Department of Clothing, Textiles & Interior Design

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Dress as Related to the Effectiveness and the Assessment of the Effectiveness of a Performer and the Relation of the Authoritarian Personality to the Evaluation of the Performer
(The University of Alabama, 1961) Thompson, Kathleen
In recent years more and more attention has been given to the social and psychological aspects of clothing. However, most of the studies deal almost entirely with the effects of clothing on the individual or how the individual feels that clothing affects him or her. Almost no research has been done relative to the dynamics of clothing behavior in the processes of communication between people. In general, studies indicate that being well-dressed influences one’s feelings of self-confidence, happiness, and efficiency. That being well-dressed affects the way the individual feels is shown in a study by Ryan (1953, P» 14-). She reported that college girls feel more ’’relaxed, comfort able, contented, and confident" when well-dressed. Dearborn (1918, p. 66) stated that in his deliberate opinion "...self-confidence for the great mass of men and women is to some extent obviously dependent on being well-dressed...self-confidence actually is part of the energy and efficiency of the individual." Ditty (1955, p. 96) found that all thirty-nine teachers participating in a study felt that part of a beginning teacher’s success in the classroom depended upon the type of clothing she wore.
A Study of the CLothing Buying Habits of a Selected Group of Older Women
(The University of Alabama, 1966)
"Women, no matter what their ages, are more effective in the pursuit of happiness if they not only have cultivated inner graces but have also made themselves outwardly as pleasing as possible." Havinghurst and other gerontological writers agree that paying attention to personal appearance raises self-esteem, gives self assurance, produces a feeling of security and belonginess, raises morale, and helps attain success in our society. Clothing plays an important part in the impressions a person makes on others. Flugel states that it is from their clothes that we form a first impression of our fellow-creatures as we meet them. Many other authorities agree that first impressions take place in about thirty seconds. It has been found that well-dressed people create first impressions of successful, powerful individuals with positive habits of living.
A Study of Some of the Factors Influencing the Selection of Outer School Garments of Freshmen Women in Home Economics at Three Selected Colleges in Alabama
(The University of Alabama, 1966) Bennett, Susan Elizabeth
The freshman year in college involves many adjustments for most young women. Much emphasis has been placed upon scholastic ability, prediction of potential growth, and on the personal problems of the college freshman, These problems are of concern to many colleges and universities, and they have established agencies to help the students with them. Research into the problems of college social life, however, has been neglected,, This area of social adaptability is most important in the adjustment of the student to college life. It has been found that the tendency to want to conform or be like one’s peer group is a common human impulse at all ages, however, it may be a stronger impulse in growing children, adolescents, and young people,,1 Correct clothing choices may help one meet, enter, and join the group with which he would like to associates
A Comparative Study of the Abilities of Selected Insitutionalized and/or Psychotic Male Patients, Male Employees, Working in Patient Areas, and Certain Advanced Interior Design Students to Distinguish Differences in Values and Intensities of Two Selected Hues
(The University of Alabama, 1970) Ruthie Sherrel Bass
Three populations of patients, employees, and students were tested by an interview technique to determine their abilities to recognize differences in values and intensities of two selected hues. These findings were analyzed by a Chi-Square method. A 10 percent random sampling of male patients and of male employees working in patient areas at the United States Veterans Administration Hospital, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, was selected. A group of interior design students in the School of Home Economics, University of Alabama, was selected and tested to standardize the test. In the interview, subjects were shown 40 cards in random order on which swatches showing matched pairs of value and intensity variations of two hues were mounted. The two hues were Munsell 2.5 yellow-red and 5.0 blue-green, chosen on the basis of results of a color preference study at the Veterans Administration Hospital. Subjects were asked to decide if the paired swatches were alike or different. The percentage of errors for each population indicated that a majority of all three populations correctly identified 39 of the 40 matched pairs. In reviewing the statistical analysis, the hypothesis that the abilities of the patient population are not as great as the abilities of the employee and student populations cannot be rejected at the .01 level of significance. Individual analysis of the intensity and value variations indicated that the patient population had more difficulty in recognizing color variations in the pairs of blue-green values and the pairs of yellow-red values and intensities than did the other populations. Analysis of the pairs of blue-green intensities indicates that all three populations had difficulty in recognizing differences. The test also indicated that while patients had difficulty in recognizing fine color variations (one-step differences in the Munsell Color Charts), they were able to recognize more variations at the two-step difference level, and recognized almost all variations at the three step difference level. Findings also indicated that the design students who had taken at least one course in color theory and its application could more easily recognize the variations in the color pairs than could the employees and the patients. The findings are limited only to the groups described, and not to the total group of institutionalized and/or psychotic patients and employees in all Veterans Hospitals. The testing instrument used in this study should be used in future studies with a larger sampling of patients, employees, and students. More testing should be conducted with the patients and employees in psychiatric hospitals,, expanding the test to include more hues and more variations of intensity and value. These variations should go to extremes at both ends of the value and intensity scales for other hues. The United States Veterans Administration should re-evaluate its recommendations for the use of color in patient areas so that the greatest possible benefit from the influence of color can be used in the treatment of patients. Enough testing should be done to determine the patients* ability to recognize differences in any hue so that the preliminary steps can be taken in establishing a color standard for use in patient areas for this type of institution. Further testing should be conducted to determine the degree to which a pleasing color environment has a therapeutic value for the institutionalized and/or psychotic patient.
