Can Virtually Trying on Apparel Help in Selecting the Correct Size?

Abstract

Close to 30% of garments bought online are returned, often due to issues of fit. These issues often relate to size selection, which is challenging without physically trying on a garment. Alternative methods need to be explored to select the best size in lieu of physically trying apparel on. To address this issue, we compare the size selections based on primary measurements and size charts, virtual garments, and real garments. A cross-sectional quantitative survey was carried out in an experimental setting. The participants (36, predominantly White females, aged 21–56) made size selections and evaluations based on virtual and real blouses and trousers. Selecting the size based on virtual garments is more accurate than size selection based on primary measurements and size charts, scoring 57% and 42%, respectively. Further research should be used to improve the virtual fitting room, with benefits such as fewer returns and more satisfied customers.

Keywords

garment apparel fit evaluation virtual simulation size selection

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Alexander

Connell

L. J.

Presley

A. B.

(2005). Clothing fit preferences of young female adult consumers. International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, 17, 52–64. doi:10.1108/09556220510577961

Ancutiene

(2014). Comparative analysis of real and virtual garment fit. Industria Textila, 65, 158–165.

Ancutiene

Sinkevičiūtė

(2011). The influence of textile materials mechanical properties upon virtual garment fit. Materials Science, 17, 160–167. doi:10.5755/j01.ms.17.2.486

Ancutiene

Strazdiene

Lekeckas

(2014). Quality evaluation of the appearance of virtual close-fitting woven garments. Journal of the Textile Institute, 105, 337–347. doi:10.1080/00405000.2013.840412

Ashdown

S. P.

DeLong

(1995). Perception testing of apparel ease variation. Applied Ergonomics, 26, 47–54. doi:10.1016/0003-6870(95)95750-T

Ashdown

S. P.

O’Connell

E. K.

(2006). Comparison of test protocols for judging the fit of mature women’s apparel. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 24, 137–146. doi:10.1177/0887302X0602400207

Beazley

(1999). Size and fit: The development of size charts for clothing—Part 3. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 3, 66–84.

Brown

Rice

(2014). Ready-to-wear apparel analysis (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Bye

LaBat

K. L.

Delong

M. R.

(2006). Analysis of body measurement systems for apparel. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 24, 66–79. doi:10.1177/0887302X0602400202

10.

Bye

McKinney

(2010). Fit analysis using live and 3D scan models. International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, 22, 88–100. doi:10.1108/09556221011018586

11.

Daanen

H. A. M.

Byvoet

M. B.

(2011). Blouse sizing using self-reported body dimensions. International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, 23, 341–350. doi:10.1108/09556221111166275

12.

Daanen

H. A. M.

Ter Haar

F. B

. (2013). 3D whole body scanners revisited. Displays, 34, 270–275. doi:10.1016/j.displa.2013.08.011

13.

DeLong

Ashdown

Butterfield

Turnbladh

K. F.

(1993). Data specification needed for apparel production using computers. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 11, 1–7. doi:10.1177/0887302X9301100301

14.

Dennis

(2018, October 29). We’ve created a monster: Retail’s growing returns problem. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevendennis/2018/10/29/weve-created-a-monster-retails-growing-returns-problem/#25ace805b1a9

15.

Erwin

M. D.

(1974). Clothing for moderns (5th ed.). New York, NY: Macmillan.

16.

Goldman

R. F.

(2005). The four “Fs” of clothing comfort. Elsevier Ergonomics Book Series, 3, 315–319. doi:10.1016/S1572-347X(05)80050-3

17.

Gribbin

E. A.

(2014). Body shape and its influence on apparel size and consumer choices. In Faust

M.-E.

Carrier

(Eds.), Designing apparel for consumers (pp. 3–16). Cambridge, England: Woodhead.

18.

Huang

H. Q.

Mok

P. Y.

Kwok

Y. L.

J. S.

(2012). Block pattern generation: From parameterizing human bodies to fit feature-aligned and flattenable 3D garments. Computers in Industry, 63, 680–691. doi:10.1016/j.compind.2012.04.001

19.

Interactive Media in Retail Group. (2014). IMRG Clear returns quarterly fashion returns review: Introductory fashion retail returns report February 2014. London, England: Author.

20.

International Organization for Standards. (2017). 8559-2 Size designation of clothes—Part 2: Primary and secondary dimension indicators. Geneva, Switzerland: Author.

21.

Jevsnik

Pilar

Stjepanovic

Rudolf

(2012). Virtual prototyping of garments and their fit to the body. In Katalinic

(Ed.), DAAAM international scientific book 2012 (pp. 601–618). Vienna, Austria: DAAAM International.

22.

Johansson

(1987). Konstruktions-och plaggmåttlistor för damkläder [Construction and garment measurement charts for women’s clothing]. Stockholm, Sweden: Styrelsen för Teknisk Utveckling (STU).

23.

Kang

Lee

S.-Y.

