Men’s Bodies and Clothing Consumption: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-analysis

Abstract

Regardless of their gender identity, men with smaller or bigger bodies have challenges accessing stylish-well-fitting garments. That negatively influences their clothing shopping experience and is the reason why some brands and researchers focus on this issue through their design and marketing activities and research. However, the research findings on men's bodies and clothing consumption are scattered, and no comprehensive review has been conducted on the topic. Therefore, this study aims to systematically review literature about a man’s body shape and its impact on their clothing consumption behaviour to provide a holistic point of view. This study conducted a systematic literature review in which 10-peer-reviewed articles between 2000- 2021 were examined through the PRISMA framework, which included a meta-analysis. The study demonstrates that males’ body sizes influence their garment fit preferences and fit issues depending on types of clothing. This research contributes to both the fashion industry and academia by providing a unifying perspective on the topic of men’s bodies and clothing consumption, a reference for future scholarly studies, and practical suggestions for tackling this issue.