• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.657-670
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• 2018

This study investigated the wearing of jackets by down-aging middle-aged women in their 40s to 50s who enjoy wearing attire from ladies' apparel brands that target the 20s to 30s age group. As a method of research, a survey was done on middle-aged women in their 40s and 50s as the target age group. Based on the survey results, comparison and analysis was done on the wearing of jackets as well as preferred extra space and fitness of the clothes, with the distinction between the down-aging group and the non down-aging group. The down-aging middle-aged women purchased jackets mainly at department stores, outlets, discount outlets, and internet shopping malls, and showed the highest frequency of wearing the jackets once or twice a week. For the item "importance in selecting a jacket", both groups chose "the design" as the most important aspect; however, the non down-aging group took "size and fitness" and "activity and comfort" more than the down-aging group. Especially regarding the size of the jackets, size S (55) was the most often worn by the down-aging group, whereas size M (66) was the most often worn by the non down-aging group.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.423-429
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• 2012

This study investigated purchasing practice and size satisfaction to offer basic data to establish a marketing strategy and produce down-aging clothes for females in their 40s-50s. For the data analysis, crosstabs, factor analysis, and one-way ANOVA were used. The results were as follows; first, middle-aged women were observed to purchase down-aging clothes "to look younger" and not purchase clothes "due to the lack of right sizes." For women who answered to 'not purchase clothes', they also acknowledged that they intended to purchase down-aging clothes in the future if the right size is available. Second, people in their early 40s significantly considered perceptual qualities such as fashion and brand names while people in their late 50s placed the most importance in practicality and wearability. For body shapes, people with overweight body types were found to significantly consider physical performance, practicality, and wearability. Third, the examination of purchase satisfaction levels by age groups showed that younger age groups had high satisfaction level for wear functionality related items that included size and activity however, the late 50s group had the lowest satisfaction level. Middle-aged women purchased clothes to look younger however, they simultaneously wear clothes that are plain and conservative or respectable and graceful. Therefore, the development of products reflect the analysis of designs that can help create a more youthful appearance and women's preferred styles are needed in addition to the establishment of a differentiated sizing system for middle-aged female consumers in the incorporation of the characteristics of middle-aged women's body parts.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.201-217
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• 2014

There is likely to be a fit problem when women aged in their 30s-40s purchase down-age clothing from brands that target women in their 20s. To identify the part of the lower body that causes the fit problem, the sizes and types of lower body of women in their 30s-40s were compared with those of women in their 20s. The data for this study was from the 2010 Size Korea survey of body measurements of 1675 female adults in their 20s-40s. To examine differences in the average sizes of the lower body between women in their 20s and 30s-40s, descriptive statistics and t-tests were conducted. Factor and cluster analysis were used to classify body types by age groups. On the whole, compared to women in their 30s-40s, women in their 20s were found to be higher for all height items and smaller for size, thickness and width items. The result of the Glycemic index analysis showed that the body type of women in their 20s was generally larger than that of women in their 30s-40s. In addition, women in their 20s had a large drop value compared to those in their 30s-40s, whereas flatness of body cross section was bigger in the group of women in their 30s-40s. Four factors related to the lower body type of female adults in their 20s-40s were identified in the factor analysis, and three categories of body type were identified by cluster analysis. A Type 1 individual had abdominal obesity and chubby lower limbs, Type 2 had short legs and slightly chubby lower limbs, and Type 3 had long legs and a skinny lower body. A significant number of women in their 30s-40s were included in the Type 1 group, which was the least common category for women in their 20s.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.41-56
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• 2022

This study aims to investigate the actual condition of wearing leggings and the preferred design of down-aging women in their 30s and 40s who have young sensibility, but are starting to enter a middle-aged body type. By analyzing the problems experienced when wearing leggings in this age group, this study intends to provide basic data for the development of a middle-aged female leggings pattern with an improved fit. Therefore, a survey was conducted on 214 women in their 30s and 40s. The results of the survey are as follows. Among down-aging women who want to look younger, leggings are becoming an essential item, but most leggings brands are producing leggings with patterns suitable for women in their 20s. The results of this study also showed that down-aging women in their 30s and 40s mainly purchase and prefer body-fitting leggings. However, they are experiencing discomfort due to 'Y-zone accentuate', 'undergarment accentuate', 'cloth stucking', and 'waist band curling and tightening'. The results indicate that women in their 30s and 40s, who are starting to change to a middle-aged body type, have fit problems. Women in their 20s generally prefer functions that improve the body line, while those in their 30s and 40s prefer functions that improve movement and cover problems caused by the abdomen and the Y-zone area. Therefore, when designing leggings for down-aging women in their 30s and 40s, based on body-fitting leggings, a material with excellent elasticity must be selected. Also develop patterns that solves 'Y-zone accentuate', 'undergarment accentuate', 'cloth stucking', and 'waist band curling and tightening' problems.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.15-33
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• 2016

Women in their 30s and 40s, who are at the center of "ageless" and "down-aging" consumer trends, are likely to encounter problems with fitting and size conformity when they wear casual clothes targeting women in their 20s. Hence, differences in upper body sizes and body types between women in their 20s and women in their 30s and 40s were analyzed. The data for this study was from the 6th Size Korea survey of body measurements of 1,675 female adults in their 20s-40s. SPSS 21.0 for Windows was used for analysis of the collected data. To examine differences in average upper body size between women in their 20s and women in their 30s and 40s, descriptive statistics and independent sample t-tests were conducted. Factor and cluster analyses were used to classify body types by age groups. Comparing direct measurement items showed that women in their 20s tend to have higher average values for most height-related items-including body height-and lower average values for circumference, thickness, and width than women in their 30s and 40s. Factors in determining the upper body shapes of women in their 20s to 40s were narrowed to five; through a cluster analysis, upper body shapes of women were classified into three body types as follows. Type 1 women are shorter and thinner with small frames; Type 2 women have the highest vertical values for their upper bodies and average values for obesity-related categories of circumference, thickness, and width. Type 3 women are the shortest and has the highest body mass index (BMI), verifiable as obese. By analyzing differences in body type distribution according to age groups, it was found that more than 90% of women in their 20s belong to Types 1 and 2. On the other hand, most women in their 30s and 40s are identified as Type 3.