CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE

CLOTHING AVAILABILITY AND PREFERENCES OF LARGE-SIZE WOMEN

A thesis submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Home Economics by Cheryl Diane James

May, 1983 The Thesis of Cheryl Diane James is approved by:

Prof. ~hy C. Blackman, Chair

California State University, Northridge

ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author would like to express appreciation to Committee Chair Professor Dorothy Blackman for her suggestions and patience during the writing of this thesis. Appreciation is also extended to Dr. Nancy Owens and Dr. Ann R. Stasch for their suggestions and cooperation as members of the author's committee. A special note of thanks goes to Dr. Marjory Joseph for her guidance and to Craig Russell for his computer analysis. Finally, the author would like to thank her husband, Mr. Ron James, and her family for their support, patience, and encouragement during the preparation of this thesis.

iii TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page LIST OF TABLES . . vii ABSTRACT viii CHAPTER

I. INTRODUCTION . 1 Objectives ...... 1 Assumptions ...... 1 Limitations . . . . . 2 Justification . . . . 2

II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE . 5 Obesity Among American Women 5 Psychological and Sociological Effects of Appearance . . . 7 Views on for Large-Size Women, . 9

Effect of Line 9 Effect of Fabric Texture 10 Effect of Color 11 Fabric Design . . . 12 Garment Styles 13 III. METHODOLOGY 16 IV. RESULTS 19 Results of Survey of Catalogs and Ready-to-Wear Stores . . . 19 Colors Found in Catalogs and Stores for , Blouses, , and Pants ...... 20 Fabric Designs Available in Catalogs and Stores 21

iv IV. RESULTS (Continued) Styles Available in Catalogs and Stores ...... 21 Styles Available in Catalogs and Stores • . . . . . 22 Dress Lengths Available in Catalogs and Stores ...... 23 Dress Silhouettes Available in Catalogs and Stores . . . . 23 Styles Available in Catalogs and Stores • . . • ...... 23 Pant Styles Available in Catalogs and Stores ...... • . 25 Sizes Available in Catalogs and Stores 25 Fiber Contents Available in Catalogs and Stores . . . • . . . . . 27 Styles Available in Catalogs and Stores ...... 27 Styles Available in Catalogs and Stores . . . 29 v. SUMMARY OF CLOTHING PREFERENCES VERSUS AVAILABILITY . . • • . . 30 Features in Clothing Which Were Preferred and Available 31 Stores Patronized . . . 31 Catalog Shopping 31 Colors Preferred and Available 32 Fabric Designs Preferred and Available . . . 32 Collar Styles Preferred and Available . • . 33 Waistline Styles Preferred and Available . . . . . 33

v V. SUMMARY OF CLOTHING PREFERENCES VERSUS AVAILABILITY (Continued) Dress Lengths Preferred and Available 34 Dress Silhouettes 34 Skirt Styles 35 Pant Styles . 35 Sleeve Styles 36 Neckline Styles . 37 Fiber Contents 37 Textures 38 Sizes Purchased and Available 39 VI. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY 40 REFERENCES CITED 41 APPENDIXES 43 A. Survey Form to Determine Availability of Clothing in Catalogs and Ready-to-Wear 44 B. Questionnaire 45

vi I '

LIST OF TABLES

Table Page 1. Dress Silhouettes Available in Catalogs and Stores . . . . 24 2. Sizes Available in Catalogs and Stores 26 3. Fiber Contents Available in Catalogs and Stores ...... 28

vii ABSTRACT

CLOTHING AVAILABILITY AND PREFERENCES OF LARGE-SIZE WOMEN by Cheryl Diane James Master of Science in Home Economics

The purposes of this study were to determine the preferences of large-size women for part:i,.cular clothing features and to determine whether these desired clothing features were available in clothing from catalogs and on the ready-to-wear market. Catalogs and stores were surveyed for availability of dresses, pants, skirts, and blouses. Colors, fabric design, fiber content, textures, and garment styles were also surveyed in catalogs and stores. Generally, there was a variety of clothing available for large-size women. Sixty women living in the Los Angeles, California, area were interviewed by the use of a questionnaire. Results of the study showed that specific preferences of larger women can be satisfied in

viii the current markets. Most of the women surveyed desired red and blue as their most preferred colors, straight skirts as the most desired skirt style, and as the most wanted fiber content.

ix CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Today many large-size women want to look beautiful and attractive, they want well-designed and well-made merchandise. In the past they have rarely been able to buy clothing that made them feel good, beautiful, and desirable. This trend seems to be changing. Manufacturers appear to be answering the needs of large women by making clqthing readily available in the ready-to-wear market and in catalogs.

Objectives

The purposes of the study were (1) to determine ·preferences of large-size women for various clothing features; (2) to determine sizes, fiber content, fabric designs, styles and colors preferred by large-size women; and (3) to determine if the garment features preferred by large-size women were available through mail-order catalogs and in ready-to-wear retail stores.

Assumptions

It was assumed that 1. the questionnaire was a valid means of collecting data, and

1 2

2. the questionnaire was answered honestly.

Limitations

The following limitations affected the extent of the research. 1. The sample was from one organization for overweight people (Weight Watchers), located in Panorama

California; and the balance from the Steve Davis Gym, -- .,._, --- _,."'•• •• r~,, •o,-.,_.,~ ,. .., Valencia, California. 2. The types of garments surveyed for preference and availability were limited to large-size pants, skirts, blouses, and dresses. 3. The number and kind of stores surveyed were limited due to distances and time involved. 4. The age of the subjects was limited to between 20-45 years old.

Justification

Big Beautiful Women, a magazine with an audience primarily composed of large-size women; recently found from a survey that these women needed clothing that fit correctly and that was becoming to their figures. Questions were posed concerning colors, sleeve styles, and . However, this survey did not include questions referring to street dress types (silhouettes or styles) preferred, length of dress, waistline styles, fabric 3 design, fiber content, or fabric texture. Also, questions concerning sizes worn in dresses, blouses, skirts, and pants were not included. Edith Head's (1967:147-152) philosophy of appropriate dress for large-size women was conservative and traditional in that she thought the large-size woman should dress in clothing that would minimize her size and flatter her figure type, such as dark colors, V-necklines, and vertical stripes. The philosophy of the editors of Big Beautiful Women (March-April, 1980:4) magazine, however, is that the person should accept herself as she is and wear what she prefers in clothing, whether it be horizontal stripes, large-size prints, bright colors, or shiny fabrics. This conflict between the traditional and contemporary points of view was reflected in a preliminary survey done by the researcher. It was clear that the clothing available in stores, which tended to reflect the conservative view, was different from clothing shown in magazines with special appeal to large women. Neither conservative writers or writers for modern magazines appear to have surveyed preferences of large-size women in all aspects of clothing nor have they compared the preferences of this special group with the clothing available on the market. A survey of clothing that meets the needs of large women could benefit the wearers of such clothing as 4 well as the manufacturers and stores that sell this clothing. The wearers would have a better idea of what is available in the ready-to-wear market and in catalogs, and the manufacturers and stores might benefit because they would have a better idea of what large-size women prefer so they could make clothing to sell to this group. CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

A search of the literature revealed that little research has been done on the clothing preferences of large-size women and the availability of suitable clothing on the ready-to-wear market, either in retail stores or through catalogs. However, a great deal of information about the problems obese women in selecting

J .clothing h~s been published. One school of thought appearing in the available popular literature related to clothing for large-size women deals with obesity as an undesirable condition, with suggestions for reducing weight or for appearing slimmer by use of optical illusions. The other prevalent school of thought appears in magazines and books such as Big Beautiful Women and encourages women to accept their bodies and to dress to enhance their appearance as large women.

