Block Pattern adaptation for Greek female adolescents with Scoliosis of the Spine: An investigation into the feasibility of incorporating body shape asymmetry into Sizing Systems to improve garment fit

Scoliosis of the spine is defined as a side-to-side deviation from the normal frontal axis of the body resulting in body asymmetry, and as a complex, three-dimensional and multifaceted deformity, not only affects a female adolescent’s appearance - fit, usability and appearance of clothing - but can also compromise her health and ability to function. Scoliosis affects at least 2.9% of the population in Greece, appearing particularly among children aged 8-14 years, and more frequently in girls (9 girls for 1 boy). This study traces previous initiatives and current provision for clothing people with divergent body figures, exploring issues at the intersection of human anatomy and fashion, while it takes place in Greece, starting with measuring procedures specifically adapted for body asymmetry that comply with the appropriate code of ethics. External body measurements provide non-invasive evaluation of changes in external asymmetry due to scoliosis, while analysis of the measurements related to the trunk can document the asymmetry arising from the different types and degrees of spinal curvature, providing a 3D classification of scoliotic deformities. Both right and left body halves of 75 females aged 16-22 years of age, diagnosed with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS), are measured in order to register their different body shapes and to classify them in different scoliotic groups, according to the magnitude and type of their scoliosis. The asymmetric basic pattern blocks derived from the median body measurements for each scoliotic group will be more tolerant of bodies with scoliosis, providing a better garment fit than conventional symmetrical patterns. These new ‘blocks’ will have the potential to be used in mass production, after the development of sizing systems based on body asymmetry, whereby an ‘aesthetic’ and an ‘ethical’ dimension in design could be then incorporated. Applying auto-ethnography, as well as using participant observation and interviewing methods, this research will help gain a deeper understanding of the culture and the needs of the specific target group. Future challenges relate to design perspectives of fashionable clothing for females with non-standard body dimensions, with particular emphasis on scoliosis, having potential for wider application in mass customised apparel for scoliosis.

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List of Appendices

Appendix A1 consists of the Participant Information Sheet, the Questionnaire and the Participant Consent Form, as they were presented to the participants, in order to fill in.

Appendix A is a list of 75 filled in questionnaires (Q&A) addressed to each of the 75 participants in this research project.

Appendix B consists of 75 sets of Subject Measurements, a ‘Size Table’ for 75 subjects, a Concise ‘Measurement Table’, a ‘Scoliosis Table’, a ‘Curve Size Table’, a ‘Subject Classification Group Table’ and a set of ‘Subject Groups’ Median Measurements Table’. It also consists of Measurements Charts derived from Descriptive Summary Statistics for the two most populated scoliotic groups, representing the two most common types of scoliosis for right / left side (Tables 719abcd & 7.20abcdef), including Principal Component Analyses Tables (Tables 7.21-7.23), Pearson’s Correlation Matrices (Tables 7.21a-7.23a), Key Dimension Tables for the whole scoliotic sample and for the two groups representing the two most common types of scoliosis (only right side) (Tables 7.24-7.26), as well as two Dimension Tables for the two latter groups (Tables 7.27 & 7.28).

Appendix C consists of Tables 6.2-6.4, 6.6a, 6.7-6.10a and 6.11-6.12, referring to the Case study comparison on manual and scanning body-measuring methods, Table 8.1 introducing ease allowances for each body measurement, Tables 8.2-8.6 describing the development of grade rules for drafting each garment style, using the automated custom pattern software PolyPatternM2M, Table 9.1 – a subjects’ acronym table for ease of reading and Table 9.3 – a compilation of measurements needed for pattern drafting each of the four different garment styles. It also includes Principal Component Analyses Tables (Tables 9.4-9.5), Pearson’s Correlation Matrices (Tables 9.6-9.7) and a Size Dimension Table (Table 9.8) for the most populated scoliotic group (Right Thoracolumbar Scoliosis group – covering curve sizes 1, 2 and 3).

Appendix D1 consists of the Participant Evaluation Sheet, the Participant Evaluation Form and the Participant Consent Form, as they were presented to the participants, in order to fill in, for obtaining feedback for the wearer trial.

Appendix D is the participant evaluation forms (Q&A), discussed in Chapter 10, filled in by 14 subjects, chosen randomly, by lottery, from the 75 participants.

Appendix E consists of two Tables (10.1 & 10.2) listing the ‘Aggregate loss of fit’ evaluations, for the two groups representing the two most common types of scoliosis (only right side), Fit Evaluation Tables sectioned in Zones of Fit, for every subject taking part in the final wearer trial, tagged along with visual representations of them wearing the dress toiles (for the wearer trial), and two concise Tables (10.19 & 10.20) listing the comparison results from the two sets of evaluations.