!44: What Body Types and Sizes Are Considered Plus-Size?

!±8± What Body Types and Sizes Are Considered Plus-Size?

If you are a frustrated shopper, who frequently visits the wrong section when looking for new clothes, you are not alone. There are plenty of others who are surprised to learn that while in one store they are asked to visit the plus size section, in others their clothing options are intermingled with other sizes, and will also carry different label sizes altogether.

Where did the term "plus size" come from anyway?
Historically, plus sized clothing refers to garments which are geared for people who are larger than the average wearer of clothing. That being said, it is important to recognize that plus size is not synonymous with overweight, but instead may also refer to garments that are well fitting for especially curvaceous women, who might otherwise not enjoy a figure flattering fit with other clothes. The same holds true for wearers who are taller than average and need a specialty cut for well fitting clothes.

What is considered a plus size in department stores?
In the United States, a size 14 is generally considered to be the beginning of a plus size section, although this is merely an arbitrary official listing. Of course, this runs contrary to the commonly accepted model look which even suggests that beauties 5'8" tall and weighing in at 130 pounds are considered plus-sized while only those with a size eight or smaller will be accepted. This does not reflect actual sizing but more the tastes and sentiments of modeling agencies.

Beware of Size Confusion Between Clothing Brands
To complicate matters further, different clothing lines have their own ideas of where the plus sizes start. For example, something that might be a size 20 or 1X, in some lines would be considered a 14-16W, taking it away from the plus size section and intermingling it with other size groupings. In some cases a Misses size 18 is actually equivalent to a size 16W.

This complicates matters when you shop at various outlets rather than at one store, where you can get to know the clothing lines and also the size distributions. It is a good idea not to get too comfortable with your dress size on paper, and instead try on clothes that seem to fit your bust, hips, and back. Keeping these measurements handy and updated is a surefire way of finding the latest trends that are cut well, formfitting where it matters, and flattering to your curves.

Although not foolproof, there same suggestion holds true when buying clothes over the Internet. Always look for the sizing page and familiarize yourself with the measurements used when arriving at the sizes. While this might sound a mite frustrating and time consuming, it will save you a lot of time that you might otherwise spend in having to return the items and requesting refunds. Moreover, when you do business with a retailer more than once, you quickly get used to their sizing systems.