently. Eighteen
reported that they were seldom interested in such mer-
chandis e and four were never interested.

11:5 'part of this same question the girls were asked
to indzl. cate whether or not they made purchases from such
tables and racks. Three sophomores reported that they "al-
'"98!" rthzde purchases from sales racks or clearance tables.
Forty- two frequently and forty—nine infrequently purchased
clothing items from tables and racks featuring reduced
‘merchaxtieiiise. Six students neverpurchased clearance priced
items.

The use of synthetics and new finishes on fabrics made
of natural fibers is making recognition of fabrics by ap-
pearance and feel increasingly difficult, even for the tex-
til’ aI>Gecialist. It is, however, important that the modern
consumer be able to recognize at least a few standard fabrics.
Question thirty was designed to test the girl's ability to
recognize fiber content of four standard fabrics and one new

fabric blend. The fabrics shown were:

Fabric A - Forty percent wool and
sixty percent dacron
Fabric B - Rayon gabardine
Fabric C - One hundred percent wool flannel
Fabric D - Denim
Fabric E - Velveteen

77

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we om
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ha ha
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ma ow
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H .I
m 0
NH ma

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.hozoao poeaaoo on» mopoonccH *

308A 9. non
Aneoeeeae>v eoeeoo HH< .mt
noauoo one acham .N

seen one season .H
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Asaeoov eeeeeo Read .me
neeeeo mom one Hoe: .om .m
- Hoe: ooa .H

a eaenen
noses mooa .m

vaoam achdm one Hoo3 .N
Anocnoamv H003.R00H .He

0 cahndm

 

 

headphonewv :ohom Reed one
oceam coupon can H003 .N
Hooz_&ooa .H

m oakfldm

 

noses aces .m
eeoam eaeoeeesm eee Hoe: .ma
Hoe3_mooa .a

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tense one esteem

 

 

t -.l|||\

 

ZOHE<OHMHBZNQH UHmmdh
HHMx mam<a

78

It: is impossible to determine the part chance played
in the 1r identification and recognition of these fabrics.
The fact that seventy-two girls were able to recognize the
wool and synthetic blend, but that only eight were able to
correctly identify the velveteen and only twenty-two gave
the correct answer for the rayon gabardine would indicate
that the element of chance was significant.

The wool flannel was correctly recognized by seventy-
eight girls. Fifty-two students identified cotton denim
but forty-seven indicated that they thought it was fifty
percent: wool and fifty percent cotton.

L8 askzh reported that three-fourths of her group cor-
Pectly identified Fabric A, the wool and synthetic blend and
Fabric c, the one hundred percent wool. Forty-four percent
P9008111 zed that Fabric D, denim, was made of cotton. Fabric
B: the rayon gabardine and Fabric E, the velveteen, were
Particularly confusing to the girls both in Milwaukee and
C."l’1:lc;43_go .

Because of the difficulty even specialists have in the
recognition of today's synthetic fabrics, multiple blends,
and new finishes on blends and/or standard fabrics, it is
more important than ever that both ready-to-wear and piece
goods be adequately labeled so that the consumer may better
““135 the performance characteristics of the item in rela-

up“. 1:0 its price.
_\

214, Ibide, p. 58e

 

79

Eighty-nine of the one hundred participating students
reported that it was necessary for them to have their ready-
made garments altered. Leaskzs found that ninety percent of
the Milwaukee girls indicated need for alterations.

The findings of both studies concerning the need for
alteration of ready-to-wear garments for the teen-age girl

indicated that more research in the sizing of garments for

that age group is necessary. Currently there is little

Standardization in the proportion of the so-called teen-age
garment a.

The character and extent of the alterations needed by
the Chi cage students determined who made the necessary alter-
ations .. Thirty-four girls did some of the simpler alterations
themse lves. Fifty-four students had their mothers or seme
other member of the family make any necessary adjustments.
In tWeltltymthree cases the changes were made at the store in
"hiC’h the purchase was made. Fifteen students reported that
a Cir-ea amaker was hired. .

Should our philosophy of clothing construction be re-
evalu ated in terms of contemporary buying practices? These
data Qn the extensiveness of need for alterations and the
atrial-Int whichwas done outside the home would indicate that in-
strue‘tion in the selection for better fit and techniques in

the Q Iteration of ready-to-wear should be given greater emphasis

in the clothing curriculum.
_/\

25 3133., p. 62.

80

Mass production has reduced prices of ready-to-wear
garments to the point where comparable garments made at
home are not always cheaper. In many cases the fabric
quality would not be dissimilar in ready—to-wear. If a
consumer can buy an inexpensive garment of good fabric with
good structural lines it might be more advantageous to her
to alter it for better fit and by resewing seams, doing
necessary hand finishing, have a garment that would
give her more satisfaction than one she could make at home.
Quality workmanship in ready-to-wear is often more expen-
sive than the consumer can afford.

A further analysis of the buying practices of these
teen-age girls revealed that the parents of only thirteen
students assumed full financial responsibility for their
daughter's clothing. The parents of five girls took no
financial responsibility. Three of these five indicated
that they paid for all of their own clothing. This wouli
indicate that the other two who received no help from their
parents did receive gifts of clothing.

Table XXIII further reveals that seventy-nine students
paid for part of their own clothing. As only seventy-two
girls reported self-employment this might seem to be a dis-
crepancy in the analysis of the data. however, a number of
girls indicated that their weekly allowance included an
allowance for their clothing. More than two—thirds of the

girls reported they received gifts of clothing.

81

TABLE XXIII

FlNANCIAI.RESPONSIBILITl FOR CLOTHlNG EXPENDITURES

 

 

Person Freshmen Sophomores Juniors Seniors Total
Parent
All u h 3 2 13
Part 21 .20 22 19 82
None - l - h ' 5
Self
All - l - 2 3
Part 19 18 21 21 79
None 6 6 h 2 18
Gift
All - I- - - a
Part 15 15 18 19 67
None 10 10 7 6 33

 

The findings further disclosed that every student in
this survey either always or frequently paid cash for such
manor items of clothing as lingerie, hose and blouses. Ten
frequently charged these items and four girls said they fre-
quently put these garments in layaway. None were purchased
on an installment payment plan.

Eighty-six of the respondents always or frequently
paid cash for their coats, suits and.party dresses. Approxi-
mately one-third always or frequently charged these items.
Fourteen used the layaway plan while seven always or frequently

paid for these more expensive items by installment payments.

82

TABLE XXIV
METHODS OF PAYMENT USED

_; l J
_; t f

 

 

 

Method of Payment Always Frequently Seldom Never

 

Minor Items

Cash 65 3S - -
Charge - 10 17 73
Layaway ’ h 1h 82
Installment - - h 96
Major Items
Cash 38 us 12 2
Charge 1 30 15 Sh
Layaway - 1h 31 52
Installment ‘ 7 1h 79

Wardrobe Adequacy

The findings revealed that these teen-agers exercised
considerable independence in determining what to buy as well
as in making actual selections. Their buying practices seemed
good. It is significant thfi:ninety-one percent of the em-
ployed students used part of their earnings for clothing
purchases. It may be assumed that the amount their parents
could or had been willing to spend for clothing was insuffi-
cient either for their needs or desires. The student's own
analysis as to the adequacy of her wardrobe is summarized in
Table XXV.

An analysis of their responses revealed that ninety-

five percent considered their school wardrobes adequate.

83

TABLE XXV

WARDROBE ADEQUACX FOR DESIRED END USE

Occasion ' Number
Freshmen Sophomores Juniors Seniors Total

 

 

 

School
Idequate 23 2h 2h 2h 95
Inadequate 2 1 1 l 5
Igformal Functions
Adequate 19 2h 23 22 86
Inadequate 6 l 2 3 12
Formal Functions
' Adequate 10 9 19 15 53
Inadequate 15 p 16 6 10 M7

 

Eight-eight girls indicated that they felt they had sufficient
clothing for informal functions while fifty-three students
thought their apparel for formal occasions was adequate.

Only one student, a freshman, considered her wardrobe
inadequate for all occasions mentioned. Forty-three students
or less than half, judged their clothing adequate for all
occasions.

