• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.137-156
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to analyze the general status of wearing clothes and clothing purchase of middle-aged women in the 40's to 50's, the patterns and colors of clothes they prefer, clothing preference related with fitting or such, and also complaints. And this paper also divides the middle-aged women into those in the 40's and 50's to analyze how they differ in terms of the apparel brands and fitting they prefer and also the status of wearing clothes. For the research, a survey was performed to 350 women, and the survey data went through x2 and t-test analysis by using SPSS 20.0 to examine significant difference. The results of this study are as follows: the women in the 40's included as the subjects showed a high frequency of clothing purchase from casual brands or SPA brands and regarded design to be important at the clothing purchase. Meanwhile, the women in the 50's indicated a higher frequency of clothing purchase of middle-aged women's apparel brands, outdoor brands, madam clothes, or designer brands and thought activity to be crucial at the clothing purchase. As the women in the 40's and 50's showed difference in the brands they preferred, particularly the fitting indicated difference in terms of dissatisfaction. While those in the 40's preferring and buying young casual showed particularly more fitting problems in the arm-hole girth, upper arm circumference, bust size, and thigh or hip area, those in the 50's indicated fitting problems in the hip circumference or waist measurement. It is expected that this study will be used as foundational data to set up the target age by related apparel companies or develop clothes with great size fitting and design satisfaction.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.618-629
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• 2008

The objectives of this study were to classify body types of 40s, 50s, 60s obese women according to body measurements and to investigate relationships between age and body types of obese women. Body measurement was made on 497 obese women in their 40s, 50s, 60s whose BMI (Body Mass Index) was 25.0 or more when directly measured in 'Size Korea 2004'. Data were analyzed through factor analysis, cluster analysis, Pearson's correlation coefficient, $X^2$-test, t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and Duncan's multiple range test. First. the obesity group with BMI being 25.0-30.0 was composed of 23.1% subjects in their 40s, 43.3% subjects in their 50s, and 50.0% subjects in their 60th, which demonstrates that the older subjects were, the higher the distribution was. Adding the high obesity group with BMI being more than 30.0 to the obesity group, women in their 60s were 56.7%, the most of obese bodies. Second, factor analysis of obese women's BMIs revealed that five factors were elicited, including upper-body circumference related factor, height related factor, lower-body circumference related factor, upper-body width related factor, and upper-body related factor. As a result of analyzing the clusters, three types of body shapes were classified including upper-lower obesity, upper obesity, and lower obesity. Third, obese women were thicker or wider than non-obese individuals in those factors including upper-body circumference, lower-body circumference, and body width, and longer in upper-body length, while non-obese individuals were higher or longer than obese individuals in height related factors.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.370-379
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• 2021

This study investigated the wearing status and design preferences regarding athleisure wear, focusing on young women in their 20s and 30s and middle-aged women in their 40s and 50s participating in yoga and fitness activities. A total of 332 valid samples were used for the survey by setting the same number of samples for each age group. The results showed that young women in their 20s and 30s exhibited weight control, and middle-aged women in their 40s and 50s maintained their health in relation to exercise. Athleisure wear brands were found to prefer foreign brands over domestic brands. When purchasing athleisure wear, the foremost considerations were material functionality, fit according to body shape, and reasonable prices. The preferred athleisure wear leggings design showed that both middle-aged women and young women preferred nine-piece leggings. Women in their 20s to 50s were found to purchase and acquire information on athleisure wear online. Hence, the pattern of life is rapidly transitioning from offline to online, and the market structure of athleisure wear is gradually transitioning toward an omni-channel society with a distribution market structure that combines information technology(IT) and mobile technologies. Therefore, It is required to develop athleisure wear of various functional products that meet the trends according to the global market environment and consumer class.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.1392-1402
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• 2010

This research studied the development of high functional wear that reflects the various needs of an aged population. A survey of the life style, body functions and body changes, cognition, and preference of high functional wear with a subject group of 342 women aged 50's-60's was conducted. The results show that these women showed a high interest in clothing, challenged to new tasks, and enjoyed social meetings. Women aged 50's and 60's showed a relatively vibrant and active tendency, with no difference between them. They had the most interest in health and diet. The development of various clothing items and designs for women in their fifties and sixties are required because exercise was the most favored leisure activity. Meanwhile, they showed indisposition according to body type changes and the decrease in body functions. There was also some discomfort due to changes in visual power and trouble in controlling the body temperature. Therefore, the need to develop high quality smart wear that can help improve these problems was raised. Women aged 50's to 60's did not fully understand smart clothing; however, they showed some interest in high quality smart wear designed to improve health conditions after they heard detailed explanations about the clothing. They perceived the matter of laundry or managing he clothing more important than the price or rejection to mechanical device in regards to smart wear.

