The Research Journal of the Costume Culture (복식문화연구)

The Costume Culture Association (복식문화학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Analysis of body shape and anthropometric measurements of US middle-aged women using 3D body scan data

  • Kim, Dong-Eun (Dept. of Clothing and Textiles, Ewha Womans University)
  • Received : 2015.06.21
  • Accepted : 2015.07.07
  • Published : 2015.08.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

The apparel industry has recently been recognizing the important target market of middle-aged women. The aim of this study was to examine the anthropometric characteristics of US women of 46 to 65 years of age and identify distinctive body shape characteristics of US middle-aged women. A total of 1915 middle-aged women whose ages ranged from 46 to 65 were selected from the SizeUSA database. The age range was divided into two groups: 46-55 and 56-65. Twenty-four body measurements important for apparel development were chosen. Four factors-Girth Factor, Height Factor, Hip Drop Factor, and Bust Drop Factor-accounted for the US middle-aged women's body measurements. The body shapes were classified into four body shapes, which were Y-Shape in the overweight range, S-Shape in the overweight range, H-Shape in the overweight range, and the A-Shape in obese range. H-Shape, which was the least-defined waist in relation to the bust and hips with a short height, existed more in older middle-aged women than in younger middle-aged women. Y-Shape, S-Shape, and A-Shape existed more in the group of younger middle-aged women than in the group of older middle-aged women. In addition, compared with the younger middle-aged women, older middle-aged women had narrower shoulders, a larger waist, thinner legs, and a longer distance between side neck to bust point. The findings from the current study may be applied in the apparel industry for developing clothing sizing systems for US middle-aged women.

Keywords

References

  1. Agins, T. (2008, December 6). Over-40 finds a muse: Designers for the middle-aged pin hopes on Mrs. Obama. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 1, 2015 from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122852270571084377.html
  2. Ashdown, S. P., & Na, H. (2008). Comparison of 3-D body scan data to quantify upper-body postural variation in older and younger women. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 26(4), 292-307. doi:10.1177/0887302X07309131
  3. Birtwistle, G., & Tsim, C. (2005). Consumer purchasing behaviour: An investigation of the UK mature women's clothing market. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 4(6), 453-464. doi:10.1002/cb.31
  4. Devarajan, P. & Istook, C. L. (2004). Validation of 'female figure identification technique (FFIT) for apparel' software. Journal of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management, 4(1), 1-23.
  5. Garfinkel, M. (2008, September 12). Clothing stores rediscover boomers. USA Today. Retrieved April 1, 2015 from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2008-09-11-fashion-boomer-women-talbots_N.htm
  6. Garn, S. (1975). Bone loss and aging. In R. Goldman, & M. Rockstein (Eds.), The psychology and pathology of human aging, (pp. 39-58). New York: Academic Press.
  7. Goldsberry, E., Shim, S., & Reich, N. (1996). Women 55 years and older: Part I current body measurements as contrasted to the PS 42-70 Data. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 14(2), 108-120. doi:10.1177/0887302X9601400202
  8. Holmlund, M., Hagman, A., & Polsa, P. (2011). An exploration of how mature women buy clothing: Empirical insights and a model. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, 15(1), 108-122. doi:10.1108/13612021111112377
  9. Hughes, V. A., Roubenoff, R., Wood, M., Frontera, W. R., Evans, W. J., & Singh, M. A. F. (2004). Anthropometric assessment of 10-y changes in body composition in the elderly. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 80(2), 475-482. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/80.2.475
  10. Kim, D.-E. (2014). Analysis of body characteristics of the US women aged from 26 to 45 using 3D body scan data. International Journal of Human Ecology, 15(2), 13-21. doi:10.6115/ijhe.2014.15.2.13
  11. Middle Age. (n.d.). In our prime: The invention of middle age - An interview with Patricia Cohen. Middle Age. Retrieved May 1, 2015 from http://www.middleage.org/patriciacohen.shtml
  12. Nam, Y.-R., Choi, H.-S., & Kim, E.-K. (2013). A comparative study on the clothing wearing conditions and fit for middle-aged women in their 40s and 50s. Journal of the Korea Fashion & Costume Design Association, 15(3), 137-156.
  13. NIH. (n.d.). Calculate your body mass index. Retrieved from June 10, 2015 http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm
  14. Park, M.-A. (1998). Characteristics of adult women's body somatotype according to drop values by age bracket. Journal of the Korean Society of Living Environmental System, 5(1), 55-61.
  15. Richards, M. L. (1981). The clothing preferences and problems of elderly female consumers. The Gerontologist, 21(3), 263-268. doi:10.1093/geront/21.3.263
  16. Risius, D., Thelwell, R., Wagstaff, C., & Scurr, J. (2012). Influential factors of bra purchasing in older women. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, 16(3), 366-380. doi:10.1108/13612021211246099
  17. Somers, D. (2014, November 25). Over 30? What hormone changes to expect as you age. Healthy Women. Retrieved June 10, 2015 from http://community.healthywomen.org/profiles/blogs/over-30-what-hormone-changes-to-expect-as-you-age
  18. The Chosun Ilbo (2010, February 19). Fashion brands put their money on middle-aged women. The Chosun Ilbo English Edition. Retrieved May 1, 2015 from http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/02/19/2010021900240.html
  19. Tokuda, S. (2013, February 19). Middle-aged women with money to burn are fashion firms' top target. The Japan Times. Retrieved May 1, 2015 from http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/02/19/national/middle-aged-women-with-money-to-burn-are-fashion-firms-top-target/#.Ud3LUZHD-Ah
  20. Veciana-Suarez, A. (2011, November 15). Fashion comes of age for boomers. The Doneger Group. Retrieved from http://www.doneger.com/web/129193.htm
  21. Wells, J. C., Treleaven, P., & Cole, T. J. (2007). BMI compared with 3-dimensional body shape: The UK National Sizing Survey. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 85(2), 419-425. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/85.2.419
  22. Williamson, D. F. (1993). Descriptive epidemiology of body weight and weight change in U.S. adults. Annals of Internal Medicine, 119(7), 646-649. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-119-7_Part_2-199310011-00004