Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the current challenges to making individualized men’s dress shirt adjustments, and devised a novel measurement method to assess shoulder shape. Design/methodology/approach: To understand the common complaints about ready-to-wear dress shirts, a wear evaluation with 15 Japanese males was performed. The shoulder components of these shirts could not be adjusted using any currently available measurement methods. The three-dimensional body shape of two subjects who had a problem with the shoulder of ready-to-wear shirts was compared with a dummy designed to represent the average Japanese male. Findings: The authors determined that one of the subjects with an incompatible shoulder fit had a shoulder point (SP) line that was anterior to the one measured on the average dummy. The other subject had a smaller shoulder angle than the average dummy. To effectively measure the wearer’s shoulder characteristics, the authors devised a new measuring device that can measure the shoulder angle and its degree of forward thrust. With this device, it was possible to understand the wearers’ shoulder types and make appropriate dress shirt adjustments. Originality/value: The authors devised a new measuring device to assess shoulder angle and forward thrust, qualities that previously could not be measured without three-dimensional analysis. Using this device, it was possible to understand the wearers’ shoulder types and make appropriate dress shirt adjustments.

We investigated the effects of the combinations of patternmaking methods and dress forms on the appearance of a garment. Six upper garments were made using three patternmaking methods used in France, Italy, and Japan, and two dress forms made in Japan and France. The patterns and the appearances of the garments were compared using geometrical measurements. Sensory evaluations of the differences in garment appearance and fit on each dress form were also carried out. In the patterns, the positions of bust and waist darts were different. The waist dart length, bust dart length, and positions of the bust top were different depending on the patternmaking method, even when the same dress form was used. This was a result of differences in the measurements used and the calculation methods employed for other dimensions. This was because the ideal body shape was different for each patternmaking method. Even for garments produced for the same dress form, the appearances of the shoulder, bust, and waist from the front, side, and back views were different depending on the patternmaking method. As a result of the sensory evaluation, it was also found that the bust and waist shapes of the garments were different depending on the combination of patternmaking method and dress form. Therefore, to obtain a garment with better appearance, it is necessary to understand the effects of the combinations of patternmaking methods and body shapes.

Purpose: To suggest a garment for a wider market, the purpose of this paper is to assess the appearance of garments manufactured by a combination of four methods of flat pattern making and four dress forms from different countries. The paper also compares Japanese and British women’s evaluations of these garments’ appearances. Design/methodology/approach: The authors made 16 garments by combining 4 pattern making methods with measurements from 4 dress forms and evaluated their appearance. The four dress forms were from Japan (Kiiya, called “Kii”), France (Siegel & Stockman, called “St”), the UK (Kennett & Lindsell, called “KL”) and the USA (Wolf Form, called “Wo”), and the four pattern making methods were from Japan (Bunka), Italy (Secoli), France (ESMOD) and the USA (Fashion Institute of Technology, called “FIT”). The authors captured 64 sets of pictures of the 16 garments with the 4 dress forms from the front and the side. The authors then showed images of the four garments made using the same pattern making method with measurements from the four dress forms to subjects for assessment. The subjects – 15 Japanese and 11 British women in their 20s – ranked the pictures in descending order of appearance. Findings: Subjects from both countries rated garments manufactured using the Bunka and Secoli pattern making methods with the Kii and KL dress forms, and those made using ESMOD and FIT with St and Wo as the highest, even though the dress forms used for pattern making and those for wearing were not coincident. On the contrary, many garments made using Bunka and Secoli with St and Wo, and those made using ESMOD and FIT with Kii and KL were rated lowest in terms of appearance, even though the target dress form and wearing dress form were coincident. Therefore, there are appropriate body measurements for each pattern making method that can render the relevant garment more attractive, likely because these measurements are derived from assumed body proportions in the pattern making method of each country. Originality/value: Although the evaluation of the appearance of garments is an important factor in garment manufacture, scant research has addressed this issue. Moreover, the comparison between Japanese and British women provided here will help manufacturers make garments that are more attractive to people in both countries.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to clarify changes in the appearance of a ready-made tailored jacket due to changes in the ease allowance and determine suitable ranges of the ease allowance for the jacket. Design/methodology/approach: Images were taken of the front, side and back of a jacket placed on a dress form with varying sizes of bust, waist and hips. The authors observed the appearance of the jacket for the different sizes of the dress form. A sensory evaluation of the suitable range of ease allowance for the jacket involving 20 female Japanese university students was carried out. The evaluation items were the fit, beauty, comfort and purchase intention. Findings: The jacket appearance was lowly evaluated if there were many wrinkles and highly evaluated if there was a curved silhouette. Changes in bust, sleeve and waist parts affected the evaluation of the suitable ranges of ease allowance. The suitable range of ease allowance varied depending on the jacket part and viewing direction. In terms of fit, the suitable ease allowance ranged between 5.6 and 9.9 percent for the bust, between 7.6 and 17.8 percent for the waist and between 2.6 and 8.6 percent for the hips. The suitable ranges were determined considering the wrinkling and silhouette in these parts. Originality/value: Suitable ranges of ease allowance of a tailored jacket were determined by evaluating a jacket for 11 dress form sizes of the bust, nine sizes of the waist and seven sizes of the hips, at 2 cm intervals. The obtained suitable ease allowance ranges are useful to manufacturers in terms of garment design and to customers in terms of selecting suitable garments.