(2010). A study on the shape of shirring using 3D virtual clothing system. Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles, 34, 1111–1125.

24.

Kartsounis

G. A.

Magnenat-Thalmann

Rodrian

H.-C.

(2003). E-tailor: Integration of 3D scanners, CAD and virtual-try-on technologies for online retailing of made-to-measure garments. In Gasós

Thoben

K.-D.

Jain

L. C.

(Eds.), E-Business applications: Technologies for tomorrow’s solutions (pp. 136–151). Berlin/Heidelberg, Germany: Springer.

25.

Kasambala

Kempen

Pandarum

(2016). Determining female consumers’ perceptions of garment fit, personal values and emotions when considering garment sizing. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 40, 143–151. doi:10.1111/ijcs.12236

26.

Kim

D.-E.

(2016). Psychophysical testing of garment size variation using three-dimensional virtual try-on technology. Textile Research Journal, 86, 365–379. doi:10.1177/0040517515591782

27.

Kim

D.-E.

LaBat

(2013a). Consumer experience in using 3D virtual garment simulation technology. Journal of the Textile Institute, 104, 819–829. doi:10.1080/00405000.2012.758353

28.

Kim

D.-E.

LaBat

(2013b). An exploratory study of users’ evaluations of the accuracy and fidelity of a three-dimensional garment simulation. Textile Research Journal, 83, 171–184. doi:10.1177/0040517512458339

29.

Kim

Forsythe

(2009). Adoption of sensory enabling technology for online apparel shopping. European Journal of Marketing, 43, 1101–1120. doi:10.1108/03090560910976384

30.

Kohn

I. L.

Ashdown

S. P.

(1998). Using video capture and image analysis to quantify apparel fit. Textile Research Journal, 68, 17–26. doi:10.1177/004051759806800103

31.

Koo

M.-R.

Suh

M.-A.

(2009). A study on the shape of hem-line of semi-flare skirts according to a cutting angle—Based on the comparison between real clothing and 3D virtual clothing. The Research Journal of the Costume Culture, 17, 499–511.

32.

LaBat

(2007). Sizing standardization. In Ashdown

S. P.

(Ed.), Sizing in clothing: Developing effective sizing systems for ready-to-wear clothing (pp. 88–107). Cambridge, England: Woodhead.

33.

Lee

Park

. (2017). 3D virtual fit simulation technology: Strengths and areas of improvement for increased industry adoption. International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, 10, 59–70. doi:10.1080/17543266.2016.1194483

34.

Lim

H-S.

Istook

C. L.

(2011). Comparative assessment of virtual garments using direct and manual avatars. The Research Journal of the Costume Culture, 19, 1359–1371.

35.

Lin

Y.-L.

Wang

M.-J. J.

(2016). The development of a clothing fit evaluation system under virtual environment. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 75, 7575–7587. doi:10.1007/s11042-015-2681-7

36.

Petrova

Ashdown

S. P.

(2012). Comparison of garment sizing systems. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 30, 267–284. doi:10.1177/0887302X12463603

37.

Shim

S. I.

Lee

(2011). Consumer’s perceived risk reduction by 3D virtual model. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 39, 945–959. doi:10.1108/09590551111183326

38.

Slater

(1986). Discussion paper the assessment of comfort. Journal of the Textile Institute, 77, 157–171. doi:10.1080/00405008608658406

39.

Song

H. K.

Ashdown

S. P.

(2010). An exploratory study of the validity of visual fit assessment from three-dimensional scans. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 28, 263–278. doi:10.1177/0887302X10376411

40.

Song

H. K.

Ashdown

S. P.

(2015). Investigation of the validity of 3-D virtual fitting for pants. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 33, 314–330. doi:10.1177/0887302X15592472

41.

Stjepanovič

Pilar

Rudolf

Jevšnik

(2012). 3D virtual prototyping of clothing products. In Bartkowiak

(Ed.), Innovations in clothing technology & measurement techniques (pp. 28–41). Lodz, Poland: Technical University of Lodz Press.

42.

Textiles Intelligence. (2018). The digital revolution and the growth in online apparel retailing. Wilmslow, England: Textiles Intelligence Limited.

43.

Volino

Cordier

Magnenat-Thalmann

(2005). From early virtual garment simulation to interactive fashion design. Computer-Aided Design, 37, 593–608. doi:10.1016/j.cad.2004.09.003

44.

Winks

J. M.

(1997). Clothing sizes: International standardization. Manchester, England: Textile Institute.

45.

World Health Organization: Regional Office for Europe. (2019). Body mass index—BMI. Health Topics. Retrieved from http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/disease-prevention/nutrition/a-healthy-lifestyle/body-mass-index-bmi

46.

Zhang

Xiao

. (2011). Subjective assessment of women’s pants’ fit analysis: Using live and 3D models. Communications in Computer and Information Science, 135, 687–692. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-18134-4_109