An Investigation of Garment Construction and Textile Properties in Enhancing the Plus-Size Shapewear Bra Effectiveness

This study aims to develop an initial design concept to enhance the contouring function of a plus-size shaping bra by investigating significant design features, garment construction, and textile characteristics. The golden ratio theory of the female breast is employed as a reference for evaluating the contouring effectiveness of the plus-size shapewear bra. This evaluation was conducted by collecting visual and numerical data from a 3D body scanner. Additionally, this study investigated thermal and pressure aspects of perceived comfort to establish the correlation between garment construction and wearing comfort. In the experiment, two female subjects with 80D cup sizes were invited to evaluate four plus-size shapewear bras with varying design features. Qualitative and quantitative feedback is gathered through questionnaire and wear trials. The results indicate that a shorter shoulder strap distance, cross-back strap position, and bra cup construction are ideal for supporting and distributing the breast load. Moreover, the stretchability of fabric is found to be correlated with enhancing the contouring function by applying proper garment pressure. Evaluating the thermal comfort of garment is the secondary objective to provide insights into the overall perceived comfort of plus-size shapewear bras available in the market. These results could serve as a valuable reference for advancing bra design for plus-size females and offer potential avenues for further development.