Effect of waistline position of clothing on perceived attractiveness

We investigated the effects of the relationship between the waistline of clothing and the body on the appearance of clothing using a sensory test with Japanese and British participants. Using a three-dimensional clothing simulator, an avatar and five dresses with different clothing waistline (CWL) parameters were created. Evaluation by Japanese participants revealed that a dress for which the CWL position fit the body waistline (BWL) of the wearer was evaluated as being unwrinkled, while the dress with a higher CWL position was evaluated as constricted, slim, and beautiful. However, British participants evaluated dresses for which the CWL position fit the wearer’s BWL and the CWL was 1 cm higher than the wearer’s BWL; these dresses were evaluated as slim, and having a beautiful silhouette. Therefore, the results suggested that there is a specific type of waistline for clothing that is perceived as the most attractive, and this differs between Japanese and British participants. When designing a dress, it is necessary to identify the most suitable position of the waistline to maximize attractiveness, taking into account the consumers’ Kansei in each country.