Abstract
The purpose of this study is to provide basic information about body proportion characteristics, and the level of body cathexis and fit satisfaction related to those characteristics. It is hoped that this will help to improve ready-to-wear satisfaction in middle-aged women. In order to achieve this purpose, the body proportion characteristics of middle-aged women were measured and were compared with that of standard and ideal body types. Then, the body cathexis and fit satisfaction according to these characteristics was analyzed. Finally, the following results were obtained. First, the average height of middle-aged women was 6.87 head, waist length was 58.9% of height, and knee length was 25.6% of height. In frontal appearance, the hip width, shoulder width, and chest width were wider than waist width(24%, 20%, and 11% respectively). Chest and hip depths was thicker than waist depth(19% and 17% respectively). Second, in lengths proportion, their lower body was shorter than the standard body shape for women in their 20s'. Also the difference between the width of frontal appearance and depth proportion of side appearance was small, suggesting a more slender silhouette among the middle aged women. Finally, middle-aged women who were not wide or big in the chest had higher satisfaction with their bodies. As shoulder width and chest depth became small, the fit satisfaction of upper clothes increased. While longer lower body had higher fit satisfaction with pants crotch, shorter lower body had higher fit satisfaction with waist and abdominal parts.
