Clothing and Textiles Research Journal

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Clothing for Elderly and Non-Elderly Men: A Comparison of Preferences, Perceived Availability and
Fitting Problems
Vivian E. Hogge, Margaret Baer and Jikyeong Kang-Park
Clothing and Textiles Research Journal 1988; 6; 47
DOI: 10.1177/0887302X8800600407
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Clothing for Elderly and Non-Elderly Men:

A Comparison of Preferences, Perceived
Availability and Fitting Problems
Vivian E.
and

Hogge, Margaret Baer

Jikyeong Kang-Park

Abstract

Thepurpose of this study was to compare thepreferences, perceived availability andfittingproblems ofselected
ready-to-wear garments for elderly and non-elderly men living in northern Colorado. The participants were 50
males, 65 years of age and older, and a contrast group of 50 males, 30-50 years of age. A Clothing Preference
Interview Schedule was developed, adapted from a Clothing Needs of Elderly Women Questionnaire by Hogge
and Baer, to obtain data from the participants. The data from the Interview Schedules were coded and computer
analyzed using the Statistical Packagefor the Social Sciences. Inferential statistics were computed to investigate
relationships or differences that existed between responses of the elderly and non-elderly men. More men from the
elderly than non-elderly group were able to find garments in their preferred sizes and colors in the local stores.
Men in both groups expressed various preferences for fiber content of selected clothing items. However, the older
men had a greater acceptance of man-made fibers. The common fitting problem of both groups with shirts and
jackets was sleeve length. When purchasing clothing, the most important factor for both groups was fit. Design/
style was ranked as second by the non-elderly and eighth by the elderly men who ranked durability and price
higher than the non-elderly men did.
More than 28.0 million Americans are 65 years of age and
older. It is estimated that this group will grow by 300,000 to
per year over the next decade, and by the
2000
the
total
year
population of those over 65 will be more
than 36 million (U.S. Department of Commerce, 1985).
With consumers aged 65 and older becoming more
numerous and being an important force in the marketplace
(Lumpkin, Greenberg, & Goldstucker, 1985), there is a
need to gain more knowledge of clothing needs and concerns
for the elderly residing in the United States. A number of
studies, most of them unpublished, have been conducted to
assess some of the clothing problems related to special needs
of elderly women (Bratcher, 1972; Hogge & Baer, 1986;
Kemaleguen, 1978; Patterson & Warden, 1983-84; Pieper,

400,000 persons

1968; Richards, 1971; Richardson, 1975; Smathers, 1974;

Sontag, 1985; Woodson & Horridge, 1986). Womens
fashions change more rapidly; womens wardrobes are
usually larger and more expensive than are mens. Women
also find it more difficult to satisfy their clothing needs and
AuthorsAddresses: Department of Apparel, Interior Design, and Merchandising, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523.

concerned with the social significance of clothing

(Hoffman, 1970). These factors could explain
why most research in the clothing area for the elderly has
focused on womens clothing.
Research related to mens clothing is much less plentiful.
Tate and Glisson (1963) noted that elderly men are said to
experience difficulty wearing the same size and style of
clothing and fabrics worn by younger men due to
physiological changes. Trousers for elderly men often need
to be increased through the waistline to accommodate a
protruding abdomen and shortened in the back because of
general straightening of the posterior. Coats and jackets may
require extra length in the upper part of the back to
accommodate the rounded shoulders and stooped posture
characteristic of the elderly. Coats and jackets also need a
generous waistline. Older men may find tight collars
uncomfortable to wear as a network of wrinkles forms at the
base of the neck. Because the skin becomes dry, thin, and
inelastic, fabrics used in shirts and undergarments should be
soft and non-irritating.
Kemaleguen ( 1978) noted that older people complain that
sizes in ready-to-wear clothing are based on standard
are more

than

are men

47
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1988 ITAA. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution.