Obesity Among American Women

Approximately one-third of American women can be classified as obese. Shaw (1980:14) estimated that 30 percent of the American population is made up of obese women, with about thirty million, or one out of three adult women, wearing a size 16 or larger. Salans (1971:7)

5 6

expressed his concern that the incidence of obesity is increasing, with about 35 percent of all Americans being obese. Authorities have not been able to agree on a definition of obesity. Craddock (1973:2) characterized anyone whose weight was over 10 percent of "ideal" as obese. Hoffman (1979:142) increased the requirement to any weight over 20 percent of the "ideal" for a person to be considered obese. Salans (1971:11) set the lower limit for obesity at 25 percent over the "ideal." The present study has arbitrarily set the limit for "large-size" women

as those who wear size 14~ or over. "Ideal" weight has been considered as that weight associated with the greatest longevity. It has been categorized by sex, height, and three body frames; small, medium, and large (Craddock, 1973:2; Graves, 1983:80; Salans, 1971:11). According to Seltzer (Graves, 1982:82), people at either end of the weight spectrum are at an equal health risk. The standard "ideal" weight charts have been those developed·by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. The "ideal" weights have recently been boosted upward by a few pounds in each category (Graves, 1982:80) because of medical evidence suggesting that it was healthier for a person to be a little heavier than the desirable weights previously used. These weight standards have been criticized as biased, inaccurate, and misleading (Bennett and Gurins, 7

1982:49; Shaw, 1982:26). Seltzer (Graves, 1982:80) complained that "the three frame types have never been adequately defined, and medical experts do not have a way of measuring them." Shaw's concern (1982: 29-33) was that the samples used to create the charts were limited demographically, not taking into account the body· differences of normal people. One example given was that of an athlete in prime physical condition who would be judged as too heavy if the normal height-weight figures were used in judging suitable weight. This anomaly has led to a movement to define obesity as the percentage of body weight that is made up of fat. For women, the usual definition of obesity is ·10-20 percent over "ideal" weight for age and height. For men, the percentage is 10 percent over "ideal" weight (Bray, 1973:7; Craddock, 19?3: 2-5; Hoffman, 1979:142). There is some controversy in the exact percentage of overweight that is considered obese.

Psychological and Sociological Effects of Appearance

A person's appearance influences what one does in life. Dearborn (1918:29, 70), one of the early theorists on the psychology of clothing, wrote: One's habits in life as far as social communications are concerned are more determined by clothing than many have ever stopped to think or to realize. Clothes determine how much one "goes out" both into the street and into· society . . . the company one invites to his home ... Clothes help people get jobs 8

and to hold them; but they help others miss positions and lose them . . . the way we clothe ourselves is one of the surest indices of substantial intelligence. Besides the influence of personal appearance upon others, there is also its effect on the inner person. Dearborn (1918:51,52) found that clothes help to protect the person from fear of ridicule, of inadequacy, or lack of taste, or of lack of charm. He believed that fear is one of the very worst enemies of our race's civilization, as well as of our personal comfort, and moreover of our efficiency . . . Protection and relief from such fears . I take to be la raison d'etre - the real reason and purpose of wearing of clothes. Langer (1959:72), an Adlerian psychologist, maintained that Man from the earliest times has worn clothes to overcome his feeling of inferiority and to achieve a conviction of his superiority to the rest of creation . . . and to win admiration and assure himself that he belongs. Lynes (1949:309; 1973:77) further developed the functions of clothing when he asserted that the mood and morale and mores of a people are portrayed by their clothes even more readily than by their arts, because clothes are essentially ephemeral and respond easily and quickly to changes in the public temper. A man's problems of dressing, now that the standard uniform of earlier days has been discarded, are not unlike a woman's problems when decorating her house. Both have to decide who they are, what effect they want to create, what kind of society they live in, and with whom they are going to compete. Ryan (1966:3) suggested that clothes are worn 'because of modesty and for protection against the elements, insects, enemies, and supernatural forces. Experimental psychologists believe that wearing clothes is 9 a form of decoration or symbol of excellence. According to Ryan (1966:6) modern psychologists have found that clothing is one of the means by which one bolsters self-esteem and seeks acceptance from others. This concept was supported by Sturm and Grieser (1973:3,4) and Horn (1981:88-90). Ryan (1966:7) concluded that clothes are also worn to make role playing easier. Clothing may be a source of overt admiration, resulting in increased self-esteem, self-respect, self-confidence, and security (Horn, 1981:105; Ryan, 1966:81; and Sturm and Grieser, 1973:10,11).

Views on Clothing for Large-Size Women

Until recently, clothing writers approached clothing for large-size women as a project in optical illusions with the desired goal that of making the person appear taller and consequently slimmer.

Effect of Line

Traditional view. Experiments with lines have concluded that horizontal lines give the illusion of width as they carry the eye across the figure (Head, 1967:150; Kefgen and Specht, 1980:316; and MacTaggart, 1980:3). The usual rule in designing clothes for large-size women is to avoid horizontal lines. In contrast, vertical lines usually lead the eye upward, presenting a slenderizing effect. Goday and 10

Cochran (1980:31) described the effect as follows: The vertical line is the basis of all thin lines. Every single optical illusion created by clothing to give the illusion of sle11derness is designed to achieve the vertical line. The reason is that height is thinning; a vertically-striped dress creates a slimmer line than a horizontally striped one, a vertical illusion. Bradley (1954:106), Head (1967:145-152); and Kefgen and Specht (1980:314) suggested ways of creating vertical lines in clothing: fabric design with vertical movement vertical garment construction lines tall hats v long scarves pointed collars with "V" necklines vertical placement of trims and hairstyles that lead the eye upwards Contemporary view. In the modern magazines, It's Me and Big Beautiful Women, large-size models are shown wearing clothes including all the different lines: horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and curved. According to Shaw (1980:4), each issue of Big Beautiful Women shows beautiful modeled by women who actually wear these styles in order to make readers feel good about themselves, feel beautiful, and feel desirable.

Effect of Fabric Texture

Traditional view. The traditional approach to selection of fabric has been to camouflage a heavy figure. Head (1967:149) prescribed avoidance of bulky, nobby, and hairy fabrics and shiny surface materials such as satin or lame. Such fabrics give an illusion of added pounds. 11

Contemporary view. The modern approach to selection of fabric has been to wear what the person likes. In 1982, It's Me and Big Beautiful Women magazines, which are devoted to the interest of large women, have shown large-size women wearing terry cloth, chenille, knits, velours, a white ostrich-feathered and silver-sequined coat, a gilded caftan, a gold lame camisole, and a gold brocade edged in gold braid. All of those textures listed are ones that designers like Head would avoid for large women. Roamans (1980:77) recommended knits as being sexy, feminine, and easy to care for.