Interests and Needs of a Selected Group of Home Sewers in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama
(The University of Alabama, 1976) Smith, Jo Ann H.
Identification of Goals and Assessment Criteria for Competency Based Professional Education in Interior Design
(The University of Alabama, 1978) Trick, Sherrill S.
Exploring the concept of competency based education (CBE) and its application to professional education for interior design represents a new approach to program planning. A search for alternatives to traditional curriculum development is suggested by the emerging professional status of interior design practice attested to by the recognition of the Foundation for Interior Design Education Research (FIDER), the national accreditation agency for post-secondary interior design programs, by the U.S. Office of Education, and by the Council on Post-secondary Accreditation (COPA). Participation in the accreditation process of FIDER has challenged professional practitioners to contribute to the improvement of interior design education and to communicate pertinent knowledge to educators responsible for identifying educational competencies. To the educator, improved quality demands curriculum evaluation aimed at meeting standards of educational accountability. Implementing a competency based curriculum (CBC) for a professional program such as interior design seems feasible since many of the competencies and behaviors required in the profession are observable and may be evaluated on the basis of specified criteria.
Clothing Needs Following Mastectomy for a Selected Group of Women
(The University of Alabama, 1981) Smith, Marylee Vaughn
Breast cancer strikes 90,0C0 American women every year. The breast is the leading site of cancer incidence and breast cancer is the major cause of death due to cancer among women. It kills almost 34,000 annually in the United States. In fact, breast cancer is the leading cause of all deaths among women 40 through 45 years of age. The estimated number of new breast cancer cases in Alabama in 1978 was 1,100. One of thirteen women in the United States is destined to have breast cancer during her lifetime. (American Cancer Society, 1978) For many of the women who develop breast cancer, surgical removal of the breast may become a reality. Of the three methods of accepted treatment (surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy), surgical removal of the breast has been the primary method of treatment. (American Cancer Society, 1978) Loss of a breast can have traumatic effects on the patient. Problems of living on all levels, physical and psychosocial, tend to become magnified in women following mastectomy. These women need help in learning to cope with life after mastectomy.
Post-Occupancy Evaluation in Interior Design: Ferguson Center Cafeteria
(The University of Alabama, 1981) Sibley, Jeannie Carter
Evaluation has been cited as the overlooked component in architectural design today (Sanoff, 1977). By definition, evaluate is a transitive verb meaning "to determine the significance or worth usually by careful appraisal and study" (Webster, 1965, p. 287). In the vocabulary of the interior design profession, evaluation is the study of an existing environment in terms of design criteria which measure its success in meeting objectives based on the wants and needs of its users. The process, post-occupancy evaluation, is considered one of three essential steps in systematically gathering information regarding the ways people use existing environments: evaluation, programming and design (Sanoff, 1977). The responsibility of the designer is the need to identify, understand and meet often conflicting and demanding expectations and requirements by people for the built environment. The people using a building should be recognized as a principal factor in the success of the designer's work (Harrigan and Harrigan, 1976). Designers cannot address a design problem without reference to the needs of the users of a facility. "A good deal of the conscious intention behind any design, as well as various decisions about its elements, are expressed in terms of its consequence for social behavior" (Gutman, 1972, p. 340). Therefore, the human factor should be taken into account and incorporated into the evaluation process (Sanoff, 1977) .
Consumer Needs and Wants in Confominium/Townhouse Design: A Comparison of Shopper and Developer Perceptions
(The University of Alabama, 1983) Griffin, Nancy Ruth
To provide effective and enjoyable environments, designers and developers of the built environment must know and understand as much as possible about user expectations or requirements. Designers and developers must recognize clients' needs in order to be professionally effective and financially successful. Important in the design process is the study of human factors and the application of their principles and techniques. The humanistic critics of architecture also believe that people need to participate in the planning stages of their environment. Through participation, user needs and values can really be taken into account (Harrigan and Harrigan, 1976).
