Describe the types of clothing worn by men, women, children, and infants. At what ages do boys and girls begin to wear “adult” clothing? How much of the body needs to be covered? When? Are expectations different for women than for men? What articles are gender specific?
Is clothing distinctive to the ethnic group? If not, is there a time when traditional ethnic clothing is worn? Is it worn with pride?
What is considered “essential” to every person’s wardrobe and how much money would be spent on some of these “essentials”?
Is clothing ready-made? If not, who makes them? Are they hand-sewn or machine-sewn? What kind of material is used in clothing for every-day wear? for special occasions?
Do articles of clothing indicate rank, status, or marital condition?
Do people have many changes of clothes?
- Are different sets worn to work, on special occasions, for sleeping, for trips to town, etc.?
- Does the type of clothing change seasonally?
- What is considered appropriate or inappropriate dress for different occasions?
- How important is it to dress nicely?
What types of ornaments are worn on the clothes (buttons, clasps, fringes, coins, seeds, embroidery, etc.)?
How is clothing kept clean and how frequently is this done?