Clothing Fit Preferences and Dressing Behaviour of Undergraduate Students: The Case of Public Universities in Ghana

Abstract

The study investigated clothing fit preferences and dressing behaviour of undergraduate students, focusing on public universities in Ghana. The study employed descriptive cross sectional survey design. The accessible population was all undergraduate students in four premium public universities in Ghana who were 93,457 as at 2019/2020 academic year. This comprised of 57,105 (61.1%) males and 36,352 (38.9%) females. A sample size of 400, made up of 245 males and 155 females, was obtained. In relation to sampling procedure, the multi-stage sampling procedures were used. A questionnaire, with a reliability coefficient of .827, was the instrument used. Both descriptive and inferential statistical tools were used to analyse the data. The study revealed that gender has no effect on clothing fit preferences of undergraduate students, however, in relation to dressing behaviour, it has an effect. Also, aesthetic, economic, and functional/comfort factors contributed 79.7 percent to dressing behaviour of the students. The study concludes that clothing fit preferences are able to influence positively students' dressing behaviour. The study recommends that those who matter in the University or the powers that be must establish a form of a resocialisation programme to enlighten students on the desirable dressing behaviour on campus in order for them to adopt or adapt meaningful clothing fit preferences.