Misfits: Bodies, Dress and Sustainability

April 12 to September 13, 2017

Dr. Anne Bissonnette, Josée Chartrand, Meg Furler, Yara Sayegh and Patricia Siferd co-curators
as part of the graduate course "Material Culture and Curatorship" (HECOL 668).

Contemporary fashion is based on an unregulated system where ready-made apparel is produced according to sizes arbitrarily determined by manufacturers. For example, in Canada, clothing sizes are not standardized; a size ten from one manufacturer may differ from the size ten of another. This subjective practice is not customer-centric, and can lead to confusion and frustration in the marketplace. The size systems used in commercial garments are based on an amalgamation of dimensions obtained from different body measurements. The communication breakdown between posted garment sizes and people’s expectations affects how people buy, use and keep their clothing. This raises the question: how does the current fit of apparel impact clothing consumption, individual well-being and the environment?

Press Release


Cite this page (bibliography):

Bissonnette, Anne, and Josée Chartrand, Meg Furler, Yara Sayegh, Patricia Sifered. “Misfits: Bodies, Dress and Sustainability." Exhibitions, Clothing and Textiles Collection Web site, Department of Human Ecology, University of Alberta, April 12, 2017. [INSERT URL].