‘X 8-1016 May ‘I964

Mothers’ Attitudes and Satisfaetiens

 

1 Concerning
  Teenage
Daughters’
Clothing

TEXAS A8<M UNIVERSITY
TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
R. E. PATTERSON, DIRECTOR, COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS

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Summary

This research examines mothers’ attitudes and satis-
factions concerning their teenage daughters’ clothing
practices; and identifies clothing problems and areas of
possible disagreement between mothers and daughters.

The sample was selected from the Dallas-Fort Worth
and Bryan-College Station areas and consisted of 4-48
white mothers reporting clothing practices of 4-71 daugh-
ters.

Socio-economic data (independent variables) were
cross-classified with mothers’ opinions of daughters’
clothing practices and satisfactions (dependent varia-

bles) .

Findings indicated that one-half the respondents
thought clothing was very important while 4- percent
thought its was of little importance to their daughters.
Fit, general appearance and color were the clothing char-
acteristics which mothers most frequently indicated were
of importance to daughters.

Drake indicated that nearly two-thirds of the girls
had felt ill-at-ease on occasion because they thought they
were unsuitably dressed (8). This research indicated that
only 28 percent of the mothers thought their daughters
felt this way. Household composition, family income
and educational attainment were significantly related to
the mothers’ opinions.

One-half the mothers thought their daughters had
acquired about 5 or 6 ready-made dresses in the year
previous to interviewing. The total number of dresses
acquired was indirectly related to the number of ready-
made dresses acquired. Approximately 4-0 percent
thought their daughters had made 5 dresses for them-
selves. Family income and household size were signifi-
cantly and generally directly related to this function.

The median price paid for daughters’ basic dresses
was $10 to $12. Significantly related socio-economic
variables were respondents’ age, education, household
size and composition and family income.

  
 
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
 
   
   
  
 
 
   
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
 
   
 
  

Mothers indicated that problems related to
garments based on the unique teenage growth,
placement of hem and circumference of wais 
the most common when purchasing ready-made 
It may be inferred that these problems are in "
the personal critical attributes mothers and w,
use when selecting daughters’ ready-made d -- 

Mothers thought a large variety of ideas
them and their daughters when planning
The most frequently mentioned sources of y,
from store displays, a variety of magazines, 0-1,’,
and salesclerks, and the daughters’ own id-a 
median number of sources used was 2.01. 
of sources of ideas used was statistically and 
directly related to household composition and 
employment status.

Sixty-four percent of the mothers reported 
erally planned with their daughters for the teen ‘_
ing. The remainder indicated occasional joint
Frequency of joint-planning was inversely rela 
ily size. Mothers whose children were exclus 
agers and mothers who were employed were - 
to plan for their daughters’ clothing with t

Fifty-seven percent of the mothers reported
ing aspects of cost in j oint-planning sessions
cost of garments was seldom mentioned by w‘
sources of clothing problems, it may be inferred;
joint-planning sessions are of value in this 

The median age mothers thought daugh 
start taking part in clothing decisions was 1 J
The distribution of ages was greatly skewed to i l
ages. Mothers’ educational level and family in
significantly related to the age girls start m ~_'
decisions. 

Fifty-three percent of the mothers tho a’
daughters usually made the final clothing 
whereas 25 percent indicated they usually t. 

Mothers’ Attitude and Satisfactions
Concerning Teenage Daughters’ Clothing

Carol S. Bathke and L. Sharon Bursoni‘

ADOLESCENCE 1s THAT PERIOD of rapid transition be-
tween childhood and adulthood which is character-
ized by invariable and persisting emotional, physical, and
social development. During this period the emphasis
placed upon clothing is strong. It has been shown that
generally clothing which the girl believes to be right for
her can increase her emotional well-being.

Whereas information concerning individual clothing
supplies at the various stages of life cycles are available
(3,5), relatively little is known of the attitudes which
partially affect clothing satisfaction and behavior. Be-
cause clothing satisfaction is important to the mental
health of the adolescent girl, and because her clothing
desires have traditionally been thought to conflict with
other economic demands within the family unit, this re-
search has been carried out to determine mothers’ atti-
tudes and satisfactions concerning their teenage daugh-
ters’ clothing and clothing practices. In certain instances
daughters’ opinions are cited so that clear comparisons
may be made.

An attempt is made in the analysis of findings to
relate the girls’ sociologically and psychologicallybased
values to mothers’ attitudes considering pertinent and
immediate influences which may further affect this, rela-
tionship. Much of this analysis will be based on the
critical-attribute phasel of clothing selection as described

by Jacobi and Walters (15).

OBJECTIVES

Because of the nature of the problem and the de-
gree of development of knowledge concerning attitudes
affecting clothing behavior, the research has taken the
form of an inquiry. As information is accumulated and
a theoretical basis further developed, hypotheses can be
tested.

The objectives are as follows:

1. To identify mothers’ attitudes and satisfactions
with their teenage daughters’ clothing,

2. To identify clothing buying practices which con-
tribute to mothers’ satisfaction or dissatisfaction
with their daughters’ clothing.

3. To identify existing relationships between moth-
ers’ satisfactions, attitudes, and practices con-
cerning daughters’ clothing and socio-economic
factors.

4. To formulate recommendations for clothing edu-
cators and to relate research findings to current
marketing demands.

*RespectiveIy, instructor and technician, Department of Home Eco-
nomics, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.

‘Critical attribute phase is the aspect of clothing decision-making
where the attribute least available in a garment becomes all-
important and is generally the basis for the decision to purchase.

. METHOD AND SAMPLE DESCRIPTION

This research is the third of a series of studies con-
cerning clothing behavior, attitudes and problems of se-
lected Texas girls and women (8,1). No studies provid-
ing insight into these behaviors have been undertaken in
Texas. Studies done elsewhere are not totally applicable
because of regional differences and time lapse.

