Shopping for new clothes can be an intimidating process.
And it’s not made easier for certain shoppers when the mannequins modelling those clothes have perfect bodies, with chiselled stomachs, thin waists and other statuesque features.
That’s the conclusion of a study out of UBC, which found that if retailers want to sell clothes, they might do well not to make their customers feel bad about themselves.
Coverage of body image on Globalnews.ca:
The study, “Standards of Beauty: The Impact of Mannequins in the Retail Context,” was co-authored by UBC Prof. Darren Dahl and University of Alberta Prof. Jennifer Argo, and published in the Journal of Consumer Research in June.
Its main finding was that both male and female shoppers who have low self-esteem are much more likely to respond negatively to clothing that’s been displayed on a mannequin than those who feel better about themselves.
“What we found was a general trend of negativity,” Dahl told Global News.
“So these consumers that don’t feel good about themselves, when they see this perfect mannequin, they actually are saying, you know what? I’m not going to pay as much for that.”
The research surveyed participants about their “appearance self-esteem,” said a UBC news release.
Then they gave their opinions on clothing, such as dresses and bikinis, that were displayed on mannequins.
They found that participants warmed up to mannequins when their beauty was taken down a peg or two by taking off items such as hair, or even pulling off the head entirely.
READ MORE: Does this image promote unhealthy body image? London mayor bans ‘unrealistic’ body shape ads
This is likely because the mannequin didn’t reflect high beauty standards anymore, said the news release.
It’s a technique that’s already being employed by Couturist, a Robson Street retailer, that uses what’s known as “half-form” mannequins that are missing heads and limbs.
“You definitely want something that’s relatable to the general public,” Coutourist’s Vicky Peng told Global News.
“You don’t want to single anybody out or make people feel like they don’t belong.”
Dahl’s comments suggested that Couturist could be on to something.
“It’s because they’re less threatening,” he said.
These mannequins aren’t perfect, right, so they’re not as much of a threat to us as consumers.”
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