measurements of younger people and that the figure changes

of the elderly are not taken into consideration. Woodson and

Horridge (1986) found that the older person can no longer

standard-size, ready-to-wear clothing due to body
proportion changes. Older people give priority to fit and
style in the selection of clothing, but comfort, price, ease of
care, and warmth are also important factors (Kemaleguen,
1978). Grey (1966) pointed out that the most frequent
reasons older men gave for liking their clothing wer fit,
appearance, comfort, and warmth/coolness. She also
identified poor fit as the most important reason for disliking a
wear

garment.

ranging in age from 19 to 76 years, interviewed by

Margerum, Walker, and Kemaleguen (1977), expressed
dissatisfaction with shirts and pants. The problems
mentioned most frequently were fabric durability and
Men

garment construction

as well as size and fit. The men were

also troubled with broken stitching and fasteners, inadequate
shirttail length, non-standard sizes, and pants that did
not fit.
The elderly care about their clothing and desire to have a
pleasing appearance (Kemaleguen, 1978). They wish to
conform to current fashions (Kemaleguen, 1978) and want
fashion goods of suitable style and size with the option of
returning unsatisfactory apparel (Lumpin et al., 1985) but
tend to prefer familiar, traditional styles (Storm, 1987) and
lean more to conservatism in dress than do younger people
irrespective of the locality or climate (Tate & Glisson,
1963). Elderly men are not only interested in the physical
comfort of their clothing but are also interested in their
overall general appearance. They enjoy greater freedom in
dress than they did in their younger years (Horn & Gurel,

1981).
Because previous research has shown that elderly men
have expressed dissatisfaction with ready-to-wear clothing
(Margerum et al., 1977), have difficulty finding items of
apparel they prefer (Kenaleguen, 1978), and want
fashionable styles and correct sizes (Lumpkin et al., 1985),
more research is needed to identify the specific clothing
preferences and needs of elderly men and to determine how
well ready-to-wear clothing is currently meeting these
preferences. The purpose of this study was to compare the
clothing preferences of men between the ages of 30 and 50
with the clothing preferences of men over the age of 65. Men
in these two age groups were also surveyed regarding the
availability and fit of ready-to-wear clothing and their
assessment of selected factors in purchasing a garment.

Method

Instrument
A Clothing Preference Interview Schedule was developed
to provide a variety of data to enhance knowledge of the
preferences for clothing expressed by elderly men.
Questions for the instrument were adapted from a Clothing
Needs of Elderly Women Questionnaire used by Hogge and
Baer (1986). A pretest with a group of six male subjects 65
years old and above and six male subjects 30-50 years of age
was conducted in the fall of 1984. After pretesting and

revision, the Clothing Preference Interview Schedule

consisted of 151 questions. The first 139 questions were
designed to elicit information about each subjects
background, physical limitations, the perceived availability
of and preferences for ready-to-wear garments, clothing
comfort, and general fitting problems. Theses questions
were objective with appropriate blanks to be checked by the
interviewer. In the last section of the Interview Schedule,
respondents were asked to rate from ( 1 ) not important to (5)
very important 11 selected garment factors considered in
purchasing a garment. The last question solicited additional
comments from the participants. Space was provided for the
interviewer to record comments.

Subjects
The participants in this study consisted of 100 males (50
men 65 and older and 50 between 30 and 50 years of age)
residing in northern Colorado. Men between 51 and 64
years of age were not asked to participate to allow for a more
accurate comparison between elderly and non-elderly men.
Names of the potential participants were obtained from the
list of registered voters, from a local church group, and
through word-of-mouth inquiry.
Procedure
Data used in this study were collected during the winter of
1984 and spring of 1985. The Interview Schedules were
administered individually by or under the supervision of the
investigators. The participants were contacted by telephone
or in person to determine a convenient time for a personal
visit. During the 30-40 minute visit, the Interview Schedule
was explained to the participant by the interviewer. The
interviewer read the questions to the participant and checked
the appropriate answer on the Interview Schedule. The
participant was asked for any additional comments which
were recorded on the Interview Schedule by the interviewer.
The data from the Interview Schedules were coded and
computer analyzed using the Statistical Package for the
Social Sciences (Nie, Hull, Jenkins, Steinbrenner, & Bent,
1975). Inferential statistics (i.e., Pearson correlation
coefficients, Kendalls correlation coefficients, chi squares,
and t values) were computed to investigate relationships or
differences that existed between elderly (65 years and older)
and non-elderly men ( 30-50 years old).

