3D Body scanner – the new personal stylist?

DENIM surgery, where have you been all my life?

Dealing with 34+ inches of leg and what my boyfriend describes as a ‘back off and a half’ has always meant that sourcing well-fitting jeans ends up as that square peg, round hole idiom. Nothing fits.

Whether it’s muffin top, bulging belly, bubble butt or killer calves, from the shapeless to the sturdy we’re all special in our own way. And that requires a specialist on the matter, ie. someone who can offer advise beyond likening us to different shaped fruits.

These days many retailers try and cater for women who don’t measure up to the British Standard sizing by providing petit, tall and plus sized clothing. But in spite of all the different size options it can still be tricky to avoid the piped sausage meat effect whilst attempting the skinny jeans trend among other fashion faux pas. This is because it’s not just about your overall body image, but an amalgamation of body parts that make you, uniquely you.

For example, I wear a size ten dress, yet my hips measure 42 inches. According to the British Standard, size ten is for the bracket of 34.3 to 35.8 inch hips but doesn’t take into account my 27 inch waist measurement – that’s less than a size eight, according to their size chart. Hmmm.

The same problem applies for jeans too. In most cases, the pair of jeans that would fit my hips nicely, would also leave a gaping vacuum around my waist. To make jeans fit my waist would mean subjecting my thighs and hips to a form of Chinese torture. Swings and roundabouts really, but I’m not alone on this issue.

Whether it’s muffin top, bulging belly, bubble butt or killer calves, from the shapeless to the sturdy we’re all special in our own way. And that requires a specialist on the matter, ie. someone who can offer advise beyond likening us to different shaped fruits.

Debs Hatfield is Manchester Arndale’s resident Denim Doctor and from Friday 3 – Sunday 5 June, she and the rest of the Denim Surgery team will be inviting shoppers to try the 3D body scanner to help everyone find jeans that actually fit.

She said: Before you can find the best fitting jeans for your body shape, you must have first a clear understanding of what your body type actually is. That in itself is no easy task since a lot of us aren’t a clear-cut body type, but often a mixture of two or more.”

I was in there like a shot.

It’s a bit like the airport body scanner, only you’re out of sight from everyone and you won’t be subjected to a ‘pat down’ afterwards. Oh and you’re in your undies.

The scanner uses white light and sixteen individual cameras to take images of your body and you’re in and out of there in no time – around ten seconds. A clever computer programme then adds up all the measurements before producing a complete breakdown on paper. You also get a two images of yourself (one side on and one front view) looking a lot like a paper doll.

You don’t see any features though or rude bits – it’s an almost robotic outline image whereby your body is made up of tiny dots that Debs tells me indicates every inch of your body being measured. It makes you see yourself in a whole new way, quite literally.

The measurements are interesting too. I now know that my left ankle is two inches thicker than my right and judging from my under bust measurement, I’ve probably been wearing the wrong bra size for the last decade. Oh dear.

Back to the jeans though and while the scanner confirmed what I already knew it also gave me some real measurements to go off in future. Gone are the days of guessing and as Debs showed me, having such a document helps stylists get to the heart of the matter. The hip to waist ratio, in my case.

Upon coming out of the scanner, Debs had a pair of Levi’s Bold Curve jeans waiting for me. They fit like a dream. No gaping, perfect in length and roomy round the hips. Never has a shopping trip been so quick and simple. It’s like getting in a portal and coming out at the other end to find someone who understands your clothing concerns. A refreshing change. I suggest you try it.

The Denim Surgery event runs from 3-5 June at Manchester Arndale. To book a slot online in advance please visit www.manchesterarndale.com from Tuesday 17 May or in person on the days.

Retailers taking part include Levi’s, River Isalnd, Bank, Next, G-Star Raw, Luke, TK Maxx, New Look, Wallis, Esprit, Shout, Evans, Warehouse, West Coast, Pulp, USC, Superdry, Dorothy Perkins Peacocks, Jack Jones/Vero Moda, BHS, Burtons and more.