The data were collected during the fall of 1960 by
the interview method. The sample consisted of 448 white
mothers whose 4171 daughters were junior and senior
high school students in Bryan, College Station, Dallas
and Fort Worth, Texas. 1n both cases the samples are
assumed to be representative of the populations involved.
Research design did not allow mothers’ and daughters’
responses to be paired for statistical analysis. Mothers

Summary .................................................................. _. 2
Introduction _____________  ............................................. .. 3
Objectives ________________________________________________________________ .. 3
Method and Sample Description ............................ .. 3
Socio-economic Variables _________________________________________ ,_ 4
Findings ................................................................... ,_ 4
Mothers’ Attitudes Toward Daughters’ Clothing  4
Importance of Clothing ................................... _- 4
Important Clothing Characteristics _________________ .. 5
Suitability of Garments ................................... _. 5
Mothers’ Opinions of Daughters

Clothing Buying Practices _______________________________ ._ 6
Number of Dresses Acquired ........................... ._ 6
Prices Usually Paid for Basic Dresses ______________ _. 7
Dissatisfactions with Ready-made Clothing  7
Number of Ready-made Dresses Purchased  7

Mother-Daughter Relationship

Concerning Clothing ..................................... ., 8
Frequency of Agreement ................................. ._ 8
Sources of Clothing Ideas ............................... .. 8
Frequency of Planning _____________________________________ __ 8
Clothing Characteristics Planned _____________________ _- 8
Age Mothers Thought Daughters Should
Begin Making Clothing Decisions _______________ __ 9
Person Making Final Clothing Decisions .......... ,- 9
Implications .............................................................. ,,'l0
Acknowledgments .......................... ..  .............. _.I0
References  ................................................... _.'I0

3

and daughters were interviewed separately. When there
was more than one daughter in the family, the mother
completed a questionnaire for each.

Information concerning the respective families’
socio-economic status was also gathered. These data
were cross-tabulated with clothing behavior and prac-
tices and were analyzed in terms of families of girls.
Duplicate data, as in the case of more than one daughter
per family, were excluded. Socio-economic data were
also obtained from mothers’ questionnaires. These data
represent 432 family units.

A breakdown of the sources of number of question-
naires administered is given below:

City Mothers Teenagers
Bryan 293 313
College Station 79 81
Dallas 4-1 4-2
Fort Worth 35 35
Total 44-8 4-71

The chi square test (3,10) was used to determine the »

significance of relationships among the socio-economic
factors (independent variables) and clothing practices
and behavior (dependent variables). A probability of
less than .05 was regarded as statistically significant, .10
as a strong trend and .20 as a broad trend.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC VARIABLES

Socio-economic variables play an important role in
affecting clothing practices and the ultimate satisfaction
derived from them. For this reason, an analysis of these
variables was included in the research design. Unless
the homemaker was widowed or divorced, or the socio-
economic status was acquired before marriage, the home-
maker and her children assume the status of the husband.
Consequently, some of these variables are cited in terms
of the husband singularly, or husband and homemaker
jointly.

Table 1 cites the distribution of respondents and/ or
their husbands within selected socio-economic classifi-
cations.

The following independent variables were cross-
classified with mothers’ opinions of their daughters cloth-
ing practices and attitudes: age of mother, size of house-
hold, composition of household, employment status of
mother? education of motherf‘ family income and age
and employment status of teenage daughter.

Because some of the data were incomplete, mean-
ingful contingency coefficients could not be calculated.
However, contingency correlations based on the same
homemakers reporting on their clothing practices and
satisfactions‘ indicate that the homemakers’ educational
attainment was highly and generally significantly related
to other independent variables excluding the teenage
daughters’ age and employment status.

zEmployment status was classified as full or part-time with 40-hour
work week denoted as full-time employment. Part-time employ-
ment was a regular 40-hour workweek occupation held for less
than ii months but for more than l month during the previous
year.

“Throughout this report education is measured by years completed.

4

FINDINGS , ,
Mothers’ Attitudes Toward Daughters’ Cloth

Social acceptance by one’s peers is of great im
able, initial and visible impressions which guide fut
able, initial, and visible impressions which guide fut.
social relationships become a means by which tee
girls attempt to induce their social acceptande,

    
 
   
   
 
    
 
 
 
   
  
  
    
   
  
  
  
   
 
    
  
   
  
 
  
   

Importance of Clothing

Traditionally, many family problems are based
the high value teenage girls place upon clothing. 
posedly, these interests conflict with common f 
goals. Mothers of teenage daughters were asked if "
thought their daughters placed much importance, av
age importance or little importance on clothes. It
anticipated that responses would reveal if conflicts
tually do exist and if these are based upon the m0
misconceptions of their daughters’ clothing values. .-

Fifty percent of the mothers interviewed tho
clothing was very important to their daughters, whe
4-6 percent and 4 percent thought clothing was of ave
and little importance to their daughters, respecti
Apparently mothers were aware of the importance t
age girls attach to their clothing, although reasons"
this importance were not enumerated.

None of the eight socio-economic variables stu
were significantly related to mothers’ opinions of
importance their daughters attach to clothing.

Important Clothing Characteristics

In order to investigate specific characteristics;
teenage girls’ clothing which could cause mother-da, i
ter disagreement, mothers were asked to specify the
ing characteristics their daughters considered most
portant. More than one response could be givenf - 
cause mothers did not rank multiple responses, the i
tinued importance attached to a single variable can“

be identified.

