抄録
The present study was undertaken to examine the relationship of the clothes-purchasing choices of elderly women to their self-concept and body cathexis, as compared with those of female university students. Clothes-purchasing choices, self-concept and the degree of body cathexis were investigated in 1998. The subjects were 130 elderly women (aged 60 to 84 years ) and 129 female students (aged 18 to 24 years). In both the elderly woman group and the female student group, a correlation was found between clothes-purchasing choice and self-concept. This means that clothing choices change as self-concept improves, and that self-concept improves as clothing changes. A correlation was also noted between body cathexis and self-concept. That is, an increase in self-cathexis resulted in an improvement in self-concept. These results suggest that increasing the supply of clothes that elevate the self-concept of elderly women will have a positive effect is desirable. When designing clothing intended to elevate the self-concept of elderly women, it seems essential to consider not only comfort while wearing the clothing but also its style (color, lines, detailing, etc.).