Results and Discussion

An analysis of the demographic data revealed that all of
the younger men in this study were employed. Only four
percent of the older men were employed and the remainder
were retired. More than 90 percent of the younger men and
44 percent of the older men had annual incomes of over
$20,000. Most of the men lived in their own homes or
apartments; none of the men lived in a nursing home. Five of
the older men said they had arthritis, a condition that would
affect the clothing they wear.

Availability of Size and Color

Specific survey questions requested responses concerning

48
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1988 ITAA. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution.

the availability of seven ready-to-wear garments (overcoats,

dress suits, dress shirts, casual jackets, casual slacks, casual
shirts and sweaters). Table 1 shows that the overwhelming
majority of men of both age groups thought that their
preferred sizes and colors were available. In general, more
men from the older group than from the younger age group
answered &dquo;yes&dquo; when asked whether garments in the sizes
they wear were available in their local stores. Two of the
seven clothing items, overcoats and sweaters, showed
significant correlations between availability of preferred size
and age group (see Table 1). A significant positive
correlation means that the older men thought they were more
likely to find garments of the size they wear in stores than
younger men would.
As in the case of the preferred size, more men from the
older age group than men from the younger age group
answered &dquo;yes&dquo; when asked whether garments in the colors
they preferred were available in their local stores. Two of the
seven items surveyed, overcoats and dress suits, showed
significant correlations between availability of preferred
color and age group.
These results seem counter to what might have been
expected given the information about older mens physiological changes and conservative, traditional style preferences. Possibly, fewer older men had complaints about
availability of size and color because they have more time to
shop or because they are less demanding and easier to
please. Also, local stores may carry the more conservative,
traditional styles preferred by the older men.
Features
Table 2 shows

Design

Table 1.

some

Relationship*

significant relationships between

between

availability

of

preferred size

or

preferred design features of trousers and age groups. For

these particular variables Kendalls tau c was used.
According to Nie et al. (1975), that statistic is an
appropriate measure of association between two ordinallevel variables in a rectangular table (one in which the
differs from the number of columns). A
significant positive relationship was found between preferences for trousers with watch pockets with cuffs and age
also between preferences for trousers with cuffs and age
groups. These results are reasonable given that cuffs and
watch pockets were fashionable some years ago but are
found less often today. However, there was a significant
negative relationship between preferences for trousers with
straight legs and age groups. Such a negative correlation
suggests that more men from the younger age group than
from the older group preferred trousers with straight
number of

rows

legs.
Fabric Designs and Fiber Contents
The respondents were also asked about the most preferred
fabric designs and fiber contents for six different clothing
items. Table 3 presents percentages of responses and the
results of chi square analyses. The preferred fabric design for
dress suits and casual jackets was significantly different
between the age groups. Eighty-four percent of men from the
younger age group said they preferred solid colors for their
dress suits, compared to only 64 percent of the older men. It
is interesting to note, since the overall appearance of
twentieth-century men is said to be subdued (Horn & Gurel,
1981), that 36 percent of men from the older age group
preferred other types of fabric designs, such as prints, plaids,
stripes, or checks, for their dress suits. An even more marked

color and age group.

z<.05
a

Pearson correlation coefficients (r) are presented to show the relationship, because r has the
and is better known. Tau b would have been a more conservative choice because it was

Note. Ns may not

equal 100 due

probability level as Kendalls tau b in this case

designed for ordinal level variables.

same

to no responses.
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1988 ITAA. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution.

49

Table 2.

Relationship between
and age group.

* p<.05

** p<.O1

preferred design features of trousers

Relationship between comfort of ready-to-wear garments

and age group.

Note. Total percentages may not equal 100 due to rounding.

Ns may not equal 100 due to no responses.

*p<.05
z

difference

was that 46 percent of the older men preferred

fabric designs other than solid for their casual jackets,
whereas only 22 percent of the younger men preferred
those.

