Men’s fit preferences in outdoor performance clothing: A qualitative investigation

This article inductively examines men’s fit preferences and practical fit issues in outdoor performance clothing to reveal how they are influenced by men’s Body Mass Index (BMI) and height. Four focus group interviews (FGIs) were conducted with 21 men and the qualitative data was analysed using the grounded theory approach. Men’s BMI influenced the following themes/sub-themes: fit (pant crotch, seat, hip fit; shirt proportion and fit; pant waist fit and pant leg fit) and sizing (inconsistency across brands; and within a brand). Pant crotch, seat, hip fit were frequently discussed by both normal and overweight men; whereas, shirt fit and sizing inconsistency were more of an issue for the overweight men. Men’s height influenced issues in length (sleeve length; body length; and leg length) and sizing (‘Big & Tall’ sizing). Tall men discussed length issues the most; whereas both regular and tall men discussed that they did not need the ‘Big and Tall’ sizing, but rather they just needed extra length in the sleeves and body.