This article describes the experiences of five adults who are defensive toward sensations of touch, movement, vision, smell, sound, and taste that most people consider harmless. It also describes the strategies that they use when they perceive environmental stimuli to be aversive. These coping strategies are avoidance, predictability, mental preparation, talking through, counteraction, and confrontation. A conceptual framework is presented to enhance understanding and guide further study of sensory defensiveness in adults.

The purpose of this study was to examine volumes 1 through 7 of the Clothing and Textiles Research Journal (CTRJ) in relation to past trends in content areas of research reported, authorship, and sources of citations. Seven subject matter areas were identified: apparel design and manufacturing, consumer issues, cultural/historical, educational merchandising, social/psychological, and textile science. Of these, social/psychological research represented 26% of the empirical articles. Studies which focused on apparel design and manufacturing increased in number as the journal matured Individuals affiliated with land-grant institutions authored 94 of the 145 articles published Funding sources were acknowledged in one fourth of the articles. The Home Economics Research Journal was the most frequently cited publication in CTRJ articles.

The purpose of the study was to analyze efficiencies of three production systems used in the apparel industry, "push" (bundle), kanban, and "team" (modular). A simulation model developed by the Textiles/Clothing Technology Corporation ([TC]2) was implemented and the "product" was retractable ball point pens. Three university faculty who were veterans of a [TC]2 seminar that focused on this simulation conducted the study. A 3x3x3 (production system x order x university) factorial with Latin Square design was implemented. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) tests were run and Least Significant Difference (LSD) comparison tests conducted to compare differences among pairs. Dependent variables were number of units produced, units in process, number of defects and average time (in seconds) per unit produced. Significant differences were found in relation to dependent variables, the production system used and order in which systems were introduced. Implications were given regarding implementation of the production systems within the apparel industry and utilization of the simulation model in the apparel production classroom.

The objectives of the study were to determine the degree of importance that retail buyers (N = 86), retail managers (N = 73), and students studying merchandising (N = 252) place on certain competencies and to determine which competencies were most often listed as most important by each of the three groups. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The rating of buying competencies among the three groups was facilitated by using Kruskal-Wallis tests. Twenty-one of the 35 competencies had significant differences in the mean scores between at least two groups. Managers and students placed greater importance on most of the competencies than did retail buyers. The competency ranked most often as important by buyers was the ability to negotiate effectively with sales representatives while both students and managers selected the ability to understand customers' needs. The findings have implications for retailers as well as for educators.One purpose of an academic institution is to produce graduates who are prepared for the professional world. These young people need competence to attain entry-level positions and to progress through higher levels of career paths.Competencies have been used for curriculum decisions in fields such as education, public relations, management, hotel/restaurant managementThe basic concept of competencies was consistent throughout all these reports. Terms such as skills, predisposition, traits, and knowledge which are essential to perform the duties of a specific position were included in the studies.One important aspect in the identification of these competencies was that practitioners from the professions were questioned regarding their impressions of skills critical for success. By studying the views of actual practitioners, educators were able to determine what was currently necessary to those working in the fields. Greenwood ( 1981 ) noted the importance of identifying competencies necessary in the field of merchandising. She stated that information obtained from practitioners in retailing was necessary to make curriculum decisions and to determine content of specific courses.A number of studies associated with textiles, clothing, and merchandising curricula have addressed competencies necessary for graduates of merchandising programs. Business and technical skills as well as human relation skills were often noted as important competencies in most studies of retailers (Gamer ). Specifically, retailers tended to emphasize the relevance of math and accounting along with communications and management.Retail buying is often a career goal of many students within a merchandising program. Studies have addressed the skills needed by buyers within a variety of different retail settings. Kean (1985) noted that the three areas deemed most important for discount store buyers were decision making, negotiating, and interpersonal skills. She also found that these skills, along with computer skills, were perceived by buyers as necessary for their futures in retailing. Francis andBrown (...

Inc., a professional association for manufacturers and retailers of made-to-measure clothing, has over 300 members (Lipkin, 1989). The annual growth rate reflects an addition of 40 to 50 new members each year and attests to the increasing strength of made-to-measure in the apparel industry.Made-to-measure is the fastest expanding segment of the men's suit business (Gellers, 1988). Because there is little or no necessity for inventory, problems associated with overstocked merchandise are virtually nonexistent, thereby eliminating markdowns. Alterations are minimized which saves significantly on overhead costs.Increased demand by consumers for made-to-measure clothing has many believing that it will substantially compete with designer and name-brand apparel (Gavenas, 1989;La Ferla, 1987). Although fit is a concern of many consumers, practitioners believe that most men select made-tomeasure for convenience, service and selection offered (Slilaty, 1987). A retailer may visit a client at home or work for fitting, purchase, and delivery. Retailers take time to know each client to understand needs. A client can have a garment tailored to specification through selection of style and fabric. Details, such as lapels, pockets, vents, and buttons, can be chosen to express individuality. The three factors of convenience, service and selection allow a person to create a unique style without having to go shopping. In addition, made-to-measure clothing may offer improved fit over ready-to-wear for persons who are short, tall, big or small because it takes into consideration individual needs of each consumer. Men and ClothingStudies regarding men and apparel purchase decisions are relatively lacking in the literature. Hogge, Baer and Kang-Park (1988) found older men were more likely to find garments they wanted than were younger men. They found traditional styling features were more important to older men than to younger men (Hogge et al.,1988). Chowdhary (1988) found older consumers, both men and women, were more likely to select classic styles rather than fashionable styles. Studies regarding men's body size in relation to clothing purchase were not located; however, Shim, Kotsiopulos and Knoll (1990) found short men were least satisfied with their bodies while tall men were most satisfied. Short and big men were dissatisfied with size ranges available, as well as the number and quality of stores that carried clothing for them. Big and tall men were relatively dissatisfied with the size range available and the variety of styles and colors/ prints on the market (Shim & Kotsiopulos, 1991). Purposes and Significance of the StudyThis study was 1) to profile male users of made-tomeasure clothing and 2) to examine body dimensions that affect the consumer's selection of fabric and garment style. Despite the importance of made-to-measure, research on characteristics of consumers is limited.Data for the present study were gathered during the regular course of business of a made-to-measure clothing retailer and represent actual consum...