Effect of Color

Traditional view. According to Head (1967:125), color should be used to create a more pleasing image. Color can'make one seem slimmer or stouter, younger or older, audacious or timid, dull or exciting, wholesome or naughty. It can make a person look better or worse than she is. Head (1967:125) suggested that large women keep different parts of a garment the same color. Tolman (1967:180-184) emphasized, however, that color in garments should not be selected by figure size alone; but that personality, skin, hair, and color of eyes should also be considered. 12

Contemporary view. Modern magazines for large-size women such as It's Me and Big Beautiful Women have shown large-size models wearing all kinds of colors, especially bright ones. Models wear white dresses, solid hot pink blouses with matching pants, fire engine red outfits, emerald green dresses, and turquoise sundresses.

As long as women feel good in these colors, they should L/ wear them, commented Shaw (1982:128); although traditional designers such as Head (1967:128,140,149) and Tolman (1967:180) stressed that a large-size woman should avoid bright colors and white, which makes one appear larger. Rudnick (1981:41) found that large-size women preferred subtle colors.

Fabric Design

Traditional view. Morton (1964:161) wrote that "no better opportunity is afforded for conveying mood and expressing personal taste than through the selection of pattern in fabric in the form of prints." Prints add L vivacity to the social scene, express temperament, and aid in camouflaging figures.

Perry (1980:16) a~vised that the print should be related to the figure. A print that was greatly out of scale with the wearer and the garment would emphasize the contrast in size, making size more obvious. A print might be placed to attract or detract from the or hips, drawing attention to the face or legs. A dominant plaid 13

or stripe would attract the eye, so it should be placed only at attractive locations. A dominant large-scale motif should not be placed at the bust, on the stomach, or on the derriere.

Contemporary view. In recent issues of It's Me and Big Beautiful Women, models were shown wearing many different types of prints with motifs which were purely abstract and geometric, motifs based on nature's forms, and prints of formal or conservative character, along with those which might be considered informal, free, or exotic. Large-size women were portrayed as wanting to buy clothes that make them feel good, beautiful and desirable.

Garment Styles

/ Traditional view. Bonnie August (1981:8,9), a designer whose designs have won the Coty Award, developed a body type alphabet to identify proportion imbalances--female figures that she believes can be corrected with clothes. These body types were described L---·­ as "A" (narrower above the waist), "X" (curvy profile), "H" (heavy torso), and "V" (narrower below the waist). August (1981:100) suggested the selection of styles that are flattering and that give the illusion of thinness. For the "A" body type, she recommended a dress with a narrow bodice and controlled fullness in the skirt. The "X" body type would be most attractive in a straight 14 silhouette. A full caftan silhouette was her suggestion for the "H" body type and a garment with a straight skirt for the "V" body type. All four of these types would appear slimmer in controlled -fullness skirts, such as a four- or six- skirt, an A-line skirt, a yoked skirt, a wrapped skirt, a modified straight skirt, or a skirt with stitched-down . The most flattering pants would likewise involve controlled top fullness. Such pants would include flared, pleated, or yoked, and modified straight pants or (August, 1981:138,140). V-necklines lengthen all body types. U-necklines, "droopy" bow, and stock tie styles are flattering for all body types (August, 1981:143).

Contemporary view. Roamans (1980:75,76) suggested styles for larger women that run counter to the traditional view. She recommended that large women wear turtlenecks since they show off the face dramatically. Fitted dresses won praise as making the large woman look extremely feminine. If a woman's waist is shapely, Roamans encouraged her to show it off, not cover it up. In contrast to a straight skirt, a slight fullness at the hips in combination with a defined waistline creates the illusion of a smaller mid-section. An A-line with pleats moves gracefully, provides freedom of movement, and defines the waist. Belts that contrast with clothes accentuate the waist and define the figure, as well as 15 give a finished look to the outfit. However, matching or harmonizing belts provide shape without distraction. Two points of view have been presented on clothing for large women. One considers the goal as appearing slender, using optical illusions with color, texture, line, and design. The other modern view encourages women to dress in whatever styles make them feel most attractive and most comfortable. However, there is little evidence in the literature that anyone has asked large-size women what they prefer to wear and what difficulties they have in purchasing clothing. CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This study was descriptive research. Information concerning clothing available for the large-size woman was collected through a survey of clothing catalogs and ready-to-wear stores. Also, a written questionnaire, submitted to a sample of sixty women, provided data about clothing preferences of large-size women. The purposes of this research were to determine preferences of large-size women for various clothing features; to determine sizes, fiber contents, fabric designs, styles, and colors preferred by large-size women; and to determine if these features were available in catalogs and ready-to-wear retail stores. Garments surveyed for availability were limited to dresses, blouses, skirts, and pants. In clothing catalogs and ready-to-wear stores, these garments were examined to determine sizes being offered as well as color, fiber content, and styles of , necklines, collars, and dress silhouettes. To establish a form for collecting information, a preliminary survey was made of one catalog from each of two stores, Sears and Montgomery Ward. The preliminary survey also included three stores: a department store

16 17

(The Broadway), a discount store (K-Mart) and a specialty store (Lane Bryant), all in the Los Angeles area. Descriptive words for garment parts such as sleeve styles were taken from various clothing construction books (see form p. 44). Following the preliminary survey, a simpler form was developed, eliminating many of the style names. Five additional catalogs were included in the final survey. They were Lane Bryant, Roaman's, Great Impressions, Penney's, and Spiegel. Also, seven other stores were surveyed, including Woman's World, The Forgotten Woman, Woman's Room, May Company, Bullock's, Mervyn's, and Penney's. The results of the survey of catalogs and the ready-to-wear stores have been described in appropriate tables together with an explanation of the data.

A pre~ary questionnaire was given to ten large-size women selected at random in various shopping malls. Changes were made to clarify language and style names, and in the final questionnaire, sketches were included to identify styles in various garment units (dress silhouettes, sleeves, necklines, and collars). The final questionnaire, which is included in the Appendix (p. 44), consisted of forty-two questions. The first six questions were demographic, including personal information such as marital status, age, educational status, occupational status, height, and approximate 18 weight. The thirty-six remaining questions requested information concerning stores patronized and sizes purchased, as well as styles, colors, and fiber content preferred and available to large-size women. The questionnaire was designed to determine both satisfaction and dissatis-faction with large-size clothes available on the market. Respondents to the questionnaire included eight women from one Weight Watchers' group, a selection of ten large-size women at various shopping centers, and forty-two from the Steve Davis Gym in Valencia, California, with the cooperation of Ellen Davis, the owner. The sixty questionnaires were evaluated for frequency distribution and the results presented as percentages. Based on the data obtained from the survey of catalogs and stores, and from the questionnaire, results and recommendations for further study were made. CHAPTER IV

RESULTS

~ The results of this study have been reported in three sections. The first deals with the survey of catalogs and ready-to-wear stores to determine what type of clothing was available in sizes ~!+3g_g.nc:LJ:l!~:t:'e. The second section reports the results of the questionnaire given to large-size women to determine their clothing preferences and compares preferences with availability of clothing features in catalogs and stores) Pages 45 to 53 of the Appendix show the computer analySis of replies to the questionnaire.

Results of Survey of Catalogs and Ready to Wear Stores Catalogs surveyed were those from Lane Bryant, Roaman's, Montgomery_Ward, Great Impressions, Sears, Penney's, and Spiegel. Ready-to-wear stores surveyed included The Woman's Room, the Forgotten Woman, Woman's World, The Broadway, K-Mart, May Company, Bullock's, Mervyn's, Penney's, and Lane Bryant, all in the Los Angeles area. The results of the survey of catalogs and the ready-to-wear stores to find what clothing for large-size women was available, are discussed in the following pages.

