NCERT Textbook: Our Apparel | Home Science for Class 11 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

 Page 1


171
9
Our Apparel
Learning Objectives 
After completing this chapter the learner is able to —
• discuss the clothing functions and the factors influencing 
selection of clothes. 
• identify general clothing needs of the children.
• recognise the characteristic features and clothing 
requirements of children from different age groups.
• discuss the clothing needs of children with special needs.
	 When 	 you	meet 	people	for	the	??rst 	time	 what	impacts	 you	the	 most? 	 Their 	clothing,	
or	face	or 	 their 	personality	or	all	of	these? 	 Our	posture,	 walk,	smile 	or	 frown	 and 	
other	forms	of	body 	language	contribute	 to	the 	impression	we	 create.	 Actually	of 	
all	these 	 aspects	clothing 	creates	the	??rst 	impression.	 W e 	recognise	that	 good 	
appearance 	 is 	 important.	In	order 	to	appreciate	the 	true	importance	 of	 dress	or 	
clothing	we 	need	to	 discover 	how 	we	feel	about 	the	 clothes	we 	wear .
9.1 Clothing Functions and the 
Selection of Clothes 
Look at the clothes you are wearing today and think about why you are 
wearing them. May be it was the weather that determined what you chose 
or the kind of activity in the school that you were to perform or may be the 
function you were to attend with your family or friends, or for no particular 
reason. 
We all wear clothing and we wear different types of clothing. Let us  
begin to understand why we select the clothing we wear. At the same 
unit_3_as_26_7_09_cyan-Final.indd   171 2/9/2023   12:09:46
2024-25
Page 2


171
9
Our Apparel
Learning Objectives 
After completing this chapter the learner is able to —
• discuss the clothing functions and the factors influencing 
selection of clothes. 
• identify general clothing needs of the children.
• recognise the characteristic features and clothing 
requirements of children from different age groups.
• discuss the clothing needs of children with special needs.
	 When 	 you	meet 	people	for	the	??rst 	time	 what	impacts	 you	the	 most? 	 Their 	clothing,	
or	face	or 	 their 	personality	or	all	of	these? 	 Our	posture,	 walk,	smile 	or	 frown	 and 	
other	forms	of	body 	language	contribute	 to	the 	impression	we	 create.	 Actually	of 	
all	these 	 aspects	clothing 	creates	the	??rst 	impression.	 W e 	recognise	that	 good 	
appearance 	 is 	 important.	In	order 	to	appreciate	the 	true	importance	 of	 dress	or 	
clothing	we 	need	to	 discover 	how 	we	feel	about 	the	 clothes	we 	wear .
9.1 Clothing Functions and the 
Selection of Clothes 
Look at the clothes you are wearing today and think about why you are 
wearing them. May be it was the weather that determined what you chose 
or the kind of activity in the school that you were to perform or may be the 
function you were to attend with your family or friends, or for no particular 
reason. 
We all wear clothing and we wear different types of clothing. Let us  
begin to understand why we select the clothing we wear. At the same 
unit_3_as_26_7_09_cyan-Final.indd   171 2/9/2023   12:09:46
2024-25
Human Ecology and Family Sciences
172
time let us gain some insight into other people’s reasons for their clothing 
choices.
Modesty
Probably the most obvious reason for wearing clothes is simply that in 
our society, people do not go around without them; we wear clothing for 
modesty. You probably know that young children do not feel embarrassed 
going about without any clothing. The need to have their bodies covered is 
something that they are taught.
Ideas about modesty are shaped by the society in which we live. What 
is considered modest in one society might not be considered as modest 
in another. For example in some communities women not covering heads 
may be considered as a sign of immodesty, whereas, in other communities 
women not covering their legs is thought to be immodest.  
Protection 
We wear clothing to protect ourselves from the environment – from harsh 
weather conditions, dirt and pollution. We change our clothing according 
to the different seasons. In hot summer months we wear light weight 
cotton clothes and may even cover our heads to protect ourselves from the 
scorching sun, whereas in winter months we cover ourselves in layers of 
woollen clothing for protection.
