Selection of clothing items among adolescents in Kisumu town and Mfangano island---Kenya

Abstract

ABSTRACT Clothing is probably one of the greatest sources of disagreement between adolescents and adults. Often parents and teachers have disagreed on personal appearance, habits, behaviour and mannerisms of dressing of adolescents. Yet, very little research, if any, has been conducted to identify factors that influence adolescents' clothing selection. However, it is general knowledge that the motivation for human beings to cover and decorate their bodies is for protection, modesty and adornment. Therefore, this study was undertaken to identify factors that influence clothing selection of Kenyan adolescents residing in both rural and urban areas. The population was adolescents in Kenya. The target population was adolescents aged between 14-18years. The accessible population was drawn from Winam Division, of Kisumu District and Mfangano Division of Suba District. Sample survey was used to identify adolescents who provided information on selected variables of the study. The levels of Education of the adolescents' chosen for the study were standard eight to form three. A sample of 640 adolescents was drawn from two divisions: 320 adolescents from Winam Division of Kisumu District and 320 adolescents from Mfangano Island of Suba District. The data used was collected using questionnaire, interviews and observations. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test of independence and Analysisof variance. Results revealed that more urban adolescents selected their own clothing items than their rural counterparts. More fathers in the rural than those in the urban selected their son's clothing while more mothers in the urban than those in the rural purchased clothing for their sons. Results also indicated that while more rural adolescents selected their own clothing in the open-air markets that sell both used and new clothes, urban adolescents selected their clothing in the open-air markets that sell used clothes and shops that sell new clothes. The results implied that clothing channels used by the majority of adolescents were clothing displays, videos, friends, newspapers, television sets and what other people wear. The most highly considered clothing characteristics by the adolescents were: workmanship and finish of the item, suitability for weather condition, fitting characteristics, colour and design of the fabric, purpose and fibre content of the material. School authorities, parents, society, religious norms, social activities, and position held at school were some of the socio-cultural factors with the greatest influence on adolescents' way of dressing. The most influential psychological factors among others were: attractiveness, interests, cost of the item and attitude towards a style of clothing. Chi-square test of independence revealed that the influence of most of the selected sources of information, clothing characteristics, socio-cultural and psychological factors significantly varied with area of residence, gender, age, and education level of adolescents. Analysis of variance revealed that there were significant differences between age groups in the way they were influenced by all sources of information, clothing characteristics, socio-cultural factors and psychological factors. However, there were no significant difference in gender and area of residence in all the factors that influence adolescents clothing selection except fashion shows newspapers and fashion magazines; siblings, age mates, religion and other adults in the society; values and shops in which the item is bought. The influence of gender was also observed to vary with position held at school and religion.