When the respondents were asked about preferences for

fiber content (natural, blend, or man-made) in six different
types of garments, four items (dress suits, casual jackets,
casual shirts, and sweaters) showed significant differences
between age groups. Generally, it appears that men from the
older age group have a wider range of preferences among all

Table 3.

Table 4.

Relationship between

most

preferred fabric design

or

Note. Total percentages may not equal 100 due to

Ns may not equal 100 due to no responses.

three categories of fibers: natural, blends, and manmade. Slightly more of the younger men preferred blends
over natural fibers; only a few of the younger men preferred
garments made of man-made fibers. Thus, the significant
differences are due to older mens greater acceptance of
man-made fibers.
Comfort
A very high percentage of men in both age groups
said they were comfortable in their clothes. However, even

fiber content and age group.

**p<.Ol 1
Note. Total percentages may not equal 100 due to rounding.
Ns may not equal 100 due to no responses.
*p<.05

50

rounding.

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1988 ITAA. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution.

older than younger respondents answered &dquo;yes&dquo; when

asked whether their ready-to-wear garments felt
comfortable to wear. This finding appears to be the opposite
of what might have been expected because of the physical
changes that occur as an individual grows older. Three of six
items (jackets, trousers, and ties) showed significant
correlations between comfort and age group. Table 4 shows
the correlation coefficients for those items. It was especially
surprising to fmd that 14 of the men in the younger age group
and only 4 in the older age group said that shirt collars
irritated their necks. This appears to contradict the findings
of Tate and Glisson (1963), who stated that older men
sometimes find it uncomfortable to wear tight collars
because of a network of wrinkles that forms at the base of the
neck. The majority of men in both groups said a vest was the
most uncomfortable clothing item to wear.
Perhaps older men have fewer comfort problems than
expected or can more easily avoid uncomfortable clothing
now that they are retired. They may no longer have to wear a
buttoned shirt collar and tie daily. They may also generally
wear more comfortable casual clothes.
more

they

were

Fitting Problems
Since many physical changes (rounded shoulders,
stooped posture, increased waistline, and changes in the
skin) occur as an individual grows older, the participants
were asked if they had fitting problems with ready-to-wear
jackets and shirts. The most common fitting problems in
jackets of the older men were that the sleeves were either too
long or too short and the back width was too narrow.
Participants of the younger age group also stated that sleeves
and the jacket length were either too long or too short, the
Table 5.

between fitting
and age group.

Relationship
jackets

_a__8

shoulder length was too short, and the waistline was too
large. Table 5 shows five significant correlations between
age groups and fitting problems in ready-to-wear jackets. In
each of these five problem areas (waistline, shoulder length,
jacket length, width of jacket back, and sleeve length) the
older men claimed fewer fitting problems. Given the
physiological changes described earlier, this finding may at
first seem hard to explain. It is, however, consistent with
similar findings by Hogge and Baer (1986) that elderly
women perceive themselves as having fewer fitting problems
than younger women. It seems likely that the elderly buy
more loose fitting clothes for comfort and have less stringent
requirements for fit.
Table 6 shows three significant correlations between age
groups and fitting problems in ready-to-wear shirts. Again,
fitting problems in all three areas (waistline, hipline, and
length of shirts) were perceived more often by the younger
men. The most frequent problem encountered by the older
men was that sleeves were either too long or too short. They
also noted that shirttail length was not adequate, which
supports the findings of Margerum et al. (1977). Similarly,
the younger men said sleeves were either too long or too
short, shirttail length was too short, and the waistline was too

large.

Important Factors in Purchasing Garments

Respondents were asked to rate from ( 1 ) not important to
(5) very important the importance of 11 different factors
considered in purchasing a garment. A comparison of the
age groups pointed out five significant differences between
the two groups (see Table 7). The biggest difference was in
the property of flammability. Men from the older age group

problems of ready-to-wear

-....

Table 6.

* p<.05

**p<.Ol

**

Note. Total percentages may not equal 100 due to rounding.

