Determination of anthropometric measurements and their application in the development of clothing sizing systems for women in the regions of the Republic of Croatia

Abstract

The aim of this article is to determine the differences in the physical dimensions of the female body that form the basis of the clothing size system and compare their deviations within the three regions of the Republic of Croatia. Due to the changes in the dimensions and shape of the human body, there is a need to adjust clothing in order to achieve the best possible fit. A systematic consideration of the fit of clothing includes investigation of a number of elements and factors, especially those based on anthropometric knowledge. The results of anthropometric measurements performed on a representative sample determine the body dimensions of the measured population. By sorting and grouping the data of body measurements, clothing sizes are created, with significant differences in body shape and body proportions of individual population groups. In the clothing size system, individual body dimensions define the clothing size and form a scale determined by a norm that prescribes body shape based on two dimensions of girths, where the measurement of bust girth is the basic measurement, and the body height is the dependent variable. This research was carried out on a sample of 940 women from the region of Slavonia, 1,109 women from the region of Dalmatia, and 799 women from the City of Zagreb, classified into seven age groups. The statistical processing of the results, i.e., the method of principal components, the values of the observed body measurements, and the representation of certain categories of bust girth and body size in the measured population of each region were determined.