FIGURE TYPES AND DEFECTS: IMPLICATION FOR FEMALE CLOTHING SELECTION

Abstract

Clothing is meant to cover, beautify the wearer’s body structure, build self –confidence, creates cultural, social identity, enhance styles, reflect the culture and hide part or parts that have defects. This paper aimedat educating the public and clothing designers on figure types and defects and their implications for female clothing selection. This paper reviewed the concepts of clothing, figure, figure types, defects, figure defects, ways of identifying related figure types, standard women’s clothing conversion, specific clothing for women, among others. The female gender is specifically classified into four figure types from which there can be several derivatives. They are straight figure, pear –shaped figure, apple shaped figure and hour glass figure. The effects of figure types on clothing design and how clothing can be used to hide figure defects were specifically discussed. Factors affecting good apparel fittings such as appearance, comfort, design, fabric among others and the strategies for hiding figure defects were highlighted and discussed. Furthermore, constructing patterns for different figure types to hide their figure defects, good understanding of one’s figure type and defect to expose an individual to the mistakes in taking darts, pleats and joining the balancemarks in clothing construction among others are some of the implications for Home Economics Education.The paper concluded that every figure type is beautiful on its own notwithstanding its defect, hence clothing must be designed to de-emphasize the figure defect but emphasize on the figure details to enhance the appearance of the wearer. Recommendations were proffered to guide female clothing consumers on the typeof garments that will help disguise figure faults, female youths should have a good knowledge of their figuretype and defect and should endeavor to select outfits that suit their figure types.