19 20

Results recorded show the features found, suc<~s fiber content and styles in descending order of availability. The summary is clarified in the tables included)

Colors Found in Catalogs and Stores for Dresses, Blouses, Skirts, and Pants The Munsell Color Wheel was used as a guide in the preparation of this survey. The color red includes hot pink, pink, burgundy, rose, and raspberry. The .color orange includes peach, apricot, and coral. The color yellow includes gold. Green includes olive, kelly, and khaki. Blue includes aqua, navy, peacock, and turquoise. Purple includes lilac and plum. The colors black and white were named as separate categories because of their wide use in clothing. Other means colors and values difficult to categorize, such as beige, brown, tan, gray, ivory, rust, and mauve. The order of the colors in the discussion move from warm to cool, then values, plus "other." In the catalogs many colors were found. In skirts, the predominant colors were red, burgundy, pink, orange, peach, yellow, green, blue, peacock, navy, purple, plum, white, gray, rust tan, ivory, and brown. Colors commonly found in pants were red, rose, pink, coral, yellow, green, khaki, blue, turquoise, navy, purple, lilac, plum, black, white, brown, rust, beige, and ivory. ~There was a variety of colors found in dresses, blouses, skirts, and pants in the ready-to-wear stores.~ 21

In dresses, the following colors were the most common: red, raspberry, rose, hot pink, pink, peach, yellow, olive green, blue, turquoise, navy, purple, black, white, mauve, tan, and beige. Skirts were found in these colors: red, burgundy, pink, yellow, olive green, blue, turquoise, navy, purple, black, white, brown, tan, beige, and gray. Appearing most often in pants were the following colors: red, raspberry, rose, pink, burgundy, apricot, peach, yellow, blue, navy, turquoise, purple, plum, black, white, rust, gray, mauve, brown, and tan.

Fabric Designs Available in Catalogs and Stores All of the fabric designs on the survey form could be found in both catalogs and stores. Solid colors were the most popular fabric designs in both catalogs and stores. At the time of the survey, large polka dots and horizontal stripes were in fashion and could be found in many of the department stores, but were not as popular in the catalogs. Large prints, small prints, and plaids were also available from both sources.

Collar Sttles Available in Cata ogs and Stores The convertible collar was found in all of the catalogs; the mandarin collar was found in all of the catalogs except Spiegel. The appeared in all of the catalogs except Lane Bryant and Penney's. The 22 was available in all of the catalo·gs except Roaman' s and.Montgomery Ward. There were other collar types found in all of the catalogs to a lesser degree than those named above, but were categorized as other because of space. Some of the collar types were the tie, middy, , and chelsea. The convertible collar was found in all of the stores except Woman's World. The mandarin was found in all of the stores except The Forgotten Woman. The ruff was available in all of the stores except K-Mart and Woman's Room. The Peter Pan collar was available in all of the stores except K-Mart, May Company, Bullock's, and Mervyn's. Other collar styles such as chelsea, wing, middy, tie, and jabot were found occasionally and were put into a category called "other." As other collar styles, they were available in all of the stores surveyed.

Dress Waistline Styles Available in Catalogs and Stores Six waistline styles were surveyed in catalogs and stores.· They were gathered, pleated, corded, belted, tie belt, and no waistline. All of the waistline styles were available in both catalogs and stores except the corded style, and it was not available in either the catalogs or the stores. 23

Dress Length Available in Catalogs and Stores The mini, knee-length, middle of the calf, in between the middle of the calf and the ankle, and the ankle dress length were surveyed. The knee-length and the ankle-length were available both in catalogs and stores. The mini and the length between the middle of the calf and the ankle were not available in either the catalogs or the stores.

Dress Silhouettes Available in Catalogs and Stores There was a variety of dress silhouettes in catalogs; however, none of the catalogs carried all of the silhouette styles. For example, the shirtwaist style was only available in Roaman's, Sears, and Penney's catalogs. None of the stores had all of the dress silhouettes. Woman's World and Mervyn's had the most variety. The dress silhouettes available in most of the stores were the A-line and the shirtwaist. The sheath, , and shift were equally unavailable in most stores surveyed. (See Table 1, p. 24.)

·skirt Styles Available in Catalogs and Stores The straight skirt was found in all of the catalogs except three and was found in only one of the stores. The A-line skirt style was found in all of the catalogs except Roaman's and Spiegel, and in six of the stores. The yoke style was unavailable on the ready-to-wear market and it was located in only one 24

Table 1 DRESS SILHOUETTES AVAILABLE IN CATALOGS AND STORES

Catalogs Styles Tent Sheath Princess Yoke A-line Shirt- Blouson Asymmetric Shift waist Center Lane + + + + + Bryant Roaman's + + + + + + + Montgomery + + + + + + + Ward Great + + + + + + Impressions Sears + + + + + Penney's + + + + + Spiegel + + +

~ Woman's + + + + + World Broadway + + + K-Mart + + + Forgotten + + + + Woman Woman's Room + + + + May Company + + + + Bullock's + + + + Mervyn's + + + + + + Penney's + + + Lane + + + + Bryant 25

catalog--Spiegel's. The pleated style was found in all of

the catalogs except Penney's, but was found in only a few

of the stores surveyed. Some of the catalogs had gathered skirts as did most of the stores.

Pant Styles Available in Catalogs and Stores

Straight-leg pants were found in all of the

catalogs and stores surveyed. Tapered-leg pants were

available only in Roaman's catalog and only at K-Mart and

Mervyn's. Flared pants were unavailable in either

catalogs or stores. Jeans were found in all of the

catalogs except Sears and in all of the stores. A few other styles of pants were found in both sources.

Sizes Available in Catalogs and Stores

Sizes varied from catalog to catalog and from

garment to garment. Penney's catalog, for example, had

dresses from 14~ - 24~ and Roaman's had dresses from 14~- 52. There was also a variety of sizes from store to

store and from garment to garment. For example, Woman's

World blouses were sized from 34 - 44. The Forgotten

Woman chose to interpret larger numbers as 0 for size 38, 1 for size 40, 2 for size 42, and 6 for size SO. This

interpretation of the sizing was offered by a sales associate. (See Table 2, p. 26.) 26

Table 2 SIZES AVAILABLE IN CATALOGS AND STORES

Cat:alogs Dresses Blouses Skirt:s ~ Lane Bryant: 14.lf-34.lf 34-54 32-48 32-48 36-54 14-24 Roaman's 14.lf-52 38-52 30-48 30-48 16-24 Montgomery Ward 14-20 38-44 38-44 38-44 Great Impressions 14.lf-26 14.lf-26.lf 14%-26.lf 32-50 36-54 36-54 36-54 Sears 14.lf-24.lf 38-44 14-18 14-20 38-44

Penney's ~4.lf-24.lf 36-44 32-40 32-40 38-48 Spiegel 14-16 14-16 14-16 14-16 38-46

~ Woman's World 14.lf-24\ 34-44 32-38 32-42 Broadway 14.lf-24.lf 34-44 34-44 34-40 K-Mart 14.lf-24\ 38-44 14-18 32-40 The Forgoeeen 1-6(14-24) (00-6) 1-6 1-6 Woman 00-36 1-30 1-30 0-38 2-32 2-32 1-40 3-34 3-36 2-42 6-40 6-40 6-50 Woman' s Room 14-20 36-46 32-38 30-40 May Company 12%-20% 38-42 32-38 14-40" Bullock's 12%-22\ 38-44 30-36 14-40 Mervyn's 16\-24.lf 38-46 30-38 30•38 Penney's 14%-24.lf 36-46 32-42 32-42 Lane Bryant: 10-32% 38-50 32-48 32-48 27