The findings of the Milwaukee26 survey very closely
paralleled the responses of the girls in the Chicago study
in the adequacy of their clothing for school, for informal,
and to a lesser degree for formal, functions.

Many items of clothing worn by teen-agers are appropriate

for several activities in which they participate. For

26 Ibid., p. 65.

example, some school clothes can be worn with confidence to
church and others are appropriate for some sports activities.
Many of the dressier garments that the girls wear outside

of school would also be appropriate for church. These same
garments would be in good taste for some club activities
while for others, only formal garments would suffice. The
girls would also need both these types of garments for

their dating activities.

Twelve of the girls who regularly or frequently attended
religious services felt that their clothing was inadequate
for school and informal social functions. Five who parti-
cipated in two or more sports did not feel they had suffi-
cient school clothes. Seven, who had club memberships,
evaluated their wardrobes as inadequate for informal social
functions and thirty-two club members felt they did not have
adequate clothing suitable for formal functions. of the
girls who dated eight indicated their wardrobes inadequate
for informal and thirty-two for formal activities.

Although a majority of the girls participated in a
variety of social activities, the investigation revealed a
high degree of wardrobe adequacy except for formal functions.

A comparison of the respondent‘s wardrobe with that of
her very best friend and the majority of other students at-
tending hoosevelt high School indicated that almost two-

thirds rated their personal wardrobe comparable in number,

85

cost, style and workmanship to that of their best friend

and of the majority of their schoolmates.

TAbbfl AXVI

QUANTITATIVE COMPARISON OF WAsuuUsE

-_ A ‘____

Rating Number

 

Freshmen Sophomores Juniors Seniors Total

With Best Girl Friend

Very much better 1 3 - - h
Somewhat better 3 1 8 3 IS
Same as 12 13 16 15 S6
Somewhat less than 5 7 1 7 20
Not nearly as _

man! u 1 - - 5

Majority of‘gposevelt Girls
Very much better 1 - -

' Somewhat better 2 2 5 h 13
Same as 12 15 1h 55
Somewhat less than 9 5 7 27

Not nearly as
many 2 2 - - h

There was less feeling of adequacy in respect to number
of garments than to cost, style and workmanship. See Table
XXVI. One-fifth of the teen-agers reported they had fewer
garments than their best friend while five felt they had
not nearly as many clothes as their best friend. Twenty-seven
reported having somewhat fewer and four not nearly as many

clothes as the majority of Roosevelt students.

86

Only four students stated that they had.many more clothes
than their best friend while only one considered ner ward-
robe much larger than the majority of her schoolmates.

In regard to cost, style and workmanship most of the
remaining one-third students indicated their wardrobes as
superior, rather than inferior.

The Leask27

survey reported that sixty percent of the
Milwaukee students felt their wardrobes were the same or
superior in number to that of their best friend and the
majority of other girls, in comparison to sixty-six percent
in the Chicago investigation. Fourteen Milwaukee students
evaluated their wardrobe as inferior in number to that of
their best friend as compared to twenty-five in the Chicago
group. In making a comparison of their wardrobes with their
schoolmates, twelve Milwaukee girls, as compared to thhrty-
one from Chicago indicated their wardrobes to be inferior
to the majority of other students.

It is apparent from these data that the girls in Roose-
velt high School were less satisfied with their wardrobes
than the.Milwaukee participants. The differences in social
participation of these two groups is reflected in their
responses. ‘

These data would also seem.to indicate that homogeneous

groups of teen-agers with similar backgrounds, needs and

27 Ibid., p. 66.

desires set up standards within their own groups that must
be conformed with to be accepted.

In response to the question, "Would you like to spend
more or less than you now spend on clothing?" the data re-
vealed only eight students desired to appreciably increase
their clothing allowance. Seventy-five indicated they
would like to spend somewhat more. It was surprising that
seventeen reported that they would like to spend somewhat
less on clothing than they were spending. On further ques-
tioning, as to the reason why, the investigator was told
that they felt they were not spending their clothing dollars
as intelligently as they should. This again, suggests the
need for greater emphasis in our high school clothing
courses on selection and buymanship.

A relationship seemed to exist between the girl's con-
cept of clothing adequacy and her buying practices. In
question twenty-three, the students were asked to list the
garments which they never or infrequently wore. Dresses
were the garments most frequently mentioned. While thirty-
five girls listed dresses in general, ten other students
specifically listed cocktail dresses, party dresses, semi-
formals and formals. Skirts and blouses ranked second and
third as the garments never or infrequently worn. Other
articles of clothing mentioned were suits, slips, coats,

sweaters and blue jeans.

88

The main reasons given for infrequently or never
wearing the apparel items they had listed.were= (1) they
were too small; (2) thewaere poorly selected; and (3) they
could be worn only on special occasions. Forty girls men-
tioned improper size as their reason. ‘When they indicated
the garments as too tight, too small or too short, they
implied that they had outgrown the garments. Seven of these
forty stated that the garments were too large for them.
This may have been due to poor selection at the time of
purchase. Poor fit was mentioned by eight other teen-agers
and might have been due to poor selection or to the fact
that the garment had been outgrown.

Seven students said they didn't like to wear dresses
but preferred skirts and blouses while sixteen disliked
the color of the garments they wore infrequently. Two
others found they had made a poor selection because the
colors in the unused garment did not harmonize with other
apparel in their wardrobe. One or two students gave as
reasons for not wearing the particular garment that it made
them look "too young“; or "too old“; or “too boyish" or
“too fat"; or "too thin". Nine girls indicated that the
garments were "out of style". In summary, these forty-five
garments which were never or infrequently”worn were probably
poor selections at the time of purchase.

"Inappropriateness for general wear" was indicated by

twenty-three students as the reason the garment was seldom

L39

worn but: inasmuch as party dresses and blue jeans were in-

cluded they, of course, would be inappropriate for general
Wear.

In answer to the question asking them to list any gar-

ments in their wardrobe that had previously belonged to

someone else, and to tell whether or not and why they liked
or dis liked the garment, sixty-one girls listed 103 garments

which had previously belonged to someone else. Of this 103

garments only twelve were disliked. Eight of these disliked

3817716 hits were dresses. Sixteen other girls reported they

liked the dresses that had been given to them. Thirty-one

Skirt a and seventeen blouses had also been given to these

students. Two of the eleven girls who had coats that someone

else had purchased, disliked them.

It should be remembered that sixty-eight of the partici-
pants in the Chicago survey did not have older sisters from
Whom they could get "hand-me—downs" so many of the above

88*:'-‘Iuents must have been received from other relatives or

fuplands. It is rather significant, too, that only twelve of

the 103 garments were disliked. The reasons given were
d1alike of the style of the garments, or the garment fitted
D°Orly or the styles were "too young" or "too old“ looking.

The most frequently mentioned reasons for liking these

Sift garments were: the styles were flattering, the colors

8Lttractive, the garments fitted well and that they supple-

mented their wardrobe.

90

Half of the girls who received these gift items had
to have them altered or restyled. This was done most fre-
quently either by the mother, the girl herself, or a dress-
maker.

"dand-me-downs" played a less important role in the
wardrobes of the Milwaukee students. Leask28 reported
forty-two girls had only seventy-three garments that had
previously belonged to someone else. Thirteen of the forty-

two disliked the gift garments.

Sensitivity To Appropriate Dress

The third objective of this survey concerns the aware-
ness or sensitivity of the girl in respect to the appropri-
ateness of her clothing for specified occasions or use. Seven
questions, twenty-six through twenty-nine, and thirty-one
through.thirty-four, were designed to determine the girls'
sensitivity as to the suitability of the garment design for
a specific fabric as well as its appropriateness for a
designated social occasion or use.

The smmmary of the responses on suitability for school
and/or general wear is given.in Table XXVII.

Every girl who participated in the survey indicated that
she usually wore blouses or sweaters and skirts to school.

