Aesthetics, Design, and Product Development

Analysis of Petite Sized Women’s Figures Based on SizeUSA Data: An Assessment of Petite Sizing Systems Used in the U.S. Apparel Industry

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Abstract

The petite clothing market has grown in the past several years, now reaching over $10 billion (Barbaro, 2006). Major apparel companies, such as Lands’ End and The Gap, are offering petite-sized clothing, but petite-sized customers are not generally satisfied with the fit of their clothing. ‘Petite’ size is typically defined as women with a shorter height, 5’4” and under, with pant lengths and jacket proportions cut accordingly. However, these definitions have not been confirmed by the recent population data. PS 42-70 only presented sizing standards for Missy petite-sized women, but these were based on outdated data collected in 1941. Studies regarding the analysis of petite figures are also limited. Kim (1992) and McRoberts (2005) did study this topic, but their sample size was small. The objectives of this current study then are (1) to analyze body size and shape characteristics of petite sized women by exploring the differences between petite size and regular size based on SizeUSA data, and (2) to assess petite sizing systems currently used in the U.S. apparel industry based on SizeUSA data.

Keywords: petite sizes, SizeUSA, women's sizing, anthropometrics, apparel industry

How to Cite:

Kim, Y., Song, H. & Ashdown, S. P., (2012) “Analysis of Petite Sized Women’s Figures Based on SizeUSA Data: An Assessment of Petite Sizing Systems Used in the U.S. Apparel Industry”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 69(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.17272