Almost one-half the mothers felt that fit was,
important to their daughters. Approximately one-
felt appearance was most important and one-fifth,
sidered color to be most important to their daug _
As previously reported the daughters also thoughtf
these clothing characteristics were important 
finding is supported by Dickins and Ferguson where
becomingness and color were rated the most impo
features of teenage clothing (7).

The mothers and daughters agreed in their con
of general appearance and color. There appearedt
some discrepancy as to what constituted acceptable f1,
clothing. Mothers tended to emphasize that fit sh
not be too tight whereas, the teenage girls consid ,_
becoming fit synonymous with “snug” fit (8).

Teenage daughters tended to emphasize suitabi
as an important characteristic even though it was it,’
ferred that this quality in clothing was achieved by lar
wardrobes (8) . Few mothers, however, thought this cl
ing characteristic was of importance to their daught
Possibly, misunderstandings between teenage girls 1

‘Suitability included becomingness to the wearer and approprio 
ness to the occasion.

their mothers were frequently caused by differing inter-
pretations of “suitability.” Mothers had the added ad-
vantage of experience through which insight into prob-
lems of clothing selection was gained, and, consequently
may be less sensitive to this problem than were their
daughters. In this instance, the mothers’ ability to proj-
ect herself into the world of the teenage girl takes on
paramount importance.

Suitability of Garments

As expected, mothers tended to think that their
daughters’ clothing was suitable for their activities. Nine
in 1O mothers stated that they thought their daughters’

clothing was generally suitable for most of their activi-
ties. Eight percent thought their daughters’ clothing
was suitable only in part, whereas 2 percent thought
their daughters’ clothing was generally unsuitable.

Almost 3 out of 1O mothers thought their daughters
had felt unsuitably dressed for some particular activity
or occasion. Concurrently, more than 6 in 1O teenagers
thought they were inappropriately dressed (8).

The 115 mothers who thought their daughters had
felt unsuitably dressed for a particular activity or occa-
sion were asked what they thought could have prevented
this. Reasons cited by approximately 2O percent of the

TABLE 1. NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION IN SOClO-ECONOMIC CLASSIFICATIONS

Variable Number Percent
Age in year intervals
Mothers
20-29 1 -—*
30-39 171 40
40-49 200 47
50-59 51 12
6O or over 6 1
TOTAL 429 100
Fathers
30-39 84 21
40-49 206 51
50-59 92 23
60 or over 21 5
TOTAL 403 100
Family composition
Under 13, 13-19 226 52
Children 13-19 years only 165 38
Under 13, 13-19, 20 and above 41 10
TOTAL 432 100
Family size
2 members 5 1
3 members 83 19
4 members 1 39 32
5 members 100 23
6 members 61 14
7-9 members 39 9
10-11 members 5 1
TOTAL 432 99
Education by years completed
Mothers
Less than 1 8 2
1-8 76 18
8-1 2 82 19
12 145 34
1 2-16 99 23
16 or more 20 5
TOTAL 430 101
Fathers
Less than 1 7 2
1-8 74 1 8
8-1 2 75 1 8
1 2 83 20
1 2-16 103 25
16 or more 62 15
TOTAL i 464 9a
Mothers’ specialized training
Business 63 64
Practical Nurse 12 12
Beautician 8 8
Other** l 6 l6
TOTAL 99 100

Variable Number Percent
Employment status
Mothers
Full-time all of the year 103 24
Full-time part of the year 30 7
Part-time 54 13
Unemployed 244 57
TOTAL 431 101
Occupations
Mothers
Professional, technical 36 19
Managerial, official 1 1 6
Clerical 64 34
Sales 27 14
Service 25 13
Operative 21 1 1
Household workers 3 2
TOTAL 1 87 99
Fathers
Professional 87 21
Managerial, official 101 25
Clerical 19 5
Sales 28 7
Crafts 86 21
Operative 34 8
Service workers 19 5
Laborers 20 5
Unemployed, disabled, retired 13 3
TOTAL 407 100
Family incomes
Less than $1,000 3 -
$1,000-2,999 38 9
$3,000-4,999 101 24
$5,000-5,999 64 15
$6,000-7,999 66 16
$8,000-9,999 61 15
$10,000 and over 83 '20
TOTAL 416 99
Area of maior socialization***
Mothers
Urban 1 84 43
Rural 246 57
TOTAL 430 100
Fathers
Urban 170 42
Rural 233 58
TOTAL 403 100

*Less than 1 percent.

**Other includes telephone, performing arts, management, food
preparation, sales’ clerk.

***Area of maior socialization refers to the population classification
where the respondent spent the maior part of her childhood

and adolescent years.

mothers included the need for more appropriate clothing,
the need for more “right” clothing and the conformity to
peers’ clothing. Approximately 15 percent believed in-
sufficient quantity of garments was responsible for
daughters’ feeling unsuitably dressed.

The 28 percent of the mothers who thought that
their daughter had felt unsuitably dressed on occasion
seemed to be aware of the causes of these problems.
Mothers’ reasons most frequently involved ideas of occa-
sion, season or individual girl as they apply to unsuitable
clothing. In the teenage study similar reasons were given
by the daughters. One-half the teenagers said “if I had

known what others were wearing” and over one-third‘

said “if I had worn a different type of clothing and
accessories” (8).

Slightly less than one-fifth of the mothers thought that
their daughters frequently felt unsuitably dressed for a
specific activity or occasion. Twenty-seven percent
thought this occurred occasionally and over one-half
stated their daughters seldom felt unsuitably dressed.

Household composition (P. < .05), family income
(P. < .001) and mothers’ educational attainment
(P. < .02) were socio-economic variables significantly
related to the mothers’ opinions on the suitability of
their daughters’ clothing.

There was a broad trend for family size to be re-
lated to the mothers’ opinions. In all family size classi-
fications at least 85 percent of the mothers thought their
daughters’ clothing was generally suitable for their ac-
tivities.

