Describes the results of a survey of 281 adult women in the state of Florida. We used the 15 adjective pairs of the Malhotra self-concept scale to measure their self-image. A valid and reliable self-report scale measured their fashion innovativeness, thus identifying those consumers most likely to buy new fashions after they first appear in the market. T-tests compared the mean scores on the self-image adjective pairs between 30 innovators and 251 later adopters. Pearson correlation analysis was also performed. The results of both analyses showed that the fashion innovators described themselves uniquely as more comfortable, pleasant, contemporary, formal, colorful, and vain than the later adopters. The results were quite consistent with an earlier published study of college students, lending confidence to this approach to profiling fashion innovators and suggesting that using self-image could be a fruitful way to appeal to these important consumers.

Wearing clothes with prestigious brand names seems to be very important for adolescents. This phenomenon was studied in the context of consumer socialization by examining the influence of three socialization agents, namely parents, peers and TV, on the development of French Canadian adolescents’ brand sensitivity and their relative importance. Controlling for socio‐economic variables, multiple regression analyses were conducted separately for boys and for girls. For both genders, brand sensitivity is related to peer influence. Girls’ brand sensitivity is related to the importance fathers give to clothing brands. TV exposure is not related to adolescents’ brand sensitivity. For boys and girls, peers represent the most important predictor of this consumer socialization. The results are discussed in the light of social and economic pressures and family relationships.

Using the Fishbein Attitude Model as the conceptual framework, this study investigated whether female fashion leaders and fashion followers differed in the importance they gave to 12 selected clothing attributes and in their attitudes toward buying imported and domestic apparel. A random sample of 641 female consumers completed a mailed questionnaire. Results showed that fashion leaders accorded significantly more importance than fashion followers to six apparel attributes: color, attractiveness, fashionableness, brand name, appropriateness for occasion, and choice of styles. Both fashion leaders and followers accorded similar importance to six other apparel attributes: good fit, durability, ease of care, price, comfort, and quality. Also, fashion leaders as well as fashion followers had more positive attitudes toward domestic apparel than imported apparel. However, compared to followers, fashion leaders had more positive attitudes toward imported apparel.

The objective of this research was to better understand the interest of adolescents in clothing brand names and to ascertain how different psychological, social, and socioeconomic variables explained variance in their brand sensitivity. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that susceptibility to peer influence, gender, fashion innovativeness, consumer competence, self‐esteem, brand importance for father, and age were significantly related to brand sensitivity.

This study investigates if females fashion leaders and fashion followers differ in their attitudes toward buying imported and domestic apparel products. A sample of 283 female consumers between 18 and 25 years of age completed a mailed questionnaire. Repeated measures analysis of variance and t‐tests were performed to determine if differences exist between fashion followers and leaders regarding their attitudes toward buying domestic and imported apparel. Results showed that fashion followers have the same overall attitude toward buying American or imported apparel. However, fashion leaders have a more positive attitude toward buying imported apparel than buying domestic apparel. In addition, fashion followers and fashion leaders have similar attitudes toward buying American apparel, but fashion leaders have a significantly more positive attitude than followers toward buying imported apparel.