Store Design Evaluation: Employee Preference of Selected Interior Design Elements in Two Department Stores
(The University of Alabama, 1983) Roberts, Mecia
Retailing history reveals that what seems good today may be obsolete tomorrow. Improvements are constantly being made in store design, layout, and display fixtures to create a more flexible and attractive interior. However, it is difficult to forecast what the trends will be for retail design because the trends are based so heavily on changing consumer preference and merchandising approaches. When designing a retail environment, consideration should be given to the physical and psychological impacts on customer attraction, employee morale, and store operations (Lewison and DeLozier, 1982). "By identifying the desired image, targeting the right consumer, and communicating the right impression, the retailer creates a store image that is right for shopping and working" (Lewison and DeLozier, 1982, p. 170). Information from post-occupancy evaluations of retail environments assists professionals in developing general guidelines which can be utilized in the programming phase for retail environments. The information also can be helpful in establishing guidelines for new store construction, design alterations, or renovation of existing spaces.
Precious cut: a practice-based research toward zero-waste design by exploring creative pattern cutting methods and draping techniques
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2015) Saeidi, Elahe; Wimberley, Virginia S.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
With the contemporary methods of fashion construction only effectively using 85 percent of fabric in a garment, 15 percent of the total fabric is left on the cutting room floor. This waste is leaving a “significant ecological footprint”. This thesis is practice-based research to explore creative pattern cutting methods and draping techniques which lead to zero-waste designed garments. This thesis also demonstrates how pre-industrial societies treated fabric as a precious source, utilizing every piece of fabric to minimize waste. The environmental and ethical impact of producing textiles and why we should avoid the wasting of fabric are discussed. Investigations of different ways that fabric waste can be eliminated in the modern fashion industry and various methodological approaches toward zero-waste are examined: Jigsaw with fixed area, Jigsaw with the full width of fabric and tessellation. A new approach, Transformational Reconstruction, which is an innovative patternmaking technique developed by a Japanese designer - Shingo Sato, is examined and tested for its usefulness for zero-waste design. This study proposes that the fashion designer and pattern-cutter can have a great influence on the amount of fabric waste and, working as a team, are capable of producing garments without fabric waste and reducing the ecological footprint of modern apparel production.
An experimental study toward eco-friendly bamboo fiber extraction for textiles
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2017) Rocky, AMK Bahrum Prang; Thompson, Amanda J.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Due to bamboo’s higher specific compressive strength when compared to wood, brick or concrete, the use of bamboo is mainly in construction and furniture. The morphology of the plant makes it a successful building material. The fibers are dense and strongly connected by lignin, pectin and other natural bonding elements which makes extraction of fibers challenging. That’s why, conventional rayon processing has been employed to create textile fibers by dissolving bamboo in chemicals retaining cellulosic portions only. Consequently, an increasingly popular advertisement in modern global market is “BAMBOO TEXTILES” which has earned interest from ecofriendly consumers. However, further inquiry into manufacturers’ practices show that the bamboo textiles in the market are made of bamboo viscose fibers and are not natural as consumers might be led to believe. Since the cellulose is mainly extracted to produce rayon, bamboo viscose does not retain the natural unique properties. Lignin and other contents in the fibers may make them stiffer but they are the origin of many unique properties. Extensive removal of these elements makes fibers softer and finer which are often associated with viscose. During this research study, 69 different bamboo fibers were produced from Phyllostachys rubromarginata bamboo species. Twenty-six of the specimens were very good and useable for spinning. This study revealed that no lone attempted method of chemical, enzymatic or mechanical treatment was able to produce expected fibers. Combinations of two or more techniques produced pliable fibers. Analyses of physical properties, structures and dimensions, and antibacterial properties of fibers are reported for each experiment. Most of the extracted fibers as well as cotton were found to be higher in diameter than bamboo and regular viscose. Moreover, fibers that showed antimicrobial/antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus were coarser than viscose. This study also focused on ecofriendly production; therefore, chemicals were employed in the lowest level that would still achieve the desired results. Major findings include specimens that achieve pliable natural bamboo fibers with antibacterial properties, possible routes and techniques for fiber extraction, and successive modification steps to the targeted textile fibers.
Identification of brand personality attributes of southern lifestyle brands and its impact on perceived quality, brand attitude, and purchase intention
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2018) Parks, Jamie Christy; Tong, Xiao; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Many southern lifestyle brands have been experiencing rapid expansion and growth in recent years. In order to continue growing, it is important for marketers to understand what sets their brands apart from other clothing brands. The objective of this research are as follows: (1) to empirically investigate the personality of southern lifestyle brands; (2) to explore the impact of brand personality on perceived quality, brand attitude and purchase intention; and (3) to investigate the relationships among perceived quality, brand attitude, and purchase intention. Specifically, this study used Aaker’s brand personality framework to investigate the personality of southern lifestyle brands based on data collected from 283 participants. Results revealed that the personality of southern lifestyle brands could be described in three dimensions with 62 personality traits: sophisticated, casual, and southern. In addition, the results clearly indicated that brand personality has a significant impact on perceived quality and brand attitude, and there are positive relationships among perceived quality, brand attitude, and purchase intention.

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