• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.48 no.10
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• pp.37-49
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to identify preteen girls and their mothers' apparel image preference and apparel purchase behavior. This study was particularly interested in verifying the influencing factors of plus size preteen girls' apparel choice by investigating the correlations between preteens' physical characteristic and their apparel related variables. Data were obtained from the questionnaire by 190 preteen girls and 120 mothers. The influential power of preteens on apparel purchase decision was greater than that of their mothers, and their preferred apparel images were comfortable/neat, cute/girlish, and mature/chic. Comparing to preteen girls, their mothers preferred comfortable/neat and cute/girlish images to mature/chic apparel image. Their physical maturity levels were significantly correlated with apparel image preference. Moreover, plus size preteen girls' interests in appearance and clothing was higher than that of normal weight preteen girls, this implied potentiality in apparel market for plus size preteen.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.35-45
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• 2013

The purposes of this study were to segment the women's plus-size market by the types of store patronage, profile the segments, and examine the differences in satisfaction with clothing attributes and variety of plus-size apparels according to different segments. The questionnaires included the 7-point likert scales on store patronage, satisfaction, clothing involvement and body cathexis. Five body measurements were recorded by sales people, and the respondents also provided information on their weight, height and garment size in addition to demographic characteristics. Questionnaires were collected from 7 franchise stores in Seoul, Anyang, Daegu, and Cheonan during the months of February, 2011 to April, 2011. 210 questionnaires were distributed and 160 were returned. Excluding incomplete questionnaires, a total of 149 questionnaires were used in the final analysis. The cluster analysis based on store patronage identified four segments- major patrons of specialty stores, multi-channel users, regular store users, and internet shopping mall users. Significant differences were found among the four segments of women's plus-size consumers in terms of clothing involvement, age, occupation, education and clothing expenditures. Internet shopping mall user group were in overall less satisfied with several clothing attributes and variety compared to other groups.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.1046-1056
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• 2001

For the purpose of standardizing sizing systems for infants and children's clothing, the researchers surveyed 20 different apparel manufacturers in Korea. The apparel production sizing systems used in the industry were analysed. The researchers also compared standard apparel sizing systems developed for infants and children's clothing in Korea. ISO, Japan, and U.S.A. The followings are the results of this study. 1. As survey findings of companies's views about sizing systems, boys or girls sizing system needed to be developed for 3 years old and over. The plus sizes are needed to be developed and children 9 years old and over need the plus size. 2. The body size specification in most sizing systems collected shows that chest circumference was increased 2cm for every infants sizes, and 3cm for boys and girls'sizes, from size 100 to size 130. However, the chest and waist circumference measurements were increased 4 to 8cm for large sizes, from size 130 to size 170. 3. There are similarity and dissimilarity among the standard sizing systems of ISO, Japan(JIS), U.S.A(ASTM), and Korea(KS). The ASTM developed infants'garment sizes for the babies who are 24months old and under. The most national standards, however, developed infant apparel sizing system for the babies under 105cm tall or 4 years old. 4. The range of body measurements covered by boys/girls sizing system were different by the nation. The U.S. system (ASTM) is for boys and girls who are taller than 120cm. The Japanese system(JIS) is for the children who are taller than 90cm.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.130-137
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• 2013

The percentage of overweight people has increased in older people due to the change of body shape (including pregnancy and giving birth for women). Obesity is accompanied by body shape changes; subsequently, there are more pattern design considerations compared to standard body shapes. This paper classifies the upper body shape of overweight women in Korea, analyzes features by body shape and proposes basic pattern design data that reflects the features of plus-size women body shapes. The data on 540 subjects in the overweight group (from 20 to 69 years old)whose BMI was over 25 was selected. The following features by shape were identified in accordance with the upper body shape classification of overweight women. Body Shape1 had lower body obesity with long stature and arms in proportion to the trunk length and represented 22.2% of the subjects. Body Shape2 had most parts near average sizes for overweight body shapes with short height and arms that represented 37.6% of the subjects (the highest ratio). Body Shape3 was the smallest body shape in the four groups with the most distinct body figure and represented 30.7% of the subjects. Body Shape4 (9.4% of the subjects)was the upper body obesity type (the fattest group)and with of the waist bigger abdominal obesity type.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.306-319
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• 2013

