Fashion Business Commons^™

The Acquisition, Consumption, And Disposal Of Clothing: A Qualitative Analysis, Omar H. Alqudsi, Trang Phuc Tran

AMTP Proceedings 2026

Using 22 semi-structured interviews on apparel acquisition, use, and disposal, we find that practical value dominates choice while identity cues matter at the margin. Price and comfort consistently outrank brand and trend. Disposal is purposeful: donation is favored when garments retain utility, with resale and recycling rising alongside sustainability awareness. Consumers often justify purchases as extensions of self yet report lower satisfaction when items lack durability or clear ethical provenance. These patterns align with utilitarian value frameworks and signal clear levers for marketers: durable basics, transparent sourcing, and simple channels for responsible end of life. Overall, everyday clothing decisions follow …

Slow Fashion Behavior In Young Consumers, Melissa Clark

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The purpose of this research is to better understand the gap between Generation Z’s (Gen Z) knowingness and attitude toward sustainable clothing and their behavior including repair and disposal. A theoretical model was created based on the known relationships among Knowledge-Attitude-Behavior (KAB), specifically considering environmental sustainability knowingness (ESK), environmental sustainability attitude (ESA), and slow fashion behavior (SFB) while extending it with the addition of repair and disposal. The data were collected via online survey of consumers identifying as Gen Z and analyzed via regression analysis in SPSS. The findings suggest that the established construct relationships (ESK, ESA, and SFB) held …

Confidence In Personal Style: A Self-Empowered Path Toward Sustainable Clothing Consumption?, Catherine A. Roster

AMTP Proceedings 2024

This study examined the impact of clothing style confidence on sustainable clothing behaviors. An Internet survey was conducted with a valid sample of 560 U.S. residents equally split by gender between the ages of 25 to 65 purchased from Prolific. Five sub-dimensions of the Clothing Style Confidence scale (i.e., style longevity, aesthetic perceptive ability, creativity, appearance importance, and authenticity) were predicted to positively influence four dependent variables: clothing care and maintenance, purchase of environmentally friendly apparel, likelihood of clothing rental, and interest in upcycled clothing. PLS-SEM was used for data analysis. For both males and females, higher style confidence was …

Star Fever, Joshua Miller

Gaines Fellow Senior Theses

Inspired by what drives someone to pursue fame STAR FEVER will explore this topic in the form of an apparel design collection for the fall-winter 2024 under the hypothetical JOSHUA MILLER brand. The project is structured to document the creative process of pulling inspiration from the quest for stardom in a way that’s easy to follow (Kieser et al, 2022). STAR FEVER consists of five sections: “Introduction,” “Theories of a Desire for Fame,” “Case Study – Lady Gaga,” “STAR FEVER,” and “Conclusion.” “Theories of a Desire for Fame” synthesizes research on fame, narcissism, and selfesteem instability to provide context for …

The Making Of The Vintage Boutique, Lisa Jones

Liberal Studies (MA) Final Essays

Reason

The Vintage Boutique was opened in the city of Danville, Virginia in 2012. This business is listed as a resale and green boutique. The boutique sells gently used vintage and vintaged inspired clothing and accessories. The boutique is unique in that we are using the boutique to teach the community about recycling and honoring our ancestors all in one step. This adventure has been well accepted by the community at large and we are proud to be going into our 10^th year in business.

Problem

I embarked upon this project to bring awareness to the younger generation and …

Beautiful People: The Past, Present, And Future Of The Fashion Industry's Thin Ideal, Shane White

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Negative body image among women has become an extremely relevant topic in the last decade. The “ideal” female body image and what a person should look like according to marketing and advertising has become a highly controversial issue. This project seeks to show how the fashion industry has, over centuries, shaped how people think they need to look and in today’s time and show how it has been a root cause of issues like body image complexes leading to negative self-perception, eating disorders, mental illnesses like anxiety, depression and addiction, and even suicide. Over the last three to four decades, …

