In the history of sartorial reflection, the usual offerings for human motivations to dress are: protection (i.e. from the elements), modesty, decoration, and socio-political self-expression. The literature on clothing rarely attends, however, to the question of garments' impact on wearers' self-experience. There is some social science research, for example, suggesting that when we wear clothing we associate with individuals who have a high degree of mental focus and attention to detail, it causes us - probably, in most cases, pre-reflectively - to experience ourselves as such and therefore to perform better on tests that measure these qualities. Apart from this research, exploration into the matter, regardless of field, is scant, but it is especially thin in philosophy and theology. This thesis seeks to address the shortfall in these fields by providing at least one model of the human relationship to clothes that, unlike what is currently on offer, accounts for findings like the above. To do so, it draws on the sartorial reflection of the British artist and essayist Eric Gill, who understands clothes as architectural spaces of sorts, as encasements that house our being, and the German philosopher Martin Heidegger, whose philosophy of being and 'thinking about building' can do similar work less explicitly but more robustly. After outlining this new way of looking at humanity's relationship to clothes, the thesis will conclude by discussing some theological implications. In particular, it discusses how the overlap between Gill's sacramental perspective and Heidegger's similar understanding of an inherently meaning-infused 'world' can yield an account of clothes as facilitators (or hinderers) of the attunement or comportment of openness and/or proximity to God through their potential to bear theological resonances.

People use others' dress to make assumptions, including how they believe the wearer will behave. Observers then adjust their behavior in response to the anticipated behavior of the wearer. Physician or nurse dress affects the degree to which patients perceive the medical professional as confident, experienced, competent, mature, trustworthy, and professional. Dietitian dress has not been studied. Our purpose was to identify 1) the current level of formality of dress of registered dietitians (RD), 2) characteristics of dress codes, 3) the effect of RD dress on patient/client perceptions of professional traits, and 4) the level of formality at which an RD is perceived as being most professional. Phase I Respondents were randomly selected from the American Hospital Association database and the national WIC directory. A total of 972 managers (449 WIC and 523 hospital nutrition services) completed a survey about their facility's dress code policy for RDs, and how the facility's dietitians dress for work. Data showed that at most WIC clinics dietitians dress in Semi-Casual (khaki pants/collared knit top) attire while most hospitals dietitians dress in Business Casual II (dress slacks/knit shirt) attire. Over half of all managers surveyed felt that dietitian dress was important and a priority. Phase II Respondents were patients/clients of a hospital or WIC clinic in Illinois, Virginia, or Utah. Respondents gave demographic information and rated pictures of a dietitian in nine sets of clothing on eight characteristics: empathetic, competent, approachable, credible, organized, effective, professional, and confident. Respondents identified the dietitian with whom they would most and least prefer to have nutritional counseling. A total of 582 surveys were collected. These data showed that WIC participants and hospital patients most preferred the dietitian to dress in Business Casual (dress slacks/collared dress shirt) with a lab coat; this attire also received the most positive/desirable Professional Characteristic Scores. All respondents least preferred the dietitian dressed in Casual (jeans/knit shirt) attire; this attire received the least positive/desirable Professional Characteristic Scores. Only 1.1% of WIC and 8.1% of hospital dietitians regularly wear dress slacks, a collared shirt, and a lab coat, the patients'/clients' most preferred dress for dietitians.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between clothing conformity and personality type according to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), of a selected group of adult males. Past research indicated that the MBTI had been used in relation to many characteristics such, as creativity, management style, and conformity. Clothing conformity had been investigated in relation to group membership and self-esteem. The researcher was unable to find any research done prior to this study in which clothing conformity and the MBTI had been used to study the relationship between personality type and clothing conformity. The sample consisted of 83 fraternity men from four Greek organizations at Georgia State University. Each respondent filled out the MBTI questionnaire, a clothing conformity scale, and a demographic form. A two to the fourth factorial ANOVA was used to analyze the relationships between clothing conformity scores and various personality types. The results indicated a significant difference in clothing conformity between extraverted and introverted personality types, with extraverts being more conforming than introverts. It also indicated a tendency for judging types to be more conforming than perceiving types. Although not statistically significant, the analysis showed some interaction effect between the extraversion-introversion and the thinking feeling dimensions on clothing conformity. The conclusions from this research are that the extraverts are more conforming in their clothing behavior than introverts, that judging personality types tend to be more conforming than perceiving types, and that the interaction between extraversion-introversion and thinking-feeling shows a tendency for the dependency of one dimension on the other. / Master of Science