Fifty-six students gave as their reason for this choice that

 

28 Ibide, p. 68.

91

it was the accepted school fashion. Thirty-four preferred
them because they were comfortable and casual and twenty-
four because they were easy to care for. Seven participants
mixed and matched blouses and skirts to achieve variety and
the appearance of a larger wardrobe. Other reasons for
their preference for blouses or sweaters and skirts for

school wear were durability, and ease in changing into "gym"

 

 

 

 

 

 

81.11138 0
TABLE XXVII
GARMENTS WORN FOR SPECIFIC OCCASIONS
Garment Number
Freshmen Sophomores Juniors Seniors Total
School
Blouses or sweaters
and skirts 25 25 25 25 100
Dresses, wool 3 l 3 1 8
Dresses, silk, rayon
or synthetic - 1 - - 1
Dresses, cotton 6 S 7 12 30
Suits 2 2 h 3 11
General or Special
Occasions
Blouses or sweaters
and skirts 16 16 11 8 51
Dresses, wool 8 2 9 13 32
Dresses, silk, rayon
or synthetic 1% 1h 23 20 71
Dresses, cotton 5 h 7 2h

Suits 15 15 19 23 72

 

92

There was less agreement on garments to be worn on
week ends. Choice was probably dependent upon the type of
activity in which the student participated. Suits and dresses
of rayon, silk or synthetics were preferred by seventy-two
and seventy-one students respectively. Preference for this
type of garment was apparent among the older girls. Although
fifty-one students indicated they also wore blouses or
sweaters and skirts on week ends their preference declined
as the girl matured.

Specific reasons given by the sixty-three girls for
their selection of silk, rayon or synthetic dresses and
suits for week end wear were "more dressy“, "more appro-
priate", “all purpose" - they could be dressed "up" or "down“
as the occasion demanded.

The fifty-one students who indicated that they usually
were blouses and skirts on week ends gave as their reasons

"more comfort", "everyone wears blouses,“

or “more appro-
priate" for their week and activities. One teen-ager said
she only were dresses on very special occasions, and another
didn't have any dresses. No attempt was made to determine
the type of blouses and skirts worn on week ends but it can
be assumed theyvvere "more dressy" than those worn to school.

Leask29 found about the same distribution for preferred

garments for school wear. however, only thirty-one of the

29 Ibid., p. 70.

93

Milwaukee students indicated that they usually were blouses
or sweaters and skirts outside of school. More than half

of them said they usually were wool dresses or dresses of
silk, rayon or synthetiasfor these occasions. In the Chicago
survey greater preference was indicated for dresses of rayon,
silk or synthetics than wool. As the former garments are
generally more "dressy" in type they were probably more ap-
prepriate for a greater number of the girls and the more
varied social activities of the Chicago students.

Appropriateness and preference for outer garments and
hosiery for these same occasions was also investigated. It.
was found that the outer garments favored by fifty-nine of
the girls for school wear were cloth jackets. Forty-seven
wore untrimmed cloth coats and twenty-one wore leather jac-
kets.

For week end wear seventy-two girls wore untrimmed cloth
coats and twelve wore fur-trimmed coats. Eighteen of the
girls had either a fur coat or jacket. No significant dif-
ference in preference or practice was noted in the four
chiss year groups. however, on further analysis these data
revealed that these girls averaged more than two outer
garments apiece.

0f the one hundred girls who took part in this survey
eighty-nine stated they wore only anklets to school. Only

ten wore either anklets or nylon hosiery. One senior always

91;

wore nylon hosiery to school. Ninety-six of the one hundred
students said they wore "nylons“ on general or specific
occasions. Seventeen indicated that they sometimes wore
anklets, depending on their week and activity.

These findings are quite different from those of the
Milwaukee survey. Miss Leask3O reported that sixty-five
‘girls were anklets and sixty-four reportedly wore "nylons"
to school. These data would seem to indicate that twenty-
nine percent of these students wore both nylon hosiery or
anklets for school. A higher proportion of the freshmen
and sophomores wore anklets to school in the Milwaukee
investigation.

To gain further insight into the students' feeling of
appropriateness of shoes to specific occasions the respon-
dents were asked to list the occasions for which seven dif-
ferent types of shoes were most appropriate.

Saddle shoes were considered appropriate school shoes
by ninety—one students. Twenty-six also approved of them
for sports wear. The moccasins were favored for leisure
or sports wear by eight-five students but thirty-one also
considered them appropriate for school.

The ballerinas were preferred for informal social ac-
tivities as dates, dances, parties and movies but "baby doll"

pumps and "one-inch heels" were also considered appropriate.

30 £2$9°’ Po 71-

95

The two- and four-inch heels were preferred for more formal
occasions such as proms, weddings, formals and "very special"
dates.

Four questions were designed to evaluate the girls'
sensitivity in respect to the suitability of fabrics to
specific designs. Pictures of blouses, skirts and dresses
for school and other wear were shown along with a group of
selected fabrics. See Appendix pages lul-lh'z. The girls
were asked to indicate a style preference for each type of
garment and to indicate a first, second and third choice in
fabric for each of the designs shown. See pagejm.in Methods
and Procedure for method used to determine the most accept-
able choices of fabrics.

The participants indicated style preferences for
blouse one, skirt two, school dress one, and style one
for dress occasions. These were identical to the choices
made by the students in the Milwaukee survey. These choices
indicated preference for tailored or "all-purpose“ garments.

Table XXVIII summarized their choice of fabrics for
the specific designs shown. No attempt was made to rate the
first, second and third.choices of each student but rather
to total the number of times a specific fabric was indicated

as one of the three choices.

96

TABLE XXVIII
APPROPRZLATENESS 0F FABRIC T0 DESIGN

 

 

Garment Number Garment Number Garment Number

 

 

 

:Blouse l Blouse 2 Blouse 3
*Fabric A 59 Fabric A 26 Fabric A 9
.u, II B ’45 * II B 51 n B 10

" C 17 a " C h? " C 22

u D 35 n D he fl, 0 D 81+

" E 38 " E 63 a " E 89

r. " F 77 a " F 68 * '.' * F 80

Skirt 1 Skirt 2 Skirt 3

abric A 15 *Fabric A 66 *Fabric A 3h

s " B 9h * " B 51 a " B 66
" C 12 " C h2 " C kl

* " D 95 " D he a " D 63
fi I} E 65 II E 23 II E 31
' F 13 * " F 71 " F 61

School Dress 1 Sghool Dress 2 School Dress_3
Fabric A 59 *Fabric A 58 *Fabric A 63
I! ll

 

B 36 a " B 61 B no
a " C 61 * " C 53 * " G AB
u D 3 1 u D 35 u D 27
u E 9 “ E 17 u E 21
s " F hl " F 29 a V F kg
* " G 3h " G 23 9 G 3
“ h 25 9 H 16 W H 1h
"Dress " Dress 1 “Dressy? Dress 2 "Dressy" Dress 3
. Fabric A E3 . Fabric A 1E ".Fabric A 29
n B 27 . " B 3 " B 12
'3!- II C ’47 " C u C 28
«s- '?-' D 59 4:- "' D 514 as " D '16
9 E 19 * ” E 71 a " E 32
" F 17 " F 12 " F kg
4' " G h9 V G h? “ G h
" H 33 a- " h 77 s '9 H 56

 

* Considered acceptable by twenty-two graduate students
in Heme Economics.

97

For blouse one, which was a shirtwaist type of blouse,
the girls unanimously chose fabric F, the cotton broadcloth.
See pages lhl and 1&2 in the Appendix. The cotton broadcloth
was the preferred fabric for style two, an “all purpose"
blouse, with fabric E a close second preference. The students
indicated preference for fabrics D, E, and F for style three
blouse. These were the same selections as were made by the
twenty-two graduate students who had been given the identical
questions.

The indicated preferences for style one skirt which
was pleated was fabric D, the wool plaid and fabric B, the
wool flannel. Fabric F, the corduroy was chosen by the ma-
jority of girls as satisfactory for style two, a straight,
tailored skirt. Flannel, fabric B, wool plaid, fabric D and
corduroy, fabric F were the choices for the third style, a
full flared skirt. See pages 114.} andlhh in the Appendix.

The respondents made the following selections as
suitable fabrics for the styles of school dresses shown.