The True Cost: The Bitter Truth Behind Fast Fashion, Zeynep Ozdamar-Ertekin

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

The True Cost is a documentary about the clothes we wear, the people who make them and the impact the industry has on the environment, the society, and the workers. It shows us the dark and grim side of global fast fashion supply chain. The review provides the main highlights of the film and summarizes the human, social and environmental costs of the industry. A number of counter-examples are included to show how people can make a difference and there can be a better way of making clothes. The current fast fashion model is all about profit. It does not …

Young Entrepreneurship In Philadelphia, Mario J. Heitman

Art and Art History Summer Fellows

A contemporary case study in starting a small business in Philadelphia. The paper focuses on my experiences as an artist and centers on a pop-up exhibition held July 15^th 2017.

The Clothing Swap: Social, Sustainable, And Sacred, Mary M. Long, Deborah Fain

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

While there is much focus on recycling household waste such as paper, plastic, and metal, there is less focused attention on the waste produced by clothing and textiles. As noted by Joung (2013), consumers dispose of clothes by recycling, donating to charities, or giving to friends and family. But when individuals are not motivated to do this or are unaware of recycling options, they simply discard unwanted clothing where it ends up in landfill sites.

Motives for recycling clothes can range from altruistic (e.g., donating to a clothing drive for the poor or victims of a natural disaster) to economic …

The Investigation Of Product Involvement In Shopping Behaviors Among Male College Students, Jung-Im Seo, Grace W. Namwamba

Atlantic Marketing Journal

We investigated the clothing shopping behaviors of male college students. This study is significant because there is limited published research on the shopping behavior of male college students in the area of two correlative product involvement and store type and yet, there is a large increase in market share of male apparel products. Male college students (n=285) were surveyed via questionnaire. MANOVA and ANOVA were used to analyze the data. This research revealed that male college students are highly concerned about their physical appearance and clothing. The findings of this study demonstrate that male college students have unique …

Customer Satisfaction, Loyalty And Repurchase: Some Evidence From Apparel Consumers, Tamilla Curtis, Russell Abratt, Paul Dion, Dawna L. Rhoades

Management, Marketing and Operations - Daytona Beach

While customer satisfaction, loyalty and repurchase intent are some of the most researched areas in marketing and consumer behavior, there is little certainty on the direction and strength of these relationships. After completing a literature review, this study develops a model of loyalty dimensions, satisfaction and repurchase intent. A sample of 499 respondents who had purchased jeans was interviewed in the Southeastern United States. Results were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling. The results of nine hypothesized relationships are discussed. A significant positive relationship exists between commitment and repurchase/repurchase intent. Some surprising findings also emerged as the model was modified. It …

Punking Yoga: Reconstructing Post/Neo/Colonial Fashion And Movement, Tara Brabazon

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

The branded clothes worn through sporting and fitness activities confirm that any movement, practice or behaviour that seems transgressive of heteronormative masculinity and femininity is also implicated in neo/colonial incorporations and the casualized workforce that is a characteristic of sports clothing manufacture. In an environment washed by the marketing of opposition, resistance is both difficult to define and apply in cultural studies. This paper invokes 'the problem' of resistance while denying the seamless and simple determinations of positive and negative representations. The focus of study is Yogurt Activewear, a company attacking corporatized yoga wear by creating an anti-brand brand. They …

Ua12/2/1 Deja (Pre)Vu Fall Fashion 1987, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Special fashion edition of the College Heights Herald

• White, Douglas. Non-Fashion: No Style
• Harris, Carla. Women’s Fashion: Buy and Buy
• Woehler, Eric. Men’s Fashion: Big Time
• Woehler, Eric. Fragrance: Swell Smell

Ua12/2/1 Window Shopping, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Special edition of the College Heights Herald regarding fashion.