Clothing can also protect us from physical harm. Fire fighters wear 
special clothing for protection from fire, smoke and water. Many sports 
activities such as football, hockey and cricket require clothing that is 
specially designed to protect the players from injury. You must have 
noticed the arm guards, leg guards, wrist bands that these players wear 
along with their normal dress for special protection.
Can	 you	 identi fy 	 the	 clothing	 that	 is	 needed 	 in	 the	 rainy 	 season? 	 What	 type	 of	 fabrics,	
garments 	 and 	 accessories	 are	 needed 	 in	 that	 weather?	 Make	 a	 list	 and	 discuss	 with	
your	friends.
Activity 1
Status and prestige 
Clothes can also be a sign of status. It used to be true that you could identify 
people’s social and economic status by their clothing. You may have seen 
in certain historical films that the king’s and courtesan’s clothing are quite 
different from the common people’s clothing.  Everybody’s sense of identity 
unit_3_as_26_7_09_cyan-Final.indd   172 2/9/2023   12:09:46
2024-25
Page 3


171
9
Our Apparel
Learning Objectives 
After completing this chapter the learner is able to —
• discuss the clothing functions and the factors influencing 
selection of clothes. 
• identify general clothing needs of the children.
• recognise the characteristic features and clothing 
requirements of children from different age groups.
• discuss the clothing needs of children with special needs.
	 When 	 you	meet 	people	for	the	??rst 	time	 what	impacts	 you	the	 most? 	 Their 	clothing,	
or	face	or 	 their 	personality	or	all	of	these? 	 Our	posture,	 walk,	smile 	or	 frown	 and 	
other	forms	of	body 	language	contribute	 to	the 	impression	we	 create.	 Actually	of 	
all	these 	 aspects	clothing 	creates	the	??rst 	impression.	 W e 	recognise	that	 good 	
appearance 	 is 	 important.	In	order 	to	appreciate	the 	true	importance	 of	 dress	or 	
clothing	we 	need	to	 discover 	how 	we	feel	about 	the	 clothes	we 	wear .
9.1 Clothing Functions and the 
Selection of Clothes 
Look at the clothes you are wearing today and think about why you are 
wearing them. May be it was the weather that determined what you chose 
or the kind of activity in the school that you were to perform or may be the 
function you were to attend with your family or friends, or for no particular 
reason. 
We all wear clothing and we wear different types of clothing. Let us  
begin to understand why we select the clothing we wear. At the same 
unit_3_as_26_7_09_cyan-Final.indd   171 2/9/2023   12:09:46
2024-25
Human Ecology and Family Sciences
172
time let us gain some insight into other people’s reasons for their clothing 
choices.
Modesty
Probably the most obvious reason for wearing clothes is simply that in 
our society, people do not go around without them; we wear clothing for 
modesty. You probably know that young children do not feel embarrassed 
going about without any clothing. The need to have their bodies covered is 
something that they are taught.
Ideas about modesty are shaped by the society in which we live. What 
is considered modest in one society might not be considered as modest 
in another. For example in some communities women not covering heads 
may be considered as a sign of immodesty, whereas, in other communities 
women not covering their legs is thought to be immodest.  
Protection 
We wear clothing to protect ourselves from the environment – from harsh 
weather conditions, dirt and pollution. We change our clothing according 
to the different seasons. In hot summer months we wear light weight 
cotton clothes and may even cover our heads to protect ourselves from the 
scorching sun, whereas in winter months we cover ourselves in layers of 
woollen clothing for protection.
Clothing can also protect us from physical harm. Fire fighters wear 
special clothing for protection from fire, smoke and water. Many sports 
activities such as football, hockey and cricket require clothing that is 
specially designed to protect the players from injury. You must have 
noticed the arm guards, leg guards, wrist bands that these players wear 
along with their normal dress for special protection.
