26 Part 1 Apparel and Fashion Physical Needs Protection from weather is the most important physical role played by clothing. Whether you live in a cold climate or a hot climate, clothing helps to maintain the body temperature. Many Alaskan Natives wear clothing with fur linings. This clothing traps the warm air from their bodies in the clothing and creates a layer of warmth. People in some African countries wear long, white robes and headdresses. White refl ects heat, and the long robes keep the sun from shining directly on the skin. The loosely fi tted garments let air circulate around their bodies. This helps to keep them cooler and more comfortable. Where you live often determines what types of clothing you need for pro- tection and comfort. If you live in Minnesota, you will need more clothing for warmth than if you live in Florida. Hats and gloves help provide comfort by retaining body heat in cold weather. In contrast, a beach cover-up helps protect skin from overexposure to the sun. Rain gear keeps you and your clothes dry, 1-2. When going on a long hike, wearing hiking boots helps protect feet from injury or blistering. Safety and Security Needs Clothing is sometimes worn to keep you safe from harm or injury. When boating, you wear a life vest. Football and hockey players wear safety head- gear. Bicycle and motorcycle riders wear helmets. Race car drivers wear special helmets and safety clothing made of fl ame-resistant fi bers and fi nishes. Cyclists and runners often wear refl ective-fl uorescent tapes on their clothing so they are more visible to motorists. For skateboarding, knee pads, elbow pads, wrist supports, and a helmet are a must. Safety clothing is required in some occupations. Firefi ghters wear heavy boots and fl ame-resistant clothing. They also wear specially designed helmets. On many industrial construction sites, workers wear hard hats and safety shoes with steel reinforced toes. Road repair workers, traffi c offi cers, and school-crossing guards wear brightly colored vests so drivers can easily see 1-1 According to Abraham Maslow, the lowest level needs, which are physical needs, must be satisfi ed before higher level needs can be met. Goodheart-Willcox Publisher