Exploring Gender Differences in Footwear Preferences Among Seniors: A Study on Comfort, Aesthetics and Material Selection in Hong Kong

The older adult population perceived their own footwear to possess more attractive, comfortable, well-fitted and effortless to don and doff [1]. Aesthetic properties are among the important factors that influence product development and help connect dynamic forms to social and ethical aspects [2]. Physical appearance plays a pivotal role in the process of person perception. It is imperative that footwear incorporate a standard of sophistication and refinement, catering to the discerning eyes of older adults. This entails ensuring that the shoes not only provide unparalleled comfort but also boast effortless usability and captivating aesthetics [1]. Understanding the consumer’s perception is paramount for designers to craft the desired styles. The appearance of the products has the power to captivate one’s mind [3]. Being conscious of how consumers perceive products and make decisions is indispensable for product design.

Footwear consumers typically browse and select a specific style of shoe from a variety of options displayed on the shelves, perceiving, recognizing, and distinguishing between different styles in the process [4]. Gender-based visual perception of footwear varies among individuals, influencing their preferences and judgments. Material selection is one of the crucial factors in footwear design, influencing both its aesthetics and the user’s comfort [5]. The modern textile industry prioritizes innovation in manufacturing textiles. Nike is widely recognized as a leading company specializing in the design and enhancement of outer materials for sports footwear, focusing on strength and functionality [6]. The knitted shoes top offers superior durability, as well as exceptional lightness, breathability, and flexibility. Such uppers implied a concept of customization of the shape of shoes to fit human feet. The footwear design is embracing an integration of diverse technologies and materials, leading to the creation of personalized final products.

The diverse range of colours, shapes, and styles exhibited by a pair of shoes can effectively communicate a multitude of messages about the individuals [7]. Comfort encompasses both the physical relief from pain and relaxation, as well as the absence of unpleasant physiological sensations and the presence of highly subjective feelings [8]. The design of comfortable footwear not only promotes a general sense of wellbeing but also offers various practical benefits such as facilitating physical activity, improving sporting performance, and reducing the risk of injury. The identification of footwear design in terms of aesthetics and comfort, which impacts both the physiological and psychological experience, can aid in the advancement and production of footwear. The refinement of the design necessitates further attention, particularly in order to cater to the discerning tastes and comfort requirements of older women [1].

Especially, for the footwear design in the senior fashion market, footwear selection is fundamental to be examined in older adults as it can significantly influence the risk of falling and potentially trigger subsequent falls [9]. Footwear plays a significant role in affecting balance, either negatively or positively, and thus holds great importance in the context of improving balance. Falls in the older adult population represent a substantial problem in terms of public health [10]. Foot issues, such as foot discomfort, limited mobility, weakened toes, and toe deformities, are often overlooked as potential risk factors for falls [11]. Foot problems and unsuitable footwear have been shown to remarkably limit the ability to adapt to changes in living environment to maintain balance, based on emerging evidence. The demand for new footwear design for older adults reflects the need for comfortable shoes, as evidenced by both intrinsic factors and extrinsic factors.

Fashion products not only cater to functional requirements, but also encompass numerous psychological factors, including self-esteem and self-image [12]. When it comes to footwear, older women prioritize both the aesthetics and comfort aspects [13] about the design appearance and characteristics of products [14]. Women between the ages of 36 and 84 (mean age: 67) expressed apprehension regarding the erosion of their femininity in which they perceived themselves as distinct from their contemporaries due to the restricted range of retail shoes available to them, resulting in negative feelings and emotions towards their footwear [15]. Improving the comfort level and perception of geriatric footwear could begin with enhancing the aesthetic design of traditional footwear. A study revealed that the aesthetic requirements of senior users significantly contribute to the improved acceptance and understanding of the functionalities offered by footwear [16]. This can additionally contribute to enhancing the well-being of older adult individuals, thereby enhancing their overall quality of life.

Comfort in footwear design is imperative for older adults’ wellbeing, physical activity, and injury prevention. The design of comfortable footwear ought to encompass both physiological relief and subjective feelings of comfort. Footwear selection is particularly important for older people, as inappropriate footwear can increase the risk of falls. Falls in the older adult population are a public health concern, often linked to foot problems and unsuitable footwear that limit balance and mobility. Footwear, emphasizing the importance of aesthetics, comfort level, and functionality of the design, holds immense importance in shaping the self-esteem and self-image of the older adult population. Enhancing the aesthetic design of traditional footwear can improve the comfort level and perception of geriatric footwear. Meeting the aesthetic requirements of senior users can contribute to their overall well-being and quality of life.

