How Consumers Engage with Fashion, Textiles as a Routine Aspect of Everyday Life - Essay Example

?How Consumers Engage With Fashion, Textiles, or Jewelry as a Routine Aspect of Everyday Life Introduction Lerkpollakarn and Khemarangsan p.15) claim that fashion has existed since people began wearing clothing. Lerkpollakarn and Khemarangsan (2012, p.15) note that Charles Fredrick Worth was the first fashion designer and made the first dress in the 1800s. According to fashion history, the world of high fashion began in Paris and London. From these places, fashion spread to other countries in Europe, America and then to the entire world. Since then, fashion has been an area of interest in consumer research, according to Lemire and Riello (2008, p.889). Fashion is regarded as a driving force that shapes the way people live. That is it influences hairstyles, apparels, food, art, cars, cosmetics, toys, music, furniture, and other aspects of daily lives that people tend to take for granted. Fashion is also a principal component of the popular culture that keeps changing. For example, what might have been regarded fashionable in the 1800s when fashion first emerged may not be considered fashionable today. Today, apart from the basic functioning of cloth, it also serves as fashion items, which can signify how significant a person is and express an individual’s status, as well as what their personal image are like, according to O’Cass (2000, p.545). As a result, clothing can be used as a means of presenting an individual’s identity. Lerkpollakarn and Khemarangsan (2012, p.15) note that consumer behavior towards a fashion clothing affects all aspects of the fashion industry, production, design and merchandising and promotion at all levels. This also applies to the retail market, according to Crane (2000, p.51). This paper will explore how consumers engage with fashion as a routine aspect of daily life. Clothing is regarded as one of the basic human needs that one cannot do without. Clothing helps keep the body warm, as well as covering the nakedness. This aspect signifies the importance of clothing in human life. However, in addition to the basic function, of clothing in human life, nowadays clothing also serves as a fashionable item, which people use to tell their significance to the society, express their status as an individual, as well as what their personal image are. Thus, people also use clothing as an expression of personal identity (Rocha and Hawkins 2005, p.382). Because of the importance of fashion in the live of consumers, a number of factors influence the buying behaviors of consumers. The factors include identity, physical, lifestyle and store environment. Lerkpollakarn and Khemarangsan (2012, p.18) claim that identity factors strongly influences consumer behavior in the fashion clothing. This is because some people only choose products based on mood, reliance, personal style, brand image or celebrity influence. Packard and Raine (1979, p.16) reveal that fashion is based on mood and emotions as being conquering to others, aesthetically beautiful and emotional factors based on the feelings and the emotions of consumers. In this regard, research indicates that people tend to engage with fashion based on the emotional factors that make consumers buy clothes, in order for them to be able to look modern and attractive. Lerkpollakarn and Khemarangsan (2012, p.18) argue that more than often, people buy fashionable clothing not just because they need them but for pleasure. DeLace (2011, p.11) observed that the behavior of modern consumer is based on a search for pleasure with the consumption experience itself. As a result, consumers tend to look for new sensations, new stimuli. Skoggard (1998, p.56) shows that consumers tend to look for a chance to spend money for clothing when they feel good and satisfied with it. For example, fashion tends to force women to put on clothes that they do not necessarily need. For instance, during the winter season, one may wonder seeing a woman dressed in light clothes that reveal most body parts in the name of fashion, attraction and pleasure that comes with it. It is certain that these women are only looking for a way of being fashionable and attractive as depicted in figure 1. Figure 1. Personality is another factor that influences the purchasing behaviors of consumers. This is because everyone has his or her own personality, according to Workman and Studak (2006, p.76). As a result, personality also influences how consumers engage with fashion. Lerkpollakarn and Khemarangsan (2012, p.18) note that factors such as autonomy, self-confidence, personal domain and good fellowship dictates an individual’s personality, thus different buying processes. Alvarez and Casielles (2005, p.55) argue that an individual’s distinct personality influences his or her buying behavior. Personality, according to Lerkpollakarn and Khemarangsan (2012, p.18) is the peculiar psychological features that lead to a relatively consistent and lasting responses to one’s own environment. These traits are helpful in analyzing the purchasing pattern of consumers in the market. For example, it has emerged that many consumers tend to