Mothers who thought their daughters’ clothing was
generally unsuitable were likely to be members of fami-
lies consisting of both teenagers and children of other
age categories. However, as previously indicated, 90
percent of the mothers, regardless of family composition,
thought their daughters were suitably dressed.

When educational attainment was cross-classified
with mothers’ opinions of the suitability of their daugh-
ters’ clothing, it was found that from 84 to 94- percent
thought daughters’ clothing was suitable. This relation-
ship was statistically significant. Of those 10 percent
who felt their clothing was unsuitable, 16 percent, 6 per-
cent and 9 percent had at least some high school training,
had completed high school or had at least some college
training, respectively. a

Of the 10 percent of the mothers who thought their
daughters’ clothing unsuitable, the largest proportion
were from families whose annual income was less than

$5,999.

Mothers’ Opinions of Daughters’ Clothing
Buying Practices

A large proportion of the total population is be-
tween the ages of 13 to 19 years. The economic and
social aspects of the clothing market created by teenagers
is of interest to parents, educators and manufacturers.
This section identifies some existing buying practices
and problems of teenage girls acting jointly or inde-
pendently of their mothers.

Number of Dresses Acquired

According to popular opinion, which was ques-
tioned by Drake (8), teenage girls think large quantities

6

  
   
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
 
    
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
    
    
   
  
  
  

of garments will solve their clothing problems. This ._
tude can, and often does, produce issues conflicting 
other family interests. When mothers were asked h I A
many dresses their daughters had acquired during ,_
year previous to the interview, a large range was ~33’
cated. The sources of these dresses were equally var’ ’
Table 2 enumerates this data.

Slightly less than 9 in 10 mothers thought th
daughters had acquired fewer than 13 ready-niade "w;
es. The total number of dresses acquired wasindirec
related to the number of dresses purchased ready-m
The implication is that when the retail market is
main source of dresses, the prices are prohibitive to
point that relatively few garments are purchased.

Thirty-six percent of the mothers indicated
daughters had made 5 or fewer dresses during the
before the interview. Some may have been made in
school homemaking classes. Relatively few had m
more than 12 dresses.

Slightly more than one-half the mothers indica
they had made dresses for their daughters. In th
cases, the daughters usually had acquired a total of '
or fewer dresses. In the companion teenage study (8)
girls indicated they had acquired an average of 14 d,
es from all sources during the previous year. This f’
ing implies that home sewing is an important means
supplementing the wardrobe, rather than being the m
source of acquisitions.

Family income (P. < .05) and household
(P. < .01) were significantly related to the total n u
of dresses acquired by the teenage girl as reported’
mothers. ‘

Mothers of families with a yearly income of less -Y'
$4,000 thought their daughters had acquired 6 tolil“
dresses during the year previous to interviewing. At 
other income levels, the majority of the mothers 
cated daughters acquired a total of 13 or more dr '

Mothers of families of 5 or fewer members thou
their daughter acquired at least 13 dresses more

TABLE 2. DISTRIBUTION OF MOTHERS‘ OPINIONS OF NUMBER" 3
SOURCES OF DRESSES DAUGHTERS ACQUIRED DU
YEAR PREVIOUS TO INTERVIEW .

Sources of Dresses

Number Reudy- Made by Made by Made by
°I dresses made teenager mother others
T only 6 27 T3 T 8
2-3 T 5 39 23 34
4-5 2O T3 T9 T7
6-7 T 5 7 T 2 T4
8- 7 3 7 4
T O-T 2 T9 7 T4 5
T3-T 5 6 2 2 6
T 6-T 9 5 T 2 0
20-24 5 O 5 T
25-29 T T T T
30 and over T 0 2 O
10o 10o 10o 10o e“.

TOTALS 92(n.=386) 36(n.=T50) 52(n.=2'l9) 30(n.=T 
Note: Mothers reported only 4 daughters who did not acquire 
dresses the last year.
Teenagers could have acquired dresses from more than
source.

quently than did those of 6 or more family _members.
In the latter classification, girls generally acquired 6 t0
12 dresses.

Analysis indicated a tendency for mothers’ educa-
tion to be a function of the total number of dresses they
thought their daughters acquired. Of the 151 mothers
who had not completed high school, 13 percent, 4-5 per-
cent and 4~2 percent thought their daughters had added
1 to 5, 6 to 12 and 13 or more dresses during the previ-
ous year, respectively. In all other instances, mothers’
educational attainment was directly related to the num-
ber of dresses daughters acquired. The latter relation-
ship is to be expected since, from a sociological point of
view, education is highly, positively correlated to income
level, which is, in this case, statistically related to the
total number of dresses daughters acquired.

Prices Usually Paid for Basic Dresses“

Mothers reported paying varied prices for daugh-
ters’ basic dresses. Forty-five percent of the mothers
said they usually paid less than $10 for their daughters’
basic dresses. Approximately 5O percent indicated they
usually paid from $10 to $15 for those garments.

As expected, income was highly significant when
related to the prices usually paid. Mothers of families
with less than $4,000 annual income usually paid $6 or
less for their daughters’ basic dresses, whereas the larg-
est proportion of mothers in each of the other income
levels paid the median price ($10 to $12) or more for
their daughters’ dresses.

The mothers’ age (P. < .05) an d education
(P. <.001), family size (P. <.001) and household
composition (P. < .01) were other socio-economic fac-
tors significantly related to the prices paid for teenage
daughters’ basic dresses.

Mothers who generally paid $6 0r less for their
daughters’ basic dresses were usually under 40 years of
age; from families of 6 or more members; and had chil-
dren who were less than 13 and teenagers. They usually
had not completed a high school education.

