Comparison of body shape between USA and Korean women

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to compare body shape between USA and Korean women. It aims to analyze the distribution and proportion of body shapes of two countries and compare the differences of body shape according to age.Design/methodology/approachSizeUSA and SizeKorea measurement data were evaluated using the Female Figure Identification Technique for apparel system developed at North Carolina State University. Once the samples were defined by shape, comparisons were made of the distribution according to age and country through statistical analysis.FindingsThe paper finds that the largest shape category was the rectangle shape in both countries, but the distribution within each shape category for Korean women was different from that of USA women. More body shape categories were found in the USA women than in Korean women. In addition, most body shape categories had different body proportions when comparing the USA women and Korean women. The USA women had the higher measurements in the waist, high hip, and hips height and the larger measurements in the bust, waist, high hip, and hips circumference.Research limitations/implicationsOf the over 6,300 US female subjects in this study, only five failed to be identified by the seven shapes identified. These subjects had over 50.2 in. of hip circumference, over 10 in. larger hips than bust circumference, and over 15.5 in. larger hips than waist circumference. Further refinement of the mathematical definitions or a second group of criteria may be required for sorting the women that have no shape as defined by this study.Originality/valueThe opportunity to compare the body shapes between two very different countries, using national anthropometric survey data, is very rare, indeed. This comparison allows the opportunity to discover ways to improve the sizing systems of each country, as well as impact the development of international sizing standards that could have a significant impact on brands producing product for a variety of international consumers.

Modification of the Female Figure Identification Technique (FFIT) Formulas to Include Plus Size Bodies

“…In a 2007 study by Lee, Istook, Nam, and Park, body shapes of women from the U.S. were compared to those from Korea, using measurement data from SizeUSA and SizeKorea with the FFIT for Apparel system [7]. In order to determine the efficacy of sorting USA and Korean women, Lee et al used a mathematical analysis and visual inspection to develop formulas based on the descriptions of the original FFIT software categories ( Table 7).…”

“…In order to determine the efficacy of sorting USA and Korean women, Lee et al used a mathematical analysis and visual inspection to develop formulas based on the descriptions of the original FFIT software categories ( Table 7). The formulas used bust, hip, waist, and high hip measurements to match body measures into one the following shape categories: Hourglass, Bottom Hourglass, Top Hourglass, Spoon, Triangle, Inverted Triangle, or Rectangle [7]. While Simmons et al initially included nine formulas, Lee et al did not include Diamond or Oval in their formulas.…”

“…For subjects #1 and #2 in Table 8, the negative difference between hip and bust measurements (hipbust) indicated that the abdomens of the scans were larger than hips. The formulas have an underlying assumption that the waist is always smaller than the bust and hip, as was the case with most scans under size 14 analyzed in previous studies [2,3,7]. In order to correct for the assumption that the waist was smaller than the bust or hip, a check for negative numbers was added to the Triangle, Rectangle, and Inverted Triangle calculations.…”

Customers’ Perspectives on Fit and Customization of Cycling Sportswear: Cross-National Comparison

“…Customers' perspectives on fit and customization of cycling sportswear: Cross-national comparison. Tekstil ve Konfeksiyon, 29(2), 142-151. relation to clothing include topics such as customer behavior and tendencies, or physical attributes as body shapes [12][13][14][15][16][17]. The approach in this research is distinguished from such directions with the comparisons, evaluations and expectations of fit from customers based on a specific garment category.…”

Exploring the Garment Fit paradigm from a Sustainability Perspective and its Meaning for First- Cycle and Second-Cycle Fashion Retailers

“…Lee [20] investigated the differences between the shapes of US women and Korean women, concluding that the 'rectangle, followed by the 'triangle' shape was more prevalent in Korean women, and the 'spoon' shape among US women. This is an important consideration not only from a global brand perspective where retailers operate in many countries, but also for home countries to take advantage of additional sales generated through tourism.…”