A Case Study on the Comparison of Fit Evaluation Results between an Expert Group and a Novice Group

Abstract

Despite its need in the clothes industry, there are a lack of experts, including technical designers, who can exactly analyze the fit of clothes. This is a case study to provide practical data for fit analysis education by distinguishing the differences in acceptance in evaluating the fit of shirts and pants between experts and novices. For this study, two groups were organized: 1) seven experts with over 15 years-experience including technical design or pattern making; and, 2) seven novices who are freshmen or sophomores majoring in clothing and Textiles. The results showed that the novice and expert groups evaluated ease at the bust, waist, cross back, and sleeve opening differently. The novice group overlooked collar stand height, band width, side seam location, dart length, sleeve silhouette, and button location. The two groups evaluated the crotch ease, thigh ease, and hem ease, and pants length differently. The novice group overlooked waist location, balance of front and back waist line, side seam location, crotch length, location of inseam and outseam, dart length, and grain line from crotch to hem. It was found that undergraduates in the first and second grades could not understand fundamental clothing construction and proper fit, so the results of this study be referred by the educators when their teaching fit evaluation in classes for students majoring in clothing and textiles.