I bought it and I feel good! An examination of fit factors and self-evaluation related to confident clothing decisions and psychological well-being

Abstract

Clothing plays a crucial role in shaping a consumer's self-perception and identity, particularly through its fit, which influences how comfortable and confident one feels in one's appearance. Given the importance of fit, this study aims to examine how fit characteristics affect consumers' self-evaluations and how these evaluations influence confident clothing decisions and psychological well-being by applying the self-discrepancy theory. Data were gathered from a sample of 502 fashion consumers. The findings from the partial least squares structural equation modeling showed that self-discrepancy acts as a mediator between consumers' self-evaluation and their psychological responses. A multi-group analysis revealed the strong mediating role of self-discrepancy on the relationship between self-evaluation and body satisfaction for males. These findings have significant theoretical and practical implications for the fashion industry in the context of fit characteristics, offering valuable insights into consumer decision-making processes.