This study explores various issues of appearance management behavior for plus-size women in Korea with a focus on clothing. In-depth interviews and focused group interviews were conducted with 24 plus-size women. The interviews were recorded and the transcripts were analyzed based on grounded theory. Discomfort was the main phenomenon involving the experience of plus-size women related to appearance management. Psychological as well as physiological/physical discomfort, unmet needs (regarding clothing) and inconvenient shopping experiences were frequently mentioned. Causal conditions for discomfort were obesity, social stigma, and an underdeveloped clothing market for plus-size consumers. Interviewees developed strategies to cope with discomfort (suppressing clothing need, loss of interest in clothing, diversion from clothing needs, sole focus on physical comfort, dress-up and increase in shopping channels, and change in shopping patterns) that depended on contextual conditions (such as duration of obesity and attitudes of people) close to the interviewees. The discomfort of interviewees decreased or continued depending on if they became ambivalent about their obese condition, lost weight, or utilized plus-size specialty stores.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.240-246
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• 2013

Data from 540 subjects (included in the obesity group whose BMI was over 25) was selected from 2,445 subjects in the $6^{th}$ Korean Body Size Survey. A total of 25 direct measurements were selected for the relevant literature lower body size measurement analysis, that included 9 components related to BMI, height and circumferences, 3 components related to width and thickness, 5 components related to length, 3 components related to height, and 2 other components. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis, cluster analysis and variance analysis were executed using PASW 18.0 to analyze the data. In accordance with the factor analysis results to classify the lower body shape of overweight women in their 20s to 60s whose BMI was over 25, 4 factors were identified (lower body volume, leg volume, lower body length and leg length). A total of 4 lower body shapes of overweight women were found through cluster analysis using 4 factor scores from the factor analysis. Body Shape 1 had the largest lower body and leg volume. It was the heaviest group. Leg length was at a normal level. Body Shape 1 was 22.2% (122 subjects). Body Shape 2 had the longest legs and the smallest body shape; however, Body Shape 2 was the leg obesity group with the largest leg volume. It was 39.8% (215 subjects). Body Shape 3 had a smaller leg volume in proportion to the lower body thickness and a long lower body length. It comprised 27.8% (150 subjects). Body Shape 4 comprised 9.8% (53 subjects) with the shortest leg. Its lower body obesity was at a normal level.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.17-29
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• 2023

This study collected and analyzed reference information on the size labeling method and size of clothing products in 13 online shopping malls for plus size women in their 20s and 30s, and compared the size specification information focusing on jeans. First, in the results of examining the method of clothing size designation, clothing sizes indicated by 1, 2, 3 or physique designation (M, L, XL) differed between shopping malls, and even in the same shopping mall, even if the same size notation was used. Most the clothing sizes were different depending on the type of clothing. For bottoms, it was found that one company used seven size designation methods at the same time, two shopping malls used four size designation methods, and five shopping malls used three size designation methods. In the meantime, in the results of comparing the size specifications of jeans XL (size 88, 32 inches) by product part, for waist and hip circumferences, each of the eight companies showed that the size was smaller than the body size suggested by KS adult women's wear.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.203-215
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate current garment sizes of women's formal jackets, targeting plus-size women in online shopping malls, and to identify effective size information involved in online apparel purchase behaviors to overcome the short comings of current garment sizes from the perspectives of consumers. Basic 88 size formal jackets from the seven companies found on the 22 websites were collected and analyzed. The data were collected from March to October 2007, and analyzed using SPSS 14.0. The results were summarized as follows. First, there was no website using standard garment size labeling with 'bust-hip-height' set up by KS K 0051 among the 22 websites. Instead, all 22 websites used garment size labeling with figures such as 88, 99, 100, 110, and 120 or with letters such as L, XL, and XXL. The websites presented no body size, but listed garment size. Furthermore, the size information was presented differently, ranging from three items of bust circumference, upper arm length, and jacket length to six items of shoulder width, bust circumference, waist circumference, sleeve width, sleeve length, and jacket length. In addition, no website presented basic information for hip circumference, despite the jacket length covering the hips. Second, a total of 85.7% the websites listed bust circumferences in 88 garment sizes collected as 100cm. Shoulder widths were presented as 39cm or 37cm. Sleeve circumferences were addressed the same, 36cm, in all websites. Third, comparing the differences between guidance sizes and measurement sizes, only 28.5% of the web sites posted guidance sizes of shoulder widths the same as those of the measurement sizes. All web sites presented guidance sizes of bust circumstances as 1 to 5cm smaller than those of the measurement sizes.

