The standard of beauty is undergoing a shift. As social media gives people the opportunity to show themselves off to the world, no longer do women have to rely on traditional advertisements to tell them who is beautiful and who is not. Now, women can celebrate their natural beauty through social media posts, garnering tens of thousands of likes and showcasing beauty in all its shapes and sizes.

While this movement is changing how beauty is perceived in America and around the world, there is data to back up this shift. The average woman is evolving. A recent study published in the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology, and Education reveals that the average woman is no longer a size 14. Curious about what this means? Keep on reading!

The study analyzed data from over 5,500 women across the United States. Over the past twenty years, it was found that women’s average size has increased. At the start of the millennium, the average waist size for American women was 34.9 inches. Today, that number has risen by 2.6 inches, making the current average 37.5 inches. This change reflects “greater distinctions” especially when considering race and ethnicity.

“We hope that this information reaches both industry professionals and consumers. Understanding where the average stands can greatly impact women’s self-image,” stated Susan Dunn, one of the study’s leading experts.

She continued, “We also hope that the apparel industry will take these figures seriously. These women are here to stay, and they deserve clothing that fits well in both style and measurements. The fact that such clothing is often relegated to back corners of stores or only available online is still a controversial issue. But why should it be?”

Today, the average American woman wears sizes between 16 and 18, falling on the lower end of plus sizes. It’s high time for the fashion industry to acknowledge this reality and start designing clothes that accommodate real women, rather than the stick-thin models often used in advertising who are pressured to fit into extremely tight clothing.

The study advocates for clothing designers to rethink what they classify as regular sizes versus plus sizes. With the increase in the average size of American women, clothing sizes need to be updated to reflect this trend. Instead of women forcing themselves into ill-fitting clothes, the apparel industry needs to adapt to the modern American woman’s size.

Both Susan Dunn and co-author Deborah Christel serve as faculty members in apparel merchandising, design, and textiles at Washington State University. Their research points out a significant shift: the average American woman no longer fits into size 2. Instead, she tends to shop for sizes 16 and 18. Fashion designers must update their collections to reflect the average woman or risk becoming irrelevant as societal views on beauty continue to evolve.

What are your thoughts on this change in the fashion world?