Methods and systems for selling apparel

1. A method in a data processing system, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining at least one of a person's body measurements, clothing sizes and combinations thereof, by means of a computer system of the data processing system configured through program instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium and executable by the computer system to select a garment from a collection containing a number of garments each of which is categorized as being within one or more garment types;

determining, via the computer system, a computed body shape type from a plurality of predetermined body shape types based on the at least one of a person's body measurements, clothing sizes and combinations thereof;

receiving, via the computer system, an inputted body shape type selected from the plurality of predetermined body shape types as input from the user;

prompting, via the computer system, the user to enter a figure goal that complements a figure characteristic associated with the inputted body shape type;

receiving, via the computer system, the figure goal as an input from the user;

determining, via the computer system, whether the inputted body shape type is correct by comparing the inputted body shape type to the computed body shape type;

receiving, via the computer system, a fashion preference as an input from the user with regard to at least one of style, usage, color, and print;

identifying, via the computer system, at least one garment type that complements the figure characteristic in accordance with the received figure goal and the fashion preference;

identifying, via the computer system, one or more garments within the collection that are categorized as being within the identified complementary garment type and that correspond to the person's body shape;

recommending, via the computer system, the identified one or more garments; and

receiving, via the computer system, an input corresponding to a desired garment selected from the recommended identified one or more garments, wherein, the received figure goal includes goals to enhance the figure characteristic and make the figure characteristic appear at least one of more defined, minimized, accommodated, enhanced, minimized, supported, controlled, covered, larger, smaller, longer, shorter, fuller and narrower, and the at least one figure characteristic is selected from the group consisting of shoulders, bust, hip, thighs, waist, tummy, seat, legs, arms, torso length, back, and size.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identified garment type that complements the figure characteristic visually emphasizes the figure characteristic.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identified garment type that complements the figure characteristic visually deemphasizes the figure characteristic.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of a person's body measurements, clothing sizes and combinations thereof is obtained by performing a three-dimensional scan of the person's body.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the recommended one or more garments each comprise at least one of a shirt, a pant, a short, a dress, a shoe, a hat, a sweater, a bra, an undergarment, a swimsuit, eyewear, and a jacket.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

displaying, via the computer system, the recommended identified one or more garments.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

recommending, via the computer system, at least one option for modifying the desired garment; and receiving, via the computer system, an input regarding the option for modifying the desired garment.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

recommending, via the computer system, at least one accessory to the desired garment;

and receiving, via the computer system, an input regarding the recommended accessory to the desired garment.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

receiving an order for the desired garment.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

displaying, via the computer system, a model of the desired garment on a simulation of the person's body shape.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

manufacturing the desired garment.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

providing the desired garment to the person.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

storing the person's body shape information in a database.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

storing information for manufacturing the desired garment in a database.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

ordering the desired garment.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the desired garment is a made-to-order garment.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the desired garment is a pre-made garment.

18. A computer-readable medium containing program instructions that cause a data processing system to perform a method for selecting a garment from a collection containing a number of garments each of which is categorized as being within one or more garment types, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining at least one of a person's body measurements, clothing sizes and combinations thereof;

determining a computed body shape type from a plurality of predetermined body shape types based on the at least one of a person's body measurements, clothing sizes and combinations thereof;

receiving an inputted body shape type selected from the plurality of predetermined body shape types as an input from the user;

prompting the user to enter a figure goal that complements a figure characteristic associated with the inputted body shape type;

receiving the figure goal as an input from the user;

determining whether the inputted body shape type is correct by comparing the inputted body shape type to the computed body shape type;

receiving a fashion preference as an input from the user with regard to at least one of style, usage, color, and print;

identifying at least one garment type that complements the figure characteristic in accordance with the received figure goal and the fashion preference;

identifying one or more garments within the collection that are categorized as being within the identified complementary garment type and that correspond to the person's body shape;

