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Appearance is the most important factor in our daily life style. In current society personal appearance, dressing and clothing does matter a lot. Clothes are said to be the reflection of a person's personality. Wearing clothes also carries specific cultural and social meanings and in this process designs play an important role. Clothing can be divided in to apparels (shirting and suiting fabric, ladies suits etc.) and accessories (Stole and shawl, handkerchief, bag and purse, belts, head dress, foot wears). Designs on apparels and accessories vary according to type, shape and size of the clothing though they are interdependent. Designs communicate on behalf of the wearer. Therefore selection of designs for clothing is a very important consideration. Various factors influencing the selection of designs are as follows:
Age: Growing up means our clothes and designs on them change as well. Something we wore when we were ten years old may not look appropriate at present. Different designs are required for different age groups. Therefore, care should be taken in selecting designs on clothes for a particular age group.
(i) Infants : Infant's clothes are to be washed quite often, hence, the prints should be durable. Small floral prints, polka dots, etc are more appropriate.
(ii) Children : Animal and cartoon prints for casual wear are preferred by kids. Hazy and dull colours should not be selected for children. Rather bright gaudy colours are good for them.
(iii) Adolescents:Adolescents like distinctive colours. Designs with bright colours reflecting enthusiasm, cheerfulness and liveliness should be used for them. Designs should be creative, stylized, abstract and according to the latest fashion.
(iv) Adults: Simple and elegant designs on clothes are desirable for mature and elderly. In this age, more emphasis should be the profession, occasion, and price than on the prevalent fashion.
(v) Old age: Clothes having prints on white or pastel base are preferred by elderly. Floral, traditional and ethnic designs in subtle colours are often used by women for routine wear and simple stripes and checks in pastel colours for men are preferred.
Sex: In India there is a definite demarcation of clothing for both sexes in case of colours, styles and designs. Usually subdued colours are used in the designs for men whereas for women pure hues are mostly preferred. Floral prints are generally considered suitable for women while checks and stripes are considered for men shirts.
Personality: People with calm and quiet personality generally prefer simple prints with light colours whereas person with dynamic personality like bold and gay colour prints.
Figure type: Designs should be chosen after analysis of the colour of the skin and body figure. Tall-thin figure may select horizontal lines, large prints where as vertical lines and small prints are more apt for short-thin figure.
Value/ attitudes/interests: How we choose a design affects our attitudes and actions. People have their own values that they associate with each design. It’s a known fact that people select designs on clothing according to their preference which is according to the way they feel or how they think they’re going to feel when they put them on. If clothing makes us feel more powerful, outgoing, beautiful, handsome, mysterious, quirky, or humorous, it will subconsciously reflect in our personality. We choose designs on clothes because we want to feel a certain way and clothes help us to achieve that goal.
Social Status: Social status is a pervasive issue in any social context, and manipulating designs in clothing may be useful to negotiate social status within groups and institutions. Wearing expensive clothes having designs of brocade or zari work can communicate wealth or image of of wealth and in turn signify the social status.
Geographic location: This is one of the important factors that affects the choice of design. Different geographic locations have their own set of art and designs for clothing. People of a particular area identify with the designs belonging to that place. Example Kashmir residents can be seen wearing designs of Chinar leaves, saffron flowers etc.
Cultural background: People belonging to different cultures have different preferences for design. They have their own ideologies and standards that have to be met. Indian market has wide range of traditional designs like kalka motif, lotus, fish etc. whereas western markets prefer bold and abstract designs on dress. But by the advent of media, education and acculturation has reduced this line of distinction.
Different occasions: As there are different dresses for formal, informal, festive occasions and ceremonies, likewise the design on the dresses also vary according to the occasion. Simple designs for formal while elaborate designs for festive occasions and ceremonies
Occupational clothes: Different occupations affects the design in clothing. For example academicians will prefer plain or checked shirt, plain dress material with slight embroidery or simple prints, politicians generally wear clothes made of white colour fabric which signifies purity with self designs of different weaves, flowers, geometric designs etc., while professionals wear plain colour clothes with generally no design or self design.
Fashion Trend: People generally wear designs that are in fashion whether they prefer them or not.
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