THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE V-NECKLINE OF CLOTHES AND THE AESTHETIC APPEAL OF THE OBESE FEMALE BODY

Abstract

The present study examined the aesthetic appeal of the obese female body, considering neck shapes and body flame. In a first preliminary experiment, these two factors did not significantly influence the apparent slimming effect, but the V-neckline was regularly evaluated as "beautiful." In a second preliminary experiment, the shape of the shoulders (sloping and square) and the degree of the V-neckline on nice looking-ness were examined. The female participants preferred the sloping shoulders with a medium V-neckline, while the male participants’ results were mixed. The main experiment involved only female participants and confirmed that there was an inverted U shape relation between the degree of the V-neckline and the good looking-ness of sloping shoulders. This relation suggested that the cut of clothes contacting to the body or the way to expose body was crucial for the aesthetic appeal of the female body.