In this study, clothing fit concerns of women age 55 years and over will be associated with their level of clothing interest (psychological) and the social setting and frequency of their leisure activities (sociological). Subjects’ body measurements with the body measurements in the PS 40-72 standard for sizing women’s apparel (physiological) will be made. The data will be analyzed to determine indicators of continuity of clothing fit concerns. The objectives for this study were; (a) to identify current apparel fitting problems reported by the respondents; (b) to identify dissimilarity between PS 42-70 sizing standards and respondents reported current size of ready-to-wear dresses; (c) to examine current and recalled clothing interest of the respondents for continuity; (d) to determine the continuity of frequency and social setting of participants’ recalled and current leisure activities; (e) to define the association between satisfaction of apparel fit with current clothing interests and with current leisure activities. The waist, was reported as a fit problem by 67% of the sample. Less than 50% of the sample reporting fit problems reported fit problems at the neck, shoulder, and bust. The younger age group exceeded the older age group by a margin of only 4% for too tight fit at the waist. The younger group reported tight fit for the upper arm and the maximum thigh more often the older group. The difference between the proportional relationship for: the sample and PS 42-70 standard in height and weight, back waist length and front waist length, shoulder to bust point and back of neck to center front waist, and shoulder length and armscye to waist was statistically significant at .001 to .01 for the comparison of the mean ratios. For 13 of 17 selected upper body measurements for size 12, 12 for size 14, and 10 for size 16 there was a significant difference between the subjects measurements and corresponding measures in the PS 42-70 standard. There was no significant difference between current clothing interest levels and recalled clothing interest levels for subjects at ages spanning decades in their twenties and forties. A Duncan’s (MRT) of the solo leisure activities and the group leisure activities show there to be a significant difference across the sample for the subjects in their twenties and forties. The subjects in the over 75 age group results were insignificant for the difference when they were in their sixties. The frequency of current leisure activities was different for the sample in their twenties and sixties. The mean scores for both age periods were not significantly different from the mean for when they were in their forties. There was no association found between clothing interest and satisfaction with apparel fit, between frequency of leisure activity and satisfaction with apparel fit or, between the setting of current leisure activity and satisfaction with apparel fit. / Master of Science

The present study was undertaken to determine how the urgent wartime need for clothing reclamation is being met, by the home economics departments of the Virginia Public Schools. It was felt that one procedure for this was to determine the various clothing reclamation processes being taught in the schools as well as those which are being performed by the students. It was decided to limit the study to the schools offering vocational home economics for white students in Virginia. Data used were secured from 31 teachers and 123 students in 29 schools. The period of time covered was from 1940-43. / M.S.

The twelve patterns presented in this collection represent the period 1920 through 1945. It is in no way a complete study of the period, but a representation of garments throughout this period in sketch and pattern form. The patterns presented are complete working patterns in full scale with no seams allowed. The garments have been dated according to research into the period. In addition to the pattern, sketch, and description of each garment, construction notes are included to aid in the building of these garments. Hopefully this collection will be useful for theatre costuming or where ever there is a need for authentic patterns of the period 1920 through 1945. The collection of patterns will be housed in the Department of Theatre's costume shop. The garments studied in this collection were obtained from the Virginia Commonwealth University Apparel Museum, Fashion Design Department. My sincere thanks to Alex Bodea, Department Chairman for his help and support.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1956 R85 / Master of Science

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1963 P48 / Master of Science

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1964 L89 / Master of Science