Can	 you	 identi fy 	 the	 clothing	 that	 is	 needed 	 in	 the	 rainy 	 season? 	 What	 type	 of	 fabrics,	
garments 	 and 	 accessories	 are	 needed 	 in	 that	 weather?	 Make	 a	 list	 and	 discuss	 with	
your	friends.
Activity 1
Status and prestige 
Clothes can also be a sign of status. It used to be true that you could identify 
people’s social and economic status by their clothing. You may have seen 
in certain historical films that the king’s and courtesan’s clothing are quite 
different from the common people’s clothing.  Everybody’s sense of identity 
unit_3_as_26_7_09_cyan-Final.indd   172 2/9/2023   12:09:46
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173
Our Apparel
includes a feeling of social status or prestige, and the manner of dress 
is one way by which this can be accomplished. In India on festivals and 
important family events people wear clothes that may reflect their social 
status. 
However, as more and more stylish clothing become available at 
reasonable prices, today many more young people can afford to buy them.  
Thus, as similar kinds of clothing (T-shirt, jeans, salwar-kurta) become 
available for all ages and economic levels, these also serve as social class 
levellers, a step towards social equity in a democratic society. 
Adornment
What about wearing clothes just because you want to look attractive? Yes, 
we wear good clothes to enhance our appearance.  The need to decorate 
and adorn the body seems to be one of the more universal drives of 
men and women and can be found to some degree in all societies. Ear 
piercing, nail polishing, tattooing, hair braiding and knotting are forms of 
body decoration still used. The desirability of each type of adornment is 
determined by the society.  
 There is a vast range of fabrics available in the market, a large  
number of which are used for clothing and apparel. In an earlier chapter 
(Chapter 7) you learnt about these fabrics in terms of their fibre content, 
yarn and fabric types and the finishes applied during production. Thus, 
you can relate the fabric characteristics with their suitability for diverse 
usages and care requirements. Selection of the type of clothing and apparel 
not only takes into consideration the fabric characteristics but also the 
right style of garment and its accessory details. Having earlier discussed 
the reasons for wearing clothes, let us look at the clothing needs and 
selection of clothing for different age groups.
9.2 Factors Affecting Selection of 
Clothing in India  
Assessment of clothing needs and the final decision in the selection is 
dependent on the geographical features, climate and seasonal features of 
the area where they have to be used. It is also affected by easy availability, 
cultural influences and even more strongly the family traditions. In general, 
the factors that affect selection of clothing can be summarised as follows–
Age
Age is an important factor to be considered at all stages of life. It becomes 
more important while selecting clothes and apparel for children, since it is 
unit_3_as_26_7_09_cyan-Final.indd   173 2/9/2023   12:09:46
2024-25
Page 4


171
9
Our Apparel
Learning Objectives 
After completing this chapter the learner is able to —
• discuss the clothing functions and the factors influencing 
selection of clothes. 
• identify general clothing needs of the children.
• recognise the characteristic features and clothing 
requirements of children from different age groups.
• discuss the clothing needs of children with special needs.
	 When 	 you	meet 	people	for	the	??rst 	time	 what	impacts	 you	the	 most? 	 Their 	clothing,	
or	face	or 	 their 	personality	or	all	of	these? 	 Our	posture,	 walk,	smile 	or	 frown	 and 	
other	forms	of	body 	language	contribute	 to	the 	impression	we	 create.	 Actually	of 	
all	these 	 aspects	clothing 	creates	the	??rst 	impression.	 W e 	recognise	that	 good 	
appearance 	 is 	 important.	In	order 	to	appreciate	the 	true	importance	 of	 dress	or 	
clothing	we 	need	to	 discover 	how 	we	feel	about 	the	 clothes	we 	wear .
9.1 Clothing Functions and the 
Selection of Clothes 
Look at the clothes you are wearing today and think about why you are 
wearing them. May be it was the weather that determined what you chose 
or the kind of activity in the school that you were to perform or may be the 
function you were to attend with your family or friends, or for no particular 
reason. 
