A research on the attitude of youth on fashion

A RESEARCH ON THE ATTITUDE OF
YOUTH ON FASHION
By
Judy Mary Babu (Roll no: 2009)
Akhila Wilson (Roll no: 2030)
Suriya Parvathy (Roll no: 2057)
B.Com Model I Computer Applications
Under the guidence of
Ms. Nedheya Baby
RAJAGIRI COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT AND APPLIED SCIENCES
Rajagiri Valley,Cochin- 682039.

Declaration
We hereby declare that the Report entitled “A RESEARCH ON THE ATTITUDE OF
YOUTH ON FASHION” submitted is a record of orginal research work done by us under the
supervision and guidance of Ms. Nedheya Baby and this Research Report has not formed the
basis for the award of any degree of other candidate of any university.
KAKKANAD JUDY MARY BABU
25 MARCH 2013 AKHILA WILSON
SURIYA PARVATHY

Acknowledgement
As we complete this survey, we realize and recognize numerous hands who have helped
us in many ways, and we thank them all with our whole heart.
We are highly indebted to the faculty of Quantitative Techniques for Business Research
Ms. Nedheya Baby for guiding us throughout the process. Our heartfelt thanks to Almighty
God. We also thank our friends and well-wishers for their support and prayers. With a heart
full of gratitude, We submit this report.
JUDY MARY BABU,
AKHILA WILSON,
SURIYA PARVATHY

CONTENTS
SL.NO TITLE PAGE NO.
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6
2. INTRODUCTION 7-9
3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 10-12
4. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 13-15
5. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONS 16-24
6. FINDINGS AND SUGGESTIONS 25-26
7. CONCLUSION 27-28
8. BIBLIOGRAPHY 29-30
9. APPENDIX 30-31

LIST OF TABLES & DIAGRAMS
FIGURE 1 17
FIGURE 2 18
FIGURE 3 18-19
FIGURE 4 19
FIGURE 5 20
FIGURE 6 20-21
FIGURE 7 21-22
FIGURE 8 22
FIGURE 9 23
FIGURE 10 23-24

Executive Summary
Fashion is a popular style of clothes, hair, manners, habits, etc. at a particular time or
place. Clothes mark out a man's status. The craze for fashion is great among young people all
over the world.Fashion has spread in all the spheres of our life. Fashion parades and shows
are held to exhibit the latest dresses. Dresses are designed to fit in every occasion of life.
Students generally try to copy fashions from films and they spend a lot of money and time on
fashion. Parties and meetings have become a part of fashion in the modern period. However,
fashion instills confidence in the mind of the youngster. Fashion should be promoted to
enrich our life, not degrade it.
Young people all over the world are becoming more and more fashion conscious. They try
to look smart and beautiful by wearing dresses of the latest designs. Young girls clothe and
groom themselves following their favorite heroines. Boys do the same following their
favorite heroes. Some of them imitate the way of life, speech, manners and actions of the film
stars. They spend a lot of money on their, dresses, footwear, cosmetics etc. They spend a lot
of time on their make up. They neglect their studies. Fashion causes a rwakening among the
youngster. One becomes conscious of one's being. Fashion also relieves the monotony of a
mechanical routine to some extent. It presents a contrast to the uniform dress worn by school
children and other people. Fashion also reflects progress and growth of civilization. it is a
mark of social progress, prosperity and change for novelty and thrill. But fashion becomes
harmful when turned into obsession. Then it means waste of time, energy and money.
There is nothing to be ashamed of being fashionable. But excess of everything is bad and
should be avoided. To live in style, dress well colourfully and smartly makes life lively,
attractive, inviting and zestful. It is misconceived to link fashion with immorality. It is good
to be fashionable but it is better to be simple and dignified. The maxim 'simple living and
high thanking' holds true till today. We should not follow the western culture, habits and
manners blindly. Our own culture is so rich and unique that we can depend upon it. Fashion
should be promoted to enrich our life. not to degrade it.