Understanding consumer perception, design mechanism, and the impact of footwear on balance and falls are key considerations for designing shoes that meet the needs and preferences of older adult individuals. Elevating the visual appeal of footwear has the potential to enhance the acceptance, comprehension, and general welfare of this population.

Value of study

Research findings have highlighted the crucial role of aesthetic considerations in footwear design for older adult users in facilitating greater acceptance and comprehension of the features and benefits provided. By prioritizing aesthetic appeal, new geriatric footwear design can effectively enhance the overall user experience and satisfaction among older adult individuals. This emphasis on aesthetics can play a pivotal role in promoting the wellbeing and quality of life for the aging population. Recognizing and accommodating the aesthetic preferences of senior consumers not only improves product acceptance but also contributes to a more holistic approach to addressing the specific needs and preferences of this demographic. In essence, integrating aesthetic requirements into footwear design for older people goes beyond mere visual appeal. It serves as a cornerstone for fostering a positive impact on their overall physical and emotional well-being.

Research objective

Designing shoes that cater to the needs and preferences of older adult individuals requires a thorough understanding of consumer perception, design elements, and the influence of footwear on balance and falls. By considering the visual appeal of footwear, here are the objectives to see the potential of improving the overall wellbeing of these individuals.
A. To conduct a survey of footwear design to gather insights for the identification of aesthetic requirements for the older adult population.
B. To validate the design elements from the needs and preferences of older adults to develop new geriatric footwear to enhance quality of life.
C. To assess footwear design features based on requirements of older adults aiming to boost physical health and emotional well-being.

Methodology

This research was carried out to examine the perception of level of comfort and aesthetic appeal of footwear specifically designed for the senior fashion market. By understanding how comfortable and visually appealing footwear designed for older people is perceived, the gained insights were instrumental in the creation and advancement of senior footwear styles that prioritize balance improvement.

A quantitative method, distributing questionnaires, is used in this research. A set of 50 questions is set to create a five parts questionnaire in six pages. A sample of 51 Hong Kong older adults volunteered to complete the questionnaires and a convenience sampling method was used to collect the data. The collected data were analyzed by the statistical software, IBM SPSS. By using IBM SPSS Statistics, there were two quantitative analysis methods, cluster analysis and t-test analysis. 51 Hong Kong older adults (females and males aged between 50 and 80) who are volunteers invited. The subjects include 36 females and 15 males. The subjects may have different education levels, occupations and income as all samples are collected from social communities. In addition to inquiring about personal information, the 5-Point Likert scale, i.e., 1 - Strongly Disagree, 2- Disagree, 3- Neutral, 4- Agree, 5- Strongly Agree, was employed to assess the participants’ opinions towards specific questions or statements [17].

Higher aesthetics acceptance among females

According to the results of the score rating comparison between males and females, it was found that females exhibit a greater inclination towards accepting different materials for footwear and aesthetic design. In particular, when it comes to the choice of ‘Denim’, the difference in scores between females and males is significant, with females scoring 3.50 and males scoring 2.87, indicating a 19.7% difference.

Denim, unlike leather, is a relatively new material used for the upper surface of footwear. Its use in garment production became widespread by the beginning of the 20^th century. The inclination of older women towards ‘Denim’ indicates that this demographic could be a potential target market for fashionable designs in the footwear industry [18] (Figure 1).

Figure 1:Aesthetics acceptance of different materials.

Popular fastening mechanism: no fastening design

Enhancing the visual appeal of footwear design aligns with more simplicity to which aesthetic design implies a force for one’s value and personal identity. A comfy footwear design is a long-term care for customers among older adults [19,20].

The ‘No Fastening’ fastening mechanism received the highest average rating for aesthetics and comfort, with mean scores of 3.96 and 4.25 out of 5, respectively. Upon comparing data from two groups of subjects, both males and females displayed a preference for this uncomplicated footwear design, with males scoring 4.00 and females scoring 3.94.