Those mothers who generally paid $7 to $9 for their
daughters’ basic dresses usually had not finished high
school and had larger families composed of varied-aged
children. A similar proportion of mothers in each age
classification usually paid $7 to $9 for the basic type of
dress.

Mothers who were 40 or older more often paid $10
or above for their daughters’ dresses. They usually had
smaller families composed of children in their teens.
These mothers were also more likely to have begun
and/ or completed a college education.

Dissatisfactions with Ready-made Clothing

It is inferred that, because mothers reported buying
approximately 91 percent of their daughters clothing
ready-made, theiriindications of problems encountered
would be representative of their dissatisfaction with teen-
age clothing.

Mothers were asked, “What are the most difficult
problems you have in buying ready-made clothing for

’Basic dresses referred to type of dresses which were adaptable for
a variety of teenage girls activities, such as school, shopping, dates.

your daughter?” These responses were not ranked and
each mother could give more than one response. The
median response was 1.93 problems.

The largest proportion of responses, 44 percent, as-
sociated with a single factor were based on size problems
related to unique teenage growth patterns. Thirty-seven
percent and 27 percent of the total 204< responses were
related to this problem, but specified the placement of
the hem and circumference of the waist, respectively.
Fifteen percent specified length of waist as a problem
while 18 percent simply identified “fit” as a problem
without describing the particular aspect of the problem.
Although economic factors frequently have been func-
tions of the clothing practices and attitudes, only 13 per-
cent of the responses were related to cost of garments.

It is logical to assume that the characteristics of
clothing most noted by a specific individual or group
will be the “critical attribute” so important in the pur-
chasing process (15). It may be further inferred that
dissatisfaction with these characteristics will constitute
major clothing problems.

Mothers’ opinions of teenage daughters’ clothing
problems and the daughters’ opinions of these problems
were contrasted (8). Mothers and daughters both felt
that fit was important in the teenagers’ clothing. Simi-
larly, fit was a major problem in selection of ready-made
garments. Color, which was considered relatively impor-
tant by teenage daughters and their mothers, was not a
mai or problem in the selection of ready-made garments.
Only 2 percent of the mothers cited color as a problem in
purchasing ready-made clothing. This relationship infers
that range in color selection, which evidently is large,
does not usually constitute the critical attribute phase of
clothing selection.

Fourteen percent of the mothers felt that style was
important to their daughters while 19 percent felt they
had problems related to aspects of style in ready-to-wear
teenage clothing. Similarly, 6 percent of the mothers felt
that the length of the garment was important to their
daughters while 37 percent of the mothers reported think-
ing their daughters had difficulty in buying ready-made
garments of satisfactory length. In these instances, style
and length of garments probably formed critical attri-
butes for daughters, but were not recognized as such by
their mothers.

None of the socio-economic variables studied were
a significant function of problems mothers thought their
daughters had in purchasing ready-made clothing.

Number of Ready-made Dresses Purchased

The number of ready-made dresses acquired is

described in Table 2.

The variables of household size (P. < .001), com-
position (P. < .02) and family income (P. < .001)
were the only socio-economic variables which were sig-
nificantly related to the number of teenage dresses pur-
chased ready-made.

The number of dresses purchased ready-made was
inversely related to the family size.

Mothers with teenagers and children of other ages
purchased 1 to 5 dresses for teenage daughters more
frequently than did those mothers whose children were

7

only teenagers. The latter group of mothers usually
had purchased 6 t0 12 ready-made dresses for their
daughters.

Generally, family income was inversely related t0
the total number of ready-made dresses required. Ap-
proximately 50 percent of the mothers of families with
an annual income of less than $5,999 purchased 1 to 5
dresses for their teenage daughters. When family in-
come was $6,000 to $9,999 annually, 36 percent, 4-7 per-
cent and 17 percent had purchased 1 to 5, 6 to 12 and
13 0r more dresses for their teenage daughters, respec-
tively.

Mother-Daughter Relationship
Concerning Clothing

The conflicts within the family unit which are al-
legedly caused by the teenage daughters’ clothing needs
and demands are inferred to manifest themselves in
mother-daughter disagreement. The mother, as the tra-
ditional purchasing agent for the family and companion
to the daughter, is in prime position to be aware of these
conflicts and any ill-effect they may have upon the basic
mother-daughter relationship.

Frequency of Agreement

Study mothers were asked: “How much agreement
do you think there is in the way your daughter wants
to dress and the way you want her to dress?” Seventy-
nine percent of the mothers studied thought they usually
agreed with their daughters. Almost one-fifth of the
mothers said they agreed and disagreed at about the
same frequency. Only 4- percent said they usually dis-
agreed with their daughters on this point.

None of the selected socio-economic variables were
significantly related to the mothers’ opinions of fre-
quency of agreement concerning this matter.

Sources of Clothing Ideas

As the teenage girl became an important segment
of the clothing market, advertising in varied forms of
mass media was directed toward her. In order to ex-
amine the possible influence these efforts have on the
selection of clothing for teenage girls, mothers were
asked where they and their daughters usually got cloth-
ing ideas.

Because mothers were not asked to rank their re-
sponses in terms of importance, an accurate distribution
based on importance of each source could not be formu-
lated. On the average. each mother cited 2.6 sources of
ideas. Window-shopping and browsing were the most
popular sources of clothing ideas, as approximately 20
percent of the responses were related to these factors.
Sewing and pattern books (15 percent), other girls and
salesclerks (15 percent) and teen magazines (13 percent)
were frequently considered important by mothers. Moth-
ers believed daughters used their own ideas approxi-
mately 12 percent of the time, whereas the mothers’ ideas
were considered less than 1 percent of the time.

