Your overall image is made up of 3 V’s:
• Verbal Message (what you say):
7% of image
• Vocal Message (how you say it):
38% of image
• Visual Message (how you look, ex. clothes,
grooming) 55% of image
• 80% of a client’s decision to do business with you
is due to IMAGE
Fashion
• “the prevailing style at a given time”
• Fashion includes:
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cars (popular cars at the time)
furniture styles
where we take vacations
language (popular sayings)
Fashion Characteristics
• Fashion is constantly changing
• Fashion cannot exist in isolation; requires
an audience
• Fashion is followed; people adopt fashion
for a while and then abandon it
• Fad-fashion accepted for a short period of
time
• Classic-fashion accepted for a long period of time
• Follows a cycle - merchandise acceptance curve
Merchandise Acceptance Curve
Introduction of fashion
General Acceptance
of fashion
Decline of fashion
Example of the fashion cycle of a
Fad, Fashion, and Classic
Classic
Fashion
Fad
Who Dictates Fashion?
• Clothing designers-have the ideas each year
• Manufacturers-choose to produce only those
products they think will sell
• Retailers-select products based on market
research and previous sales records
• CONSUMERS-make the ultimate decision about
what or whether to buy the product
Kinds of Clothing Stores
• Department store-wide selection; price
range is medium to high; variety of
products, styles, colors, etc.; offer services;
ex. Marshall Fields, Nordstroms
• Specialty store-sells only one type of
clothing or clothes for particular group;
price range is medium to high; clothing
categories narrower but selection of
specialty clothing large; ex. Gap, Paul
Harris
Kinds of Clothing Stores cont.
• Mass Merchandise store-have many stores;
sell to large numbers of people; similar to
department stores but prices tend to be in
the medium range; carry fewer brand
names; ex. Sears, JC Penney
• Discount store-appeal to the customer on
the basis of price; carries a wide range of
goods; ex. Target, K-Mart, Wal-Mart
Kinds of Clothing Stores cont.
• Off-Price store-name brand merchandise
at lower prices; obtain their merchandise
from manufacturer’s canceled orders,
overruns, and season end close-outs; ex.
Marhsall’s, Loehmann’s, T.J. Maxx
• Factory Outlet store-owned and operated
by clothing manufacturers; offer name
brand merchandise at low prices; ex.
Bass She Outlet, Burlington Coat Factory
Kinds of Clothing Stores cont.
• Second Hand stores-used clothing; able to
find exception values; selection limited in
terms of color, size, styles, etc.; ex.
Goodwill, Salvation Army.
• 2 Types of Second hand stores
– thrift-people donate merchandise and prices
very inexpensive
– consignment-people bring in merchandise and
receive a portion of the selling cost.
Merchandise more expensive but overall the
clothing is better quality.
Clothing Quality Indicators
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Design of garment
Quality of fabric
Quality of construction
Overall appearance
Fit
Comfort
Acceptable for intended use
Price
Quality Indicators Cont.
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Fiber content
Care instructions
Seams matched
Seams pressed
Seams finished and even
Hem even
Waistband straight
Zipper even and securely sewn
Quality Indicators Cont.
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Fasteners secure
Pockets secure
Collars interfaced
Collar points even
Top stitching even and not stopped and started
Buttons secure
Buttonholes well sewn
No tucks or wrinkles in sleeves
No rips or long threads
Cost of Clothing
• To determine the cost of clothing: Formula
Total cost of garment
divided by the # of times worn
(estimate the # of times
clothing will be worn)
• Have knowledge of price & quality in different
clothing types
• Cross Shop-shop several different stores before
buying
• Read hang tags & labels
• Know your fabrics
• Watch for workmanship/quality
• Build wardrobe around a few coordinated pieces
• Purchase basic items in multiple units, such as socks
• Keep records of brand performance and buy brands that
you like
• Retain all labels and sales slips
• Don’t buy fad items as they will not be in fashion long
• Avoid bargains you don’t need
• Don’t shop when your desperate
• Look for economical clothing choices
• Watch for hidden costs, such as dry cleaning or storage
costs