While there’s a shift in how people define beauty in the U.S. and around the world.

Shifting Beauty Standards

Beauty standards are rapidly evolving. Social media empowers women to showcase their natural beauty, eliminating the need to rely on advertising firms to dictate who is beautiful. Now, women can post images that receive thousands of likes, celebrating diverse beauty in all shapes and sizes.

Changing Perspectives on Beauty

There’s a noticeable movement in how people perceive beauty in America and globally. Recent data supports this shift. A study published in the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology, and Education reveals that the average woman is no longer a size fourteen.

The Study Findings

This study analyzed over 5,500 American women, revealing an increase in average size over the past two decades. At the turn of the millennium, the average waist size was 34.9 inches. Now, it has risen by 2.6 inches to 37.5 inches. This change highlights significant distinctions based on race and ethnicity.

Susan Dunn, one of the study’s lead experts, emphasized the importance of this information: “Knowing the average size can greatly help women with their self-image.” She advocates for the apparel industry to acknowledge that these women aren’t going anywhere; they deserve stylish, well-fitting clothing.

Industry Implications

The average American woman now wears between a size sixteen and eighteen, which falls within the lower range of plus sizes. It’s time for the fashion industry to recognize reality and design clothes that cater to real women instead of using unrealistic models.

The study encourages clothing designers to reassess what constitutes regular and plus-size clothing. As women’s sizes increase, fashion must adapt accordingly. Instead of forcing women to fit into outdated sizing standards, the industry should embrace the modern American woman.

A Call for Change

Dunn and co-author Deborah Christel, both faculty members at Washington State University, have shown that the average American woman no longer wears size 2. Instead, she typically shops for sizes 16 and 18. Fashion experts must update their clothing options to reflect these changes, or risk becoming obsolete in the face of shifting trends.