With regard to the safety of fastening mechanisms for older adults, older people might favor the footwear design without fasteners for practical reasons to avoid a bend forward posture for tying laces or fastening straps (Figure 2&3).

Figure 2:Preference of fastening mechanism.

Figure 3:Gender preference of fastening mechanism.

Popular heel height: 1 inch

A heel-drop of about 10mm and up offers the function of cushion on the heel. The lower the drop, the more the Achilles tendon will have to work on foot plantar flexion. Depending on the design of the heel height, zero-drop shoes promote a midfoot strike pattern which causes knee pain easily. Indeed, a knee pain injury for older adults is the result of aging and repeated stress on the knee [21].

In this survey, in terms of the aesthetics and comfort aspects about the preference of heel height, both of the male and female subjects rated the highest scores for the choice of ‘1 inch’, i.e., in average of the given set data, females scored 4.08 and 4.44; males scored 4.00 and 4.07.

This set of data revealed that 1 inch (25.4mm) heel height design provided enough support to bolster the gait for older adults in producing aesthetic footwear. Certain heel-drops control the pronation and motion to maintain shoes’ stability to leverage the level of support (Figure 4).

Figure 4:Acceptance of heel height.

Popular shoe style: orthofeet sneakers

Footwear plays a crucial role in the maintenance of optimal foot health. Wearing orthopedic shoes is one of the necessary steps to enhance mobility for the foot regimen among the older adults. Additional health conditions should be addressed as humans age (Figure 5).

Figure 5:Acceptance of different shoe styles.

Ranging from conventional shoes for seniors to trendy sneakers, designing with a bunch of colours provokes interest. In this survey, on average, the highest and lowest mean scores in the complete result set were 3.90 and 1.96 respectively.

‘Orthofeet Sneakers’ (Style 4) was the most favorable choice, i.e., scoring the highest mean scores, among the older adults in Hong Kong. This pair of sneakers is designed for the pure comfort of footwear that helps to relieve foot and heel pain, including mobility issues. The comfortable fit was produced with a design in gray colour stretchable knitted upper providing a customized fit and eliminating pressure on sensitive feet [22,23] (Figure 6&7).

Figure 6:Acceptance of different shoe styles.

Figure 7:Style order preference of older adults in Hong Kong.

Lack of interest in conventional design

As the body ages, going through physiological changes make older adults more susceptible to foot problems. In fact, it is crucial to choose well-fitting footwear to keep feet healthy as humans age. A range of international brands and producers launched ergonomics footwear offering specific protections or functions to the aging population.

However, most of the designs are old-fashioned in the senior footwear market. The old-fashioned footwear designs are playing with colour black, plain white, bulky silhouette and large straps. According to the result of this survey, there are four pairs of shoes, i.e., Style 5, 9, 19 and 6, with lower scores 1.96, 1.96, 2.02 and 2.06 respectively.

Literally, all four of these shoe styles received consistently low ratings due to their specific design targeting the senior demographic. None of the available designs adequately catered to the unique requirements and preferences of this aging customer segment within the fashion industry. The footwear options failed to align with the distinctive style of the older adult population. The absence of designs tailored to the aging population underscored a missed opportunity for the senior fashion industry to provide suitable and appealing footwear options for this growing consumer segment (Figure 8).

Figure 8:Conventional elderly footwear design.

Favorable pink colour footwear for female

In general, according to gender orientation, men prefer blue and green colours while women prefer pink and purple colours. A gender difference in colour preference is a matter of opinions and human behaviors on an individual level. Genders are playing an important role in colour preferences in purchase decisions of fashion products.

To figure out the gender difference between males and females in colour preference on footwear design, the T-test Analysis was applied to analyze the 2 groups of means. To further elucidate the significance of this difference, a p-value was calculated to assess the statistical relevance of the observed disparity in scores 2 groups of subjects, Female and Male, were divided. To find the p-value for the test, the p-value of ‘Style 18’ is .001, which is equal to .001 (P< .001 = >99%), implying that the difference in means was extremely significant. A great number of females opted ‘Style 18’ shoe style, a pair of pink colour slip on laceless knitted sneakers.

In this survey, the results once more highlighted that shades of red, such as pink hues, were perceived as more appealing in the design of footwear for older adult women (Figure 9).

Figure 9:Pink elderly female footwear design.