recommending the identified one or more garments; and

receiving an input corresponding to a desired garment selected from the recommended identified one or more garments, wherein, the received figure goal includes goals to enhance the figure characteristic and make the figure characteristic appear at least one of more defined, minimized, accommodated, enhanced, minimized, supported, controlled, covered, larger, smaller, longer, shorter, fuller and narrower, and the at least one figure characteristic is selected from the group consisting of shoulders, bust, hip, thighs, waist, tummy, seat, legs, arms, torso length, back, and size.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the identified garment type that complements the figure characteristic visually emphasizes the figure characteristic.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the identified garment type that complements the figure characteristic visually deemphasizes the figure characteristic.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein at least one of a person's body measurements, clothing sizes and combinations thereof the person's body shape information is obtained by performing a three-dimensional scan of the person's body.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the recommended one or more garments each comprise at least one of a shirt, a pant, a short, a dress, a shoe, a hat, a sweater, a bra, an undergarment, a swimsuit, eyewear, and a jacket.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising the steps of: displaying the recommended identified one or more garments.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising the steps of: recommending at least one option for modifying the desired garment; and receiving an input regarding the option for modifying the desired garment.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising the steps of: recommending at least one accessory to the desired garment; and receiving an input regarding the recommended accessory to the desired garment.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising the step of: receiving an order for the desired garment.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising the step of: displaying a model of the desired garment on a simulation of the person's body shape.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising the step of: manufacturing the desired garment.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising the step of: providing the desired garment to the person.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising the step of: storing the person's body shape information in a database.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising the step of:

storing information for manufacturing the desired garment in a database.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising the step of: ordering the desired garment.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the desired garment is a made-to-order garment.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the desired garment is a pre-made garment.

35. A data processing system for selecting a garment from a collection containing a number of garments each of which is categorized as being within one or more garment types, the data processing system comprising:

a memory having a program that

obtains at least one of a person's body measurements, clothing sizes and combinations thereof,

determines a computed body shape type from a plurality of predetermined body shape types based on the at least one of a person's body measurements, clothing sizes and combinations thereof,

receives an inputted body shape type selected from the plurality of predetermined body shape types as an input from a user,

prompts the user to enter a figure goal that complements a figure characteristic associated with the person's inputted body shape type,

receives the figure goal as an input from the user,

determines whether the inputted body shape type is correct by comparing the inputted body shape type to the computed body shape type,

receive a fashion preference as an input from the user with regard to at least one of style, usage, color, and print,

identifies at least one garment type that complements the figure characteristic in accordance with the received figure goal and the fashion preference,

identifies garments within the collection that are categorized as being within the identified complimentary garment type and that corresponds to the person's body shape,

recommends the identified garments, and

receives an input corresponding to a desired garment selected from the recommended identified garments; and

a processing unit that runs the program,

wherein,

the received figure goal includes goals to enhance the figure characteristic and make the figure characteristic appear at least one of more defined, minimized, accommodated, enhanced, minimized, supported, controlled, covered, larger, smaller, longer, shorter, fuller and narrower, and

the at least one figure characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: shoulders, bust hip, thighs, waist, tummy, seat, legs, arms, torso length, back, and size.

36. A data processing system for selecting a garment from a collection containing a number of garments each of which is categorized as being within one or more garment types, the data processing system comprising:

means for obtaining at least one of a person's body measurements, clothing sizes and combinations thereof;

means for determining a computed body shape type from a plurality of predetermined body shape types based on the at least one of a person's body measurements, clothing sizes and combinations thereof;

means for receiving an inputted body shape type selected from the plurality of predetermined body shape types as an input from a user;

means for prompting the user to enter a figure goal that compliments a figure characteristic associated with the inputted body shape type;

means for receiving the figure goal as an input from the user;

means for determining whether the inputted body shape type is correct by comparing the inputted body shape type to the computed body shape type;

means for receiving a fashion preference as an input from the user with regard to at least one of style, usage, color, and print;

means for identifying at least one garment type that complements the received figure characteristic and the fashion preference;

means for identifying garments within the collection that are categorized as being within the identified complementary garment type and that correspond to the person's body shape;

means for recommending the identified garments; and

means for receiving an input corresponding to a desired garment selected from the recommended identified garments, wherein, the received figure goal includes goals to enhance the figure characteristic and make the figure characteristic appear at least one of more defined, minimized, accommodated, enhanced, minimized, supported, controlled, covered, larger, smaller, longer, shorter, fuller and narrower, and the at least one figure characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: shoulders, bust, hip, thighs, waist, tummy, seat, legs, arms, torso length, back, and size.

37. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computed body shape type is determined by determining whether ratios of body measurements exceed respective thresholds.