• Harris, Carla. Men Cotton to Big Styles
• Goheen, Mike. Baggy Boxers Now Appealing to Women as Men String up Colorful Bikini Briefs
• Albrecht, Dana. Femininity Returns with Full, Lacy Skirts
• Jones, LaMont. Genuine Pleated Pants and Double-Breasted Sport Coats Are Dapper
• Sullivan, Sheila. Stylish, Comfy Linens Are Hip as Denims Go Dressy
• Fullen, Rebecca. Patterned Hose, Textured Bags & Bows Tie Up Trends
• Hutcherson, Jackie. Two-Piece Sandals, Snakeskin Slip-Ons Fit Women; Men Catch on to Huaraches
• Eagleston, Leigh. One-Piece Suits May Draw Bikini Fans (Especially Those with Something to Hide)
• Duff, …

Ua12/2/1 Western Civilization - Fall Fashion 1986, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Special edition of College Heights Herald focusing on fall fashions, this issue contains articles:

• Jones, LaMont. Shoes Are Base for Building Fashionable Feet
• Jones, LaMont. Sweatshirts and Pleats Lead Fall Causal Look
• Sullivan, Sheila. Baggy and Bright the Trend in Sweaters
• Comfortable, Stylish Clothes Favored for Game
• Koniak, Joe. Bright Clothes are Best for Holiday Party Wear
• Sullivan, Sheila. Good Clunk: Bulky Jewelry Popular
• Duff, Jill. Hilltopper Winter Wear: the Long and Short of It
• Duff, Jill. Raise a Thermal Flap This Fall

Ua12/2/1 Anything Goes, Fashion '85, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Special edition of the College Heights Herald featuring these articles:

• Meehan, Mary. Splashy, Bright, Fun, Tropical, Loose . . .
• Swift, Kim. Styles Give Subtle Personal Message
• Edelen, Mark. Pop Music World Inspires T-Shirt Trends
• Thomas, Ursula. Fabrics, from Denim to Linen, Are Used in Unusual Mixtures
• Hitchcock, Lisa. Pastels Make Up Spring Porcelain Look – Cosmetics
• Dezern, Craig. Men Facing Facts About Good Skin Care
• Coombs, Tina, Angela Struck & Sheila Sullivan. In Addition . . . – Accessories
• Strain, Jo. Splash – Bathing suits
• Reckless – Hairstyles
• Humphreys, Mack. New Colors, Designs Popular for Men
• Sullivan, Sheila. Old …

Energy-Efficient Clothing, Interior Architecture And Furnishing Designs: Consumer Attitudes, Acceptability Levels And Preferences, Barbara Parks

Home Economics and Family Living Theses

Energy-efficient designs in clothing, interior architecture and furnishings were evaluated (a) to assess consumers’ attitudes toward the designs, (b) to compare acceptability levels of participants who were knowledgeable in the home energy field with those who were less knowledgeable and (c) to determine if consumers had a preference for using housing, clothing or furnishings in meeting their thermal comfort needs. Four designs generated by the University of Tennessee-Energy Design competition were evaluated: a leisure outfit, a lounging dress, a water-storage collector (room divider and coffee tables) and a solar waterbed. Rogers and Shoemaker’s perceived attributes of innovations model (relative advantage, …

Ua12/2/1 Spring Fashion 1981, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Special edition of the College Heights Herald focused on fashion.

• Lyons, Heather. Women’s Trends Move to Lace, Khaki . . .
• Hines, Perry & Brian Foote . . . While Men’s Mix Colorful Prep Styles
• Davis, Patti. New Accessories Conservative
• Kirtley, Marian. Comparison Shopping Aids the Fashion-Conscious
• Schepers, Annette. Wedding Fashion Delicate, Elegant

Ua12/2/1 Spring Fashions '79, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

College Heights Herald spring fashion issue. Articles included in issue:

• Galloway, Amy. Small-town Thinking
• Malone, Roger & Alan Judd. Clean, Classic Look Key to Men’s Spring Fashion
• Spring Rainwear to be Collarless
• Post, Audrey. Home-sewn Clothes Can Cost 75% Less than Store-bought Ones
• Women’s Shorts, Loose Tops Popular . . .
• . . . Variety of Styles Available for Tennis
• Whitaker, David. If Something is In – Look Out
• Roberts, Lisa. A Step Beyond – Casual Fashion Not Just Jeans
• Footwear Steps Into Colorful Sandals, Shoes
• Swimsuits More Revealing
• Shipley, Margaret. Accessories Going Crazy
• Beaty, Lisa. Dresses Becoming Softer, Trimmer …

Ua12/2/1 Spring Fashions '78, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Special issue of the College Heights Herald regarding fashion.

