By Abigail Ali
Medill Reports
Tess Holliday struggled to find plus-size clothing growing up in Laurel, Mississippi. As a teen, she was surrounded by images of thin women on TV shows like “America’s Next Top Model,” in magazines like Vogue and in ads for Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig. “The early 2000s were not for the faint of heart,” she said.
Like other plus-size girls in town, she shopped at thrift stores, cutting old clothes apart or sewing them together to create something new. To make her mom’s larger-size castoffs look trendy, she often put safety pins through them. Other times, she just bought T-shirts and pants from the men’s section at Hot Topic.
Fashion was her armor. “I really longed to fit in, and I didn’t really want to be noticed,” Holliday said. Now, at 39, Holliday is a model, founder of the body-positive online community Eff Your Beauty Standards and a consultant to brands like Pinterest and H&M that want to increase inclusivity. She even appeared on the covers of Cosmopolitan and Self in 2018, Nylon in 2019 and Inked in 2021.
“I was sick of not having access to clothing my size, where I could show my personality and cultivate my own style,” Holliday said. “I felt called to change the trajectory.”
Why aren’t more companies making plus-size clothing? Around 74% of U.S. adults are overweight or obese, and the average woman is a size 16-18 or XL-XXL, according to the National Library of Medicine and the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, respectively.
Yet shops like Urban Outfitters offer more than 2,000 design choices in a size medium online, but only 131 in a size XXXL. The only items available in XXL on Lululemon’s website are underwear, and few companies carry plus-size clothes in their brick-and-mortar stores.
“So, if they’ve traditionally produced for a particular size range, they’re usually going to continue,” said Kristin Thony-Barletta, a professor in supply chain management at North Carolina State University.
Plus-size women worry brands will pull back their larger selections because of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic. “Where’s that going to leave the people that don’t choose to go on these medications or aren’t able?” curvy model and content creator Alex Michael May said. “It’s not about, ‘Oh, we fixed the problem. Now, no one’s going to be fat anymore.’ There’s still going to be all types of body types.”
The history of plus-size fashion
In the early 1920s, Lena Bryant, the woman behind retailer Lane Bryant, became the first widely known designer for plus-size women. After creating a line of maternity dresses, she moved on to make clothing for what she referred to as the “stout-figured” woman, designing garments to fit different curvy body types. Lane Bryant remains a major producer of clothes for mature women.
Plus-size women broke into the mainstream fashion space through modeling in the 1970s. In 1984, Mary Duffy started the first plus-size modeling talent agency, Big Beauties – Little Women Agency. Over time, curvy women became more prevalent, walking on runways and appearing on the cover of magazines.
Yet many women say plus-size representation slowed during the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. For example, “heroin chic,” or extremely thin figures, represented the ideal woman in the ‘90s and 2000s, made popular by celebrities like Paris Hilton and Victoria’s Secret models. Popular fast-fashion companies like Zara leaned into these trends, targeting young women. Anything above a size XL was — and is — hard to find at these stores.
Cassandra Sethi, the founder of luxury personal styling company Next Level Wardrobe, said consumers forget fashion is a for-profit industry. “They are in the business of making you feel like you don’t belong, like you need the latest trend or brand, whatever size you are,” Sethi said. “It can feel extremely overwhelming.”
The clothes-making process discourages extending sizes
Expanding sizes can be tricky, especially if a company isn’t known for plus-size fashion. “It seems easy, right?” said May, who works with companies like JCPenney, Nordstrom and Beyond Yoga. “Just make it a bigger size.”
But it takes extra time, resources and money, practically doubling the work, said Melanie Carrico, an associate professor in consumer apparel-retail studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In part, it’s because clothing patterns need to be readjusted.
The start-to-finish process can take months. The designer creates a sketch, then develops a pattern to send to a manufacturer that makes garment samples. The samples go back to the designer for tweaks and adjustments, and once they achieve the desired fit and adopt it into the clothing line, the final pattern goes to production.
To scale the pattern for different sizes, brands apply “grade rules” — that is, measurements that determine how the garment will grow proportionately from size to size. So, if the design starts at a size four with a 24-inch waist, an inch or inch-and-a-half of fabric might be added to go up one size.
