Demographic and Lifestyle Characteristics as Predictors of Fashion Opinion Leadership Among Mature Consumers

Abstract

This study identifies demographic and lifestyle characteristics as predictors of fashion opinion leadership for mature consumers. A fashion opinion leader is an individual who has influence on decisions of other people to accept or reject an innovation (Rogers, 1983). A sample of 711 out of 2003 mature consumers completed questionnaires for a 35 percent response rate. The underlying lifestyle characteristics and the dimensions of fashion opinion leadership in the mature consumer were determined with factor analysis. Multiple regression analysis revealed that lifestyle dimensions of Positive Thinker, Shopper, Socially Active and Credit Prone were predictors of fashion opinion leadership. No demographic characteristics (age, income, educational level, house size, occupation) were predictors of fashion opinion leadership.