Blouse sizing using self-reported body dimensions

Purpose The challenge for companies selling clothing over the internet is to combine a minimal requested effort of the visitor in entering (body) information with low-percentage no-fit returns. The purpose of this paper is to present a method that converts self-reported information to individual adjustments of a female blouse. Design/methodology/approach In total, 48 Belgian females participated in the study. Age, height, weight and bra size were the inputs for blouse sizing as well as the subjective assessment of hip and waist size and arm length. All subjects were accurately measured and the relationship between eight essential body dimensions for blouse design (neck, bust, waist, hip and wrist circumference, arm and back length and shoulder length) and the simple inputs was determined. All subjects fitted a blouse, the size of which was determined by bust circumference, and the necessary alterations to optimize fit were recorded. Findings The subjective information provided for hip and waist shape was related to the measured hip and waist circumference (r=0.68 and r=0.79, respectively). The relationship for arm length measurements was less (r=0.38). The self-reported values enabled a fairly good prediction of the essential body dimensions (r ranged from 0.65 to 0.97). The suggested alterations during the fit test were well related to the difference between the essential body dimensions and sizing chart data. The fit of the resized blouse was judged positively by all but one subject. Originality/value The authors are not aware of similar studies reporting a statistical method to establish a stepwise link between self-reported data and blouse dimensions. The method may be helpful to improve fit of garments sold over the internet.