By the time the patterns reach plus sizes, grade rules tend to stop making anatomical sense. Companies often ignore the way a woman’s body changes as it grows, said Gabrielle Hurwitz, 32, a luxury bridal stylist who works with women of varying sizes and who used to be plus size. “They’ll have a cut out under the boob or backless, and it’s like, ‘I need to wear a bra,’” Hurwitz said. “You need to add some structure, some support, so it works for everyone.”
It’s best to create a new base pattern for larger sizes and “grade up” from there, Carrico said. Companies need to go through the design process yet again, which is why extending sizes can cost more time, money and resources.
Gabi Williams, a 30-year-old, curvy server, said she worries a returning societal obsession with thinness will lead to a lot of people losing weight, further discouraging brands from making the investment.
Established companies also struggle to forecast what styles plus-size women are looking for and tend to under advertise their extended designs. For example, when Old Navy created a campaign to bring larger clothes to its brick-and-mortar locations in 2021, it sold fewer larger pieces than anticipated and lost a lot of money, according to The Wall Street Journal.
“Companies need to consider how plus-size consumers might feel about shopping somewhere for the first time,” Thony-Barletta said. “I think there’s some issues in terms of customers feeling comfortable being invited into a retail location that has typically concentrated on a range of smaller sizes.”
Though it takes more work to create extended sizes, many companies choose to do it anyway. Size-inclusive businesses are usually owned by plus-size women and employ people of different shapes and sizes, Holliday said. “For the brands that actually care, it’s pretty evident,” Holliday said. “It’s coming from a place of need and want. When you see the bigger companies taking initiatives, there’s usually somebody behind it that is diverse.”
Holliday, who helped H&M expand its sizing, said businesses need to invest in the community and pay close attention to what consumers want from their clothing. For example, many of the clients at Next Level Wardrobe are going through body changes. Sethi said she prioritizes understanding customers and their needs on a deep level to provide them with proper support while revamping their closets.
“We’re asking a lot of questions, and we’re tuning into what they’re saying,” Sethi said. “We take the approach of, ‘You’re this size, great. Let’s figure out the best way for you to feel confident and feel good.’”
Growing up curvy is isolating
Plus-size women feel underrepresented and alienated by what’s available. “When I became the age where a lot of girls were interested in fashion, I found I was very limited in what was accessible to me,” said Taylor Olsen, 30, a caseload manager for a public defense firm in Bend, Oregon, who was a size 14 her freshman year of high school.
Popular stores like Aeropostale and Buckle didn’t carry her size. So, she resorted to shopping in men’s sections or at places like Maurices and Walmart. She mostly wore sweatpants, sweatshirts and jeans until she graduated from college and realized she needed professional clothes for work.
At the time, she only knew about plus-size brands like Lane Bryant and Torrid, which she felt aged her. To get by, Olsen said, she purchased “bare minimum basics” like plain shirts, blazers and slacks. Then during the pandemic, Olsen found TikTok and other women who looked like her and whose style she admired. She learned where they shopped – including Old Navy and Abercrombie.
Williams said curves run in her family. “I don’t think I was meant to ever be a thin person,” she said. Yet, she grew up watching shows like “America’s Next Top Model” and, as a kid, enjoyed wearing unique outfits, like colorful fishnets under shorts and dresses over jeans.
Williams remembers going as a little girl to JCPenney and being unable to wear clothes from the “normal” girls area. “I had to go to this whole separate section,” she said. “The clothes weren’t the same. That’s not how I wanted to dress, and it’s really hard not feeling like you belong in a store.”
Later, she also tried Lane Bryant and Torrid, but their dowdy styles weren’t for her. “You could go to those places, and find something that fits you, but is it cute?” Williams said. “Is it even fitted well to your body, or is it just a peplum top or a big graphic T-shirt with flowers on it?”
Curvy women guess their size
Many women prefer to shop in stores with their friends and family, but brick-and-mortar locations rarely carry above a size 14 or 16, only selling extended versions online. Women’s sizing in general also varies drastically from company to company, so getting the right fit is a challenge.
Some women compare their body measurements with stores’ online size charts to purchase whatever is most similar. Others buy one item in multiple sizes to try on and return whatever doesn’t fit. “It’s a total guessing game,” Olsen said. “There’s just so many more obstacles.”
