The present study aimed to examine the differences in attitudes between Generation Z and Generation Y toward clothing type selection in Amol County. This applied research adopted a descriptive–survey and quantitative approach. The statistical population consisted of clothing shoppers in shopping centers of Amol County during the second half of 2023. A sample of 384 participants was selected using simple random sampling, and data were collected through a researcher-made questionnaire containing 45 items. The reliability of the instrument was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, and data analysis was conducted using SPSS software version 27. The results indicated that the mean scores of all questionnaire components, including selection style, shopping style, objective fashion orientation, family and social identity, virtual fashion orientation, individuals’ clothing style, and clothing type selection, showed statistically significant differences between Generations Z and Y (p < 0.05). The findings suggest that differences in attitudes between Generations Y and Z regarding clothing choice are rooted in a complex set of cultural, social, economic, and technological factors and cannot be attributed solely to age differences or individual preferences.
Generation Z is more strongly influenced by social and digital media and tends to prefer casual and comfortable clothing styles, whereas Generation Y remains more committed to traditional cultural and social factors and shows a greater preference for formal and classic clothing. This generation defines clothing choice in relation to stability, social identity, and cultural acceptance and maintains a greater distance from rapid fashion changes. Overall, the findings indicate that the attitudinal gap between Generations Y and Z in clothing selection results from transformations in cultural structures, changes in media landscapes, the expansion of the digital economy, and the growth of individualistic and self-expressive values.