Casual trouser’s fitting problems among plus-size Malaysian women / Siti Lily Baizura Mohd Sahi

In recent years, the population of plus-size individuals has increased due to the change in the diet and lifestyle of society. This trend has contributed to the rising demands for the plus-size clothing sector, where more women express their dissatisfaction in the clothes sizing, especially trousers. Clothes served as protection and covering for the body and act as a social and emotional reflection of a person. Plus-size women felt uncomfortable and demotivated when they could not find the right clothes. Studies showed that the shape and size of women have been changing over the past decade. Plus-size women struggled to find well-fitted trousers that are fashionable with good strain and conformity. Therefore, this study aims to explore the fitting problems among Malaysian plus-size women when buying ready-made trousers. This research also identified ideal characteristics of trousers’ that would fulfil the needs of the Malaysian plus-size women using a quantitative approach via offline surveys and interviews. Questionnaires were distributed to 250 plus-size Malaysian women who mainly weighed between 70-75 kg with plus-size characteristics. The findings revealed that 87% of the respondents seek trousers that fit them. Meanwhile, 85% of respondents stated that the abdomen and crotch sections were among the problematic areas that caused unfit trousers on plus-size women. The majority of respondents could not find trousers that fit them well and comfortable with their body. The existing trousers’ chart used by manufacturers and retailers is an international sizing based on fit, design and fabrication, which are the essential qualities of a good-fit trouser. However, this international sizing standard and body chart were unsuitable for the local, multi-ethnic buyers. Thus, there is an immediate need for the Malaysian clothing sector to reformulate their existing sizing system specifically for trousers that would complement the variety of body types, shapes, and ethnic groups of plus-size women in Malaysia.