shop based on sociability. As a result, consumers can easily be attracted by creating a clothing brand that creates accessories and products in which consumers can suit their garment and socialize over a party such as earrings, necklace, shoes and bags just to name but a few. In fact, there has been a trend among women trying to match everything they wear in order to look fashionable and beautiful. As a result, they buy necklaces, bags and earrings that they believe match with the clothes they wear for an occasion. This is done merely to look fashionable and attractive as well as to boost their self-esteem. Women are also increasingly applying makeup on their faces and lips in order to look fashionable and beautiful. The fashion is particularly common among African women who are increasingly applying makeup just to look more beautiful and to attract the attention of others (Dholakia 1999, p.156). In fact, these women are ready to spend huge sums of money just to obtain the makeup. The most striking feature here is that the makeup are applied to match with clothe worn in order to look fashionable and beautiful. Consumers also tend to engage with fashion as a lifestyle. Lifestyle has been identified as a factor that influences the buying behavior of consumers. This is because people tend to buy clothes depending on the lifestyle they intend to portray. Lerkpollakarn and Khemarangsan (2012, p.19) note that consumers frequently choose some services and products based on their association with a certain lifestyle such as profession, price and quality. Profession is one of the factors that dictate hugely the clothing that an individual is expected to put on. For example, an individual working as a finance manager in an institution might be compelled to put of suits as opposed to informal clothing. This implies that the purchases of such a person are influenced by her role or status. However, such an individual would be free to purchase informal garments while at home (Zhang et al., p.54). Consumers also engage with fashion as a means of associating with celebrities or as a means of gaining celebrity status. Generally, celebrity status influences how people dress up. Those who have gained the celebrity status tend to buy expensive clothes such as jeans to impress and to look attractive. They also make such purchasing decisions in order to show their status. Apart from the clothing, a majority of celebrities tend to wear very expensive necklaces and earrings merely to impress and look attractive, as well as to show their newly acquired status (Bruce and Daly (2006, p.331). JZ and 50 cents are some of the celebrity musicians whose purchasing decisions are based on fashion aimed at revealing their celebrity status. In fact, apart from the clothing that these celebrities wear, they also buy very fashionable sport cars just to impress and show their celebrity status. Additionally, people also tend to imitate celebrities in terms of the dressing style believing that doing that makes them fashionable and achieve a similar celebrity status. For example, there has been a tendency among women to copy what other celebrity women are wearing as shown in figure 2. With the emergence of bikini clothing among celebrities, women from all walks of life followed suit believing that dressing in bikinis is fashionable and makes them look sexy. In fact, they go ahead to disregard the fact that bikinis expose their nakedness. Their main interest is to look fashionable and attractive. Figure 2 Consumers also engage with fashion in terms of body shape. Bruce and Daly (2006, p.45) show that a majority of women buy clothing depending on how they want the cloth to portray their body shape. Women of the olden days, for example, used to put on mostly miniskirts. This was considered very fashionable to many women. As time progressed, women began wearing long skirts before returning to miniskirts, which appear fashionable to them. This is because the miniskirts make them look sexy and admirable (Skoggard 1998, p.60). In fact, a majority of women reveals that their main intention of wearing such revealing clothes is to make them attractive and admirable. Additionally, consumers have been engaging with fashion by buying tight clothes that reveal body shape. Schor (1999, p.6) notes that women, in particular are very sensitive about their body shape than men. As a result, they tend to look for fashionable clothes that portray their body shape the way they want it. A survey shows that many women, particularly in African countries are increasingly putting on exceptionally tight clothes in order to look beautiful and admirable. The women putting on such tight trousers believe that tight trousers reveal their body shape thereby making them look beautiful and attractive. Consumers also tend to engage with fashion during events such as parties or cultural events (Lamb and Kallal 1992, p.13). It is a common practice, for people to present themselves in a very fashionable way during major events as shown in figure 3. This has particularly been apparent during wedding shows where almost guest tend to show himself or herself in a very fashionable manner. The same also apply during