Darker colour footwear design for male

Based on the gender colour preference, darker shades of colours are easier to coordinate in daily outfit mix-and-match for men.

To enhance the understanding of the importance of this distinction, a p-value was computed to evaluate the statistical significance of the noted variation in scores. Aligning with the concept of gender difference in colour preference, the p-value of ‘Style 7’ was .036, which is smaller than .05 (P< .05 = >95%), showing that the result was statistically significant in which the ‘Style 7’ was said to be more attractive for male subjects. The ‘Style 7’ featured a pair of dark brown colour two straps leather shoes.

Evidently, these data demonstrated that dark colour, such as brown colour, expressed a notable attraction in footwear design for males within the senior fashion market (Figure 10&11).

Figure 10:Dark colour elderly male footwear design.

Figure 11:Gender preference of footwear colour.

In conclusion, the older adult population in Hong Kong has shown a positive acceptance towards shoes that combine both comfort and aesthetic appeal. In particular, older women tend to prioritize the visual aspect when choosing their footwear.

Footwear selection in materials holds a significant difference for the older adults between males and females. Based on the findings of the score rating analysis conducted to compare males and females, it was discovered that females demonstrate a higher propensity for embracing diverse materials in footwear and aesthetic design. The inclination of women towards ‘Denim’ indicates that this particular group could potentially serve as a target market for modish footwear designs within the senior fashion industry.

The perception of footwear among the older adults in Hong Kong is greatly influenced by its simplicity. The older adult population tends to prefer footwear designs without fasteners due to practical considerations. The simple fastening mechanism ‘No Fastening’ achieved the highest average rating in terms of both aesthetics and comfort aspects. In other words, to prevent falls in their daily lives, older individuals should refrain from adopting a forward bending posture when tying laces or fastening straps.

When it comes to the visual appeal and comfort considerations regarding the desired heel height, the male and female subjects share a common preference for a heel that measures “1 inch”. The design of a 1-inch (25.4mm) heel height indeed offers sufficient support to enhance the walking pattern of the older adults, thereby contributing to the creation of aesthetically pleasing footwear. A heel-drop of about 10mm and above provides a cushioning function for the heel of footwear.

The older adult population in Hong Kong showed a strong preference for Orthofeet Sneakers over other styles. Wearing orthopedic footwear is an essential measure to improve mobility in the foot care routine of older individuals. Orthofeet Sneakers are crafted to cater to the specific needs of older adult individuals, prioritizing both comfort and aesthetics. As individuals grow older, it becomes imperative to address any additional health conditions that may arise. The design is tailored to meet the unique requirements of the older adults, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a comfortable and modish footwear option.

Older adults lack interest in convention footwear design. Indeed, the senior footwear market is dominated by old-fashioned designs. None of the footwear options received favorable ratings due to their design specifically targeting the ergonomic product market. None of these designs adequately catered to the preferences and requirements of the aging population within the fashion industry. In fact, the requirement for fresh senior footwear design exemplifies the necessity for an aesthetically pleasing visual appeal.

Hues of red, such as shades of pink, were deemed more appealing in the realm of women’s footwear design among the older adults in Hong Kong. A divergence in colour preference based on gender is a subject that revolves around personal opinions and individual behaviors. The role of gender is notable when it pivots on colour preferences, particularly in the context of purchasing decisions related to fashion products and market.

Dark colours hold a significant appeal in the footwear design for men in the senior footwear industry. Male subjects found footwear options with darker colours, like brown colour, more attractive in this survey. In accordance with the notion of gender-based colour preference, it has been observed that men find it easier to harmonize deeper hues of colours in various shades of outfits. Dark colours possess a remarkable versatility in fashion coordination or selection.

In future research, there is potential to investigate the advancement of walking gait memory in order to offer extra cushioning or heel support that corresponds to the low-intensity exercise routines of older individuals. This approach would encourage the natural movement of the feet and safeguard them for improved foot health. The integration of gait memory into cushioning could be introduced in the production of 3D-printed footwear for older adults, thereby reducing the likelihood of falls by enhancing posture, coordination, and balance. The manner in which shoes are worn can offer understanding into an individual’s walking style, foot positioning, and possible biomechanical complications.

The research was fully supported by a grant from the Research Grants Council, Faculty Development Scheme (RGC Ref.No.: UGC/ FDS25/ H03/22), Hong Kong.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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