Research design did not allow an analysis of the
socio-economic variables as related to the kinds of
sources. Analysis was made in terms of the number of
sources used. The median number of sources used was

2.01. Household composition (P. < .02) and mothers’
8

employment status (P. < .02) were significantly related
to the number of sources of ideas mothers thought were
used.

Mothers of teenage children generally reported the
use of 2 sources of information while those with families
composed of children with varied ages generally used
3 or 4- sources.

Two or 3 information sources were generally used
when the mothers were full-time employees, whereas 3
or 4- sources were generally used when mothers were
part-time employees.

Frequency of Planning

Twenty-nine percent of the mothers said they
thought they usually planned and discussed the daugh-
ters’ clothing with them. Frequent mother-daughter
planning was reported by 35 percent of the mothers and
occasional mother-daughter planning was reported by 36
percent of the sample. Class intervals were not numeri-
cally defined.

Household size (P. < .01) and composition (P. <
.05) and mothers’ educational (P. < .05) and economic
(P. < .05) attainment were socio-economic variables
significantly relate-d to the frequency of mother-daughter
clothing planning.

Frequency of mother-daughter planning was in-
versely related to family size. Sixty-nine percent of the
mothers with families of fewer than 5 members reported
frequent mother-daughter planning whereas 51 percent
of the mothers with 6 or more family members reported
frequent joint planning of the daughters’ clothing.

Mothers who had families composed exclusively of
teenage children were most likely to report frequent
mother-daughter planning. Approximately two-fifths of
the mothers with children of varied ages reported oc-
casional joint-planning of the daughters’ clothing.

Almost two-thirds of mothers employed full-time
reported frequent mother-daughter planning. Approxi-
mately three-fourths of the part-time employees and sixty
one percent of the unemployed mothers indicated fre-
quent joint-planning.

Regardless of educational attainment, more than
one-half the mothers reported frequent planning. Those
mothers who had completed high school were more likely
to participate in frequent joint-planning than did those
from any other educational classification.

There was a trend for family income to be statisti-
cally related to frequency of joint-planning. Fifty-three
percent of the mothers with an annual family income of
less than $4,000 reported frequent mother-daughter plan-
ning. Of the mothers with $4,000 to $9,999 yearly fam-
ily incomes, approximately two-thirds reported frequent
joint-planning. Seventy percent of the mothers at the
$10,000 and more income level reported frequent mother-
daughter planning of the daughters’ clothing.

Clothing Characteristics Planned

An analysis of the clothing characteristics mothers

and daughters discuss before shopping could indicate i’

areas of common concern. These characteristics are re-
lated to the vital critical attribute phase of clothing deci-

sion-making (15). Table 3 enumerates this relationship. 

 

TABLE 3. NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF CLOTHING
CHARACTERISTICS MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS DISCUSSED
BEFORE SHOPPING FOR DAUGHTERS’ CLOTHING

Characteristics Number Percent*
Cost 239 57
Suitability-activities and seasons 203 48
Color 150 36
Fabric 106 25
Fashionableness 75 18
Garment type 68 16
Versatility 43 10
Care required 37 9
Design-unspecified 27 6
Fit 9 2
Construction qualities 3 1
Other 20 5
Total characteristics discussed 980

Mothers responding** 421

Mothers not responding 4

Mothers did not plan with daughters 23

Mean number of characteristics 2.3

..*Does not equal 100% as more than one response could be
discussed
**Base for percentages

Because more than one response could be made and
homemakers did not rank responses, a distribution de-
scribing the importance individuals attach to clothing
characteristics could not be formulated.

Approximately 6O percent of the clothing qualities
discussed were aspects of cost. That the majority dis-
cuss cost of garments before shopping indicates that cost
of garments is an important factor in clothing selection.
It may be inferred that because mothers and daughters
generally discuss this aspect of selection,_some agreement
has been reached before the shopping trip. Consequent-
ly, garments costing more than some arbitrary amount
are not considered by mothers and daughters; and this
factor seldom becomes a critical attribute of the pur-
chasing decision as in the context described by Jacobi

and Walters (15) .

In the same vein, fit, which was considered impor-
tant to both teenage girls and their mothers, and which
was a frequent problem when purchasing ready-made
dresses, was seldom discussed before shopping for the
daughters’ clothing. It should be noted, however, that
garments which fit an individual girl may not be as
readily available as garments which she can afford.

Suitability was discussed by one-half the mothers
and daughters before they shopped for the daughter’s
clothing. The mothers’ ideas of suitability were in rela-
tion to the daughters’ activities and the season, whereas

ffew discussed suitability in relation to the teenagers’

individual characteristics.

Household composition was the only socio-economic
variable significantly related to the number of character-
istics mothers andiidaughters planned or discussed before
shopping for the daughters’ clothing. Mothers with chil-
dren less than 13 years old and those with only teenagers
usually discussed at least two clothing characteristics.
If the family was composed of children of varied ages
the mothers and daughters most frequently discussed at
least three clothing characteristics before shopping for
the daughters’ clothing.

Age Mothers Thought Daughters Should Begin
Making Clothing Decisions

The mothers were asked at what age they thought
a girl should begin to plan and shop, with adult guid-
ance, for her own clothing. Table 4- enumerates this data.

The median age mothers thought their daughters
should share this responsibility was 12.58 years. Note
that the distribution is skewed toward young age groups.

Mothers’ educational level (P. < .01) and family
income (P. < .001) were significantly related to the age
at which mothers thought girls should begin to partici-
pate in this planning and shopping.

Mothers with less than a high‘ school education were
most likelv to suggest an older age for assuming the
responsibility of some clothing decisions. Mothers who
had attained a high school education were distributed
similarly among the varying age categories. Those
mothers who had college training consistently stated
early teens for assuming some clothing responsibilities.