Fiber Contents Available in Catalogs and Stores Polyester was the most widely used fiber in dresses, blouses, skirts, and pants. All and blends of polyester and cotton were found to a lesser degree in dresses, blouses, skirts, and pants. Also available in these same items were polyester and

blends. and rayon were found in dress~s, blouses, and skirts; but-neither fiber was available in pants. Polyester and silk blends were only found in blouses. Acrylic and blend fiber content and were found in pants. The stores surveyed had polyester, cotton, polyester/cotton blends, and polyester/rayon blends in dresses, blouses, skirts, and pants. Acetate and blends were found only in dresses. Silk appeared in dresses and pants but was not available in blouses and skirts. Nylon was available in dresses only, and acrylic and cotton blends were found only in blouses. Acrylic, rayon, and ramie blends were available only in blouses. Wool and polyester/wool blends were found in skirts and pants, but were not available in dresses or blouses. (See Table 3 on page 28.)

Sleeve Styles Available in Catalogs and Stores Because there were so many styles of sleeves, many were put into the category of "other." The most frequently mentioned or offered sleeves were ones that 28

Table 3 FIBER CONTENT AVAILABLE IN CATALOGS AND STORES

Catalogs

Fiber Content Dresses Blouses Skirts ~ Polyester + + + + Cotton + + + + Polyester/Cotton + + + + Polyester/Rayon + + + + Silk + + + Rayon + + + Acetate/Rayon + Wool + + + Polyester/Wool + + Polyester/Silk + Acrylic/Wool + Leather + +

~ Polyester + + + + Cotton + + + + Polyester/Cotton + + + + Acetate/Nylon + Silk + + Polyester/Rayon + + + + Nylon + Acrylic/Cotton + Acrylic/Rayon/Ramie + Wool + + Polyester/Wool + + 29 were long, short, 3/4, and raglan. Almost all of the catalogs surveyed had long sleeves, raglan, and a variety of "other" types of sleeves. Short sleeves were available in Roaman's and Penney's catalogs. The 3/4 length sleeves were found in all of the catalogs except for three. All of the stores had long, short, and "other" sleeve styles available, and all of the stores except K-Mart had 3/4 style sleeves. Raglan sleeve styles were available in all of the stores except May Company and Bullock's.

Neckline Styles Avail~ble in Catalogs and Stores A variety of neckline styles was found in all of the catalogs surveyed. The round style was found in all of the catalogs except Roaman's, and the V-neck style was found in all of the catalogs except Spiegel. The scoop style was available in all but two stores. The draped cowl and the cardigan style did not appear in any of the catalogs. The V-neck was found in all of the stores surveyed and was the most prominent. The round neckline was found in all of the stores except Woman's World and K-Mart. The scoop neckline style was available in all but three of the· stores. The draped cowl and the cardigan neckline styles were not found in any of the stores. Many neckline styles were put under the category of "other," and a variety was found in all of the stores surveyed. CHAPTER V

SUMMARY: CLOTHING PREFERENCES VERSUS AVAILABILITY

The following summary shows a comparison of clothing preferences of large-size women and the availability of desired clothing features in ready-to-wear catalogs and stores. The majority of the large-size women surveyed were married. They were between 41 and 45 years old and had a high school or better education. They were mostly homemakers of various heights, with 5'5" as the average height. The women surveyed ranged in weight from a low of 114 pounds to a high of about 265 pounds and considered themselves overweight. The majority of them felt that they were between 50 and 70 pounds overweight and contributed the excess weight to too many calories and not enough exercise. Dresses, blouses, skirts, and pants were garments purchased as ready-to-wear clothing by the large-size women. These garments were available in clothing catalogs, department stores, discount stores, and specialty stores.

30 31

Features in Clothing Which Were Preferred and Available . The large-size woman looked for action pleats in dresses and blouses and underarm gussets in dresses. Neither of these features was available in the ready-to-wear market. Action gathers were found in dresses and blouses, located at the shoulders or the bust. Seventy-three percent of the women looked for adjustable , which were available. The following were desired in descending order: elasticized sleeve , front openings, wrap skirts, and front openings in bras. All of these features were available in the ready-to-wear market.

Stores Patronized Of the women surveyed, 55.67 percent patronized department stores, 24. 7 4 percent patronized dis_count stores, and 6.19 percent patronized specialty stores. All of these types of stores carried clothing for large-size women.

Catalog Shopping Of the women surveyed, 45 percent shopped from catalogs and 55 percent did n~t. The most widely used catalog was Penney's, followed by Sears, Montgomery Ward, and Roaman's. Lane Bryant, Spiegel, and Great Impressions were used least (2 percent each). None of the women surveyed used Lady 32

Anabelle Lingerie or specified any other catalog. All of these catalogs carry clothing for the large-size woman.

Colors Preferred and Available The most popular color was red, which was preferred by 29.69 percent of the women. The second most preferred color was blue (18.75 percent). The following were mentioned and are listed here is descending order of preference: pastels (11 percent), purple (7 percent), green (6 percent), yellow (5 percent), orange (3 percent), and black (.39 percent). None of the women surveyed liked to wear white, nor did they mention additional colors. All of the colors they preferred to wear were readily available in dresses, blouses, skirts, and pants in both catalogs and stores. The ready-to-wear market was showing very bright colors for the large-size woman, along with the pastels, black, white, and others that might be categorized as neutrals (beige and tan). Bright orange, however, was not available. The orange color that was on the ready-to-wear market was apricot, peach, or coral. A small percent of the women surveyed did want orange. White blouses were very prominent on the ready-to-wear market, but the women preferred the colored garments. Perhaps they felt that white made them look larger.

Fabric Designs Preferred and Available Solid colored garments were the most preferred fabric designs (47.54 percent). Then came small prints 33

(21 percent) and large prints (18 percent). In descending order, vertical stripes, horizontal stripes and plaids were preferred. None of the women surveyed wanted polka dots. Solid colored garments were available in dresses, blouses, skirts, and pants in both catalogs and stores. Small prints were available in dresses, blouses, and skirts in catalogs and stores, and large prints were available in dresses and blouses, but not skirts or pants. Large prints were found in catalogs and stores. Vertical and horizontal stripes were available in dresses and blouses, as were plaids and polka dots, but none of these fabric designs were found in skirts or pants. Vertical and horizontal stripes, plaids, and polka dots were available in all of the catalogs and stores surveyed.

Collar Styles Preferred and Available The Peter Pan and convertible collar styles were the most preferred (17 percent each). Then, following in descending order of preference was the (14 percent), tailored (12 percent), ruff, mandarin, chelsea (each 9 percent), and middy (1 percent). No one preferred the tie or jabot collars. The Peter Pan and convertible collar styles were available in all of the catalogs and stores surveyed.

Waistline Styles Preferred and Available Gathered waistlines were the most preferred style (58 percent) and was available in catalogs and stores. 34

The pleated waistline style was preferred next (15 percent), and it was also available. "The corded waistline was not available, although 11 percent preferred the corded style. Styles with no waistline were not preferred by the large-size women, but they were available in their size range in both catalogs and stores. Results indicated that this question may not have been clear, however, because the preference was for A-line and sheath styles in dresses, neither of which has a waistline .