See pages 1145 and lubln the Appendix. Fabrics C and A were
chosen for dress one, while the majority of students indicated
preference for fabric B for style two and fabric A as appro-
priate for style three.

'For dress occasions fabric D, the velveteen, was picked
as most appropriate for style one, the dress with a bolero

jacket. See pages 114,5 and 1h? in the Appendix. Fabrics h and

98

E were the preferred fabrics for style two. Eight students

indicated only a first and second choice as appropriate for
Style two, which indicates discrimination. Fabric 11 was

Preferred for style three dress.

A comparison of the girls' choices, with those considered

acceptable by the twenty-two graduate students will be found

on Table XXIX.

TABLE n11.

COPIPARISON OF GIRLS' SELECTION OF APPROPRIATE FABRICS
WITh ACCEPTED SELECTION

 

 

Student '3 Choice Number of Students
Freshnien Sophomores Juniors Seniors

\ 9
$31.66 out of three )1 5 11 5
0n: °‘-1~t of three 12 12 12 12

N "‘=I:t of three 8 7 8 7
°n° 1 1 1 1
\

 

Tlrhe data indicated that there was no appreciable dif-
ference in the four class groups as to discrimination or
sensitivity of the relationship of the fabric to garment
desigh. It is rather significant that two-thirds of the
Stucle‘nts indicated scores of either one hundred percent or
Sixty-six and two-thirds percent. These data are indicative
or at high degree of discrimination on the part of these
Students.

The students exhibited better judgment in. selecting ac-

Ce
ptable fabrics for blouses and skirts than for dresses.

99

Color, Type and Style Preferences

, The fourth objective of the survey was to gain insight
into teen-age preferences for color, type and style of
garments and to determine to what extent theirvvardrobes
reflected these preferences.

The respondents were asked to indicate the colors and
fabric designs of their coats, suits, favorite school clothes
and favorite dress for informal social functions.

Extremely few plaid,tweed or print garments were reported.
A summary of the colors of their favorite garments is found

in Table XXX.

 

 

TABLE m
WARDROBE cows PREFERENCES \\ ‘
: Ar
Garment Colors 3:

—_‘*

Blue White Gray Green Black Red Pink_Beige Brown

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter Coat 15 7 19 15 7 11 h ‘6 KIT
Spring,Coat 28 16 6 10 2 9 1
Suit 27 l 15 6 3 5 2 8 6
Favorite Clothes
School:
Blouse 5 78 '~ 1 l 3 3 1 2
Sweater 29 12 10 5 5 6 h 1 2
Skirt 25 - 27 5 l7 8 2 2 8
Dress 16 - 7 5 9 3 7 1 2
Informal
SocIaIs:
Blouse 10 62 h 1 l 2 ll 2 -
Dress 37 6 13 13 1h h 2 h 1
TOTALS 192 132—1‘01 61 59 118 1111 —327 29

 

100

These data indicate that blue was the most liked color.
It was the color of their favorite garment for dress occa-
sions, spring coat, suit, and sweater. White was the most
popular color for blouses. The favorite school skirt was
gray.

During the interview seventy-eight students indicated
that they had a predominant color in their wardrobe. Forty-
six, or more than half, reported this color to be blue; nine
indicated gray as their basic color. Red, green and black
were the predominant colors in the wardrobes of but six stu-
dents and only two others reported brown and white as the
colors around which they planned their wardrobes.

Duplication of the favorite or basic color ranged from
four to ten different garments in their wardrobe. These
garments usually were worn to school or for general wear.

The Milwaukee survey31 reported seventy-three students
.as having a basic color in their wardrobe. Of these seventy-
three, forty-five reported blue as their basic color. This
'indicates a rather high correlation between the two studies
in the choice of-blue as a basic cOlor.

The investigation further disclosed that thirty-nine
students had no school dresses. Twenty-five girls reported
I. having no suits, the number decreasing as the girl grew

older.

 

31 Ibid., p. 75.

101

Black and brown were predominant colors for the girls'
favorite school shoes. The preferred school styles were
loafers, oxfords and saddle shoes. For dress, heels were
preferred in black, blue or red. The reasons for liking
both school and dress shoes were first, comfort; second,
attractive style; and third, they were appropriate with

many things.

TABLE xxxI
REASUNS Fun PREFERENCE 0F FAVORED GARMENTS

4 _._‘

 

 

 

Reasons Number
School Blouse School Skirt "Dressy" Dress
Liked style 36 hl uh
Liked color 15 17 21
Comfortable 1h 8 10
Ease of care 14 3 -
Becoming 6 12 15
All purpose - h 12
Liked fit - 20 8
Goes with everything 29 ll -
meat looking 22 3 -

 

Style and color were the two main reasons given by these
students for their favorite items of wearing apparel. Versa-
tility in mixing and matching ranked.as the third reason.

Forty-four girls reported that they had no hats for
informal social functions. The favorite color in hats for
those students who reported having them were black, blue,

white, and red.

102

To the question, "What type of garments do you prefer?"
seventy-three responded, "all-purpose.” Twenty-two preferred
tailored types but only five mentioned "dressy" clothes as
their preference.

Leask32 reported that sixty-one of the girls indicated
preference for tailored garments.

The data collected from the Roosevelt students
indicates that a high relationship exists between the
girl's eXpressed preferences in color, type and style and
the color, type and style of garments which constituted her

wardrobe.

 

32 Ibid., p. 76.

CHAPTER V

SUMMARX

This survey had as its primary purpose an investiga-
tion of the clothing preferences and buying practices of
one hundred teen-age girls in Chicago.

Twenty-five freshman, sophomore, Junior and senior
volunteers who had taken or were currently taking clothing
were participants in this investigation.

To evaluate objectively the clothing preferences and
buying practices of these adolescents, consideration had
to be given to the girl, her family, her economic status
as determined by her parents' and her own employment, and
her participation in religious services, sports, socials
and other activities which she shared with her family and
peers. This made up the Personal Data Questionnaire which
was group administered.

The second part of the schedule, Clothing Preferences
and Buying Practices, became part of a personal interview.
It was designed to gain insight into teen-age preferences
as to color, type and style of garments, the adequacy of
the girl's wardrobe as evaluated by her in terms of her

needs, and the appropriateness of her clothes for specified

104

occasions. It was, likewise, designed to determine specific
characteristics revealed in her buying practices.

The secondary purpose of this survey was to relate
these data with those of a comparable study carried on
simultaneously at West Division high School in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin, by Grace Leask. Miss Leask and the writer
developed and used the same questionnaire and interview
schedule. As there was considerable difference in the
socio-economic background of the two groups, it provided
opportunity for noting similarities and differences in

their clothing preferences and buying practices.

Findings And Interpretations

These findings lend themselves to evaluation in four
areas, namely, buying practices, wardrobe adequacy, sensi-
tivity to appropriate dress for different types of use and
preferences in color, type and style. Interpretation and
evaluation of these data must necessarily take cognizance
of the socio-economic background of these participants.

Seventy-five of the upper-middle or middle class
families which these girls represented were stable, Ameri-
can and urban oriented. Americanization was evident to a
marked degree in the remaining twenty-five families. All

were desirous of social mobility and the data seemed to

indicate these parents actively encouraged social partici-
pation on the part of their children.

These teen-agers showed great interest and active parti-
cipation in sports and organized clubs and sororities, often
being leaders of their group. The fact that their attendance
at religious services was not high was due to custom rather
than disinterest. Many activities were family centered.
Television was especially successful in bringing the family
together as a group.

The average number of activities which the girls and
their parents enjoyed together remained fairly constant for
each of the four groups, whereas, activities in which they
participated with other girls decreased during the junior and
senior year and activities with boys, similarly increased.

In order for the girl to be happy in her participation
in various social activities she felt the need for a suffi-
cient quantity and appropriate types of garments for her
varied activities which often included the same person or
groups of friends. She may or may not have been cognizant
of the social pressure of her peers or the social signifi-
cance she attached to clothing in the kind and amount which
she felt she needed but which she did not necessarily feel
her Parents were obligated to provide. This furnished in-
centive for many to engage in part-time employment. While

ninety percent of the seventy-two employed students spent

106

part of their earnings for clothing, eighty-two percent
paid for their own school expenses. Their ability to de-
fray part or all of their school costs may well account for

their remaining in school.