We all wear clothing and we wear different types of clothing. Let us  
begin to understand why we select the clothing we wear. At the same 
unit_3_as_26_7_09_cyan-Final.indd   171 2/9/2023   12:09:46
2024-25
Human Ecology and Family Sciences
172
time let us gain some insight into other people’s reasons for their clothing 
choices.
Modesty
Probably the most obvious reason for wearing clothes is simply that in 
our society, people do not go around without them; we wear clothing for 
modesty. You probably know that young children do not feel embarrassed 
going about without any clothing. The need to have their bodies covered is 
something that they are taught.
Ideas about modesty are shaped by the society in which we live. What 
is considered modest in one society might not be considered as modest 
in another. For example in some communities women not covering heads 
may be considered as a sign of immodesty, whereas, in other communities 
women not covering their legs is thought to be immodest.  
Protection 
We wear clothing to protect ourselves from the environment – from harsh 
weather conditions, dirt and pollution. We change our clothing according 
to the different seasons. In hot summer months we wear light weight 
cotton clothes and may even cover our heads to protect ourselves from the 
scorching sun, whereas in winter months we cover ourselves in layers of 
woollen clothing for protection.
Clothing can also protect us from physical harm. Fire fighters wear 
special clothing for protection from fire, smoke and water. Many sports 
activities such as football, hockey and cricket require clothing that is 
specially designed to protect the players from injury. You must have 
noticed the arm guards, leg guards, wrist bands that these players wear 
along with their normal dress for special protection.
Can	 you	 identi fy 	 the	 clothing	 that	 is	 needed 	 in	 the	 rainy 	 season? 	 What	 type	 of	 fabrics,	
garments 	 and 	 accessories	 are	 needed 	 in	 that	 weather?	 Make	 a	 list	 and	 discuss	 with	
your	friends.
Activity 1
Status and prestige 
Clothes can also be a sign of status. It used to be true that you could identify 
people’s social and economic status by their clothing. You may have seen 
in certain historical films that the king’s and courtesan’s clothing are quite 
different from the common people’s clothing.  Everybody’s sense of identity 
unit_3_as_26_7_09_cyan-Final.indd   172 2/9/2023   12:09:46
2024-25
173
Our Apparel
includes a feeling of social status or prestige, and the manner of dress 
is one way by which this can be accomplished. In India on festivals and 
important family events people wear clothes that may reflect their social 
status. 
However, as more and more stylish clothing become available at 
reasonable prices, today many more young people can afford to buy them.  
Thus, as similar kinds of clothing (T-shirt, jeans, salwar-kurta) become 
available for all ages and economic levels, these also serve as social class 
levellers, a step towards social equity in a democratic society. 
Adornment
What about wearing clothes just because you want to look attractive? Yes, 
we wear good clothes to enhance our appearance.  The need to decorate 
and adorn the body seems to be one of the more universal drives of 
men and women and can be found to some degree in all societies. Ear 
piercing, nail polishing, tattooing, hair braiding and knotting are forms of 
body decoration still used. The desirability of each type of adornment is 
determined by the society.  
 There is a vast range of fabrics available in the market, a large  
number of which are used for clothing and apparel. In an earlier chapter 
(Chapter 7) you learnt about these fabrics in terms of their fibre content, 
yarn and fabric types and the finishes applied during production. Thus, 
you can relate the fabric characteristics with their suitability for diverse 
usages and care requirements. Selection of the type of clothing and apparel 
not only takes into consideration the fabric characteristics but also the 
right style of garment and its accessory details. Having earlier discussed 
the reasons for wearing clothes, let us look at the clothing needs and 
selection of clothing for different age groups.