Over one-third of the mothers with less than $4,000
annual family income thought the girls should be 15
years or older before participating in clothing decisions.
A similar proportion of mothers with family incomes of
$4,000 to $9,999 thought that a girl should assume these

responsibilities in the early teens.

Person Making Final Clothing Decision

F ifty-three percent of the mothers thought their
daughters usually made the final clothing decision. One-
fourth of the mothers stated that they made this decision,
whereas 18 percent said that final clothing decisions
were joint with mother and daughter participating.

The mothers’ employment status (P. < .05) and
educational level (P. < .05) were the only socio-eco-
nomic variables which were significantly related to the
mothers’ opinions of the person making the final clothing
decision.

If the daughter were the final decision maker, the
mother generally had received a high school education
or less. If the mothers were the final decision-makers,
their level of education tended to increase. Similarly, if
decisions were made jointly by the mothers and daugh-
ters, the mothers generally had some college training.

TABLE 4. AGE MOTHERS THOUGHT DAUGHTERS SHOULD BEGIN
TO PARTICIPATE IN CLOTHING DECISIONS

Daughters’ age in years Number Percent
Under 10 36 8
10-1 1 51 1 1
12 84 19
13 88 20
14 93 21
15 45 10
16 29 7
17 7 2
1 8 and older 10 2
Total 443
No answer 5
448

When daughters made the final clothing decision,
their mothers were generally part-time employees. If
the mothers made the final clothing decisions, they were
generally either employed full-time or not employed out-
side the home in any capacity. Mothers who usually felt
that clothing decisions were a joint project were most
frequently full-time employees.

IMPLICATIONS

This research has important implications for edu-
cators and homemakers as well as clothing manufacturers
and retailers.

For Educators and Homemakers

Evident discrepancy between mothers’ and daugh-
ters’ opinions of acceptable fit and suitability of gar-
ments, and daughters’ feeling ill-at-ease because of cloth-
ing indicates a need for increased mother-daughter com-
munication. Only when mothers and daughters approach
maximum agreement can full satisfaction be derived
from the daughters’ clothing.

Fit and suitability of clothing are areas requiring
greater study in adult and secondary homemaking class-
es. lf daughters could learn what is “good” fit in terms
of values acceptable to their mothers while. if, at the
same time, mothers were more tolerant of their daugh-
ters’ views. disagreement on this point would decrease.
Concepts of fit are applicable to the construction of home-
sewn garments and the evaluation of ready-made gar-
ments. Emphasis in teaching clothing should be direct-
ed to home-sewn garments which generally supplement
those acquired ready-made and are not the main source
of teenage garments.

Teachers should recognize that teenage girls obtain
very few clothing ideas from homemaking classes. Pos-
sibly, very few girls in the sample were enrolled in home-
making classes, or the transfer of principles learned to
immediate clothing problems is low.

Findings indicate that mothers think their daughters
should start participating in clothing decisions when they
are 12 to 13 years old. On this basis, teachers might
re-evaluate clothing curricula to include principles of
wardrobe planning and selection when interest and need
is at its greatest.

For Manufacturers and Retailers 0f Clothing

If expressed clothing problems can be logically con-
strued to indicate the critical attributes of ready-made
garments used by consumers in the decision-making
process, manufacturers could improve their products
through this knowledge. Both mothers and daughters
expressed a great need for garments suitably designed
for varied teenage activities and tastes, and sized to fit
the girls’ figures and growth rates. Problems of cost
were also frequently expressed.

Mothers thought that 52 percent of the ideas used
for teenage daughters’ clothing came from store windows
and displays. A great educational service would be ren-
dered and sales increased if more of this media were
directed toward the girl and her problems of suitability
and diversity.

l0

mer assistant professor, Department of Home Economics.

ACKNQWLEDGMENTS
This research was originated by Phyllis Drake, for»

   

the Department of Home Economics.

 

Copies of additional tables may be obtained from

17.

18.

  
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
   
  
   
   
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
  
  
      
   
  
    
   
 
 
   
   
   

REFERENCES

Bathke, Carol S. and L. Sharon Burson, "Homemakers' Attitudes
and Satisfactions with Clothing." Unpublished research, Do»,
partment of Home Economics, Texas Agricultural Experiment.-
Station, College Station, Texas. I

Brady, D. S., "Quantity and Quality of Clothing Purchases in
Relation to Income and Price," Consumption and Saving, Vol.
I, Friend, Irwin and Jones, ed. Wharton School of Finance
and Commerce, University of Pennsylvania, 1960, pp. 137-141.

Brew, Margaret L., Roxanne R. O'Leary and Lucille C. Dean, I
"Family Clothing Inventories and Purchases," U.S.D.A. Agri-
cultural Information Bulletin 148, April, 1956.

Britton, Virginia, "Clothing," Family Economics Review, Con-
sumer and Food Economics Research Division, Agricultural Re-
search Service, U.S.D.A., Washington, D.C., December, 1963,
pp. 7-12.

Clague, Ewan, "Family Clothing Inventories by Income: Min- I’
neapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, 1949," Bureau of Human Nu-
trition and Home Economics, U.S.D.A., June, 1950, p. 27. I

"Consumer Expenditure Study," University of Pennsylvania I:
and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, University of Pennsylvania, 5
Philadelphia, 1950-51. '

Dickens, Dorothy and Virginia Ferguson. "Practices and Prefer- 
ences of Teen-Age Girls in the Selection of Blouses, Skirts, ;
Dresses and Sweaters," Bulletin 635, Mississippi Agricultural '5'”
Experiment Station, State College, Mississippi, February, 1962. 51

Drake, Phyllis and Jo Ann Standlee, "Teenage Girls' Attitudes
and Satisfactions with Clothing," Texas Agricultural Experiment
Station, Bulletin No. 1003, 1964.

