Impact of the female body shape on clothing size and fit: comfort versus safety

Purpose This paper aims to identify the role female body shape plays in clothing size and fit, as well as its impact on comfort and safety. Design/methodology/approach Existing issues and complaints from female clothing consumers reported within the literature were explored. Documented experiences provided justification to demystify the notion made by manufactures who market clothing for the hourglass body. Findings Clothing manufacturers continue to underestimate the impact of the female body in clothing design and construction. Manufacturers market the unrealistic notion of the hourglass body which often leads to wrong sizing and ill-fit. This might be responsible for the continued dissatisfaction experienced by female clothing consumers with more severe consequences in functional clothing compared to everyday clothing. For functional clothing (e.g. firefighter protective clothing), the implication could be life threating. Originality/value This review provides another perspective on the implication of the female body clothing design and production depending on the end-use: everyday versus functional clothing. In this study, the impact of the female body on clothing design and construction are discussed.