Gender and the Gift: The Case of the Family Clothing Economy

Abstract

Distribution patterns within the family have received some recent emphasis, particular attention being paid to money and food. This paper contributes to this discussion through looking at the intra-familial flows of one particular good into which money can be converted: clothing. It is shown that clothing can circulate in six different modes within the family, five being variations on the gift relationship. Different ages and genders are characterised by different combinations of modes. Special attention is paid to those mediating between mothers and teenage daughters, and the impact of the attainment of independent daughterly sartorial theoreticity on mothers is discussed. The literature is then reconsidered in the light of our findings.