Body characteristics, garment fit satisfaction and fit preferences of Ethiopian young adult female consumers
Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management
ISSN: 1361-2026
Article publication date: 10 May 2023
Issue publication date: 29 December 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to assess the body characteristics (body size, garment sizes worn, shape and body satisfaction) of Ethiopian young adult female consumers and their effects on garment fit satisfaction and fit preferences of ready-to-wear garments such as T-shirts, blouses/shirts, skirts and jeans trousers.
Design/methodology/approach
Through a structured questionnaire, 418 usable responses were collected from young female university students. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate ANOVA (MANOVA) were used to examine differences in garment fit satisfaction with the body characteristics of the respondents. Moreover, a multiple regression analysis was used to determine the effect of body characteristics and fit satisfaction on fit preferences in four of the ready-to-wear garments.
Findings
The body shapes of above half of the respondents were either bottom hourglass or spoon. The respondents were somewhat dissatisfied with the fit of the ready-to-wear garments, and above 70 per cent of them faced fit problems on average. BMI showed significant fit satisfaction differences in four of the garments, while garment sizes worn were significant only in skirts. However, no statistically significant difference was obtained with body shape. The effect of body characteristics and fit satisfaction on fit preferences was found significant in T-shirts and jeans trousers. The respondents preferred looser shirts and skirts irrespective of their body characteristics.
Originality/value
The paper is unique in comprehensively examining the relationship between body characteristics and garment fit satisfaction and their effects on fit preferences in selected garments in the context of female consumers in a developing country.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors are thankful to the Ethiopian Institute of Textile and Fashion Technology, Bahir Dar University, for supporting this study financially.
Funding: This work was conducted under the center of excellence for the higher education and TVET program Ethiopia-phase 3, PE479 higher education, KFW project number 51235 and BMZ number 201166305.
Citation
Bizuneh, B. and Destaw, A. (2023), "Body characteristics, garment fit satisfaction and fit preferences of Ethiopian young adult female consumers", Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 28 No. 1, pp. 61-80. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFMM-08-2022-0174
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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