– “Online stores offering sportswear post product photos featuring models with a hard-to-achieve physique. Interaction with such an image leads to a lower sense of self-worth and negative self-perception of one’s body by women,” claim Australian scientists. Interestingly, online shopping, in general, seems to have a positive impact on reducing negative moods – it mainly depends on the choice of websites. This also poses a considerable challenge for retailers, who should present clothing on models whose physique matches those of potential customers.
– “In an online store, we are much more exposed to images of attractive people than when shopping in a traditional store, where the clothing is on hangers. The latter does not have such a significant influence on how we view our bodies because we do not see how the clothing item looks on a perfect model. Most sports brands largely depend on very muscular, fit, athletically looking models, which in itself can cause discomfort among consumers who may be aiming for such a look or who may not necessarily be able to achieve it,” says Dr. Ross Hollett from Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia.
– The study conducted by Australian scientists consisted of women being randomly assigned to browse a website dedicated to sportswear, everyday clothing, or interior decor for 15-20 minutes. They then assessed how they perceived their bodies and how they felt about themselves using a combination of self-description and reaction time measures. After shopping, the researchers used eye-tracking technology to determine whether the websites viewed caused shifts in what they focused their attention on. Both studies found that after viewing the sportswear website, women felt worse about their appearance and had lower self-esteem. In contrast, browsing everyday clothing or household items did not lead to a negative body image or lower self-esteem.
– “There is a general cultural pressure to buy and wear this type of clothing due to its popularity. I do not want to say that this clothing is uncomfortable or that it does not meet the various needs of people buying clothes. The concern is more about the character of the marketing and how it can negatively impact us, the lack of diversity, and images that more accurately reflect what real people look like. This is an issue that has been known for a long time, namely, that women’s bodies are used as marketing tools. It is not a new phenomenon. We see this continually in the case of various products for men and women, and it has been this way for many decades,” notes Dr. Ross Hollett.
– Nearly all women surveyed had made online clothing purchases in their lifetime, and 80% had done so in the month preceding the survey. Participants spent about 90-100 minutes a week browsing clothing online, and sportswear was one of the most popular clothing categories after daily wear. Interestingly, spending time shopping online generally had a positive effect on reducing negative moods. Combined with earlier findings, this means that if women decide to shop online to alleviate a negative mood, a key element is what they view and purchase.
– “We see how women’s bodies are used to promote products for women in a way that is potentially quite harmful to their self-perception. This stems from a lack of diversity in the models and also the style of clothing – it is quite tight and reveals a lot, which further provokes comparisons of someone else’s body with one’s own. This type of clothing effectively draws attention to body areas whose appearance may be desirable but difficult to achieve for the average person,” adds the scientist from Edith Cowan University. “Our study does not aim to overly criticize. It’s more about striving to achieve a balance between the goals of consumers and their experiences and the goals of sellers. Many sellers also pride themselves on their ethical approach to clothing production and body diversity, but, looking at least at the Australian market, little attention is paid to the impact of marketing products on women.”
– According to GlobeNewswire, the global hybrid “athleisure” clothing market, combining the features of sportswear and everyday wear, is expected to reach a value of $548 billion by 2028. For comparison, in 2021 it was $326 billion. According to a market analysis by SkyQuest, amid the post-pandemic period, consumers increasingly engage in individual outdoor sports (81%) and home fitness (68%). In recent seasons, the demand for comfortable clothing with sporty elements, useful for physical activity, has increased.
