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Part One Clothes and Fashion
individuality. They are satisfying their need for
adornment while rejecting peer pressure and
conformity. The girl in 1-15 has shown some
individuality in her outfi t.
Most people balance the infl uences of
conformity and individuality in their clothing.
Their clothing choices depend on their moods
as well as different settings and situations.
Personality
Personality can be defi ned as the total unique
characteristics that distinguish an individual,
especially his or her behavioral and emotional
tendencies. A person’s basic personality might
be happy or sad, shy or outgoing, warm or aloof,
kind or mean, relaxed or stiff, or something
else. Personalities are infl uenced by in-born
characteristics as well as people’s experiences.
Studies have found that certain ways of
dressing give clues about specifi c personality
traits. For instance, tests have shown that people
who desire very decorative wearing apparel tend
to be very sociable. People who mainly like
comfort from their clothes tend to have self-
control and confi dence. They are often outgoing
and secure, as in 1-16. People who are shown
in the personality tests to prefer economy,
rather than spending lots of money on their
wardrobes, are usually responsible, alert,
effi cient, and precise.
Summary
People wear clothes today for the same
reasons they have worn them throughout history.
One reason is for physical protection of the
1-15
Many individuals have fun showing their individuality through the way
they put outfi ts together.