Female body characteristics related to bra fit

Creating well-fitting garments has been a challenge to apparel manufacturers and retailers. Garments that do not fit frustrate consumers and thus result in lost sales. In particular, poorly fitted bras generate minor problems of discomfort to more serious problems of muscle fatigue or pain. A better understanding of physical characteristics related to body shapes provides information to bra producers to design properly fitted bras.This study recruited females ages 18 to 25. A body scanner was used to extract participants' body surface and angle measurements and a questionnaire was administered to survey the participants' perceptions of bra fit. Statistical techniques were used to analyze physical characteristics of shoulder slopes, bust prominence, back curvature, and acromion placement that may affect bra fit. The physical characteristics of dimensional differences among the chest, bust, and under-bust circumferences were calculated, and the physical characteristics of body mass index (BMI) were classified.Relationships of these physical characteristics to bra fit perceptions were analyzed. Body angle analyses indicated that participants' bodies were asymmetrical and certain figure variations appeared in combination with one another. Analyses of circumference difference revealed that a method of determining bra size used by a major retailer did not represent the reported bra sizes of the participants. The method, however, did successfully predict the fit problem of tight bra cups. Circumference differences affected perceived fit problems of tight bra cups, and shoulder slope, bust prominence, back curvature, and acromion placement related to fit problems of poor bra support, bra motion restriction, uncomfortable seamlines, loose bra bands, and tight bra straps. There was no significant relationship between BMI and fit problems. Cross-section contours of bust and under-bust circumferences were analyzed for participants who wore size 34B. This experimental technique shows promise for identifying body shape relationships.Physical characteristics of body angles and circumference differences, and relationships of these physical characteristics to bra fit provide information to bra designers and producers in designing and producing better fitting bras. Such analyses also have potential for providing information to the consumer on selecting best bra design based on figure characteristics.