Abstract

This study was intended to identify the constructing factors and the evaluative dimensions of clothing images. A questionnaire consisted of 110 words expressing clothing images was developed, and eight clothing photographs were selected as stimuli. 298 female subjects aged between 22 to 37 responsed to the 110 words for two photographs during September in 1991. After survey, 110 words were reduced to 62 words based on their independence, then factor analysis was conducted. As a result of factor analysis,6 factors-grace, modernity, unattractive- ness, activeness, dressiness, and youthfulness were found out as constructing factors of clothing images. One additional interest was the effect of design line to the formation of clothing images. ANOVA identified that curved line designs were perceived to be more graceful, modern, dressy, and youthful, and straight line designs were perceived to be more unattractive and active. The other interest was the effect of image factors to the total evaluation. So, regression was used. Consequently, the most influential factor to the total evaluation was found out as grace, followed by unattractiveness, modernity, youthfulness and activeness in a descending order. To identify the evaluative dimensions of clothing images, nine words of unattractiveness image factor were eliminated, and multidimensional scaling analysis was employed. Here, three dimensions were judged to be appropriate to explain the result. The first dimension in the multidimensional space was the evaluation in 'mannish image versus feminine image'. The second was the evaluation in 'simple image versus decorative image'. The third was the evaluation in 'pastoral image versus urbane image'.

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