Can fashion aesthetics be studied empirically? The preference structure of everyday clothing choices

Young-Jin Hur*, Nancy L. Etcoff, Emmanuel S. Silva

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)
198 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Despite fashion being one of the most common and accessible aesthetic activities in everyday life, very few empirical studies of clothing selection and preferences exist. To address this empirical gap, an online survey of 500 participants was constructed. A four-factor preference structure, Everyday Clothing Preference Factors (ECPF), emerged, consisting of essential, comfortable, feminine, and trendy styles. Further analysis revealed the preference for each of these four factors to be associated with clothing colors and individual differences. The transferability of ECPF across three preference judgment types (clothing one likes and owns, clothing one likes but does not own, and clothing one owns but does not like) revealed the robustness of the preference structure, through which a short version of ECPF was created. The paper concludes by discussing the implications and impact of scientifically studying fashion as an object of aesthetics and empirical study.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)525-545
Number of pages21
JournalEmpirical Studies of the Arts
Volume41
Issue number2
Early online date6 Dec 2022
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2023
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • aesthetics
  • fashion
  • preference
  • individual differences
  • personality
  • wanting vs. liking

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Music
  • Visual Arts and Performing Arts
  • Literature and Literary Theory

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