title: Dress fit and body image: a thematic analysis of women's accounts during and after trying on dresses.
abstract: This study was designed to investigate women's experiences of dress fit and body image. Spontaneous speech of 20 women aged 18-45 years was audio-recorded while they tried on a number of dresses. They were also body-scanned and photographed in their chosen dress and discussed both the scan and the photograph in semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis and four key themes were found: the slim hourglass ideal, functional aspects of clothes fit, body confidence and clothes fit, and clothes dimensions and size coding. All themes and component sub-themes were ratified in follow-up sessions six months after the original interviews. It was concluded that these women had a complicated relationship with clothes fit and sizing and used well-fitting clothes to increase body confidence, cover perceived flaws, and to try to attain a slender hourglass look. Ideas for future directions for research in these areas are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Staffordshire University, Stoke on Trent, UK. s.c.grogan@staffs.ac.uk
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grogan
authors.forename: Simeon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brownbridge
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kilgariff
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Whalley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D049628:Body Size; D003020:Clothing / Q000523:psychology*; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept