Fashion Concepts and Theories Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering key fashion terminology, life cycle stages, and adoption theories based on lecture transcript notes.

Body supplement

An item added to the body, such as clothing, shoes, or jewelry.

Dress

Any intentional modification to the body or supplement added to the body.

Body modification

Intentional alterations to the body, such as piercings, tattoos, or dying hair.

Appearance management

Behaviors undertaken to create an appearance, categorized as routine (e.g., brushing teeth) or non-routine (e.g., plastic surgery).

Apparel

Actual garments constructed from fabric to cover the body.

Appearance

All aspects of the human body that may be observed by others.

Avant-garde

Fashions that are unorthodox, experimental, perhaps unusual, or shocking.

Classic

Fashion that endures time.

Clothing

Any tangible or material object connected to the human body.

Couturier

Male fashion designer.

Couturiere

Female fashion designer.

Fad

Short-lived styles that last for a day.

Fast fashion

Clothing manufactured quickly and of low quality.

Fashion

A social process involving a style being introduced to a general public and being accepted as appropriate for a time and occasion by the social majority.

Ford

A trend with strong sales volumes that achieves mass acceptance, available at different price points and produced by different manufacturers.

Haute couture

"High fashion".

Knock off

An adaptation of an original design.

Pret-a-porter

"Ready-to-wear".

Style

Distinctive characteristics of clothing.

Silhouette

Physical shape or outline of a garment.

Trend

General direction in which a style is moving.

Fashion trend

Begins when fashion innovators wear a new article of clothing or devise a new way of wearing an existing piece.

Fashion innovation

People who create a new style.

Fashion leader

Individuals seen as authorities and sought out for their opinion who pick up on the new style and adopt it.

Early adopters

Individuals who watch fashion leaders.

Late adopters

People who do not feel comfortable wearing a new style until it has been established as a trend.

Fashion followers

People who adopt the trend during the tail-end when the style is nearing obsolescence.

Introduction stage

The first stage of the fashion life cycle where new styles are shown, characterized by higher prices and smaller quantities.

Rise stage

The second stage of the fashion life cycle where styles are accepted by more people, particularly fashion leaders.

Accelerate stage

The third stage of the fashion life cycle with increased availability, strongest promotional efforts, and manufacturers offering knockoffs.

Mass acceptance stage

The fourth stage of the fashion life cycle characterized by maximum stock coverage in many retail formats; may be extended if the style becomes a classic.

Decline stage

The fifth stage of the fashion life cycle.

Obsolescence stage

The final stage of the fashion life cycle.

Cultural system

The culture of a society that determines whether a fashion system exists, with changes more likely to be accepted if a culture is ready for change.

Zeitgeist

Refers to the prevailing spirit, mood, and cultural values of a particular era, reflected in the trends, styles, and aesthetics people wear.

Fashion adoption theory

Explains how new styles are accepted and spread among consumers, influenced by social hierarchy, innovators, and cultural trends.

Trickle-down theory

Theory based on social class emulation where higher social classes introduce new styles, which are adopted by the middle and lower classes, prompting the higher class to discard them.

Trickle-up theory

Theory stating fashion begins in the lower social class and is copied by higher society (e.g., denim jeans).

Trickle-across theory

Argues that a style can appear simultaneously in all social classes, just at different price points.

Symbolic interaction theory

Explains interactions among individuals based on symbols (such as clothes) used or understood by a particular group through years of association.

Denotative meaning

Refers directly to clothing, accessories, and styles, or more broadly, a manner or way of doing something.

Connotative meaning

Implied or symbolic associations that a garment, accessory, or style carries beyond its literal or functional description.

Social identity theory

Theory stating that people define their self-concept and self-esteem based on the social group they belong to.

Uniqueness theory

States that a fashion trend begins when people adopt an exclusive style, but once adopted by enough people, it loses its impact.

Role theory

Theory stating that we dress based on the roles we play.