This may be because women far outnumber men in majoring in clothing design and apparel merchandising and thus are more easily accessible as research participants than men. Continued educational efforts could be made through courses that curtail aversion to underrepresented ethnic groups.Ī brief review of the literature on the social psychology of clothing reveals that young women are more frequently research participants than men (Kwon 1997 Kaiser 1997 Crane 2000). In line with our findings, we encourage universities to educate students in order to prevent them from holding negative stereotypes against African Americans and homosexuals. Their aversion to clothing that could be perceived as alternative, gangster, or gay indicates that these men strived to avoid clothing that conveys identities viewed as non-conformist, non-professional, or unusual. Moreover, the study participants avoided certain types of clothing due to the clothing’s incongruence with their styles. The results suggest that college men’s fashion preferences are driven largely by a desire for comfort and adherence to norms. This exploratory study revealed that the male college students who participated in this study desire clothing that is comfortable, gives them confidence, and meets the expectations of their surroundings. We interviewed 15 college men to collect data. Specifically, we aimed to determine what young men want to achieve as well as avoid through their clothing.
The goal of our exploratory study was to investigate what fashion means to college men in terms of preference, identity, and avoidance.