parties where many people tend to address up in unique and fashionable attires in order to look attractive and admirable. Figure 3 Body posture and height are also another area where consumers tend to engage fashion. This is particularly so among women who are very much bothered about their looks in terms of body posture and height. For instance, many women consumers have had the tendency of purchasing high-heeled shoes as shown in figure 4. Carpenter and Fairhurst (2005, p.256) note that a majority of women who purchase these types of shoes only does so for prestige. However, others, according to Lerkpollakarn and Khemarangsan (2012, p.20) purchase such shoes in order to enhance their body postures, thereby making them fashionable and attractive. Additionally, Corstjens and Lal (2000, p.287) indicated that some women consumers prefer the high-heeled shoes as a matter of increasing their heights so as to make them look a little bit taller than they truly are. This explains why a majority of women who wear high-heeled shoes are short. Figure 4 Fashion also acts as a useful tool for promoting a cause such as healthy behaviors or for fundraising (Forney, Park, and Brandon 2005, p.161). For instance, the trashion is a cause that uses trash to make jewelries, clothes and other fashion items as a means of promoting awareness of pollution. Some examples of trashions include Marina DeBris, Nancy Judd, and Ann Wizer, according to Stavkova Stejskal and Toufarova (2008, p.278). Finally, consumers also engage fashion in advertising (Rajput 2013). Modern marketers understand the power of fashion in influencing people to buy products or services. As a result, they ensure that they identify a given fashion that people like most and use it as an advertisement to lure consumers towards the product. Conclusion Indeed fashion is a driving force that shapes every aspect of human life, such as hairstyle, cosmetic, food, music, cars, furniture, and art among others. Therefore, consumers engage with fashion in almost every aspect. It is also apparent that fashion keeps changing. This implies that what people regard as fashionable now, may not be so in the future. References Alvarez, B. A., & Casielles, R. V. (2005). Consumer evaluations of sales promotion: The effect on brand choice. European Journal of Marketing, 39 (1), 54-70. Bruce M., Daly L. (2006), Buyer behavior for fast fashion. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 10 No. 3, 2006 pp. 329-344. Carpenter, J. M., & Fairhurst, A 2005, Consumer shopping value, satisfaction, and Loyalty for retail apparel brands. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 9 (3), 256-269. Corstjens, M., & Lal, R 2000, Building store loyalty through store brands. Journal of Marketing Research, 37 281-291. Crane, D 2000, Fashion, and its social agendas: class, gender, and identity in clothing. University of Chicago Press, Chicago. DeLace, J 2011, The Psychology, and Behavior of Consumers in the Fashion Industry. Senior Honors Projects. Paper 234. p. 1-13. Dholakia, R. R 1999, Going shopping: Key determinants of shopping behaviors and Motivations. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 27 (4)154-165. Forney, J C., Park, E. J., & Brandon, L 2005, Effects of evaluative criteria on fashion brand extension. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 9 No. 2, 2005pp. 156-165 Lamb, J., & Kallal, M 1992, “A conceptual framework for apparel design,” Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, Vol. 10 No. 2, pp. 42-7. Lemire, B., & Riello, G 2008, East, & west: textiles and fashion in early modern Europe. Journal of Social History, 41(4), 887-916. Lerkpollakarn, A., & Khemarangsan, A 2012, A study of Thai consumers’ behavior towards fashion clothing: the 2nd national and international graduate study conference. Graduate School of Silpakorn University p. 15-32. O'Cass, A 2002, An assessment of consumers’ product, purchases decision, Advertising and consumption involvement in fashion clothing. Journal of Economic Psychology, 21 545-576. Packard, S., & Raine, A 1979, Consumer Behavior and Fashion Marketing. W.C. Brown Co., Dubuque, Iowa. Rajput, P 2013, “Importance of fashion in our life and everyday fashion.” Viewed 16 May 2013 http://blogs.a1cityflowers.in/importance-of-fashion-in-our-life-and-everyday-fashion/. Rocha V., & Hawkins, D 2005, Age, gender and national factors in fashion consumption. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 9 No. 4, 2005 pp. 380-390. Schor, J 1999, The Overspent American: why we want what we don’t need. HarperPerennial, New York. Skoggard, I 1998, Transnational Commodity Flows, and the Global Phenomenon of the Brand. Consuming Fashion: Adorning the Transnational Body: Berg. Pp. 57–69. Stavkova J., Stejskal L., Toufarova Z 2008, Factors influencing consumer behavior. 276–284. Workman, J. E., &. Studak, C M 2006, Fashion consumers, and fashion problem recognition style: International Journal of Consumer Studies. Volume 30, Issue 1, pages 75–84. Zhang, Z., Li, Y., Gong, C. & Wu, H. 2002, “Casual wear product attributes: a Chinese consumers’ perspective”, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 6 No. 1, pp. 53-62. Read More