What is "Plus Size"?

Last semester I attended a Plus Size lecture style event on campus. Whitney Thompson, America’s Next Top Model’s first plus size model winner, came to give a speech on what it really was like being America’s Next Top Model winner and a plus size model in general.

Whitney Thompson explained many of the struggles she had to go through when she was growing up in the modeling industry. I was shocked to learn that a size eight is classified as “plus size” in the modeling world. You wouldn’t think that a size eight would ever be plus size, would you?

In the “real world” plus sizes don’t start until the size 16. I’m a size 14. I’m one size away from being plus sized in the fashion industry. If you saw me, you would know that I’m not skinny, but I wouldn’t classify myself as “plus size”.

In America the average woman’s size is a 14. But I’m one size away from being “plus size”. I work out and do yoga about every day, watch what I eat and I don’t really drink any soda. This is the size that I am, and I’ve been this size for as long as I can remember.

Since the average woman’s size is 14, wouldn’t it make sense that size 14 items are the most bought sizes? It’s actually not. It’s the least bought size out there. Studies have shown that women sizes 20+ seem to be more aware and accepting of their bodies physically. Studies have also shown that women considered plus size are more likely to dress up and look great!

What is the idea of plus size? Why is the national average size only one size away from being plus size? Why are women being put into a different category because they are just a little bit larger? Why can’t companies just make bigger sizes instead of creating an entire plus size section?

What do you think?