Buying Practices

An analysis of the data revealed that approximately
half of the participants purchased all of their clothing
readyemade. Nine out of ten girls found it necessary to
have their ready-to-wear garments altered. Four in ten
reported these alterations were made outside the home.

Although the majority indicated that they were per-
mitted freedom in the selection of their clothing, ninety-
eight percent consulted with someone regarding their clothing
needs.' It was especially significant that the parents of
only thirteen of the one hundred girls assumed full finan—
cial responsibility for their daughter's clothing.

Parent's advice was solicited not only in determining
clothing needs but was also sought in making specific se-
lections and purchases. More than half of the girls indi-
cated one or both parents shopped with them. The data
clearly indicated that parents significantly influenced
the buying practices of their daughters.

High interest and readership of magazine and news-

paper advertisements and fashion articles apparently

107

provided these teen-agers with confidence in respect to the
"correctness” of their clothing purchases.

Other buying practices revealed that these girls most
frequently patronized department stores and that ninety
percent always or frequently shopped several stores before
buying. Eighty-six percent always or frequently paid cash
for the more eXpensive apparel items as costs or suite. An
even higher percentage paid cash for minor apparel items

as hose, lingerie, etc.

Wardrobe Adequacy

wardrobe adequacy was a less tangible factor to evalu-
ate than buying practices. however, as in buying practices,
these students seemed to follow a similar pattern of think-
ing in respect to their concept of adequacy. This would
indicate that within teen-age groups certain group-imposed
standards are established and closely conformed to by each
member of the group.

Almost two-thirds of the participants rated their per-
sonal wardrobes comparable in number, cost, style and work-
manship to that of their best friend and the majority of
their schoolmates.

The fact that ninety-five percent considered their

wardrobe adequate for school and that eighty-eight and

 

108

fifty—three percent respectively considered their wardrobes
adequate for informal and formal social functions could have
been a significant factor in the girl's willingness, through
part-thme employment, to supplement her wardrobe so as to
make it both quantitatively andcqualitatively adequate for

her requirements.

Sensitivity To Appropriate Dress

Desire for conformity with their peers was particularly
evident in the girls' clothing for school wear. All of the
participants indicated that they usually wore blouses or
sweaters and skirts. Almost ninety percent always wore
anklets and saddle shoes and eighty percent reported they
wore cloth or leather jackets to school. In other words,
the acceptability of this apparel for school wear almost
constituted a self—imposed uniform.manner of dress.

Less agreement was indicated for garments worn outside
of school. The choice was dependent upon the type of
activity in which the student participated. Although seventy
percent reported that they wore dresses and suits, more than
.half were blouses or sweaters and skirts. Ninety-six percent
reportedly wore nylon hosiery, usually with ballerinas,
for social activities.

Another pertinent finding was that the older student

evidenced no greater discrimination and sensitivity to the

109

relationship of garment design to the fabric than the fresh-
man or sophomore. All showed better judgment in selecting

appropriate fabrics for blouses and skirts than for dresses.

Color, Type and Style freferences

There was an indicated preference for garments of one
color. White was the most popular color for blouses but
blue was their favorite color and was also the predominant
color in their wardrobes. Blue was the color of their
favored suit, sweater, spring coat, school dress and infor-
mal dress. Gray was the indicated preference for skirts
while blue and green were equally favored as winter coat
colors.

These students indicated a preference for "all-purpose“
and tailored rather than "dressy" garments. These data seem
to indicate a high relationship existed between their ex-
pressed preferences in color, typetind style with the color,

type and style of garments in their wardrobe.

Generalizations

In general, the findings in this study are similar to
those of other investigators, with few exceptions. These
Chicago students seemed to plan and participate in leisure
time activities conducive to acceptable social behavior and

. to the development of both mind and body.

110

More participants indicated they desired approval of
their appearance from boy friends than from either their
girl friends or mothers.

The proportion of girl: who rcqa’red alterations in
their ready-made garments was significantly higher in
this survey than in other similar studies.

Surveys on color preferences have generally indicated
red as the color preferred by women. Color preferences as
revealed in this investigation as well as some others have
indicated blue to be favored by girls in their clothing

choices.

Significant Differences Noted in The

Chicago and Milwaukee Investigations

Prior to these investigations Miss Leask and the writer
were vaguely aware of differences in the two groups. The
Chicago group came from homes which showed more apparent in-
terest in providing opportunity for the social and educa-
tional. development of their daughters. They seemed to
represent a higher economic level and social status than
the families of the girls attending West Division high School
in Milwaukee.

The two investigations have confirmed these and other
significant differences as well as some important similarities.

Eighty-two percent of the Milwaukee participants indicated

111

part-time employment during the previous year as compared to
seventy-two percent of the Chicago students. More than twice
as many of the Chicago students contributed to their own
school expenses as the Milwaukee girls. however,fourteen

of the Milwaukee students contributed to the support of
their families while only four of the Chicago group made

such contributions.

Except for church attendance the group in Chicago
showed much greater participation in social affairs than
their Milwaukee counterparts. Seventy of the Chicago stu-
dents were members of 159 organizations with thirty-nine
having served as officers. The Milwaukee data indicated
that only forty-four held club memberships and few had held
office.

In the Milwaukee study shopping independence increased
in the older school year group whereas in Chicago the four
groups responded similarly. More than half of the Chicago
girls shopped with their parents while only seventeen
percent of the Milwaukee group did.

The frequency with which the students purchased what
they personally liked and the reasons given were similar in
the two investigations.

More independence in the purchase of coats, suits and
dresses was shown by the girls in Milwaukee but the Chicago
students evidenced more independence in the purchase of

less expensive apparel items.

112

Twenty-five percent of the Milwaukee students and fifty-
one percent of the Chicago group indicated that they purchased
all of their clothing ready-made. Ninety and eighty-nine
percent respectively indicated need for alteration in these
ready-mace garments.

Except for garments suitable for formal occasions
the two groups made rather similar responses on their con-
cept of the adequacy of their own wardrobes. Sixty percent
of the Milwaukee group and sixty-six percent of the Chicago
group rated their personal wardrobes comparable in number,
cost, style and workmanship to the wardrobes of their best
friends and the majority of their schoolmates.

Leask reported that a high proportion of freshmen and
sophomores wore anklets to school while eighty-nine of the
one hundred Chicago respondents wore anklets to school.

Blue was the favorite color as well as the dominant
color in the wardrobes of both groups. The Milwaukeeans
indicated preference for tailored garments while more
Chicago students designated a preference for "all purpose"

garments with tailored apparel their second choice.

CHAPTEH V

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this survey on clothing preferences
and buying practices of one hundred high school students
cannot be considered typical of all teen-age girls because
of the relatively small number of cases. however, the data
does seem to indicate preference and buying trends which
could be verified in more comprehensive research studies of
other adolescent groups.

18A high degree of social mobility was evident which
partially explains the high degree of social participation
found among the members of this group.

The comparison of the Milwaukee and Chicago surveys
seemed to indicate that a relationship exists between social
participation and social mobility.

When existing economic status was such that it placed
self-determined limitations on social.participation of these
students they took action to overcome those limitations
through part-time employment.

homogeneous groups of teen-agers with simdlar back-
grounds, needs and desires set up standards within their
own group. Acceptance in the group is dependent upon un-

questioned conformity.

111;

In general, the buying practices of these students
were good. Based on the findings in this survey most high
school students independently purchase most of their own
clothing.

Neither they nor members of their family construct
an appreciable amount of the girls' apparel. The high per-
centage of students in both the Milwaukee and the Chicago
surveysreporting need for alteration of their ready-to-wear
would seem.to indicate the need for investigation on sizing
and standardization of sizes of teen-age garments.

Urban orientation reflects an awareness of fashion and
the development of sensitivity to appropriate dress for
specific occasions.

A high relationship was evident between expressed
preferences in color, type and style and color, type and
style of garments which constituted the wardrobes of these
girls.