• Hancock, Catherine. Old and New in Softness for Fashionable Spring Look
• Judd, Alan. Men’s Fashion Becoming Sportier
• The Spring Fashion Scene for Guys and Gals.
• Hancock, Catherine. Natural Fabrics Pose Washday Problems
• Hancock, Catherine. Bridal Gowns Show New, Old Fashions
• Makeup Goes Natural, Easy
• Brady, Bridget. Wet Look is Style for Dryness
• Wolfe, Bill. Casual Look: Popular Since Eve Let Fig Leaf Go Unironed
• Kerrick, Sara. Extras Supply Proper Touch
• Wright, Lynn. Flowing Curls Is New Wave
• New Swimwear Suiting Many
• Norton, Carol. Shoes: Strappy, Pastel Sandals Replace Clunky Platforms
• Sanders, …

Ua12/2/1 Spring Fashions, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Special edition of the College Heights Herald regarding fashion.

• Kerrick, Sara. Hair Clips, Simple Chains Add Accent
• Sanders, Linda. Old Jeans, Remnants Provide Materials for Creative Fashions
• Ribar, Richard. Jeans, T-Shirts are Always In on the Hill
• Owen, Karen. Diets: Students Try to Get Winter Bodies in Summer Clothes
• Hepp, Jan. Eye-Catching, Comfortable Shoes Essential Part of Spring Wardrobe
• Spring and Perfume are in the Air
• Wildman, Judy. Gowns, Traditional or Contemporary, are Special Choices for Spring Brides
• Old Shirts Passe; Stylish Sleep Water Includes Teddy
• Sanders, Linda. Three-Piece Suit, “Create-A-Dress” Perfect for the Elegant Couple
• Mears, Teresa. There’s No …

Ua12/2/1 Fall Fashions, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Special edition of the College Heights Herald regarding fashion.

• O’Nan, Dennis. Layering It’s More Than Fashion; It’s an Art
• Wildman, Judy. Eyewear Frames Are Larger, More Dynamic; Designer Creations Increase Fashion Appeal
• McNally, Karen. Black Styles Are Unique with All-Together Look
• Williams, Maribeth. Smart Shopping Reduces Costs
• Cortus, Bill. Bicycle Fashions Go Mod
• Adams, Anne. Boots and Flats Dominate Fall Styles
• Hiesterman, Georgia. Simple Fall Patterns Reflect the Big Look
• Campbell, Jack. Jeans Are All Washed Out
• Merrill, Bonnie. Paris Is . . . Notre Dame, la Tour Eiffel, Champs-Elysees and a $40 Scarf
• Mami, Alfina. Versatile Denim Has Free …

Ua12/2/1 Spring Fashions, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Special edition of the College Heights Herald dedicated to fashion. Includes articles:

• Madison, Stephanie. Spring Fashions Feature the Loose and Shapeless
• Swanberg, Michael. Economy Affects Men’s Wear
• Henderson, Ray & J.O. Brown. Last Year’s Men’s Styles Back for Another Season
• Styles Vary in Casual Wear
• Casual Outdoor Styles
• McCamish, Jelaine. T-Shirts Set the Trend
• Matteson, Teri. Toe Socks Get Attention with Open-Toed Shoes
• McCamish, Jelaine. Slipper-Like Shoes Return
• Davenport, Beverly. Spring Jewelry Promises Something for Everyone
• Purse Styles Return to ‘40s
• Davenport, Beverly. Versatile Scarves Brighten Outfits with Color Design
• Madison, Stephanie. Hemlines Fall Dresses Ae Softer with Fluid Lines