• Proceedings of the KSCN Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.99-99
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• 2005

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 2024

This study investigated the usage and product conditions of clothing companies and online dummy companies for the development of fitting dummy for South Korean women's wear in their 50s and 60s. These women-targeted apparel companies mainly used nude-sized torso type and torso crotch type made of FRP material. The frequency of use of the dummies was high, while the user satisfaction was moderate. Users expressed dissatisfaction with the inaccurate reflection of the body shape according to the KS sizing system and the measurements such as the front and back intercye, upper arms, abdomen, crotch, and waist back length. Upon survey, 73.7% of the respondents answered that development of the dummy and the appropriate age for it is 50 to 54, and they preferred the torso crotch form. In the production of online dummy companies, the torso crotch type and torso type were most widely produced, and polyurethane, FRP, and recycled paper materials were used. The size of dummy was expressed in numerical type, and 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 44, 55, 66, 77, 88 were being produced. Even models of the same size had significant deviation, especially in the waist circumference. Also, there was no dummy reflecting 25%~75% center interval to the KS garment sizing standards of women in their 50s and 60s. Therefore, it is desperately necessary to develop a fitting dummy for KS clothing sizing system that reflect their body sizes and shapes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.156-166
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• 2011

This study investigated the casual jacket design preferences of women aged 50s and 60s and suggested a prototype design for functional clothing. All age groups liked the casual jacket with a length between the waist and hip, a convertible collar, and a single-breasted design. Those in their 50s preferred fitted or semi-fitted casual jackets while those in their 60s preferred semi-fitted casual jackets. Although, there were significant differences between the preferred jacket designs and ready-made brand jacket designs, most brand jacket designs were casual, semi-fitted, middle-hip length, single-breasted, and with stand-rolled or convertible collars. The analysis of the sleeve styles in brand jackets showed that consumers needed designs that are more decorative. Fashion designers for senior citizens need to design elderly clothing that is comfortable, fashionable, functional, and considers a universal design for ease of clothing function. It will also make the senior citizen fashion market more appealing to consumers. To provide jacket designs for senior citizens, we suggested casual jacket designs for embedding a functional device as well as a new jacket design library for women in their 50s and 60s.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.727-737
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• 2011

Objective: This study aimed to analyze somatotype characteristics of the women of 20's, 30's 40's and 50's and thus to provide the basis for developing pants patterns by the age groups. Background: Despite many previous researches for the somatotype characteristics of adult women, few studies have considered age groups. Method: The data of the $5^{th}$ anthropometry by Size Korea were analyzed for the purpose. The 32 direct body measurements and the 32 indexes of 2,213 women aged 20~59 were analyzed. In order to compare somatotype characteristics among the age groups, an ANOVA and a Tukey test were used. Results: The women in 20's were the tallest among the age groups, and had the smallest waist circumference and hip circumference. Their waist breadths were also the narrowest. They had a slim and long body type but their calves were relatively thick. The 30's women were smaller, shorter with the height and length items than the 20's were. They were bigger, wider and deeper with the circumference, breadth and depth items than the 20's were and they were heavier. On the other hand, their hip circumference and crotch length were in the same group as the women in 20's. The crotch length(omphalion) of the 40's women was the longest among all the age groups and the crotch length(natural indentation) of the 40's women was in the same as the women in 50's. The women in 50's were the smallest and heaviest among all the age groups. The difference between their hip circumferences and waist circumferences was the smallest. They had an obese abdomen and sagged hips. Conclusions: The somatotype characteristics of the age groups were significantly different, and thus it is suggested to develop skirt and pants patterns for each age group. Application: The skirt and pants patterns for the somatotype characteristics of the women by age groups will be developed through the body feature data of this study.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.377-391
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to research grading work according to the targets of women's wear manufacturers in Korea. For the questionnaire, 91 women's wear brands, which were in higher ranking of sales, were selected, and the age groups were separated into 3: 20's, 30's, and 40's & 50's, according to their customers. The graders of each brand were questioned about 20 items for this research. The results of the questionnaire were as follows: 1 The brands for older women manufactured more sizes and cared more about somatotypes fur grading than other brands did. 2. For upper garments on the basis of bust girth, the numbers of dimensional increments were different depending on the age groups: 9 for 20's, 7 for 30's, and 7 for 40's & 50's. 3. For lower garments on the basis of hip girth, the numbers of dimensional increments were different depending on the age groups: 9 for 20's, 6 for 30's, and 5 for 40's & 50's. 4. As a model size of grading, many brands used the smallest size, but the brands for 40's & 50's also used the second size. 5. The parts needed to be corrected after grading were sleeve ease, armhole, shoulder line, neckline, crotch curve, etc. The grading with CAD system had more correction after grading than hand grading.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.131-141
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• 2014

This study attempted to achieve an understanding of how ever-single women in their 40s and 50s deconstructed and restructured on marriage and family. For this aim, this study adopted a qualitative method. The participants were 13 single women in their 40s and 50s who had never been married. In-depth individual interviews were carried out, focusing on ever-single women's views about marriage and family. The result of theme analysis indicated that the participants considered marriage as an unfavorable lifestyle for women. The participants could be split into two types based on their perspectives on marriage. The first type had a universal concept of marriage. In other words, they believed that when they growup, they should be married women. The other type had a negative concept of marriage because of their parents'unhappy marriage. Despite their view of marriage, all of the participants recognized marriage as a patriarchal structure. Also, they had a strong sense of responsibility to their original families. They had a broad definition of family, so they considered their parents, siblings, and siblings' family members as their family. In addition, they interacted with their families, especially their mothers, who did not have control over their lives but supported them and showed interest in their lives. Like this, the participants maintained their views of married life and family without changing after their single status and had close relationships with their family members.