Re-evaluation of the curriculum in home economics
seems to be indicated in terms of influences on, preferences
and practices in, criteria for and selection of, clothing
for teen-agers.

There is need for greater emphasis in our curriculum
on buying practices in clothing as well as to provide in-
struction and experience in the alterations of ready-to-

wear. There is also need for instruction which will develop

115

ability and judgment in the interpretation of the informa-
tion provided on labels. It would, likewise, be desirable
to stress desired performance characteristics in relation
to end use requirements.

More research needs to be done on the normal adolescent
and his problems. Subsequent data might reveal the in-
fluences, desires, emotions, etc. that are inherent in the
age of adolescence. With this better understanding it may
be possible to substantially reduce the numbers of malad-
justed teen-agers who become problem adolescents.

A similar investigation would be highly desirable with
similar groups of adolescents whose environmental background

is rural oriented.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A. Book:

, Compiler, The Apparel and Accessories Market,
New lork: Macfadden Publications, Inc., 1950. 111 pp.

 

Averill, Lawrence A.. Adolescence - A Study of the Teen Xears,
New York: houghton-Mifflin Company, 1936. #95 pp.

Cheskin, Louis, Colors - What They Can Do For Xou, New Xork:
Liveright Publishing—Corporation, 19h7. 323 pp.

 

Douglass, harl N. and Calvin Grieder, American Pubgic Educa-
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hurlock, Elizabeth B., Adolescent Develo ment New'York:
MeGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., I9E9. 556 pp.

0

Laird, Donald 11., What Makes People Buy, New York:McGraw-Hill
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Luckiesh, Matthew, Color_and Colers, New York: D. Van Nostrand
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Terman, Lewis H., Eggheasurement of Intelligence, New'York:
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Wilkens, Emilh$ Here's Looking At You, New York: G. P. Putnamfis
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B. Periodical Literature-

Anderson, Myrtle J.,"Who Pays for Returned Goods?” Journal
2£THOme Economics, hh: 6h5-6h6, October, 1952.

Bayor, Stephania, and Marjory wybourn, '"Third Clothing and
Textile Seminar," Jougnal of Home Econdmics, h2: BOB-h,
December, 1950.

Cannon, Kenneth Lg Ruth Staples, and Irene Carlson "Personal
Appearance as a Factor in Social Acceptance," dournalygf
‘flgme Economics, uh; 710-713, November, 1952..

117

Coffin, Thomas E.‘ "Television's Effects on Leisure Time
Activities," Journal of Applied Psychology, 32: 550-558,.
October, l9h8.

Coleman, Frances, ”How High School Girls Buy Clothing,"
<§ournal_pf Heme Economics, 31: 99-100, February, 1939.

Connor, Ruth and Edith Flinn Hall, ”The Dating Behavior of
College Freshmen and Sophomores," Journal of Home
Egonomics, hh:278-281, April, 1952.

~~Eugen1a Clare, Sister, O.P., "Home Management Practices of a
Group of High School Girls,” Journal of Home Economics,

h6: 37-39, January, 195h.

Hager, Leila V., ”Project on TeenyAgers' Preferences,"
Journal of Home Econgmics, #3: 370, may, 1951.

Hawkins, Harold; and James‘Walters "Family Recreation
Activities," Journal of Home Boonomics, uh: 623-626,
October, 1952.

Hertzler, Alverda E., "Problems of the Normal Adolescent'
Girl,” alirornia Journal of secondary,Education, 15:
Ila-119, ebruary, 1§H0.

Mitchell, T. Faye, and Jane C. Wilbur, "Consumers Speak On
Separate Skirts," Journal of Home Economics, AZ: 19h-l96,
March, 1950.

 

Read, Katherine H., "Clothes Help Build Personality," Journal
g! Home Economics, h2: 3&8-350, May, 1950.

C. Parts Of A Series

Barr, Estelle D. A Ps cholegical Analysis of Fashion Motiva-
tion, Archives_o¥ Psychology. 0. 7 . New'York:
Columbia University, l93h. 100 pp.

Hurlock, Elizabeth B. Motivation in Fashion, Archives of
isycholdgy. No. 111. New'York: Columbia University,
929. 70 pp. ,

118

D. Bulletins And Reports

"1950 Census of Population,” Eglume II Characteristics of
the Popglation, Part I, U; S. Summapy. Washington,
57‘61: United stZEE§“Government Printing Office, 1953.

h86 pp-

"1950 Census of Population," Em lo ent and Personal
Characteristics, Specialtfigport Volume_§,‘Part 1,

Cha_ter 1. Washington, D. C. : United States Govern-
ment Printing Office, 1953. 1A - 1&5 pp.

"Current Census Reports b Population Estimates,” Series P-2 ,
No. 85. Washington, D. 0.: Bureau of Census, 1933. E pp.

 

"Dictionary of Occupational Titles,” Volume II Occu ational
Classification and Industry Index. Washington, D. 5.:
United States Government Printing Office, March, l9h9.

738 pp-

Ryan, Mary S. "Psychological Effects of Clothing," Part I
Survey 0 the Qpinions of Collegg Girlg, Bulletin, 382.
ornell Univers ty Agricultural Experiment Station,
Ithaca, 1952. 39 pp.

Ryan, Mary 8., "Psychological Effects of Clothing," Part II
Com arisen of Colleve Students with High School Students,
ural th rban Students, and Boys with Gigls, Bulletin
393. Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station,
Ithaca, 1953. 36 pp. ,

 

Van Syckle, Ca11a., "Practices Followed by Consumers in Buying
'Large Expenditure' Items of Clothing, Furniture and
Equipment," Egghnical Bulletin 22h. East Lansing, Michi-

an State College Agricultural Experiment Station, 1951.

.. 0 pp. ~

E. Unpublished Materials

Colvin, Yolanda McCaskill., "A Study of the Clothing Practices
of One Hundred High School Girls of DeKalb, Illinois,"
Unpublished Master's thesis, University of Colorado,
Boulder, l9h8. 62 pp.

119

Enty, Jane B., "The Effect of Clothing on the Social Ad-
justment of Adolescent Girls." Unpublished Master’s
thesis, Howard University, Washington, D. C., 1950. hbzg.

Helman, Lois 0., "The Relationship of Color and Line of
Dress to the Personality of the High School Girl."

Unpublished Master’s thesis, Drexell Institute of
Technology, Philadelphia, l9u8.

"A Study of the Role of Clothing in Family

King, Bernice,
Relationships in Twenty-five Selected Families."
Unpublished Master's thesis, Michigan State College,

East Lansing, l9u9. 631 pp.

"A Survey of the Clothing Preferences and

Leask, Grace J.,
Buying Practices of One Hundred Girls of West Division
Unpublished

High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin."
Master's thesis, Michigan State College, East Lansing,

Reid, Doris Jean "A Study of the Clothing Practices of
School Senior Girls." Unpublished Master's

Urban High
thesis, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburgh,

1951. 59 pp.
"A Study of Interest in Clothing Among

Rosencranz, Mary Lou,
a Selected Group of Married and Unmarried Women." Un-
published Master's thesis, Michigan State College, East

Lansing, 19h8. 209 PP.

"Apparel Buying Motives and Habits of

Smith, Alma Marie
High School Girls of Des Moines, Iowa." Unpublished
Master's thesis, Drake University, Des Moines, 1950. ljggp,

Wilson, Gertrude V., "Responsibilities of High School Stu-
dents in Buying." Unpublished Master's thesis, Univer-

sity of Chicago, Chicago, 1939. 82 pp.
"A Study of the Spending Responsibilities of

Wolfe, Helen,
a Selected Group of Junior College‘WOmen with Particular

Reference to Their Clothing Purchases." Unpublished
Master's thesis, Florida State University, Tallahassee,

1951.

APPENDIX

121

QUESTIONNAIRE AND PERSONAL INTERVIEW SCHEDULE

122

PERSONALrDATA
CODE NUMBER
1. Grade classification_

w *—f

2. Are you or have you previously taken clothing in
high school?‘Yes(__) No(__) If yes, how long?

 

3. Age years months. Date of birth,

n ___v_

k. Place of birth

'5. new long have you lived in this city? " . .
6. In what other urban or rural areas have you lived?

