ABSTRACT
For most people, most of their skin is covered by clothing for most of their lives. Clothing provides a thermal resistance between the human body and its environment. A functional role of clothing is therefore to maintain the body in an acceptable thermal state, in a variety of environments. While there are many other functional roles of clothing, it should be remembered that ‘fashion’ is highly influential. People’s perception of how they appear to themselves and to others in clothing is of great importance. People at social events often pay little attention to thermal insulation and a large amount to appearance. Even where thermal insulation is required for thermal comfort and to avoid being too hot or too cold, fashion will play a major role in acceptance and whether people will wear a garment or clothing ensemble. Image is also important and should complement and be an integral part of an organisation’s mission. Nurses’ uniforms should portray a caring, efficient, confident impression. The public should identify and respect firefighters or policemen, soldiers like to identify and bond with their Regiment, and so on.