Fashion is a general term for a popular style or practice, especially in clothing, footwear,
accessories, makeup, body piercing or furniture. Fashion refers to a distinctive and often
habitual trend in the style with which a person dresses, as well as to prevailing styles in
behaviour. Fashion also refers to the newest creations of textile designers. [1]
The more
technical term, costume, has become so linked to the term "fashion" that the use of the
former has been relegated to special senses like fancy dress or masquerade wear, while
"fashion" means clothing more generally and the study of it. Although aspects of fashion can
be feminine or masculine, some trends are androgynous.
Fashions and clothing are constantly changing and may differ from country to country,
depending on various factors including age, geography, and climate. Man has changed
himself from the primitive style of living. Science has gifted mankind with all the comforts of
life. Similarly, there has been a change in fashion since the ancient period. Clothes mark out
a man's status. He always tries to present himself in the most attractive dress appropriate
for an occasion. The craze for fashion is great among young people. Basically man is
fashionable because of his inherent desire to see good and to look good. People from all
over the world are fashion conscious. Fashion has spread in all the spheres of our life.
Fashion does not only mean a popular style of clothes hair etc. but it also includes
etiquettes, manners and habits. Everybody wants to look beautiful and stylish. New and
current style in clothes, manners etc. help people look more smart, attractive, stylish and
presentable. Some people feel happy wearing fashionable dresses. Others go in for
fashionable hair styles or both. Some others adopt the latest trend in their speech and
manner. Hence, people never like to be out of fashion.
Fashion designing today is lucrative profession. Thousands of people are employed in
this field. Dress making firms engage fashion designers and beautiful models to boost the
sales of their dresses. Fashion parades and shows are held to exhibit the latest dresses.
Fashion and modeling have generated a great enthusiasm among young people for physical
fitness. Fashion is unpredictable and keeps on changing according to the moods, fancies and
ideas of the people. Films and cable T.V. influence fashion. Fashion is also influenced by
glossy, colorful and eye catching textile advertisements, fashion shows, and by articles in the
fashion magazines etc.
How has west influenced the Indian culture? 15th August 1947, the golden day in Indian
History, the day when the British rule in India met its end. It was the day when India was
declared free from the foreign rule. The English people have left but they left the seeds of
their culture in our land, which have eventually grown and overshadowed the Indian
culture, especially in the metros. The Indian culture is so much influenced by the west that
they have forgotten the values, the principles and the ethics of our own culture. The people
are now loosing their morals, they have forgotten to respect their elders, we have forgotten
how to live in a society. The people are becoming more and more self centred, they only
take care of themselves and do no even think about others. The night club culture has
slowly developed.

Fashion trends also get influenced from Bollywood as well as Hollywood. Metros like
Mumbai and Delhi witness the quick changes in fashion especially in college going
crowds.India has a rich and varied textile heritage, where each region of India has its own
unique native costume and traditional attire. While traditional clothes are still worn in most
of rural India, urban India is changing rapidly, with international fashion trends reflected by
the young and glamorous, in the cosmopolitan metros of India. Fashion in India is a vibrant
scene, a nascent industry and a colourful and glamorous world where designers and models
start new trends every day. In India, fashion has become a growing industry with
international events such as the India Fashion Week and annual shows by fashion designers
in the major cities of India. The young and the young at heart wear Jeans, T-shirts, capris,
Bermudas and various kinds of casual clothing, which are the trendsetters of fashion in
India.
Comparing the past and the present, fashion for people in India has changed over the
decades. Not only India, but also the whole world has witnessed changes in fashion
statements for both men and women.

A. STATE THE PROBLEM
“THE ATTITUDE OF YOUTH ON FASHION”.
B. MAIN OBJECTIVE
 To find out the influence of western culture among youth in India.
C. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE
1. To find out whether new generation prefer traditional wear or western wear.
2. To know the attitude of youth in wearing western wear can change their status in
the society.
D.SAMPLING METHOD
Random Sampling was used to conduct the survey. A sample selected from a
population in such a way that every member of the population has an equal chance of
being selected and selection of any individual does not influence the selection of any
other.
E. POPULATION
We collected the data in our class which has total strength of 60.
F. SAMPLE SIZE
From 60 people, we selected 10 randomly for getting the reliable information.
G.METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION
Questionnaire is used to collect the data. Only after pre-testing and final correction,
the questionnaire was printed and applied for data collection.