Fisher, Ronald O. and Frank Yates, Statistical Tables for Blo-
logical, Agricultural and Medical Research, New York: Hubner
Publishing Co., Inco. 1957.

Haygood, Margaret J. and Daniel O. Price, Statistics for Socls’ ~
ologists, New York: Henry Bolt and Co., 1952.

Hamburg, Morris, "Demand for Clothing," Consumption and.‘
Saving, Vol. I, Friend, Irwin and Jones, ed., Wharton School,
of Finance and Commerce, University of Pennsylvania, 1960.f

Hartman, George W., "Clothing: Personal Problem and Social
Issue," Journal of Home Economics, Vol. 41: 295-8, June 194

Harp, John B., "Socio-Economic Correlates for Consumer Be-r
havior," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 20:‘
265-70, April 1961.

Huntington, Emily H., Spending of Middle Income Familte
Berkeley, California: University of California Press, I957.

Jacobi, John and S. George Walters, "Dress-Buying Behavior
of the Consumer," Journal of Marketing, 23¢ 168-72, October?
1958.

Morgan, J. H., Consumer Economics, New York; Prentice Hall l
Inc., 1955.

Murphy, Gardner, Personality, New York; Harper and Brothe
Publishers, 1947.

Rose, Arnold, "A Systematic Summary of Symbolic Interaction’;
Theory," Human Behavior and Social Processes, Arnold Rosa"
ed., Boston; Houghton Mifflin Company, Chapter 1, 1962.

Roseborough, Howard, "Some Sociological Dimensions of Con
sumer Spending," The Canadian Journal of Economics a
Political Science, 26: 254-264, August 1960.

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Rosencranz, M. L., "A Study of Women's Interest in Clothing,"
Journal of Home Economics, 41: 460, October 1949.

Ryan, Mary S., "Psychological Effects of Clothing: Part l,"
Cornell Agricultural Experimental Station, Ithaca, New York,
Technical Bulletin 898, September, 1952.

l-i-w "Psychological Effects of Clothing: Part ll,"
Cornell Agricultural Experimental Station, Ithaca, New York,
Technical Bulletin 898, July 1953.

Sapir, Edward, "Fashion," in Encyclopedia of the Social

Sciences, VI, 1931, p. 139.

Stone, Carol L., ‘Teenagers’ Activities and Social Relations,"
Stations Circular 373, May, 1960. Washington Agricultural
Experiment Station, Washington State University.

Stone, Gregory P. and William H. Form, "Clothing Inventories
and Preferences Among Rural and Urban Families," Michigan
State College Agricultural Experiment Station, East Lansing,
Technical Bulletin 246, March, 1955.

26.

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Stone, Gregory P., "Appearance and the Self," Human Be-
havior and Social Processes, Arnold Rose ed., Boston: Hough-
ton Mifflin Company, Chapter 5, 1962.

Stone, Gregory P., William H. Form and Hazel B. Straham,
"The Social Climate of Decision in Shopping for Clothes,"
Journal of Home Economics, 46: 86-88, February 1954.

Thompson, Henrietta M. and Mary Neville Edmonds, "A Mini-
mum College Wardrobe for a Freshman," Journal of Home
Economics, 52: 662, October 1960.

United States Department of Labor, "Clothing and Personal
Care," in How American Buying Habits Change, U.S. Govern-
ment Printing Office, Washington, D.C., Chapter 5, 1959.

Venner, Arthur M. and Charles R. Hoffer, "Adolescent Orien-
tations to Clothing," Technical Bulletin 27, Michigan State
University, Agricultural Experiment‘ Station, East Lansing, March
1959.

l1

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A ooovrurme armour

  

State-wide Research

The Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
is the public agricultural research agency

   

oi the State oi Texas. and is one oi the
parts oi Texas A6=M University.

Location oi iield research units oi the Texas
Agricultural Experiment Station and cooperating

agencies

ORGANIZATIQN

OPERATION

Research results are carried to Texas farmers,
ranchmen and homemakers by county agents

and specialists of the Texas Agricultural Ex-

tension Service

IN THE MAIN STATION, with headquarters at College Station, are 13 subject-
matter departments, 3 service departments, 3 regulatory services and the
administrative staff. Located out in the major agricultural areas oi Texas are
20 substations and 1O field laboratories. In addition, there are 13 cooperating
stations owned by other agencies. Cooperating agencies include the Texas
orest Service, Game and Fish Commission oi Texas, Texas Prison System,
U. S. Department of Agriculture, University oi Texas, Texas Technological
College, Texas College of Arts and Industries and the King Ranch. Some
experiments are conducted on farms and ranches and in rural homes.

THE TEXAS STATION is conducting about 450 active research projects, grouped
in 25 programs, which include all phases of agriculture in Texas. Among
these are:
Conservation and improvement oi soil Beef cattle
Conservation and use oi water Dairy cattle
Grasses and legumes Sheep and goats
Grain crops Swine
Cotton and other fiber crops Chickens and turkeys
Vegetable crops Animal diseases and parasites
Citrus and other subtropical fruits Fish and game
Fruits and nuts Farm and ranch engineering
Oil seed crops Farm and ranch business
Ornamental plants Marketing agricultural products
Brush and weeds Rural home economics
Insects Rural agricultural economics
Plant diseases

Two additional programs are maintenance and upkeep, and central services.

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH seeks the WHATS, the
WHYS. the WHENS, the WHERES and the HOWS oi
hundreds oi problems which coniront operators oi iarms
and ranches. and the many industries depending on
or serving agriculture. Workers oi the Main Station
and the iield units oi the Texas Agricultural Experi-
ment Station seek diligently to find solutions to these
problems.

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