Name of community Length of time Population

 

 

 

 

 

 

—-v T w v

7+ What is the total number in your family?gg:

 

What is the total number living in your
household?

 

8. With whom.do you live? Parents(__), Mbther(__),
Father(__), Step-mother(__), Step-father(__)

 

 

Number of sisters older than you 4 f ages
Number of sisters younger than you w Yr ages
Number of brothers older than you - g: gages

 

NUmber of brothers younger than you ages
Others (show relationship, if any)

 

 

123

9. HOW many sisters and brothers do you have who are
not living at home?
Number of sisters older than you ,

 

NUmber of sisters younger than you . .
Number of brothers older than you____
Number of brothers younger than you
10. Give the name of your father's occupation -
Describe as carefully as possible the kind of work

your father does.

 

f.— v—w—

 

f. 1"

Does he own his own business? Yes(__) No(__)
Does he have people working for him?‘Yes(__) N0(__)

If yes, give the number .

 

11. Is your mother employed outside the home?
Yes(__) No(__)
If yes, full time? (___) part time? (____)
12. Birthplace of £athen___’_
Birthplace of mother'

13. Languages spoken at home

 

1h. Have you been employed within the last year?
Yes(__) No(__)
If yes, after school?(__), Saturdays? (__), last
summer? (__)

Average earnings per hour ‘ per week

 

What kind of work did you do?

12h

153 Ascording to amount spent, list.in order five ways
in which.your earnings were used.
1. 2. '. 3.

h. 5-
16. What are your home responsibilities?

 

Always Frequently Seldom Never

Baby sitting (__) (_ ) L ) (_ )
Cleaning house (_ ) (_ ) (_ ) (_ )
Cleaning own room. ( _) (_ ) (_ ) (_ )
Family laundry ( _) (_ ) (_ ) L )

Meal preparation
Shopping (
Cooking (
Serving (

Cleaning up (

Caring for your own clothing
Laundering L )
Ironing L )
Spot and press (_ )
Take to cleaners (_ )

Others duties

 

 

17. Do you attend church or Sunday school?

Regularly (__) Frequent1y(__) Seldom(__) Never(__)

125

18. In what sports do you participate?
Regularly Frequently Seldom

_) ()

 

(

(__) (_ )
i (__) (_ )

( ) ( _)

 

fi

19. Give the names of clubs and sororities of which you
are a member.

1. . 2. 3.

 

“w fi

Do you attend meetings regularly?(__) frequently?(__)
seldom? (__)
Are you or have you been an officer? Yes(__) Ne(__)

If yes, what was your official title?

 

fl

What social events were sponsored by each during the

last year?

 

 

 

 

Events Did you attend?

as g __ Yos (__) N0(__ )

i % Yos (__) NO__( )

i if as g Yea (__) N0(__ )
Yes (__) No(_ )

Yes ( ) N0(__ )

 

20. Do you date?
Regularly (__) Frequently (__) Soldem(__) Never(__)
Is it steady? Yes(__) Ne(__)

126

21. What are the ways you most frequently spend time

when yeu are:

With your family

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With girl friends

Out on a date

 

 

22. For what occasions are you particularly interested

23.

in being well dressed?

Why?

ww—

 

Tr

Check the three people from.whom.you would most like

to receive a compliment on your clothes.

Mother ( )
Father

Sister
Brother
Family friend

Girl friend
Bey friend
Teacher

(__)

(__)

0thers(shew relationship,

if any)

 

127

an. Do you seek the opinion of others on what to wear on
special occasions?
Occasion Frequently Seldom 'Whom.de you ask

mother, aunt or girl
friend? ‘

Club social
function

 

Church

 

Convention

Dinner

 

Funeral

 

‘ —V 'vr—v- v'v

Party

Prom

 

Tea

Vacation

 

(__ )
(_ )
(_ )
(_ )
(__ )
(_ )
(__ )
(_ )
(_ )
(_ )
(_ )

VVVVVVVVVVV

(
(
(
(
(
Football game (_
(
(
(
(
(

Wedding

 

25. As a rule, do you approve of your own appearance?
Yes (__) Ne (__)
Why?

 

#—

1.

3.

5.

128

CLOTHING PREFERENCES.AND BUYING PRACTICES
CODE NUMBER
Do you consult anyone about your clothing needs?

Yes (__) Ne (__). If yes, whom.do you consult?

 

For what items do you have to consult someone about

clothing purchases?

 

Are you allowed to buy what you like?
Always (__) Frequently (__) Seldom (__) Never (__)
Explain

Whose opinion do you seek most frequently in regard

to clothing selection and purchase?

A

Check the following clothing items most frequently

’purchased by Yourself Parents Together

(

Winter Coat (-
Suit

Blouse

Sweater

Skirt

Slip

)
)
)
)
)
)
)
Hosiery )
)

(_
(_
(_
(_
Dress (_
(_
(
L

Shoes

129

6. From the following list select five influences you

consider most important in your choice of clothing.

Clothing 523,1g Sales clerk (
Newspapers (__) Style shows (
Magazines (__) Parents (
Mail order catalogs (__) Best girl friend (

Articles 22 clothing i3 Best boy friend (
Newspapers (__) Store pattern books (
Magazines (__) Mevies (

Television programs (__) Teachers (

Store window displays ( ) Others (specify)

Interior store dis- (
plays (

 

Clothing worn by class-
mates ( )

7. Where are your clothing purchases made?

Type of Store Always Frequently Seldom. Never

Wholesale L‘_) (__) (__) (
Retail .‘
Department stores (__) (__) (__) (_

Downtown special-

ty shops (__) (__) (__) (_
"Neighborhood .

specialty shops (__) (_) (__) (_
Mail order

companies ( ) ( ) ( ) (

8.

9.

10.

1L

130

Do you shep by telephone? Yes(__) No (__)
If yes, what type of item do you order by telephone?

 

Before making a purchase, do you shop in several
stores?

Always (__) Frequently(__) Seldom (__) Never (__)
What information.should be included on a good
informative label for a slip?

 

 

Number in order of importance the three most im-
portant factors which most frequently influence
you in purchasing each of the following garments:

Skirt Blouse
) (__)

Brand name (

*

_)

Color

L.

(
Cost of upkeep (

Ease of care

h—

Fiber content

Price
Style

)
)
)
)
)
)
Workmanship )

(
( (
( (
Informative labels ( (
( (
( (
( (

12.

13.

1h.

131

What garments do you try on before making a,purchase?

Always Frequently Seldom. Never

Coat (__) (L ) (__) ( )
Suit ( ) (L ) ( ) ( )
Dress, cotton ( ) (_ ) (__) L__)
Dress, date (__) (_ ) (__) (__)
Blouse ( ) (_ ) ( ) ( )
Sweater ( ) (_ ) ( ) ( )
Wool skirt L,_) (* ) ( ) ( )
Are you interested in looking through a rack of

skirts that are marked down?

Always (__) Frequently (__) Seldom.(__) Never(__)
Would you look at a clearance table?

Always (__) Frequently (__) Seldom {__) Never(__)
Do you make purchases from such tables or racks?
Always (__) Frequently (__) Seldom (__) Never(__)
Who pays for your clothing?

All Part None
Parents (__) (__) (__»)
Self ( ) ( ) ( )

3 ( )

Gift (

132

15. How do you pay for your clothing?
Minor items as lingerie, hose, blouses

Always Frequently Seldom. Newer

c ash (__) (__) (__) (__.)
Charge (__) (__) (__) (__)
Lay away (__) (_) (__) (__)
ggfiglment (__) (__) (__) (__)

Major items as coats, suits and party dresses
Always Frequently Seldom. Never
Gash () () () )

(_
charge (__) (__) (__) (__)
Lay away (__) (__) (__) (__)
Installment (__) (__) (__-) (__)
buying

16. Do you consider your present clothing wardrobe

adequate for the following occasions?

Yes No
School (_*) __
Informal social functions ( )

Ebrmal social functions ( )

(

(

(
considerably more (
17. Would you like to spend somewhat more ( than
somewhat less (

considerably less (

what you now spend on clothing?