9.2 Factors Affecting Selection of 
Clothing in India  
Assessment of clothing needs and the final decision in the selection is 
dependent on the geographical features, climate and seasonal features of 
the area where they have to be used. It is also affected by easy availability, 
cultural influences and even more strongly the family traditions. In general, 
the factors that affect selection of clothing can be summarised as follows–
Age
Age is an important factor to be considered at all stages of life. It becomes 
more important while selecting clothes and apparel for children, since it is 
unit_3_as_26_7_09_cyan-Final.indd   173 2/9/2023   12:09:46
2024-25
Human Ecology and Family Sciences
174
parents or elders of the family who are taking the decision regarding their 
clothes. It is important to remember that children, specially infants and 
toddlers, are not dolls to be dressed up and decorated for the satisfaction 
of adults. Their physical growth, motor development, association with 
people and things around them and activities they indulge in, all have to 
be taken into consideration from the point of view of comfort and safety.
As children grow, their association and interaction with people outside 
their immediate family increases. They become aware of clothes that other 
people wear and how others view their clothes. Conformity to peers begins 
to become important in middle childhood and increases in importance with 
age.  Clothes and apparel play an important role in helping the growing child 
feel a sense of belonging and acceptance. As children grow, their clothing 
changes and clothing for girls and boys becomes different. Approaching 
adolescence, the rapid physical growth brings about even further gender 
differentiation in clothing. The adolescents also start recognising cultural 
and societal norms as well as contemporary trends which influence their 
selection of clothes. They are often convinced that their popularity and 
relationships in a group are dependent on appearance, which in turn is 
due to the “right clothes.”
Climate and season
In the previous section you read that protection from environment 
and weather is one of the main reasons for wearing clothes. Hence the 
selection of clothing for children has to be suited to the climate. Clothing 
requirements for cold climate or season would be very different from warm 
or temperate climate and even for areas with heavy rains or high humidity. 
When some types of clothes and fabrics are suitable only for 3–4 months in 
a year, their cost and quantity has to be considered carefully. This is more 
important for growing children because they would have outgrown them 
by the next season. 
Occasion 
Selection of clothes also depends a lot on the occasion and time of the 
day. There are also unwritten rules and traditions for clothing for each 
occasion. Most schools have dress uniforms and rules regarding not 
wearing accessories and ornaments. In schools, where it is not compulsory 
to wear a uniform, very formal, very dressy or very sporty clothes can 
cause disciplinary problems for children. They may become objects of 
ridicule by their peers or may be deterred from joining group activities 
whole heartedly.
Social get-togethers and parties are the occasions when children like 
to use ‘nice’ apparel to highlight their individuality. At family functions 
unit_3_as_26_7_09_cyan-Final.indd   174 2/9/2023   12:09:46
2024-25
Page 5


171
9
Our Apparel
Learning Objectives 
After completing this chapter the learner is able to —
• discuss the clothing functions and the factors influencing 
selection of clothes. 
• identify general clothing needs of the children.
• recognise the characteristic features and clothing 
requirements of children from different age groups.
• discuss the clothing needs of children with special needs.
	 When 	 you	meet 	people	for	the	??rst 	time	 what	impacts	 you	the	 most? 	 Their 	clothing,	
or	face	or 	 their 	personality	or	all	of	these? 	 Our	posture,	 walk,	smile 	or	 frown	 and 	
other	forms	of	body 	language	contribute	 to	the 	impression	we	 create.	 Actually	of 	
all	these 	 aspects	clothing 	creates	the	??rst 	impression.	 W e 	recognise	that	 good 	
appearance 	 is 	 important.	In	order 	to	appreciate	the 	true	importance	 of	 dress	or 	
clothing	we 	need	to	 discover 	how 	we	feel	about 	the	 clothes	we 	wear .
9.1 Clothing Functions and the 
Selection of Clothes 
Look at the clothes you are wearing today and think about why you are 
wearing them. May be it was the weather that determined what you chose 
or the kind of activity in the school that you were to perform or may be the 
function you were to attend with your family or friends, or for no particular 
reason. 
We all wear clothing and we wear different types of clothing. Let us  
begin to understand why we select the clothing we wear. At the same 
unit_3_as_26_7_09_cyan-Final.indd   171 2/9/2023   12:09:46
2024-25
Human Ecology and Family Sciences
172
time let us gain some insight into other people’s reasons for their clothing 
choices.
