The study aimed to investigate the factors influencing genderless fashion preferences. The questionnaires were collected from men and women participants aged 20 to 49 living in Seoul City and Gyeonggi Province. Data analysis involved factor analysis, t-test, ANOVA, and regression analysis. The findings revealed that genderless fashion preference comprised four factors, namely individuality pursuit, deviation from norms, fashion pursuit, and social recognition pursuit. Self-esteem encompassed two factors positive self-esteem, and negative self-esteem. while sociocultural attitude toward appearance consisted internalization, and awareness. Second, positive self-esteem significantly influenced individuality pursuit and deviation from norms in genderless preference factors. Third, sociocultural attitude toward appearance had a significant effect on genderless fashion preference, with awareness particularly exerting a significant effect on individuality pursuit, fashion pursuit, and social recognition pursuit. Fourth, genderless fashion preferences exhibited differences based on gender role identity in factors such as individual pursuit, norm avoidance, and trend pursuit. Lastly, demographic characteristics such as age, education, occupation, and monthly income revealed significant differences in genderless fashion preferences. From the results of the study, it was found that consumers perceived individuality pursuit, fashion pursuit, and social recognition pursuit as important influencing factors of genderless fashion preferences. In addition, it is necessary to create an independent brand identity by developing various items to express consumers’ individuality, differentiated brand concepts from other brands, and store displays.
Genderless fashion is a trend that involves clothing and accessories designed for anyone, regardless of gender identity, and may blur traditional gender boundaries by incorporating elements associated with men's or women's clothing. The trend is driven by changing attitudes towards gender, increasing awareness and acceptance of gender fluidity and non-binary identities, and a desire for more inclusive ways of expressing gender through fashion. Empirical evidence on how genderless or gender-neutral marketing efforts affect consumer response is limited. Our experimental study contributes to this literature by analyzing the role of clothing gender labels and consumer gender on purchase intention of clothing.
This study aimed to contribute to the development of various female fashion designs by reviewing the genderless styles in androgynous trends that have loomed large in women's fashion, as well as through analyzing and organizing the changes in women's fashion that were required in a society in which various values coexist. A literature review was conducted to identify the genderless concepts, through which a total of 1,273 materials were selected from 10 brands of the S/S collections, during the period of 2006~2016. The results were as follows: first, without the juxtaposition of incongruous objects or images and a fixed type of color arrangements, the compromise shown in women's fashion were mostly expressed through various tones and diverse colors, and with the mixed use of heterogeneous patterns and materials. Second, the enjoyment of genderless styles was expressed with the unexpectedness that occur through symmetry/asymmetry and harmony/disharmony, as well as through the deviation from conventional notions regarding clothing structures. Third, the exaggeration expressed in women’s clothing collections perfectly covered up a woman’s body shape with the silhouette of exorbitantly expanded bulk and dimensions. These were done with extended lengths, expanded adornments, and modified clothing design types or structures. Fourth, the sensuality of genderless styles analyzed in women’s fashion was expressed with mannish clothing that accentuates the beauty of the female body. Lastly, the historicity shown in genderless styles was expressed through clothing that represented traditional styles of the past, the symbolic meanings expressed in the clothes’ colors and patterns, and the methods in which the decorative factors were utilized.