• The International Journal of Costume Culture
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.71-84
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• 2009

For fit satisfaction evaluation, the subjects were asked to put on the jackets from the seven manufacturers in random order, view how the jackets fit in a full-body mirror and answer questions regarding fitting in 22 specific areas, including the neck, shoulders, waist, hips and arms, as well as eight questions related to maneuverability. The surveys and evaluations were conducted between October 2007 and November 2008, and the compiled data were analyzed using the SPSS 14.0 statistics program. The One-way analysis of variance was performed to comparatively analyze the differences among the products from the seven manufacturers. Post-hoc tests were performed based on Duncan's test for the criteria that displayed significant differences. The results were summarized as follows. Fit evaluations were performed for the size 88 formal jackets from the seven manufacturers. All items, except the center front line, displayed significant differences at p<0.05 or higher among the manufacturers. The age group 20-39 felt that the main problems were in the shoulder, armscye, upper arm, waist, abdomen and hip areas. Modifying the shoulder area, armscye depth and hip areas severely compromises the jacket's balance, and attention to these areas must be given developed pattern design.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.46 no.9
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• pp.99-112
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• 2008

The increasing rate of obesity in school aged children has become a conspicuous social phenomenon in Korea. This has been linked to greater economic growth, increasingly westernized dietary habits, and a consumer driven society. Given that obesity can lead to social exclusion or unfavorable attention by other students in a school setting, the design of plus-size garments have become important for effective appearance management skills. This research aimed to establish a somatotype database for obese school boys, aged 10 to 12, in order to develop a sizing system for plus-size upper garments. In order to measure somatotype of average and obese school boys, five categories were recorded; height, obesity, length of trunk, thickness of neck and chest. For obese boys, subcutaneous fat thickness and position of B.P/shoulder point factors were recorded. Obesity factor was subdivided into overall and specific ones, and while the deviation of obese body types was severe compared to the average type. Obese body type showed significantly higher measurements in width, girth, thickness. This is linked to the fact that the frequency ratio of obesity increases with age. Stature and chest were chosen as control dimensions for boys' wear. As crosstabulation of stature(5cm interval) and chest girth(2, 3 and 4cm), and stature(5cm interval)/chest girth(3cm interval) sizing system showed, the most effective cover ratio and adaptability to the data distribution $25{\sim}75$ quartile. Based on the findings, 10 sizes were formulated for average body type, while 18 sizes were formulated for obese type, whose size cover ratios were 48% and 62.9%, respectively. The primary ranges of stature were $145cm{\sim}150cm$, while those of chest girth were $79{\sim}82cm$. Each size was declared as "chest-somatotype{A(average)/O(obesity)-stature". This study proposed a plus-size upper garment sizing systems for obese boys, accompanied with reference measurements for suit, casual wear and underwear. The finding showed that the two systems were totally separate and not overlapping, meaning that plus-size sizing system is essential for obese school boys. The obesity type system had more size and wider range specs.