Dress Lengths Preferred and Available The mini length was the most preferred dress length (64 percent), followed by the knee length (28 percent). The mini length was unavailable in large sizes in the ready-to-wear market. Knee-length dresses were readily available in both catalogs and stores. The middle of the calf length was preferred by a small percent of the women and it was available in the ready-to-wear market. None of the women preferred the between mid-calf and the ankle-length dress lengths, and they were not available in the ready-to-wear market. None of the women preferred the ankle-length dress; however, it was available in the ready-to-wear market in women's wear.

Dress Silhouettes The A-line was the most preferred dress silhouette (55 percent). It could be found in all of the catalogs except Roaman's and in all of the stores except 35

The Broadway and Lane Bryant. The shift was the next most preferred. This dress silhouette was available in all of the catalogs except Lane Bryant and Speigel, but none of the stores had shift-style dresses except K-Mart and Mervyn's. The following dress silhouettes were preferred by smaller percentages and in descending order: tent, princess, and blouson. These were available at a few locations in the ready-to-wear market. The shirtwaist and other dress silhouettes were not preferred (0 percent) but were found in most of the catalogs and some of the stores.

Skirt Styles Most of the women preferred the straight skirt style (60 percent). The straight skirt was available in most of the catalogs, but was unavailable in any of the stores surveyed. The A-line skirt was available in most of the catalogs and stores. The yoke and the pleated style were preferred by a smaller percent of the sample. The yoke style was only available in one catalog and in a few stores. None of the women preferred the gathered skirt style or the category of "other." However, the gathered skirt was available in a few catalogs and in several stores. Other skirt styles were available in a few of the ready-to-wear markets and stores.

Pant Styles The straight leg with a fitted was the most desired style o.f pants (42 percent), and the straight 36 leg style pants with an elastic waistband was the most available style in the ready-to-wear market. It was found in all catalogs and stores surveyed. The tapered leg was the desired style of 16 percent of the sample. It was found in one catalog and two stores only. Flared pants and jeans were preferred by a small percentage of large-size women. The flared style was unavailable in either catalogs or stores. Jeans were found in all but one catalog and was found in all of the stores.

Sleeve Styles Long sleeves with a were the most preferred. The raglan sleeve style (13 percent) was the next most preferred, then the 3/4 length (10 percent). In descending order, the following sleeve styles were pre­ ferred: short (9 percent), (8 percent), puff and cap (7 percent), sleeveless (6 percent), long (elasti­ cized) - (5 percent), and long with a ruffled cuff (each 4 percent), long (hemmed) - (4 percent), kimono (3 percent), and bell (3 percent). Long sleeves were found in all of the catalogs and all of the stores. Raglan sleeves were found in all of the catalogs and all of the stores, except May Company and Bullock's. The 3/4 length sleeve style was available in all but three of the catalogs and in all but one of the stores. The short sleeve style was found in all of the catalogs except for two and was found in all of the stores. Even though the 37 bishop sleeve style was preferred by a few more women than the puff sleeve, the puff sleeve style was more available. The dolman, kimono, bell, and sleeveless sleeve style were categorized under the heading of "other" and were found in catalogs and stores.

Neckline Styles There were many neckline styles the women preferred, but the most desired one was the V-neck (26 percent). This popular style was found in all catalogs except Spiegel and in all stores surveyed. The next most desired neckline style was the round neckline (17 percent). The round style was found in all catalogs except Roaman's and in all stores except two, Woman's World and K-Mart. Another preferred style was the scoop style, available in most- catalogs and most stores. Some of the women wanted the cardigan and the draped cowl. Neither of these styles was available on the ready-to-wear market. The yoke, square, bateau, keyhole, and halter were categorized as "other" because they were less available or less preferred. The keyhole and the halter could be found occasionally; however, none of the women preferred either of these styles.

Fiber Contents Polyester was the most preferred fiber content of the large-size women (30 percent). Cotton (27 percent) and cotton/polyester blends (25 percent) were also 38 preferred by a large percent of the women. A smaller percentage of women wanted wool (7 percent), wool blends (6 percent), acrylics (3 percent), nylon (2 percent), and rayon (1 percent). Polyester was the most available fiber content. The second most available fiber content was cotton/polyester blends. Polyester, cotton, cotton/polyester, and polyester/rayon were all available in both catalogs and stores in dresses, blouses, skirts, and pants. Silk was available in dresses in catalogs and stores. Rayon and rayon/polyester was available in most of the catalogs and stores. Acrylic blends were rarely found in the ready-to-wear market. Wool was found in dresses, skirts, and pants; but not blouses. Leather pants appeared in the Spiegel catalog, but was not available in the stores.

Textures The most preferred texture was soft (48 percent). Rough or coarse texture was preferred by 23 percent of the women, with smooth texture preferred by 20 percent. Shiny and heavy textures were preferred by some of the women. Crisp, bulky, and hairy textures were least preferred. Both the catalogs and stores showed textures that were soft and smooth. Rough or coarse texture was unavailable. Shiny textures were available in stores, but not in catalogs. Heavy, crisp, bulky, and hairy textured fabrics 39 were unavailable in catalogs and stores. The most popular smooth garments were the polyester blouses.

Sizes Purchased and Available The size ranges purchased can be identified as standard women's sizes as defined by pattern and clothing construction books. Fifty-eight percent of the women purchased garments this size range over half sizes (15 percent) and misses sizes (20 percent). Pant sizes purchased ranged from size 30 to size 44; size 32 being the most frequently named (22 percent). Blouse sizes purchased ranged from size 32 to size 44; size 38 being the mode (24 percent). Skirt sizes purchased ranged from size 30 to size 42 with size 32 as the mode (24 percent). All of the catalogs and stores surveyed had dresses, pants, skirts, and blouses in the sizes purchased.

In summary, clothing was available for large-size women. Both catalogs and stores carried dressed, blouses, skirts, and pants in large sizes. Department stores, discount stores, and specialty stores were patronized, and almost half of the women surveyed shopped from catalogs. Of the catalogs mentioned in the survey, only one was not used by the subjects, Lady Annabelle Lingerie. CHAPTER VI

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY

The following are recommendations and suggestions for further research in this field. 1. It is suggested that a similar research study be done using large-sized men as the sample population. 2. It is suggested that lingerie, sportswear, evening wear, coats, and sweaters be surveyed for the availability and preferences of the large-size women. 3. It is recommended that a similar research study be done using select ethnic groups of large-size women. Each group's preferences of colors, fabric design, fiber content, textures, and garment styles could be compared.

40 REFERENCES CITED

Books August, Bonnie. The Complete Bonnie August's Dress Thin S~stem. New York: Rawson Wade Publishers, Inc., 1 81. Bradley, Carolyn. Design. Columbus, Ohio: International Textbook Company, 1954. Craddock, D. Obesity and Its Management. London: Churchill Publishing Company, 1973. Goday, Dale and Molly Cochran. Dressing Thin. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1980. Head, Edith. How to Dress for Success. New York: Random House, 1967. Hoffman, Adeline M. Clothinf for the Handicapped, the Aged and Other Peop e with SpeciaL Needs. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas, Publishers, 1979. Horn, Marilyn J. The Second Skin. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1981. Kefgen, Mary and Phyllis Specht. Individuality in Clothing Selection and Personal ~pearance: (3rd Edition). New York: Macmillan Pubishing Company, 1981. Langner, Lawrence. The Importance of Wearing Clothes. New York: Hastings House, 1959. Lynes, Russell. The Surfeit of Honey. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1973.