133

18, How'do you feel your clothes compare with those of
your very best friend? (Place one check in each
vertical column.)

NuMber Cost Style Workmanship

( ) ( ) (

Very much better (
Somewhat better (

‘__) ‘__)
__) (__) (__) (__)
Same as (__) (__) (__) L__)
Somewhat less than.(__) (__) (__) (__)

Not nearly as well

as (__) (__) (__) (__)

19. How do you feel your clothes compare with those of
the majority of other girls attending this high
school? (Place one check in each vertical column.)

Number Cost Style Workmanship

Very much better ( ) (__)

)

)

)

Somewhat better (___ (__)
Same as (__ (__)
Somewhat less than (__. (__)

Not nearly as well

as ()()() ()

20. Where do_you obtain your information on current

fashions? List the five sources you.most frequently
use.
1.

 

 

 

2
3

h._fi_v _
5

O

13h

21. Are all of your garments purchased ready-to-wear?
Yes (__) No (__)
What garments are not commercially made?

All Part None

I

A
v
I

Goats (_
Suits

1

School dresses

1
I

Date dresses

Skirts

(
(
(
Blouses I (_
(
(_

Lingerie

)
)
_)
)
)
)
)
)

(_.

Active sports

Why are these garments made at home?

%
v—v—wfi —~'

22. Are your ready-to-wear garments frequently altered?

At the store (__)
At home
Mother (__)
Self ( )

Other family
member ( )

Dressmaker (

135

23. What garments in your wardrobe do you wear infreo

quently or never?

Garment Reason why infrequently or never worn

 

 

 

_4_
——w V—w ?— .——v

2h. Do you have any items in your wardrobe which pre-
viously belonged to someone else?

Garment Like Dislike Reason

 

 

 

vv—‘vr- w

(__)
(__)
(__) l
(__)

 

(__)
(__)
(__)
(__.)

 

 

Are these garments ever altered or restyled for you?

Yes (__) No (__)
If yes, by whom?

.r W'-

136

25. What are the colors and fabric designs of the

following garments in your wardrobe?

Bold
. Color Plain Plaid Small Figure Print
Winter coats (__) (__) (__) (__)
Spring coat (__) '(4) (__) (__.)
Favorite

suit ( ) ( ) (__) (__)

 

Favorite School Clothes
Blouse (__)
Sweater (__)

Skirt (__)

Dress (__)

Shoes Kind

Why is this blouse your favorite?

 

Why is this skirt your favorite?

 

‘

Why are these shoes your favorite pair? 4

‘— v

Favorite clothes for informal social functions

 

 

Bold
Colors Plain Plaid Small Figure Print
Blouse (__) (__) (__) L.)
Dress * 7W, (__) (__) (__) (__)
Hat k Kind flaw

 

 

Shoes Kind &

137

Why is the above dress your favorite?

4 .-

w w w

Why are these shoes your favorite?

'- W—

26. Check the kinds of garments you usually wear

To School On Week-ends

Blouses or sweaters

and skirts (__) (__)
Dresses, wool (__) (__)
Dresses, silk, rayon
or synthetic (__) (__)
Dresses, cotton (__) (__)
Suits . ( ) ( )

Why did you make this choice of garment for school

wear in preference to the others listed?

 

#A
W

Why did you make this choice of garment for week-end

wear in preference to the others listed?_

 

27. Check the outer garments you usually wear

Cloth coat, fur trimmed(_

To School On Week-ends
Leather jacket (_ ) (__)
Cloth Jacket (_ __)
Fur Jacket (_ q_)
Cloth coat, untrimmed (_ )
)
)

)
)
)
)
)

Fur coat (-

138

28. Check the kind of hosiery you usually wear

To School On Week-ends
Anklets ( ) ( )
NYlons ( ) ( )
29. Opposite the type of shoes listed indicate the
occasions for which you consider this type of shoe
most appropriate.‘
Saddle shoesé

Moccasins

V. v

 

Ballerinas

 

Baby doll pumps

 

One inch heels
Two inch heels

 

Four inch heels

139

 

Fabric A

'u .I,‘ \ “{‘:Y‘IE:IJOI . “I“.‘W‘fil

‘..""'

 

Fabric D

 

IDENTIFICATION

Fabric B

 

Fabric C

 

Fabric E

.l__..___ _.

— ————-.

um

30. Judging by feel and appearance check the probable
fiber content of the following fabrics:
Fabric A '

(__) 100% wool
(__) Wool and synthetic blend
L__) 100% rayon
Fabric B
( ) 100% wool
(-') Wool and cotton blend
(:Z) 100% rayon
Fabric C
(__) 100% wool
( ) Wool and rayon blend

(:) 100% rayon

Fabric D
(‘_) 10 wool
( ) 5 wool and 50% cotton
(:) 100% cotton

Fabric E
( ) Cotton and silk

(‘-) Rayon and cotton
(2) All cotton

lhl

BLOUSE FABRICS

\

Fabric A“ Fabric B Fabric C

 

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1 ‘ n ‘
9 3' . my '6. ' N r
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_ __ _ _ _‘
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__ ~< _ ‘-V I 'I‘
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- . If + r n‘ ‘a ,- t . A.
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I ' J. " c '1" , Jvc.

- '2 . _> ‘41, ’4" J3 - .7 - J”,
Fabric D Fabric E Fabric F

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

31. Disregarding color, which fabrics do you consider
most appropriate forthe blouses showm.above?Indicate

by letter your first, second and third choice.

Choice of Fabric

lst 2nd 3rd
Blouse l. ' ( ) ( ) ( )
Blouse 2n ( ) ( ) ( )

Blouse 3. ( l ( ) ( )

 

’— -

1h3

SKIRT FABRICS

 

 

Fabric B Fabric 0

Fabric A

 

 

 

Fabric E Fabric F

Fabric D

 

 

 
       

 

 

, .:.,—._ “Us?
:0- _ ¢_,..,.,.....-~
,__, _. ”M am.

 

 

 

 

A;

 

3-‘ ‘n
w-- a...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

32. Disregarding color,. which fabrics do you consider

most appropriate for the skirts shown above? Indicate

your first, second and third choice.

Choice of Fabric

. lst 2nd 3rd
Skirt 1. ( ) ( ) ( )
Skirt 2. ( ) ( ) ( )
Skirt 3. ' ( ) ( ) ( )

 

ILLS

DRESS FABRICS

l I I - I
,

Fabric A Fabric B Fabric C Fabric D
illl|||||||| §'|||||||||| Ji||||||l||| 1i||||||||||
Fabric E Fabric F Fabric G Fabric B

1h!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

33. Disregarding color, which fabrics do you consider
most appropriate for the school dresses shown above.

Indicate your first, second and third choice.

Choice of Fabric

lst 2nd 3rd
Dress 1. ( ) ( ) ( )
Dress 2. ' ( ) ( ) ( )
Dress 3. ( ) ( ) ( )

 

 

1h?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

34. Disregarding color, which fabrics do you consider
most appropriate for the "dressy” dresses shown

above? Indicate your first, second and third choice.

Choice of Fabric

lst 2nd 3rd
Dress 1. ( ) ( ) ( )
Dress 2. ( ) ( ) ( )
Dress 3. ( ) ( l ( )

W

me

35. Check the type of clothes you prefer for yourself.
(__) Dressy
(__) Tailored
(__) All-purpose (Suitable for school, work and date)
36. Do ydu have a predominant color in your wardrobe?
(__) Yes (__) No
If yes, what color is it? 4__ EII%
What items of clothing are in this color? {

 

 

 

 

 

What other color or colors do you use with it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

30.231 USE ONLY

‘13" 4 '55 fifi‘J/Zs-“f:
“ f ' _ J 9'

     
  
 

   

'31??? £13....“ LOAN ..
nov 1 a '55

Or? . a. '

May 7 .

INTER-1113' .ARY LOA3
JY- 9 56
Jun 19 '51
Iu1 22 '57
Jul 28 58

,NOV10'.

 

3W
1"

L31my 39 mg mg.

 

 

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