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The clothing industry is one of the earmarked industries in many countries following the rising demand and consumption of clothing products among millennials. Malaysia and Thailand are known to be promising markets for this industry in the South East Asia region. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of psychological and marketing factors on clothing interest among Generation Y consumers, as well as the interrelationships between self-confidence, product attitude and purchase intention. The impact of nationality was also examined as a moderator on the investigated relationships.

The data was collected among Generation Y consumers using a survey questionnaire, which had successfully gathered a total of 388 usable cases from the capital cities of Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) and Thailand (Bangkok). These cities were selected for being the largest cities in its country which contain the highest number of shopping malls, offices and Generation Y population. Data analysis was then performed using both the SPSS and AMOS software.

Findings obtained acknowledged the importance of both psychological (i.e. fashion innovativeness, self-concept, fashion consciousness and need for uniqueness) and marketing (i.e. social media marketing and fashion advertisement) factors towards the clothing interest among Generation Y consumers. Consequently, clothing interest would influence their product attitude, self-confidence and purchase intention, with product attitude and self-confidence as the mediators between clothing interest and purchase intention. Multigroup analysis confirmed that there are differences between Generation Y consumers in both Malaysia and Thailand, where Thai consumers hold a stricter emphasis concerning the influence of social media marketing on clothing interest and self-confidence on purchase intention.

This study is one of the very few studies that explored the minimally investigated territory on the consequential importance of clothing interest within the clothing industry, specifically, through extending the literature on the influence of psychological and marketing factors towards the individuals’ clothing interest. Moreover, this study also successfully highlighted the mediation role of product attitude and self-confidence in the relationship between clothing interest and purchase intention.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the direct and indirect effects of individuals' self‐concept, product‐oriented variables (i.e. consumer's need for uniqueness (NFU), and clothing interest), and brand‐specific variables (i.e. perceived quality and emotional value) on purchase intention toward a US retail brand versus a local brand that are available in the Indian market.

Data obtained from 405 college students in India were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

This study found that Indian consumers' self‐concept and NFU had indirect effects on purchase intention of the US brand and the local brand. Both self‐concept and NFU positively influenced clothing interest. Clothing interest positively influenced perceived quality and emotional value for the US brand, but not for the local brand. Emotional value was found to be an important factor influencing purchase intention toward the US brand and the local brand as well. However, perceived quality did not affect Indian consumers' purchase intention of the US and local brand. Implications for both US and Indian retailers are provided.

As India is witnessing multitude of US retailers in its market, this paper aids in the better understanding of the Indian consumers and their perceptions toward US and local clothing brands.

The purpose of the present study is to investigate compulsive consumption within a product specific context (compulsive buying of clothing) using a hierarchical model adapted from Mowen and Spears.

Previous researchers found that compulsive buyers tend to be young females who purchase clothing. Edwards' general compulsive buying scale was modified to measure compulsive clothing buying. The scale was then pre‐tested for reliability and validity. Following the pre‐test, data were collected from 228 undergraduate females to assess the relationships between compulsive clothing buying and several variables previously found to be associated with general compulsive buying: neuroticism, materialism, and fashion interest.

Path analysis results revealed significant relationships between neuroticism and materialism, neuroticism and compulsive clothing buying, materialism and fashion interest, and fashion interest and compulsive clothing buying. The path between materialism and compulsive clothing buying was not significant.

The present study examined the compulsive buying of a specific product, therefore it may be valuable to study other populations to determine whether young female compulsive clothing buyers continue the behavior as they age, or potentially, begin compulsively buying products other than clothing.

This is the first known study to examine compulsive buying in a product specific context.

The purpose of this paper is to gain a better understanding of the “fashion process” by exploring and comparing fashion‐process networks and friendship networks in small groups of adolescents, and to explore the factors involved in the causation of “clothing leadership” and “popularity” in such groups.

Fashion‐process networks and friendship networks are investigated by sociometric nomination with respect to “clothing acceptance” and “social acceptance” in three age groups of Korean adolescents. The patterns and structures of the networks are analyzed using UCINET 6.0 and Netminer 2.6. Certain factors contributing to “clothing leadership” and “popularity” are measured using Likert‐type scales; these include “clothing interest,” “fashion interest,” and “perceived clothing acceptance.” Other factors of interest (such as “academic grade,” “facial attractiveness,” and “bodily attractiveness”) are rated by peer informants.

Fashion‐process networks are found to be more centralized and polarized than friendship networks. Clothing acceptance is related to peer acceptance and is found to occur within and across friendship links. Clothing leaders are not necessarily the most popular subjects. The most significant factor determining “clothing leadership” is found to be “facial attractiveness.”

Social network analysis is exploratory in nature and the results cannot be statistically verified. However, a better understanding of the characteristics of fashion‐process networks in small groups assists in bridging the gap between individual adoption of fashion at the micro‐level and fashion diffusion in society at the macro‐level.

By illuminating the dynamics of the fashion process in small groups, the study is of assistance in developing marketing strategies that target adolescents.

The study is original in that fashion process in small groups of Korean adolescents is investigated by social network analysis of “clothing acceptance,” and then compared to friendship networks.

