AbstractsWomens Studies

The aim of the study was to explore the possibility of relationships existing between social aspiration and the use of clothing for prestige among lower middle class working women. A review of the literature dealing with aspirations among various groups indicated that more aspiring individuals generally used clothing for prestige purposes than those who were not socially aspiring. Furthermore, several studies indicated significant relationships between prestige use of clothing and social participation among the subjects studied. Those individuals who felt that clothing was important for prestige were active in organizations and social activities. In order to investigate the relationships between social aspiration and prestige use of clothing among lower middle class working women an interview questionnaire was developed which consisted of seven scales measuring aspiration, use of clothing for prestige, and social participation. One hundred working women who met the qualifications – lower middle class, between the ages of 19 and 30, and self-supporting – were selected through the cooperation of various types of business firms in the Salem area. Interviews were conducted during the summer of 1964. Two general hypotheses were presented for analysis. First, it was hypothesized that there would be a relationship between the marital status of the lower middle class working woman and her prestige use of clothing to aspire to higher social status. Upon analyzing the data no significant relationship was found between marital status and social aspirations or the use of clothing for prestige. Thus it was concluded that the single and married subjects were similar in their clothing behavior and social aspirations. However, there was a relationship between marital status and organization participation. More single than married women belonged to two or more organizations. The second general hypothesis stated that there would be a relationship between social aspiration among lower middle class working women and the use of clothing for prestige. However, no relationships were found between aspiration and the use of specific items of clothing for prestige, although there was a tendency for more aspiring women to place higher importance on clothing for prestige use than the nonaspiring women. Low aspiration tended to be related to one of the clothing prestige variables, reduced price buying in that more nonaspiring women practiced reduced price buying than the aspiring women. This tendency became a trend among the nonaspiring married women. It was, therefore, concluded that aspiring and nonaspiring lower middle class women living in Salem regardless of marital status appear to have similar attitudes toward the prestige use of clothing, and that social aspirations for these women are not related to the prestige use of clothing as measured in this research.