Suchergebnisse

Clothing is increasingly used in communicating cultural knowledge because it offers significant potential. It communicates the context of cultural knowledge within which the cultural groups in several countries, including Nigeria, manage and perceive appearances. In this article, clothing has been used to establish significant connections with the values, customs and symbols, constructions of reality as well as world-views of four cultural groups in Nigeria. These cultural groups had interpreted their perceptions and the reality of their clothing through modesty, immodesty, adorning and protective functions. The article concluded that there were significant connections between culture and the clothing of the Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo. It suggested that communicating such cultural knowledge could lead to less misunderstanding and mutual respect among cultural groups.

Human temperature regulation is based upon a physiological system 'designed' for a naked person. Hence, the statement 'man is a tropical animal'. Human thermoregulation can be described as a feedback system with sensors in the body core and the skin, and effectors in the form of skin blood flow (vasoconstriction and dilation), metabolic activity (shivering), pilo-erection and sweating. This system on its own would provide some adjustment capabilities to various environments, but would nevertheless limit man to life in warm environments. It is the behavioural response that is the most powerful additional thermoregulatory effector in humans. People wear clothing, live in houses and have active heating and cooling systems to expand their habitat beyond the original physiological limits. Clothing is an important interface between the human and the environment. Apart from the cultural meaning of clothing it provides insulation against cold, protection against the sun, wind or rain as well as protection from other environmental hazards (chemicals, mechanical). The effect of clothing on thermoregulation depends in the first place on the textile materials used. These provide thermal insulation as well as resistance against vapour (sweat) transfer. However, a garment is more than just the textile layer. Air layers included in the clothing provide additional insulation and the total thermal protection provided by a garment is for a large part based on these enclosed air layers and strongly influenced by the clothing design and fit. Clothing comfort is determined by a number of clothing properties that affect the thermal conditions at the skin. Skin temperatures and the tactile sensation of the skin (e.g. sticky moist clothing) are the main signals that are fed to the brain and lead to an overall sensation of comfort or discomfort.

Abstract
Reuse organized by non-profit and commercial actors is a sustainability strategy that recently received a lot of attention. This article discusses the question: what do we know about the amount of clothes that circulate outside the pecuniary markets? And is this amount increasing or declining? The questions are answered based on quantitative material from Norway. Almost twice as many had received used clothing as those who had bought used clothing, and our material do not indicate that this is declining. At the same time, 59 per cent of Norwegian adults had neither received nor bought used clothing for themselves during the past two years. For children, inheritance is very common and the younger the children are, the more they inherit. The amount of the private clothing exchange is greater than the formal market in Norway. Therefore, when the goal is a more sustainable clothing consumption, we need to include the parts of consumption that are not only related to money.

The article discusses the colour subtext in the founding texts of Islam, namely, the Koran and jurisprudence. These texts were the raw material to create a scale of colours appropriate and inappropriate for clothing, and to analyse the role of colours in differentiating among subjected groups. Colours were positioned on a scale as preferred, permitted or prohibited for clothing based on their symbolic interpretations and perceptions of adornment and aesthetics. The use of colours for clothing as a means to establish and reinforce gendered differentiation reflects the patriarchal and hierarchal nature of Muslim societies. The other use of colours was to create religious-political differentiation between the Muslim ruling elite and two different subject populations, namely, their non-Muslim tributaries and rebels against the regime.

AbstractThe importance of the symbolic properties of goods has been explored in depth among adult consumers, but there has been less attention given to the symbolic consumption of young people. This study explores the subject of symbolic consumption with specific reference to clothing in the teenage market. Thirty‐eight young people were interviewed, and age, sex and social position variations were considered. The results of this study suggest that conspicuous consumption is relevant for young people, and that they are a group which is adept at reading the signals represented in clothing choices. The authors found that the clothes choices made by young people are closely bound to their self‐concept, and are used both as a means of self‐expression and as a way of judging the people and situations they face. Evidence was also found that clothing has a function in role fulfilment, making the wearer more confident and capable. Overall, clothing can be viewed as an essential social tool in the lives of teenagers. Copyright © 2004 Henry Stewart Publications Ltd.

Abstract
Society's fascination with women's bodies is well known, so it is therefore unsurprising that many people strive to articulate and draw attention to the pervasive objectification of women. Dresses made of animal flesh have been variously fashioned by a diverse group of figures including activist Ann Simonton, punk musician Linder Sterling, artist Jana Sterbak, and singer Lady Gaga. The effectiveness of these works is only achieved through the collaborations between celebrity and designer, artist and press, and activist and media. Dependent upon each other, these works thrive on controversy and public attention. The audience is needed to fully objectify both the model wearing the clothing and the clothing itself, doubling the objectification. By exploring the societal implications and scandals that these works provoke, we can examine the way that these meat dresses have the ability to push the viewer to consider how women's bodies are actually consumed in daily life.

The purpose of this study was to examine clothing interest as a mediating factor in self-perceptions of sociability, emotional stability, and dominance when either satisfaction or dissatisfaction with clothing was specified. A questionnaire was designed to measure five dimensions of
clothing interest as well as each of the three traits both with, and without, a "clothing satisfaction variable," or reference to whether the subject felt satisfied or dissatisfied with her dress. A MANOVA analysis revealed that specific dimensions of clothing interest suggesting
a risk-avoiding orientation toward dress were most likely to mediate self-perceptions of sociability, emotional stability, and dominance when one was either satisfied or dissatisfied with one's clothing.

ABSTRACTAfrican clothing industries have declined since the implementation of economic liberalization policies in the early 1980s whilst used‐clothing imports to Africa have increased. The general effects of economic liberalization on African clothing industries are well documented, although little research has been conducted on the particular impact of increased imports of second‐hand clothes on the local manufacturing sectors. Whether these two processes are causally related is difficult to determine due to limitations in official data sets. In this article, the used‐clothing trade is explored in detail and a broad range of cultural and local economic processes are investigated. Trends such as declining local purchasing power and the opening of African markets to cheap new clothing imports, as well as imports of used‐clothing, are examined, along with the converse boost to African clothing export production resulting from preferential trade agreements in the 2000s. With respect to the differential legal and illegal imports of second‐hand clothing to selected African countries, it is demonstrated that official trade data sets often fail to capture the nuances of contemporary social and economic processes.

The article of record as published may be located at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12115-014-9775-0 ; Contrary to the views of some libertarians, "libertarian paternalism" is not an oxymoron. But are its twomost prominent advocates, Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein, really libertarian paternalists or are they paternalists in sheep's clothing? Thaler seems to be somewhat of a libertarian paternalist whereas Sunstein appears to be more of a straight coercive paternalist. But even Thaler passes up major chances to advocate reducing straight paternalism by making it more libertarian. Those who favor freedom should not reject the concept of libertarian paternalism altogether. Instead they should apply the concept more consistently than Thaler and Sunstein have doneand use it to push for a less coercive government. Indeed, the fact that government officials who plan our lives also have human foibles argues for less government, not true.

1. Threads of history : clothing gifts in Greek and Roman society before late antiquity -- 2. Weaving a tranquil work of peace? : clothing gifts in late antique diplomacy -- 3. Portable portraits : consular trabeae and figural decorations in late antiquity -- 4. Holy habits : clothing gifts in late antique Christian contexts -- 5. Drawing the threads together : conclusions.