Plus size clothing is a general term given to clothing sized specifically for larger sized or overweight people.^[1][2][3] Plus-size refers generally to clothing labelled size (US) 14 / (UK) 18 and upwards for women, and for sizes over XL for men. Also called Outsize in some countries (predominantly British), this term has been losing favour since the 1990s. A synonymous term for men's plus-size clothing is big and tall.

Contents 1 Consumer Reports 2 Market 2.1 Australia 2.2 United Kingdom 3 See also 4 References

[edit] Consumer Reports

Plus size clothing patterns have traditionally been graded up from a smaller construction pattern, however many retailers are using statistical data collected from their own measuring projects, and from specialized Body Scan Data collection projects to modernize the fit and construction of their garments. U.S. companies Lane Bryant and Catherines teamed up over a three-year period to source data to modernize the companies' garment construction. Fourteen thousand women were measured in what was the most extensive female sizing study in the U.S. in over 60 years.

[edit] Market

[edit] Australia

The Australian plus size clothing market has been growing since at least 1994, with major department stores such as David Jones, Myer, and Target producing their own brand ranges, and an increase in the number of individual boutiques and national chain store outlets across the country. Sizing in Australia is not synchronous with the US; plus size garments are considered to be size 14 and upward, which is the equivalent of a US size 12.

Major Australian brands for plus-size clothing include: Maggie T, My Size, City Chic (formerly Big City Chic), Sara, Autograph, Embody Denim, Taking Shape, Basque Woman, BeMe for Rockmans, and Free People.

[edit] United Kingdom

In the UK there are over sixty brands for plus-size women's clothing. However, only a small number of these brands are manufactured or owned by U.K.-based companies. High-street chain stores such as Elvi*, Evans, SimplyBe, Feminine Plus and Ann Harvey sell only plus-sized garments, and many other brands and department stores carry extended sizes in their shelves, such as Debenhams, Fenwicks and New Look. In the U.K. plus-size is generally thought of as beginning at size 16, which is roughly equivalent to a US12.

Specialist plus size brands (found in independent plus size shops) known to be active in the UK (2009) include: Marina Rinaldi (Italy), Persona (Italy), Elena Grunert (Germany), Elena Miro (Italy), Verpass (Germany), Chalou (Germany), Kirsten Krog (Denmark), Wille (Germany), Jomhoy (Spain), Youk (Netherlands), Be The Queen (France), Alain Weiz (France), Tummy Tuck (USA), Anathea (France)

[edit] See also

• Plus-size model
• Fit model
• Extra Extra Large

[edit] References