It is high time for the fashion world to realize the changing size of their customers. Fashion designers are still busy making clothes for the slim models. But they should be aware that the women who buy their clothes are not the same.
The average size of an American woman has increased to 14. The obesity epidemic is impossible to ignore. In fact, over half of all women are either overweight or obese. And for middle-aged women, almost two-thirds are overweight. Obesity is running rampant in teenagers as well.
These consumers want attractive, quality fashions and because of this growing population segment, the demand for clothing plus size and larger is increasing. The demand for plus size clothing is increasing tremendously but the supply is insufficient. So there is a lot of opportunity in the business of plus size clothing.
Obese people don't find their size in the latest fashion clothes. They are not able to follow the latest trends of the fashion industry due to this unavailability. The main response seems to be what industry observers have termed size inflation.
That is, what used to be called a size 14 may now be labeled as a 10, giving the consumer the illusion of having a smaller size without addressing their real concerns. The result is dissatisfied consumers of plus size fashion clothing. The good news is that changes are on the way. For the first time since World War II, a consortium of clothes manufacturers, led by American plus size clothing makers, has conducted a huge sizing study for women. This way, they can be sure that clothing that they make will fit the women of today. There are some plus size only fashion shows and plus size models, but their numbers are still limited.
The obesity epidemic shows no signs of abating. Instead, it appears that for the near future at least, an even greater percentage of people will be overweight. The fashion industry is aware of this trend, but not to the extent the number of obese people would suggest. Indeed, instead of plus size clothing being a niche market, it is rapidly becoming the standard size sold to the majority of consumers.
This new realty should be reflected by the fashion houses, with clothes that designed primarily for this demographic.
Andrea writes about Plus Size Clothing. Check out our plus size deals including Plus Size Lingerie.