H. LIMITATION
The respondents took time to return the questionnaire.
Some respondent are forgetful or not thinking within the full context of the
situation.
Some people read differently into each question and therefore reply based
on their own interpretation of the question.

Clothing in India varies from region to region depending on the ethnicity, geography,
climate and cultural traditions of the people of that region. Historically, men and women's
clothing has evolved from simple Langotas and loincloths to cover the body to elaborate
costumes not only used in daily wear but also on festive occasions as well as rituals and
dance performances. In urban areas, western clothing is common and uniformly worn by
people of all strata. India also has a great diversity in terms of weaves, fibres, colours and
material of clothing. More people are travelling abroad much more frequently and
becoming exposed to Western fashion. How there is head and tail for a coin, there is both
positive and negative impact of western culture on India and especially on Indian youth. In
India men were our traditional dresses, but now it is entirely changed, now the Indian youth
moving with jeans, t-shirts, minis, micros, etc., here we can proud of that western culture, it
bringing us with the fast moving world. Western clothing is often thought to be more
modern than Eastern clothing. Its introduction to the East is relatively recent compared to
the advent of local fashions that are sometimes hundreds (or thousands) of years old. What
is today known as "Western civilization" is much newer than ancient civilizations like China
and India. In some communities, Western clothing is used for everyday wear and business,
while local clothing is reserved for special occasions (religious holidays, weddings, etc),
reinforcing perceptions of Western = modern and Eastern = traditional.
Now a days , people wear fashionable clothes to show his personality and his reputation.
In past, clothes are just worn to cover body and there was no fashion. Rich and poor people
wear same cotton clothes and there was no difference seen in their identity and look alike.
Slowly the trend change, the rich people started to wore gold accessories and started to use
pure silk in their clothes to show difference. The trend change further and fitted clothes
were started and then fashionable clothes were started. There are many positive point of
wearing fashionable clothes but it share some negative points also. The positive things
about fashionable cloth are that it shows people's reputation, personality and progressive
nature and negative side, sometimes these clothes shows wrong identity of people that it
helps to make other people fool or cheat. Firstly the fashion clothes shows that he is a rich
person for example, if the person wear Armani suit than people will think he must be having
big house, fleets of car, farm houses in exotic location, enjoying holiday in Europe
and enjoying his life. Secondly the clothes shows the personality for example In offices
bosses order employees to wear smart clothes that suits your personality and appoint those
people who wear smart clothes and look good. The girls also prefer guys with handsome
looks and fashionable clothes. Thirdly the clothes shows progressive nature for examples
some employees start dressing same like their seniors it shows that they want to reach to
their seniors post and even progress further .
Every person nurtures an innate desire of looking good and feel ‘accepted’ in the socio-
economic circle. The word fashion instantaneously brings to mind a flash of colour with a
dash of glamour. Women are taking to fashion in a big way, and are experimenting with
different looks, styles, and textures.
Fashion plays an increasingly important role in an individual’s life because it is considered
as a means of self-expression. The garments and accessories that man or women wear, help
them to identify with a group of others-whether it is a lifestyle, profession, a religion, or an