Ns may not equal 100 due to no responses.

Relationship between
shirts and age group.

fitting problems of ready-to-wear

p<.Ol

Note. Total percentages may not equal 100 due to rounding.

Ns may not equal 100 due to no responses.

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1988 ITAA. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution.

51

Table 7. Difference in

ratings*

of importance of garment properties by age group.

**p<.01
z<.05
Ratings ranged from l=Not Important to 5=Very Important.
&dquo;Due to significant differences in the variances, separate variance

gave greater importance to flammability than did men from

the younger age group. Price was another property that the
older men rated more highly than the younger men. This
may be due to the fact that older men have less money to
spend for clothing. Men from the younger age group rated fit,

color, and design/style significantly higher than did men

from the older age group. The finding about fit is similar to
findings for elderly women (Hogge & Baer, 1986). In terms
of rankings of importance, the three most important
properties of a garment for men from the older age group
were fit (which supports the findings of Grey, 1966, &
Margerum et al., 1977), durability, and price. Again, it
seems important to point out that fit may have different
meanings for older persons than it does for textiles and
clothing professionals or even for younger persons. For the
younger men the three top properties were fit, design/style,
and color. This may be explained partially, as stated by
Horn and Gurel (1981), by the occupational role of the men
in the younger age group. Because they are employed and
competing in a business world, they assume they will be
evaluated not only on ability but also on personal
appearance. Therefore, fit, design/style, and color of
clothing are very important factors to men in the younger age
group.

Summary

and Recommendations

This study was designed to compare the preferences of

several aspects of ready-to-wear clothing of elderly (65
years and older) and non-elderly (30-50 years of age) men.
The perceived availability of preferred size, color, fabric
design, fiber content, and design features of trousers was
analyzed. Fitting problems with jackets and shirts and
comfort of selected ready-to-wear garments were also
determined. A comparison of 11 different factors considered
52

estimates

are

used.

in purchasing a garment was made between the two group of

men.

In general, more men from the older age group than from
the younger age group seemed able to find garments in the
preferred sizes and colors in the local stores. More of the
younger men said they preferred solid colors for their dress
suits and casual jackets than did the older men. Both groups
of men preferred dress and casual shirts to be made of blends
or man-made fibers but approximately half of all the men
preferred natural fibers for their dress suits.
Findings indicated that more older than younger men
preferred trousers with watch pocket and cuffs. More of the
younger men preferred trousers with straight legs than did
the older men.
Most men in both groups said their ready-to-wear
garments were comfortable to wear. The vest was reported
by all the participants to be the most uncomfortable clothing
item to wear. More younger than older men complained of
shirt collars irritating their necks. The common fitting
problem with jackets and shirts was length of sleeves.
The three most important properties of a garment for older
men were fit, durability, and price as compared to fit, design/
style, and color for the younger men. This points out that,
regardless of age, men in both age groups wanted their
garments to fit correctly. The older men were more
concerned with price as they were retired and living on a
more limited income, but younger men, employed and
competing in a business world, were more concerned with
the design/style of their garment.
The findings of this study are based on samples of limited
size and a restricted geographic area. The results may not be
relevant to the entire male population. However, the
information could be of interest to designers, apparel
manufacturers, retailers, wardrobe consultants, educators,
and extension agents.
For future research, based upon data gathered in this

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1988 ITAA. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution.

study, a more representative sample could be identified and

similar Interview Schedule. Also, a
surveyed using
of
of elderly men and non-elderly
measurements
comparison
men of the same weight and height could determine what
a

adjustments are necessary in elderly mens clothing for

proper fit. Other studies might identify and compare the
clothing preferences of the &dquo;young old&dquo; (those under 75)
with the &dquo;old old&dquo; (those over 75).

Acknowledgements
for this research project was provided by an
American Home Economics Association Foundation
Grant. The authors would like to acknowledge Dr. George
Morgan, Head, Department of Apparel, Interior Design,
and Merchandising, for his many helpful comments and
suggestions throughout this project.

Funding

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1988 ITAA. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution.

53