- 10.00 – 10.45: Trial lecture. Title: to be announced
- 12.00 – 16.00: Public defence
Ordinary opponents:
- First opponent: Sophie Woodward, Professor, University of Manchester, UK
- Second opponent: Tullia Jack, Associated Professor, Lund University, Sweden
- Committee chair: Atle Wehn Hegnes, Senior researcher, Centre for Welfare and Labour Research SIFO, OsloMet
Leader of the public defence: Petter William Hansen, Head of Studies, Department of Art, Design and Drama, OsloMet.
Main supervisor: Ingun Grimstad Klepp, Professor, Centre for Welfare and Labour Research SIFO, OsloMet.
Co-supervisors:
- Irene Maldini, Professor, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Ulrikke Bryn Wethal, Researcher, Centre for Global Sustainability, University of Oslo
Abstract
This dissertation explores how gender shapes clothing consumption and the implications for the volume of clothing in wardrobes. When clothing consumption is discussed, attention often turns to the individual – and especially to women. In both media and politics, women are frequently portrayed as excessive shoppers with a weakness for fast fashion. This dissertation challenges that narrative.
Instead of viewing clothing consumption as a matter of personal choice, the study examines clothing as part of everyday routines and social practices – what it means to be ‘dressed for the occasion’. It explores how clothing is not only about fashion or expressing identity, but also a way of navigating social expectations, gender roles and material conditions.
The research combines wardrobe studies and interviews with 15 Norwegian couples. Participants counted and categorised all their garments by type and occasion, and recorded what they acquired and discarded over six months. This approach offers insight into how wardrobes change over time and what drives the accumulation of clothing in wardrobes.
The results show clear differences between men and women. Women’s wardrobes were typically larger and more varied, with clothes for many specific occasions. However, these differences are not simply because women ‘shop more’. Many women described a constant pressure to look appropriate, vary their appearance and adapt to occasions – reflecting stricter expectations toward women’s appearance than men’s. Women also experienced more bodily changes that influenced what they needed to wear. Men, on the other hand, faced fewer appearance-related expectations, and their wardrobes tended to be more uniform, containing older and less frequently used garments.
Overall, the research highlights the need to understand clothing consumption as a social and gendered phenomenon rather than merely an individual or economic issue. Women’s larger wardrobes are not necessarily signs of overconsumption, but reflections of the complexity of managing multiple social roles and expectations in daily life. Although many participants expressed environmental concerns and a wish to own fewer clothes, this proved difficult in practice.
To move towards more sustainable approaches, it is crucial to take seriously how gender, social norms, and everyday life shape wardrobes – and how material realities such as price, quality and availability influence people’s ability to consume less. This knowledge provides a new starting point for challenges of the fashion industry. The volume of clothes in wardrobes must be understood in relation to gendered social structures and everyday rhythms, moving beyond consumer blame.