This paper uses the criteria for defining market segments by George Day to analyse older females as a market segment for well‐fitting clothing. This market can be identified by the physical characteristics of older females and their chronic dissatisfaction with ready‐to‐wear. The growing proportions of older consumers and their life expectancy render this market substantial and durable. Retail trade statistics and family expenditure surveys can be used to measure the market segment. Research pertaining to older females' behaviour towards clothing is limited; therefore, the distinctiveness of older females as a market segment for clothing is far from conclusive. Research implications include clothing expenditures and the behavioural dimension of older consumers.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether clothing benefits sought (CBS) affected fit preferences, satisfaction with the fit of ready‐to‐wear, label style preferences, and shopping behaviors of US women.

Written questionnaires were completed to determine the relationship between the CBS paradigm and the fit and shopping variables examined in the study. A larger study from which these findings are drawn involved behaviors related specifically to pants.

Responses on questionnaires from 150 women indicated four CBS factors: Fashion Forward, Sexy, Reputation, and Individualist. Study participants who desired Fashion Forward benefits preferred to shop in specialty stores and a tighter fit. Participants who sought Sexy benefits spent the most money on average, for a new pair of pants, preferred a tighter fit, clothing sized by waist dimension, and shopping in specialty stores. Participants who desired Reputation benefits from clothing shopped in specialty stores. Respondents who sought the Individualist benefits were more likely to shop via catalog/internet.

Data were obtained from a convenience sample of women in a metropolitan area of the USA, thus generalization of results is limited.

In an overstored, highly competitive retail environment, the CBS paradigm will be useful in targeting product and product delivery. The findings indicate, however, that women who seek different benefits from their clothing do shop differently.

Results of the study will help one to better define markets according to an intuitively useful psychographic variable for which there has been limited research.

The purpose of this paper is to examine affect of cosmopolitanism and consumers’ susceptibility to interpersonal influence on Indian consumers’ fashion clothing involvement. Moderating effect of demographics was studied.

Survey technique through self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection in both metropolitan and non-metropolitan cities in India.

Utilitarian, value expressive factors of normative influence and cosmopolitanism influence Indian consumers’ fashion clothing involvement. Type of city, income, and education moderated influence of normative values and cosmopolitanism on fashion clothing involvement.

One of the major limitations of current research was that it had a large number of respondents in the age group of 18-40 years. Future research can attempt to reduce age biasness.

The findings can prove helpful to international apparel brands marketing luxury and fashion clothing in India. However, since conformance to social norms was important for Indians, clothing manufacturers should use reference groups, opinion leaders, and celebrities to generate awareness. A blend of global and local lifestyle should be used. International luxury brands can customize their products to combine ethnic tastes.

Fashion clothing market promises immense growth opportunities in India. There is limited research to examine influence cosmopolitanism on Indian consumers’ consumption behaviour. Knowledge about influence of global lifestyle, brands, mass media, and services on Indian consumers’ behaviour can help in targeting them effectively.

The purpose of this paper is to explore factors affecting secondhand clothing acquisition among a sample of US female consumers based on an economic perspective.

This research is descriptive in nature, utilizing a survey of 500 US female consumers to explore relationships between five modes of secondhand clothing acquisition and selected consumer characteristics. Logistic regression was used to analyze the data.

The significant variables were income, age, number of toddlers and children ages 6-17 present in households, and sewing and repair skills. Income was found to be negatively related to purchasing secondhand clothing, suggesting that consumers view used clothing as an inferior good. Consumers in Gen Y were more likely to be involved in various means of secondhand clothing acquisition, holding income constant, than Baby Boomers.

Overcoming the stigma of inferiority associated with secondhand clothing, encouraging repair skills, and the repair of clothing, reaching out to consumers to build on their interest in DIY projects, and utilizing new technology (e.g. apps for sharing clothes) are practical implications.

The paper examined multiple modes of clothing acquisition rather than a single mode, and contributes insight regarding the economic concept of secondhand clothing as an inferior good.

A minority of consumers, the heavy users, account for the bulk of purchases in many product categories. The present paper applies the concept of heavy usage to the study of clothing purchase because little scholarly research has attempted to define general characteristics of heavy clothing spenders. Data from two surveys of adult women (n = 641 and 285) showed that those who spent more were more likely to be fashion innovators, shopped more for clothes and had higher fashion media exposure. Few demographic characteristics, however, distinguished these women from light and non‐users. These findings may be useful to managers seeking to market to the heavy users of clothing and to clothing theorists developing theories of clothing usage.

As online purchasing grows in importance, understanding which consumers use this new distribution channel is an important question for e‐commerce managers and consumer theorists. The purpose of this study was to examine selected demographic and psychological characteristics that lead consumers to buy clothing online. It surveyed 805 consumers who described their online clothing buying as well as how innovative and involved they were for clothing and fashion, how innovative they were with regard to buying on the Internet, and how much they purchased clothing through catalogues. Although all these variables were positively correlated with amount of online clothing purchase, a multiple regression analysis showed that being an adventurous online buyer and a heavy catalog shopper had the most impact on online clothing buying. These findings imply that online apparel buying is motivated more by Internet innovativeness than by clothing innovativeness.