Introduction
You are not alone if you have struggled in a changing room by tugging a poor fitting size 16 jeans and gave up in total dejection. One in five women are now wearing a size 18 or above. It is very difficult, though, to find clothing size 18. It is not at all easy to find clothes that are big and which also look stylish. It is a myth that you cannot look stylish with clothing size 18. There is no need for you to go and hide in shapeless sacks.
Each person has a right to look good. There are some companies dealing in clothing that you will find on the fashion streets and on the internet that are offering clothing size 18 and plus. You just have to know where to look. These retailers have now realized that heavily built curvier women need not hide in shapeless clothes. Plus size does not necessarily mean frumpy. There are many clothing store chains, actually, dealing with plus size clothing right from Marks & Spencer to Evans and from Debenhams to Monsoon.
History
In the nineteen forties and the fifties, the standard U.S. dress sizes were based on statistical data. They were actually very much similar to the British dress sizes at that time. But as a result of 'vanity’ sizing that shrinks a particular size to satisfy the vanity among people, the current U.S. dress sizes have very little meaning. These arbitrary numbers only serve as a guideline. Now, clothing size 18 specifies for the ladies a bust size of 42”, waist size of 34.5” and hips size of 45.5”.
The standard sizes that we know today were established after the industrial revolution and the Civil War. Also, people did not pick their clothes off the rack. They mostly tailored them. Standardization of sizes came about in 1941 when about fifteen thousand women’s sizes were published in the USDA Miscellaneous Publication 454.
Features
If you get tired of hunting for clothing size 18 in stores and dressing rooms, there are several online stores that you can look up from the comfort of your living room. Some of the famous ones that carry clothing size 18 and plus are Simply Be, Duo, Anna Scholz and Ann Harvey. As mentioned before, twenty per cent of women today are wearing clothing size 18 or larger. The plus size clothing market is estimated to be around four billion British Pounds a year. Providing clothing size 18 or larger is proving to be the fastest growing market for the fashion chains.
Top designers are making collections for bigger women as a reflection of this changing trend. Fashion analysts have attributed this to rising levels of obesity among women. Plus size consumers are increasing and shoppers are expecting an improved choice. Plus size consumers can no longer be considered a minority sector and retailers will have to wake up very soon to the potential of this market. Many large women are, however, still unhappy at the choice available in the market. Vanity sizing concept has allowed stores to redraw their clothing templates to allow bigger women to buy items that carry a small size label. Consequently, clothing size 18 today is much bigger than what it was a decade ago.
Tips and comments
To know where to buy clothing size 18, you have to do some research on web sites, various catalogs and visit clothing stores that offer both classic and casual styles. Physically searching for most plus sized clothing is not going to be an easy experience. This type of clothing is usually found in the catalogs or on the internet.
You have to buy clothes that fit you well or are slightly loose. Sizes will vary depending on the manufacturer. So, if you are size 18, it does not mean that you cannot try a size 20 for comfort. U.S. size 18 is equivalent to U.K.’s size 22.
