Body Shape Characteristics, Body Cathexis and Apparel Fit Preferences and Problems of African and Caucasian Women Bukisile P

Body shape characteristics, body cathexis and apparel fit preferences and problems of African and Caucasian women Bukisile P Makhanya PhD Consumer Science (Clothing Management) Department of Consumer Science July 2015 Body shape characteristics, body cathexis and apparel fit preferences and problems of African and Caucasian women by Bukisile P Makhanya Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree PhD Consumer Science (Clothing Management) in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science Department of Consumer Science UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Supervisor: Prof HM de Klerk July 2015 This work is dedicated to my late mother Mrs Saraphinah H Makhanya and my father Lucas N Makhanya, who invested in my education and laid a foundation on which this work is built. They taught me to strive for excellence in everything I do. To my daughters Bongekile Elif S’ncedzile and Sisekelo Tapua Nkosim’londile, you propelled me to soar to even greater heights; I love you girls! DECLARATION I, Bukisile P Makhanya, hereby declare that this thesis which I submit for a PhD degree in Consumer Science: Clothing Management at the University of Pretoria, is my original work and has not previously been submitted for a degree at any other University. Bukisile P Makhanya JULY 2015 i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Glory be to the Lord God Almighty, whose steadfast love, favour, grace and provision saw me through, hallowed be your name! I would also like to acknowledge and extend my heartfelt appreciation to the following people and organisations who contributed in various ways towards my studies and the completion of this doctoral thesis. I will eternally be indebted to the following: My Supervisor Professor Helena Elmarie de Klerk, for guiding and mentoring me throughout my studies The statisticians Jacqui Sommervile and Karien Adamski, who have tirelessly guided the formulation and execution of the research instruments and advised on appropriate statistical procedures adopted in analysing the data The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR): Materials Science and Manufacturing Unit in Port Elizabeth, and the Department of Trade and Industry for availing and funding the transportation of the 3-D body scanner to the University of Pretoria for data collection The University of Pretoria, for the sponsorship they granted for my studies All the participants in this study who agreed to be scanned and completed the questionnaire for this research Mrs Nomsa Mkhombe and her family for all you were to me and my daughters during the course of my study; you contributed immeasurably to my life, for which I will always be grateful My late friend, “my sister from another mother”, Mrs Welile Calisile Simelane (neè Mavimbela), for the love, rare kind of friendship and encouragement at the beginning of this work. She was the first person to call me “Doc” long before I could ever dream of completing this work. For that I will forever be thankful to God to have given me such a remarkable woman who impacted on my life in such a profound way; her influence manifests to this day My brother, sisters-in-law, sisters, nieces and nephews, I thank God for planting me in this incredible family; I could not have asked for a better one: bo Nsongo The Tsabedze family, bo S’hlase – I could not have chosen a better family. ii ABSTRACT Body shape characteristics, body cathexis and apparel fit preferences and problems of African and Caucasian women by Bukisile P Makhanya Supervisor: Prof HM de Klerk Department: Consumer Science Degree: PhD in Consumer Science: Clothing Management Apparel firms base their sizing systems on a standard figure. The South African apparel industry adapted an old British sizing system that is not only foreign but is also out dated and inaccurate. Consumer populations consist of varied body shapes and sizes. Yet the South African industry like a majority of apparel industries around the world does not cater for figure shape variations. Consequently, consumers whose body shape characteristics differ from the ideal figure are likely to experience fit problems from the standard apparel. Ready-to-wear (RTW) apparel fit problems are further compounded if the target population consists of diverse ethnic groups, as body shapes, sizes and proportions differ between ethnic groups. An individual‟s body shape characteristics and ethnicity influence one‟s body cathexis. Furthermore, consumers of different body shapes and ethnicity are likely to have different RTW apparel fit preferences. This research aimed to compare body measurements, measurement ratios, body cathexis, fit problems and fit preferences of 234 young African and Caucasian women selected by the purposive and snowballing techniques. This descriptive and exploratory research employed quantitative techniques for collecting and analysing the data. The data was collected using a 3-D body scanner, a questionnaire and a Body Shape Assessment Scale. Virtual body images were generated, from which measurements were extracted. Thereafter, the drop values: hip minus bust and bust minus waist circumferences were used to classify participants into different body shape categories. Virtual images were then used to confirm and adopt the assigned body shapes. Descriptive iii statistics, Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare body measurements, body cathexis, fit problems and fit preferences of the predominant African and Caucasian body shapes. The three most predominant body shapes were the triangle, the hourglass and the rectangle in varying numbers among the African and Caucasian women, showing a significant association between body shapes and ethnicity (p = 0.004). A comparison of the body measurements of the predominant shapes with those of the Caucasian hourglass, assumed to be identical to the Western ideal figure used by the apparel industry, reveal that most differences that impact on apparel fit are between the Caucasian hourglass and the Caucasian triangle, the African hourglass and the African triangle. The present study also found body shape differences between African and Caucasian women of the same body shape, which strongly points to the role of ethnicity in body shape differences. In most cases there were discrepancies between predicted and perceived fit problems. The Caucasian triangle experienced the predicted fit problems and apparel tightness around the hips and buttocks, which did not record significant differences. Even though the Caucasian rectangle did not differ much from the Caucasian hourglass, they experienced a too tight fit at the bust, stomach, abdomen, hips and thighs and not at the significantly larger waist where tight fit was predicted. Ethnicity proved to influence body shape characteristics as the African hourglass recorded a significantly smaller abdomen than the Caucasian hourglass and as predicted resulted in loose fitting skirts and trousers just below the waist. However, the African hourglass did not experience loose fit around the abdomen. The African triangular body shape had a significantly smaller bust, smaller abdomen, with larger hips, buttocks and thighs, and therefore, loose fitting in the waist of bodices and tight fitting in the lower body were as predicted. The African rectangular shape had a few minor differences compared to the Caucasian hourglass, yet they perceived a too tight fit at the bust, stomach, abdomen, hips and thighs although none of these were predicted from the body measurements. The African hourglass was the only shape that was satisfied with all body parts, while other shapes were dissatisfied with most of the lower body parts. Although almost all the predominant body shapes mostly experienced a too tight fit at stomach and abdomen and lower body parts, all except the Caucasian rectangular, preferred closely fitted apparel at all body parts, despite their dissatisfaction. This study therefore concludes that for improved fit, sizing systems, dress forms and fit models should be representative of the body shapes and body shape characteristics prevalent within consumer populations. The apparel industry must understand the apparel fit iv needs of their target markets, as apparel fit is subjective. Although the present study could not statistically test associations between the variables due to the sparse cell counts, the results clearly point to the role of body shape in perceived fit problems that may have influenced satisfaction with selected body parts. Furthermore, ethnicity may have influenced participants‟ cathexis, as the Caucasian body shapes were more dissatisfied than the African body shapes. It seems that body shape, fit problems, and body part cathexis did not influence participants‟ RTW apparel fit preferences, as all the body shapes expressed a preference for closely fitted apparel despite significant differences in body shape characteristics, different fit problems and cathexis levels. The findings of this study add the body shapes, body parts cathexis, apparel fit problems and preferences of young African and Caucasian women to the existing global and local body of knowledge as important concepts in RTW apparel manufacturing. v TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ........................................................................................................................................ i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................................ ii ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................................

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