Modesty
Probably the most obvious reason for wearing clothes is simply that in 
our society, people do not go around without them; we wear clothing for 
modesty. You probably know that young children do not feel embarrassed 
going about without any clothing. The need to have their bodies covered is 
something that they are taught.
Ideas about modesty are shaped by the society in which we live. What 
is considered modest in one society might not be considered as modest 
in another. For example in some communities women not covering heads 
may be considered as a sign of immodesty, whereas, in other communities 
women not covering their legs is thought to be immodest.  
Protection 
We wear clothing to protect ourselves from the environment – from harsh 
weather conditions, dirt and pollution. We change our clothing according 
to the different seasons. In hot summer months we wear light weight 
cotton clothes and may even cover our heads to protect ourselves from the 
scorching sun, whereas in winter months we cover ourselves in layers of 
woollen clothing for protection.
Clothing can also protect us from physical harm. Fire fighters wear 
special clothing for protection from fire, smoke and water. Many sports 
activities such as football, hockey and cricket require clothing that is 
specially designed to protect the players from injury. You must have 
noticed the arm guards, leg guards, wrist bands that these players wear 
along with their normal dress for special protection.
Can	 you	 identi fy 	 the	 clothing	 that	 is	 needed 	 in	 the	 rainy 	 season? 	 What	 type	 of	 fabrics,	
garments 	 and 	 accessories	 are	 needed 	 in	 that	 weather?	 Make	 a	 list	 and	 discuss	 with	
your	friends.
Activity 1
Status and prestige 
Clothes can also be a sign of status. It used to be true that you could identify 
people’s social and economic status by their clothing. You may have seen 
in certain historical films that the king’s and courtesan’s clothing are quite 
different from the common people’s clothing.  Everybody’s sense of identity 
unit_3_as_26_7_09_cyan-Final.indd   172 2/9/2023   12:09:46
2024-25
173
Our Apparel
includes a feeling of social status or prestige, and the manner of dress 
is one way by which this can be accomplished. In India on festivals and 
important family events people wear clothes that may reflect their social 
status. 
However, as more and more stylish clothing become available at 
reasonable prices, today many more young people can afford to buy them.  
Thus, as similar kinds of clothing (T-shirt, jeans, salwar-kurta) become 
available for all ages and economic levels, these also serve as social class 
levellers, a step towards social equity in a democratic society. 
Adornment
What about wearing clothes just because you want to look attractive? Yes, 
we wear good clothes to enhance our appearance.  The need to decorate 
and adorn the body seems to be one of the more universal drives of 
men and women and can be found to some degree in all societies. Ear 
piercing, nail polishing, tattooing, hair braiding and knotting are forms of 
body decoration still used. The desirability of each type of adornment is 
determined by the society.  
 There is a vast range of fabrics available in the market, a large  
number of which are used for clothing and apparel. In an earlier chapter 
(Chapter 7) you learnt about these fabrics in terms of their fibre content, 
yarn and fabric types and the finishes applied during production. Thus, 
you can relate the fabric characteristics with their suitability for diverse 
usages and care requirements. Selection of the type of clothing and apparel 
not only takes into consideration the fabric characteristics but also the 
right style of garment and its accessory details. Having earlier discussed 
the reasons for wearing clothes, let us look at the clothing needs and 
selection of clothing for different age groups.
9.2 Factors Affecting Selection of 
Clothing in India  
Assessment of clothing needs and the final decision in the selection is 
dependent on the geographical features, climate and seasonal features of 
the area where they have to be used. It is also affected by easy availability, 
cultural influences and even more strongly the family traditions. In general, 
the factors that affect selection of clothing can be summarised as follows–
Age
Age is an important factor to be considered at all stages of life. It becomes 
more important while selecting clothes and apparel for children, since it is 
unit_3_as_26_7_09_cyan-Final.indd   173 2/9/2023   12:09:46
2024-25
Human Ecology and Family Sciences
174
parents or elders of the family who are taking the decision regarding their 
clothes. It is important to remember that children, specially infants and 
toddlers, are not dolls to be dressed up and decorated for the satisfaction 
of adults. Their physical growth, motor development, association with 
people and things around them and activities they indulge in, all have to 
be taken into consideration from the point of view of comfort and safety.
