Trickle Down Theory Of Fashion

2.3 Signs and Cycles in Fashion System:

2.31 Fashion Curves – Fashion trends are usually classified by duration and penetration, visualized as curves with time on the bottom axis and consumer adoption on the vertical axis. In this way it is easy to show the difference between the shortest trends, called fads, and the longest, called classics.

2.32 Pendulum Swing - Pendulum swing refers to the periodic movement of fashion between extremes-for example , fluctuations between long and short hemlines, fitted and oversized silhouettes, and dressed up and casual looks. These swings may take decades or a fashion season. Visualize the swing from power dressing of the late 1980s to the relaxed dress code of today. Some forecasters anticipate a swing

Models touching on different aspects of fashion have developed in sociology, communications, psychology, economics, anthropology, geography, history, aesthetics, and business and marketing will be summarized.

2.41 Sociological Models:

Sociological approaches, particularly the trickle down theory, are among the oldest and best known models of the fashion process. The collective behavior theory, often thought of as a mass psychology theory, is also popular.

2.41a The Trickle –Down Theory:

The trickle-down theory offers the classical and relatively complete perspective of the fashion process. It suggests that only the upper class establishes new forms of human expression such as fashions .Once a new object is adopted by the upper class; it is intimated by each succeeding lower class until it has “trickled down” to the lowest class. When the upper class recognizes that all classes have become adopters, they turn to new fashions and a new fashion process emerges.

Some analyst view this as a theory class conflict and class competition for symbols ; indeed some view it as competition for social equality among classes Thus it may be viewed as political as well as social approach to

When a fashion becomes widespread, conditions of “social saturation” accompanied by over stimulation of the senses (seeing “sameness” of fashion) threaten its existence. Boredom is the result of overuse; this allows the novelty-seeker or creative individualist to experiment with new styles, leading to the evolution of new fashions.

2.43b Conformity-Centered Models:

Just as individualism suggests ways the fashion process is initiated, conformity explains the powerful forces motivating growth of fashion trend. Research shows that social pressures to conform can dramatically influence style choices Conforming in dress is reinforced with social approval and group acceptance, and this becomes a major force propelling fashions to widespread acceptance.

2.43c The Uniqueness Motivation Model:

Intermediate to the individuality- conformity paradigm is the uniqueness model. Their model suggests the people compare themselves to others, searching for similarities and differences and thus forming a self-identity. People seek some socially accepted differences or” uniqueness attributes” compared to others, but only a moderate amount (We don’t want t be too different”). If one has not achieved the desired (“moderate” different ness, there will be emotional and behavioral responses (changes) by the individual until moderate differentiation is