The plus-size fashion industry is moving in a positive direction. Finally, more and more brands have woken up to the fact that women come in all shapes and sizes. Not only have we seen models like Ashley Graham and Robyn Lawley booking major campaigns or walking the runways, but dozens of brands that only catered to slim women have launched plus or curve ranges. Whenever a fashion brand announces that it’s offering extended sizing or newly entering the market with a focus on dressing plus-size women – there’s usually one general reaction of celebration. Mainly because plus-size shoppers have been majorly undeserved by the fashion industry and it’s time for a change.

Plus-Size Bloggers and Influencers

Although changes are certainly being made when it comes to plus-size inclusivity in fashion, we are still a long way from this industry ever truly embracing the breadth of shapes, sizes, and ethnicities of modern women. The fashion industry itself is still far behind the world of influencers and bloggers. Women have successfully turned their curves into careers. Plus-size blogs are thriving, bloggers are collaborating on fashion lines, and modeling for global brands. One of them being, Tess Holiday, the woman behind the Instagram hashtag #effyourbeautystandards, was signed to a major modeling agency despite being neither the height nor weight of your “average” plus-size model.

Plus-Size Street Style

Street style is often criticized for failing to represent a variety of bodies. If you scroll through the selection of editors and influencers shot walking the streets during most of fashion weeks you’ll notice how little different shapes and sizes are showcased. So instead of waiting for a change in fashion, plus-size fashion influencers are taking matters into their own hands. They are forging their own path, creating imagery they didn’t see growing up, promoting body positivity through YouTube channels, and starting blogs of their own.

Biggest Issues with Size-Inclusive Fashion

The one of the biggest complaints in the plus-size market came to the proportions of clothes. Many people find it hard to find things that fit both their thighs and their calves, or their butt and their waist. Many plus-size models are hourglass, but many plus-size women are not. Most brands tend to just size up using a straight-size model instead of using a plus-size model. Plus-size women carry their weight differently, designers need to leave extra room in certain areas such as back, bust, arms, hips, thighs and waist. This will ensure that the finished product looks balanced and is comfortable.

Another problem with plus-size brands is that they’re not making their clothes stylish enough. It’s either too tight and revealing for then or totally unsexy. There are two types of plus-size women – the older one that wants to cover up and the millennial that wants to embrace body positivity. Brands are just making the assumption that plus-size women just want to cover up. The third problem is that even when larger sizes are available, they’re not always easy to find. When a brand commits to expanding into bigger sizes, surprisingly, they often don’t stock those sizes in their stores. Plus-size women find it even more frustrating that when larger sizes are found in stores, they’re sent off into their own separate section. Plus-size women want to be able to shop in the same sections as their friends.

The Plus-Size Market