As children grow, their association and interaction with people outside 
their immediate family increases. They become aware of clothes that other 
people wear and how others view their clothes. Conformity to peers begins 
to become important in middle childhood and increases in importance with 
age.  Clothes and apparel play an important role in helping the growing child 
feel a sense of belonging and acceptance. As children grow, their clothing 
changes and clothing for girls and boys becomes different. Approaching 
adolescence, the rapid physical growth brings about even further gender 
differentiation in clothing. The adolescents also start recognising cultural 
and societal norms as well as contemporary trends which influence their 
selection of clothes. They are often convinced that their popularity and 
relationships in a group are dependent on appearance, which in turn is 
due to the “right clothes.”
Climate and season
In the previous section you read that protection from environment 
and weather is one of the main reasons for wearing clothes. Hence the 
selection of clothing for children has to be suited to the climate. Clothing 
requirements for cold climate or season would be very different from warm 
or temperate climate and even for areas with heavy rains or high humidity. 
When some types of clothes and fabrics are suitable only for 3–4 months in 
a year, their cost and quantity has to be considered carefully. This is more 
important for growing children because they would have outgrown them 
by the next season. 
Occasion 
Selection of clothes also depends a lot on the occasion and time of the 
day. There are also unwritten rules and traditions for clothing for each 
occasion. Most schools have dress uniforms and rules regarding not 
wearing accessories and ornaments. In schools, where it is not compulsory 
to wear a uniform, very formal, very dressy or very sporty clothes can 
cause disciplinary problems for children. They may become objects of 
ridicule by their peers or may be deterred from joining group activities 
whole heartedly.
Social get-togethers and parties are the occasions when children like 
to use ‘nice’ apparel to highlight their individuality. At family functions 
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Our Apparel
such as a wedding even children may have to follow the traditional norms 
and wear something suitable. In most communities, rites and ceremonies 
associated with the passage of life continue to follow traditional, some 
time modified, norms. The clothing selection is reflected not only in the 
style of dress, but also in the choice of fabric type and texture, colour and 
accessories. Concepts of clothing in terms of modesty and protection vary 
with occasion, activity and time of the day. Wearing the right thing at the 
right time is most important. 
Fashion
The term ‘fashion’ is identified with a style which has contemporary 
appeal for the masses. With children’s constant exposure to TV, even they 
become quite fashion conscious. Fashion may be inspired by important 
personalities, social or political leaders, film stars or even important 
national events. These can be reflected in apparel in terms of fabric types, 
colour and design of the material, shape or cut of the garment or simply the 
accessories (like scarves, bags, badges, belts, etc.) that go with it. Certain 
fashions that highly exaggerate some features of dress or may affect only 
part of the society, or a specific area are very short lived. These are known 
as ‘fads’. Children and adolescents are quite likely to be taken up by fads. 
Income
The amount of money available also affects the selection of clothing. This is 
reflected not only in the initial cost while purchasing it, but also in its use 
for varied purposes, durability, and care and maintenance requirements. 
The number of children in a family, their age gaps and gender may also 
affect the final choice. Families of high-income group often have greater 
variety in clothing, specially with reference to special occasions. In families 
with modest or low income, the clothes of older siblings are recycled and 
worn by younger ones to economise on the expenditure on clothes. 
One reason why schools prescribe a uniform dress for children is to de-
emphasise the socio-economic differences among students.
9.3 Understanding Children’s basic 
Clothing Needs  
As children grow, they like to identify with their peers and or adults 
whom they admire. One way of doing that is to dress like them. This is an 
emotional experience for them.  Children’s clothes must be suitable for 
their different activities, and must give them freedom to play, something 
that is so essential for their physical growth. The clothing needs of children, 
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