Lynes, Russell. The Tastemakers. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1973. Morton, Grace. The Art of Costume and Personal Appearance: (2nd Edition) . New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1964. Perry, Patricia. The New Vogue Sewing Book. New York: Butterick Publishing, 1980.

41 42

Roamans, Evelyn. The Evelyn Roamans Book: Heavy Can Be Happy. New York: Lippincott and Crowell, 1980. Ryan, Mary. Clothing, A. Study in Human Behavior. New York: Rinehart and Winston, 1966. Shaw, Carol. Big Beautiful Woman: Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are. Los Angeles: American R. R. Publishing Company, 1982. Sturm, Mary, Edwina Helfley Grieser, and others. Guide to Modern Clothing (3rd Edition). New York: Hi lady Publishing Corporation, 1967.

Periodicals Bennett, William and Joel Guerins. "Do Diets Really Work?" Science '82, March, 1982. Clerke, Bruce. It's Me Magazine, Holiday, 1981. Dearborn, George. "Psychology of Clothes." Psychological Monographs, 26, No. 1 (1918). Graves, Susan B. "Good News about Plumpness." Family Circle, March 1982, pp. 80-83. Shaw, Carol. "Statement of Policy." BBW Big Beautiful Women, March-April, 1980, p. 4.

Newspaper Articles MacTaggart, Mellany. "Sew on and so Forth." Paper Weight, Nov.-Dec., 1980, p. 3.

Government Documents Bray, George A. Obesity in Perspective. HEW Publication No. (NIH) 75-708, Vol. 2, Part 1 (Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health, October 1-3, 1973). Sa1ans, Lester B. Obesity and Energa Metabolism. u.s. Department of Health, Education an Welfare, 1971. Unpublished Sources--Thesis Rudnick, Peggy. "Clothing of Large Sized Women by Size, Age and Income." Master's thesis, California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, 1981. APPENDIXES APPENDIX A SURVEY FORM TO DETERMINE AVAILABILITY OF CLOTHING IN CATALOGS AND READY-TO-WEAR DRESSES Catalog: Store:

Sizes Available

Colors Hue Value Other

Red Black Tan Orange White Beige Yellow Green Blue Purple

Fiber Content

Styles Silhouette Sleeves Neckline Collars

A-line Long V-neck Jabot Blouson 3/4 Scoop Tie Tent Dolman Cardigan Convertible Shift Raglan Round Mandarin Princess Puff Draped Shawl Short Cowl Wing

Similar forms were used for each kind of garment.

44 APPENDIX B QUESTIONNAIRE

The purpose of this questionnaire is to determine whether suitable clothing is available in ready-to-wear for larger women. For purposes of identification larger women will be considered size 14~ and over. The following questionnaire is also designed to determine both satisfaction and dissatisfaction with large-size clothes available on the market. All answers will be confidential.

PLEASE CHECK ONE ANSWER FROM QUESTIONS 1 - 8.

1. MARITAL STATUS 18% a. Single (never married) I'M b. Married ~ c. Separated 7! d. Divorced 2! e. Widowed 2. AGE: 17% a. 20 - 24 Ill b. 25 - 28 m c. 29 - 32 10% d. 33 - 36 22! 3. 37 - 40 28%" f. over 40 3. EDUCATIONAL STATUS (highest level completed) 2% a. Elementary School 47! b. High School TO! d. College Graduate 8"%" e. Post Graduate Study

45 46

4. OCCUPATIONAL STATUS 8% a. Student 35! b. Homemaker 12! c. Secretary/Clerical IO'%" d. Managerial 20'! e. Professional 15% f. Other, please specify ------5. WHAT IS YOUR HEIGHT? Various heights with 5'5" mean. 6. WHAT IS YOUR APPROXIMATE WEIGHT? 5% a. Below 114 pounds TI! b. 115 - 139 pounds "ill c. 140 - 164 pounds 23! d. 165 - 189 pounds TI! e. 190 - 214 pounds ---r! f. 215 - 239 pounds ---r! g. 240 - 264 pounds 0! h. 265 - 289 pounds 0"% i. 290 - 314 pounds

0% j 0 315 pounds and over 7. DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF OVERWEIGHT? 86% a. Yes I4! b. No 8. IF YOU ANSWERED "YES" TO QUESTION 6, HOW MANY POUNDS OVERWEIGHT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? 5% a. 0 - 24 pounds 13% b. 25 - 49 pounds "ill c. 50 - 74 pounds 21! d. 75 - 99 pounds TI! e. 100 - 124 pounds ---=r;: f. 125 - 149 pounds ---r! g. 150 - 174 pounds --a!· h. 175 - 199 pounds 0'! i. 200 pounds and over PLEASE CHECK ALL THAT APPLY FROM QUESTIONS 9 - 26 9. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE REASON OR REASONS FOR YOUR EXCESS WEIGHT? 30% a. Too many calories 40'! b. Not enough exercise I4! c. Emotional problems 12% d. Food always available ~ e. Love to eat 0! f. Other, please specify ------47

10. OF THE FOLLm.JING ITEHS, WHICH DO YOU BUY AS READY-TO-WEAR? 23% a. Skirts 37% b. Blouses and 24! c. Dresses 14%" d. Pants 2%" e. Other, please specify 11. DO YOU LOOK FOR ANY OF THESE FEATURES WHEN YOU BUY CLOTHING? , 37% a. Action pleats in dresses and blouses 28! b. Underarm gussets in dresses 2I! c. Adjustable waistbands ---s! d. Front openings b'! e. Elasticized sleeve hems 2! f. Wrap skirts """"I! g. Front opening in bras 0! h. Other feature, that would provide extra room for a given area, please specify ------12. OF THE FOLLOWING STORES, WHICH ONES DO YOU PATRONIZE? 56% a. Department stores, such as May Company "'55! b. Discount stores, such as K-Mart 0%' c. Specialty stores 9! d. Lane Bryant 3%" e. Woman's World """"I! f. The Woman' s Room """"I! g. The Forgotten Woman 0! h. Other, please specify ------13. DO YOU SHOP FROM CATALOGS? 45% a. Yes 55% b. No 14. IF YOU SHOP FROM CATALOGS, WHICH CATALOGS DO YOU USE? 46% a. Penney's 10! b. Sears 1'4! c. Montgomery Ward 4! d. Roaman's 2% e. Lane Bryant 2! f. Spiegel 2! g. Great Impressions 0"%' h. Lady Anabelle Lingerie 0% i. Other, please specify------48

15. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING COLORS DO YOU LIKE TO WEAR? 30% a. Red ""3! b. Orange """5%' c. Yellow """""b! d. Green I9! e. Blue ---r;: f. Purple m g. Brown 0! h. Beige m i. Pastels --a%" j. White ---a%" k. Black 0%' 1. Other, please specify ------16. WHICH OF THESE FABRIC DESIGNS DO YOU PREFER? 48% a. Solid Colored Garments I8! b. Large Prints 2T! c. Small Prints """5%' d. Horizontal Stripes ---r! e. Vertical Stripes 1%' f. Plaids 0% g. Polka Dots 17. WHEN PURCHASING CLOTHING OR FABRIC FROM CLOTHING, WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING TEXTURES DO YOU PREFER? 23% a. Rough or Coarse 48%' b. Soft "20%" c. Smooth """5%' d. Shiny ~ e. Heavy """T! f. Crisp 1"%' g. Bulky """T! h. Hairy 18. WHICH SLEEVE STYLE DO YOU PREFER? 7% a. Puff ---rr b. Cap 14%" c. Long (with cuff) 5! d. Long (elasticized) 4%' e. Long (hemmed 5! f. Long (ruffled cuff) 9'! g. Short TO! h. 3/4 length 8! i. Bishop TI! j. Raglan """5%' k. Dolman ""3! 1. Kimono ~ m. Bell 0% n. Sleeveless 49

19. WHICH STYLE NECKLINE DO YOU PREFER? 17% a. Round T4! b. Scoop """8! c. U-neck m d. V-neck """b! e. Square £;!f. Bateau 9"! g. Draped Cowl b! h. Yoke 10% i. Cardigan 0! j. Keyhole 0! k. Halter 20. WHICH STYLE COLLARS DO YOU PREFER? 17% a. Peter Pan 9! b. Ruff (ruffled collar) T4! c. Shawl 9! d. Mandarin m e. Convertible 12! f. Tailored 9! g. Chelsea ---rr h. Wing """8! i. Middy 0! j. Tie --or k. Jabot 21. WHICH WAISTLINE STYLE 58% a. Gathered "ill b. Pleated ill" c. Corded m d. Belted ---s"%" e. Tie Belt 0! f. No waistline 22. WHICH DRESS LENGTH DO YOU PREFER? 64% a. Mini 28! b. Knee-length ---s-! c. Middle of the calf ---a%" d. Between mid-calf and the ankle 0! e. Ankle 50

23. WHICH DRESS SILHOUETTES DO YOU PREFER? 55% a. A-line 29! b. Shift 0"%" c. Tent 5! d. Princess --"'3! e. Blouson ---a! f. Shirtwaist ---a! g. Other, please specify------24. WHICH SKIRT STYLES DO YOU PREFER? 60% a. Straight -m b. A-line 8! c. Yoke 4"%" d. Pleated ---a! e. Gathered ---a! f. Other, please specify______25. WHICH PANT STYLES DO YOU PREFER? 38% a. Straight leg (with elastic waistband) 42%" b. Straight leg (with waistband) Tb! c. Tapered leg -n d. Flared -r%" e. Jeans ---a! f. Other, please specify______26. WHICH SIZES DO YOU PURCHASE IN THE FOLLOWING READY-TO-WEAR GARMENTS? 20% a. Misses 58! b. Women's 15% c. Half sizes 7! d. Other, please specify------SKIRTS: 10% a. 30 22%" b. 32 m c. 34 Tb! d. 36 10! e. 38 5! f. 40 ---:5"%" g. 42 """'2%" h. 44 ---a%" i. 46 ---a! j . 48 ---a%" k. 50 "ill 1. Other, please specify------51 ~ .

BLOUSES: 7% a. 32 IS! b. 34 8"! c. 36 24! d. 38 22'! e. 40 TI! f . . 42 8"! g. 44 0! h. 46 0! i. 48 0%" j. Other, please specify------SKIRTS: 9% a. 30 24! b. 32 10%" c. 34 TS'! d. 36 9'! e. 38 TI! f. 40 2! g. 42 0! h. 44 0! i. 46 0! j. 48 0! k. so 9'! 1. Other, please specify______PLEASE CHECK ONE ANSWER FROM QUESTIONS 27 - 35 27. DO YOU USUALLY FIND THE SIZES YOU NEED WHEN YOU SHOP AT DEPARTMENT STORES? 68% a. Yes "3"21" b. No 28. DO YOU USUALLY FIND THE SIZES YOU NEED WHEN YOU SHOP AT DISCOUNT STORES? 59% a. Yes 4I! b. No 29. DO YOU USUALLY FIND THE SIZES YOU NEED WHEN YOU SHOP AT SPECIALTY SHOPS? 80% a. Yes "20! b. No 30. DO YOU USUALLY FIND THE SIZES YOU NEED WHEN YOU SHOP FROM CATALOGS? 62% a. Yes 1'8! b. No 52 ~ '

31. DO YOU USUALLY FIND THE STYLES YOU LIKE WHEN YOU SHOP AT DEPARTMENT STORES? 70% a. Yes 10! b. No 32. DO YOU USUALLY FIND THE STYLES YOU LIKE WHEN YOU SHOP AT DISCOUNT STORES? 65% a. Yes TI'! b. No 33. DO YOU USUALLY FIND THE STYLES YOU LIKE WHEN YOU SHOP AT SPECIALTY SHOPS? 68% a. Yes 12! b. No 34. DO YOU USUALLY FIND THE STYLES YOU LIKE WHEN YOU SHOP THROUGH CATALOGS? 58% a. Yes 42%" b. No 35. DOES THE READY-TO-WEAR CLOTHING YOU PURCHASE USUALLY REQUIRE ALTERATIONS? 41% a. Yes "ffi b. No 36. CHECK THOSE THAT APPLY. IF YOU ANSWERED "YES" TO QUESTION 35, WHERE DOES YOUR CLOTHING USUALLY REQUIRE ALTERATIONS?

7% a. In the sleeves 10! b. In the shoulders 10% c. In the bodice at the bust 2! d. Across the upper back m e. In the waist /%' f. In the hips ---n g. In the crotch -si h. In the thighs 39% i. In the length - sleeve, bodice, skirt or pants 0% j. Other, please specify------37. PLEASE CHECK ONE ANSWER. DO YOU MAKE SOME OF YOUR CLOTHING? 36% a. Yes 04%" b. No 53

38. PLEASE CHECK THOSE THAT APPLY. OF THE FOLLOWING GARMENTS, WHICH ONES DO YOU USUALLY MAKE? 277. a. Skirts 31% b. Blouses 20%" c. Dresses 10% d. Pants 4'! e. 4$ f. Action sportswear 4'! g. Evening clothes 0% h. Lingerie 0! i. other, please specify______39. PLEASE CHECK ONE ANSWER. DO PATTERN BOOKS USUALLY HAVE STYLES YOU LIKE IN YOUR SIZE? 79% a. Yes 2ll' b. No PLEASE CHECK ALL THAT APPLY FROM QUESTIONS 40 - 42 40. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING FIBER CONTENTS DO YOU PREFER FOR OUTER GARMENTS? 30% a. Polyester 27! b. Cotton 25! c. Cotton/Polyester ---r;: d. Wool ~ e. Wool blends ""'"1! f. Acrylics 2! g. Nylon --r%' h. Rayon 41. WHERE DO YOU USUALLY FIND THE FIBER CONTENTS YOU PREFER IN CLOTHING? 58% a. In Department Stores 25%' b. In Discount Stores m c. In Specialty Stores b! d. In Catalogs 42. DO YOU EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY WITH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING WHEN PURCHASING CLOTHES FOR YOURSELF? 47% a. Time it takes to try on clothes 27! b. Fit of garments II! c. Alterations required 4'! d. Care required by garments ---zi! e. Limitations on number of garments allowed in the Fitting Room. - 0% f. Other, please specify______Sketches adapted from The Vogue Sewing Book