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Fashion Illusion as a Design Technique in Addressing Potbelly Challenges Among Men

Received: 22 March 2022    Accepted: 7 April 2022    Published: 20 April 2022
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Abstract

Possessing a potbelly has been identified as a major problem that affects the self-esteem and social appeal of affected men. Efforts to deal with the condition include exercise and diet which present a major challenge to most people on the grounds of health and fitness. The study sought to explore the principle of fashion illusion as an alternative means of dealing with potbelly in affected working-class men. The study aims at integrating fashion illusion in garment design and construction to flatter pot bellies in men as means of enhancing their social appeal and self-esteem. The study employed a qualitative research method using a case study design. Observations and interviews were used as instruments to collect relevant information about the respondents in the Asokwa, Subin and Oforikrom Metropolis all in Kumasi, the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The selected Sub-metros were characterized by significant commercial activities involving the targeted working-class men with pot bellies. The study found that potbelly resulted in negative self-esteem, reduced happiness, and poor appearance among affected men. The respondents embraced fashion illusion as a positive means of enhancing images and making people feel better about themselves. It was recommended that the fashion illusion technique should be popularized to enhance the shape of potbellied working-class men, making them feel self-esteem and productivity.

Published in American Journal of Art and Design (Volume 7, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajad.20220702.12
Page(s) 52-61
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Fashion, Illusion, Pot Belly, Design Technique, Challenges

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Michael Obeng Nyarko, Thomas Obeng Asare, Ibrahim Abdul-Fatahi, Antoinette Gaveh, George Kwame Fobiri. (2022). Fashion Illusion as a Design Technique in Addressing Potbelly Challenges Among Men. American Journal of Art and Design, 7(2), 52-61. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20220702.12

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    ACS Style

    Michael Obeng Nyarko; Thomas Obeng Asare; Ibrahim Abdul-Fatahi; Antoinette Gaveh; George Kwame Fobiri. Fashion Illusion as a Design Technique in Addressing Potbelly Challenges Among Men. Am. J. Art Des. 2022, 7(2), 52-61. doi: 10.11648/j.ajad.20220702.12

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    AMA Style

    Michael Obeng Nyarko, Thomas Obeng Asare, Ibrahim Abdul-Fatahi, Antoinette Gaveh, George Kwame Fobiri. Fashion Illusion as a Design Technique in Addressing Potbelly Challenges Among Men. Am J Art Des. 2022;7(2):52-61. doi: 10.11648/j.ajad.20220702.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajad.20220702.12,
      author = {Michael Obeng Nyarko and Thomas Obeng Asare and Ibrahim Abdul-Fatahi and Antoinette Gaveh and George Kwame Fobiri},
      title = {Fashion Illusion as a Design Technique in Addressing Potbelly Challenges Among Men},
      journal = {American Journal of Art and Design},
      volume = {7},
      number = {2},
      pages = {52-61},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajad.20220702.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20220702.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajad.20220702.12},
      abstract = {Possessing a potbelly has been identified as a major problem that affects the self-esteem and social appeal of affected men. Efforts to deal with the condition include exercise and diet which present a major challenge to most people on the grounds of health and fitness. The study sought to explore the principle of fashion illusion as an alternative means of dealing with potbelly in affected working-class men. The study aims at integrating fashion illusion in garment design and construction to flatter pot bellies in men as means of enhancing their social appeal and self-esteem. The study employed a qualitative research method using a case study design. Observations and interviews were used as instruments to collect relevant information about the respondents in the Asokwa, Subin and Oforikrom Metropolis all in Kumasi, the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The selected Sub-metros were characterized by significant commercial activities involving the targeted working-class men with pot bellies. The study found that potbelly resulted in negative self-esteem, reduced happiness, and poor appearance among affected men. The respondents embraced fashion illusion as a positive means of enhancing images and making people feel better about themselves. It was recommended that the fashion illusion technique should be popularized to enhance the shape of potbellied working-class men, making them feel self-esteem and productivity.},
     year = {2022}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Fashion Illusion as a Design Technique in Addressing Potbelly Challenges Among Men
    AU  - Michael Obeng Nyarko
    AU  - Thomas Obeng Asare
    AU  - Ibrahim Abdul-Fatahi
    AU  - Antoinette Gaveh
    AU  - George Kwame Fobiri
    Y1  - 2022/04/20
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    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20220702.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajad.20220702.12
    T2  - American Journal of Art and Design
    JF  - American Journal of Art and Design
    JO  - American Journal of Art and Design
    SP  - 52
    EP  - 61
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2578-7802
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20220702.12
    AB  - Possessing a potbelly has been identified as a major problem that affects the self-esteem and social appeal of affected men. Efforts to deal with the condition include exercise and diet which present a major challenge to most people on the grounds of health and fitness. The study sought to explore the principle of fashion illusion as an alternative means of dealing with potbelly in affected working-class men. The study aims at integrating fashion illusion in garment design and construction to flatter pot bellies in men as means of enhancing their social appeal and self-esteem. The study employed a qualitative research method using a case study design. Observations and interviews were used as instruments to collect relevant information about the respondents in the Asokwa, Subin and Oforikrom Metropolis all in Kumasi, the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The selected Sub-metros were characterized by significant commercial activities involving the targeted working-class men with pot bellies. The study found that potbelly resulted in negative self-esteem, reduced happiness, and poor appearance among affected men. The respondents embraced fashion illusion as a positive means of enhancing images and making people feel better about themselves. It was recommended that the fashion illusion technique should be popularized to enhance the shape of potbellied working-class men, making them feel self-esteem and productivity.
    VL  - 7
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Fashion Design and Textiles Studies, Kumasi Technical University, Kumasi, Ghana

  • Department of Fashion Design and Textiles Studies, Kumasi Technical University, Kumasi, Ghana

  • Department of Textile Design and Technology, Takoradi Technical University, Takoradi, Ghana

  • Department of Industrial Art, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

  • Department of Fashion Design and Textiles Studies, Kumasi Technical University, Kumasi, Ghana

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