attitude. Thus, the term ‘fashion’ has become synonymous with the overall growth of the
country as well. Several factors contribute to the evolution of fashion as a whole. It is a
widely accepted fact that the rich and the famous, and the political figures and royalty have
always moved the seasonal trends of fashion. The advertising media also contributes equally
to update us about the daily style checks.
Fashion in India, a land rich in culture and tradition, has evolved through the centuries.
This country, rich in culture represents a kaleidoscope of changing trends and traditions.
Here, clothes perform different functions depending on the occasion. Be it festivals, parties,
profession, or just a matter of reflecting attitude … fashion is simply ‘in’. Right from women
who sport a dash of vermilion in the parting of their hair, to professionals on the go who
wield the ladle and the laptop with equal ease, fashion forms an integral part of their lives.
Today, fashion does not necessarily mean glamour, or the urge to follow the current trends.
It is more a way of life, a reflection of inner beauty, where the intellect shines through,
complete with comfort quotient.
Fashion not only highlights the social history and the needs of person but also the overall
cultural aesthetic of the various periods. The evolution of fashion dates back to several
hundred years and as our attitude and culture change, fashion comes along with it. In India,
the fashion scenario was different in different political periods. During the British rule in
India, the fashion trend within high society was strongly influenced by the British fashion
style and western clothes became a status symbol in India. Again during 1930s, emergence
of different ideologies like communism, socialism and fascism imparted a more feminine
and conservative touch to the women’s fashion. However, the period also witnessed the
predominance of body hugging dresses with dark shades. The foundation of the Indian
cinema also proved to be the strongest influence on revolutionising the fashion scene in
those days. 1940s was a decade marked by the second World War and the ensuing
independence of India. Hence, the period portrayed relatively simple yet functional
women’s clothing. During 1950s, the advent of art colleges and schools led to popularity of
narrow waist and balloon skirts with bouncing patterns. Also, the adoption of khadi by
Mahatma Gandhi made khadi garments a rage among women. In the 1960s, the sweeping
changes in fashion and lifestyle resulted in highly versatile fashion trends. In 1970s, the
traditional materials were exported in bulk to other nations. Thus, excess of export
materials were sold within the country itself, which resulted in popularity of international
fashion in India.

DATA ANALYSIS AND
INTERPRETATIONS

In the previous ten years or so, the fashion industry in India has seen a tremendous
change which brought many radical improvements. Some people are concerned about the
escalating effect of fashion in youth which is perceived as detrimental, while others feel that
the recent changes will act as a catalyst towards modernisation. Whether the arguments
against the fashion industry are tenable or not remains to be seen.
By interpreting the results given above, we can attempt to make honest conclusions
about this widely discussed problem. From what we can see above, the dastardly effects of
westernised clothing and the egregious way it has shackled our youth can be clearly seen.
Fig:1. Do you prefer jeans to salwar?
Frequency Percentage
Those who supported 5 50%
Those who opposed 5 50%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Yes No
Column3
Column1
Column2

Fig:2. Do you find low waist jeans more comfortable than normal jeans?
Those who supported 4 40
Those who opposed 6 60
Fig: 3. Do you think that a shawl is a necessity?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Yes No
Series 1
Column2
Column1
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Yes No
Column1
Column2
Series 1

INFERENCE: While the results of the above fig: 1,2 and 3 show that a significant proportion
of youth prefers modernised ways of clothing, the result of fig: 2 shows that there are still
people who consider comfort prior to fashion.
Fig: 4. Are you of the opinion that a person’s modesty is defined through his or her clothing?
INFERENCE: From the above graph, modesty often takes a front seat in case of dressing
styles.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Yes No
Column3
Column2
Column1

Fig: 5. Do you believe that people who dress traditionally are narrow minded?
INFERENCE: As seen above, inspite of the increasingly large number of youth in favour of
western wear, they don’t endorse prejudices against those who dress traditionally.
Fig: 6. Do you believe that personal comfort is more important than the decency in clothing?
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Yes No
Column3
Column2
Column1

INFERENCE: As showcased in the results of the above figure, our country has reached an
abysmal condition where the traditional roots have enfeebled for the sake of personal
comfort.
Fig: 7. Are you of the opinion that a person’s character is reflected through his or her
clothing?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
yes no
Series 1
Series 2
Series 3
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Yes No
Series 1
Column2
Column1

INFERENCE: The regularity expressed in modern clothing undermines the virtue of
possessing a good character. As of the above result, equal numbers of people agree and
disagree to the question.
Fig: 8. Do you prefer blending fashion with uniforms in educational institutions?
INFERENCE: Another disturbing attitude of youngsters is their repeated attempts to blend
fashion with uniforms, as can be seen from the above graph.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Yes No
Column1
Column2
Series 1

Fig: 9. Do you think that there is indecency in the dressing of today’s youth?
INFERENCE: From the above graph, it is clear that in the modern era; being fashionable is a
euphemism for being indecent.
Fig: 10. Do your parents prefer you to dress in traditional wear to western wear?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Yes No
Column3
Column2
Column1

INFERENCE: Moreover, the refusal of youngsters to wear traditional clothes despite of their
parents’ request is another example of how westernised clothing have blinded and
debilitated our deep rooted cultural values.
From all the above graphs and its interpretations, we can conclude that the over
indulgence of today’s youth in fashion has deteriorated their minds and has suppressed
their moral values.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Yes No
Column1
Column2
Column3

FINDINGS
From the survey, we could able to find out:
 Majority of the population agree that low waist jeans do not give comfort than
normal and also shawl is not necessity for girls. A significant proportion of youth
prefers modernised ways of clothing and still there are people who consider comfort
prior to fashion.
 70% of the population support that a person’s modesty is defined through his/her
clothing because modesty often takes a front seat in case of dressing styles.
 The entire respondents agree that the people who dress traditionally are not narrow
minded because the increasingly large number of youth in favour of western wear ,
they don’t endorse prejudices against those who dress traditionally.
 Majority of the population agree that a person’s character is reflected through his/
her clothing. The vulgarity expressed in modern clothing undermines the virtue of
possessing a good character.
 The refusal of youngsters to wear traditional clothes despite of their parents’
request is another of how westernised clothing have blinded and debilitated our
deep rooted cultural values.
SUGGESTION
 In small villages, holy sites and any destination that sees even moderate tourism,
dress conservatively.
 Always aware of the women security.
 Keep in mind about the Indian culture in clothing.

“Culture” and “Tradition” are more significant in a country like India which has
always been cherishing its rich culture and heritage and it’s quite well known for it
worldwide. Why? India is known by her people. We, the younger generation are the
representatives of India in a true sense of the word. Even in history, we come across various
incidents where the youth took the lead to bring about a change and get India
independence from the British rule. We, the Indian youth have always been the power and
pride of India. We are the sole cherishers of India’s pride and its heritage which actually lies
in its culture, its diversity. In such a scenario, where the point of a rich cultured country like
India is facing the problem of losing its culture, are we, the youth; the Indian youth not
ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS? Are we not putting our own self image, our self respect,
our mother India’s pride at stake by doing so? There is no problem as such when we follow
the western culture to some extent. The problem is we are forgetting our culture to a
greater extent. Why should we do so? 21st
century youth doesn’t mean forgetting the
motherland and following or in short adopting western lifestyle in totality. Every culture has
its own pros and cons. We individuals should be strong enough to take the good and throw
off the bad. But what are we doing now? It’s a shame to see that “India’s pride”; “We Indian
Youth” doesn’t have even a bit of importance for India’s pride and heritage, its culture; and
we are easily influenced by western culture. Right from our clothing, till the music, the films,
our attitude, our lifestyle, in short every aspect of our life has totally changed. “Change
doesn’t happen on its own; it’s we who bring about the change.” But by this change, our
mother India has lost its sheen and beauty; its place; its uniqueness in the world.

 www.wikipedia.com
 www.studymode.com
 Nair, Chandrasekharan et al. Quantitative Techniques For Business Research. Trivandrum:
Chand Book, 2010.
 R, Potti. L. Quantitative Techniques For Business Research. Trivandrum: Yamuna, 2010.
 www.dmi-india.com

QUESTIONNAIRE
Name: ..................................
Age: ......
Sex: ........
1. Do you prefer jeans to salwar?
Yes No
2. Do you find low waist jeans more comfortable than normal jeans?
Yes No
3. Do you think that a shawl is a necessity?
Yes No
4. Are you of the opinion that a person’s modesty is defined through his / her clothing?
Yes No
5. Do you believe that people who dress traditionally are narrow minded?
Yes No
6. Do you believe that personal comfort is more important than the decency in
clothing?
Yes No
7. Are you of the opinion that a person’s character is reflected through his / her
clothing?
Yes No
8. Do you prefer blending fashion with uniforms in educational institutions?
Yes No
9. Do you think that there is indecency in the dressing of today’s youth?
Yes No
10. Do your parents prefer you to dress in traditional wear to western wear?
Yes No

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