Purpose: This study investigated changes in appearance due to variations in the amount of ease allowance at the bust, waist and hips with ready-made women's shirts in two different styles. The authors also examined the suitable range for ease allowance with those two styles using a sensory test for evaluating appearance.Design/methodology/approach: The authors employed two women's shirts (samples I and II) in different styles (fit and straight). The authors modified the size of the bust, waist and hips with a changeable-size dress form using 1-cm intervals. The authors observed the shape changes. With the pictures at 2-cm intervals, the authors conducted a sensory test to evaluate appearance. 20 Japanese university students in their 20s made their assessments using seven items (wrinkles, fit, silhouette, beauty, fashionable impression, comfort and purchase intention) with a five-point scale. The proportion of subjects who scored 1 or more was 40% or greater when using ease allowance in the suitable range.Findings: The appropriate ranges of ease allowance differed according to the style and evaluation items. Regarding appearance and purchase intention with sample I from the front, the suitable range of ease allowance was 1–7 cm for the bust, 2–6 cm for the hips and 13 cm for the waist. From the side, the range was 0–6 cm for the hips and 7 cm for the bust. With sample II from the front, the suitable range of ease allowance was about 4 cm for all parts. From the side, the range was 11 cm for the bust and 4 cm for the hips.Originality/value: Using a dress form, the authors determined suitable ranges of ease allowance for two women's shirts in fit and straight styles with seven bust, six waist and six hip sizes. The authors found that the suitable range of ease allowance varied according to the style, direction and parts of the shirt. Our results can act as a guideline for designing and selecting ease allowance for women's shirts, taking into account comfort from appearance, purchase intention and beauty.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate differences in taste in women’s sportswear t-shirts, between Japanese and French people. Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire survey on the impression of the appearance of t-shirts was conducted using three-dimensional simulations that the authors created. A sensory test was carried out for 24 designs (having varying types of sleeves, bodice length and fitting) on 51 examinees (26 Japanese and 25 French) who voluntarily participated. Findings: Results show that both Japanese and French people most appreciated very short t-shirts and considered sleeveless and tank top shirts to be the most appropriated for exercise. Participants liked a cool, modern, showy, short, special, elaborate and feminine design. Additionally, Japanese people considered that casual clothes that are suitable for exercise are not suitable for wearing outside the gym, whereas this was not notable for French people. Originality/value: The results of the present study will allow the sportswear industry to better target clients.