Involvement with Adornments as Leisure Behavior: an Exploratory Study

Abstract

Our society highly values physical attractiveness. Therefore, in the pursuit of attractiveness, many people may become highly involved with adornments. This paper argues that many of these adornment related activities qualify as significant forms of recreation, yet remain understudied. Adornment-related recreation is discussed and possible influences on activity levels are described. An empirical study of adornment-related recreation among female college undergraduates is also presented. Results suggest that level of social influence and self-perceived attractiveness are effective predictors of such activity. Finally, a future research agenda is proposed.