It’s common knowledge that women’s clothing sizes vary greatly from one brand to the next. Most of us probably blamed the individual stores for having larger – or smaller – sizes than average, but as it turns out, this might not be the only root of the problem.
A study published earlier this year in the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology, and Education has concluded that the size of the average American woman is now a size 16 or 18.
The data that most people still believe to be accurate – and fashion designers still use as a frame of reference – is ten years old.
A decade ago, the average American woman was a size 14.
This recent study, which collected measurements from over 5,500 American women, and investigated data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has discovered that waist circumference has increased by 2.6 inches over the past two decades, resulting in this new average size.
The researchers behind this study are now hoping to introduce this new information to the fashion industry, in order for women to stop comparing themselves to false realities, and for designers to more accurately represent their customer base.
Study author Deborah Christel, PhD, wrote that her study hopes to assure women that “the average clothing size worn is larger than [they] thought… I am hoping this will help nudge the fashion industry to seriously consider expanding their sizes.”
With any luck, we will see differences, and perhaps more consistency, in women’s fashion as a result of these studies.
But until, know that you’re not alone in your sizing struggles.
