1-3. What Kind of Girdles Do Women Purchase?
Type, rather than brand, appears to be the most important factor women consider when they plan the purchase of a new girdle. In planning for the girdle purchase women apparently place far greater emphasis on the type of girdle they will buy rather than the brand of girdle they will buy. Indeed, many women enter the store with a long list of structural requirements which the girdle they will purchase must meet.
Individualized figure needs play the major role in the type of girdle that is selected. These needs appear to be focused along the following dimensions: panel placement, panty vs. long leg, waistline curve, crotch construction, weight and the stretchability of the fabric.
Aside from specific figure needs, the other major factors which play a role in the type of girdle selected are the time of the year and the occasion for which the new girdle is to be used. In the summer, for example, women are more apt to buy the lighter weight and looser fitting girdles. Additionally, women are more apt to buy "sport" girdles in the summer than they are in the winter. In general, however, the structural requirements do not vary with the season.
If a girdle is bought for a specific occasion, that occasion will usually dictate the type of girdle to be purchased. If it is a formal occasion, women are considerably more apt to "put up" with tight-fitting, uncomfortable girdles in order to look their best. If the girdle is to be an "everyday" girdle, comfort and durability assume a dominant role.
As indicated earlier, brand names do not play an overwhelmingly important role in girdle selection. Indeed, a sizeable minority (about one-third) of the women revealed that they did not know the brand names of the girdles they own. (It will be shown later that many of these women are the more "budget-minded" type and, as a result, tended to buy girdles during special sales when the manufacturer's name had been removed from the garment.)
In summary, women construct a list of requirements which a new girdle must meet. Brand names become important only after the initial requirements have been met. Additionally, women seek advice of other people in both formulating the requirements of a girdle and in deciding' which girdle best meets the requirements. The role other people play in the girdle purchase decision will be covered more thoroughly in the next section.
Continue to External Influences In Girdle Selection
Return to "What and Why of the Girdle Buy" Index
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Originally Posted April 20, 1997