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to find quality options for plus-size clients, even those willing to spend extra money on luxury fashion, Hurwitz said. She struggled with this herself while searching for a dress for her sister’s wedding.
“I was willing to spend money on a dress, but I couldn’t find anything that didn’t look cheap,” Hurwitz said. “I didn’t want a plus-size dress, I wanted a dress that happened to be in a plus size. There’s just not as many options, and you have to be happy with what there is.”
Curvy women also rarely get to try on formalwear in boutiques because sample garments are almost always in a standard size. “They’ll hold it up to you and be like, ‘Imagine this in your size,’” Hurwitz said. “So, you’re taking a huge gamble on a very expensive purchase, and you’re just supposed to trust that it’ll fit the way you want.” Some companies offer customization options, but it generally costs more and takes anywhere from a few weeks to a few months for the clothes to arrive at the store.
It’s also difficult for curvy women to buy more sustainably due to elevated prices and lack of larger or fashionable items. Access to affordable clothing for all bodies should be prioritized before plus-size women can focus on shopping sustainably, Holliday said. “When people have these conversations, I understand where they’re coming from,” Holliday said. “But for a lot of folks, Forever 21 might be their only option.”
Clothes as opportunity
Fashion can do more than cover peoples’ bodies. It can help them fit in or stand out – and even launch a career. May used to wear a uniform of black leggings and a Target T-shirt every day. She only expressed herself through accessories, like scarves, shoes and earrings, that she knew would always fit her.
When May moved to Los Angeles, she worked as a creative director on photoshoots of clothes she couldn’t wear. “I remember being like, ‘This sucks to be around that standard of beauty all the time and know that I could never be a part of it,’” she said.
Then, May met Gabi Gregg and Nicolette Mason, the curvy founders of Premme, a plus-size clothing brand that opened in 2017. They looked stylish, wearing colorful jumpsuits and patterned skirts, and exposed her to a world of fashion she hadn’t known existed.
Shortly afterward, May purchased her first plus-size outfit, a shiny gold pantsuit, from Eloquii — one of the only brands making fashionable plus-size clothing then. While wearing the suit to an event, someone snapped a photo of her. To her surprise, she liked the photo so much she posted it on Instagram.
When Eloquii saw her 2016 post, they hired May to model for a campaign they were shooting, and then for one of their swimsuits. These jobs officially kicked off her current full-time career as a model and content creator.
“I believe in the power of walking into a room wearing something that draws someone’s attention,” May said. “It actually can change your life to dress in a way that represents the true version of yourself.”
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Accurate self-expression boosts confidence
Clothes can express who someone is or wants to be – and can boost confidence, Hurwitz said. By extending sizes, companies show women they deserve to show their creativity. “We should all be able to communicate who we are,” said Annie Williams, clinical assistant professor of marketing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “It is inequitable to say only size zeros to 14s deserve to be dressed in a way that makes them feel good. We’re excluding [plus-size] voices through apparel.”
Sometimes curvy women find wearing bold or trendy clothes intimidating. They’re often told to stick to all black or wide-legged pants because it’s more flattering. But Olsen said wearing styles of clothing she actually likes is way more fun than wearing what society deems most appropriate on a plus-size body.
“I don’t dress myself to appear skinnier,” Olsen said. “Whether I put on a pair of pants that hide my belly or not, when people look at me, they’re gonna know I’m plus size. I don’t think you should be afraid to wear anything that might attract attention to yourself just because society has told us no one wants to look at you.”
A few companies – but not enough – are extending sizes
The most successful size-inclusive brands make curvy consumers feel comfortable knowing cute, stylish outfits will fit them. “They’re really prioritizing the client experience,” Hurwitz said. “It doesn’t feel like an afterthought.”
For example, every design is guaranteed to come in plus sizes at Kardashian-owned companies Skims and Good American. Good American even allows customers to filter their website to show only plus-size models wearing the clothing. This feature helps women feel included and better understand if a garment will fit how they want.
A small but growing number of stores, including vintage store Luvsick Plus in Chicago and The Extended Shop, a boutique in Nashville, are selling only extended sizes. They’re usually staffed by curvy women and tend to feel more welcoming.
While Olsen would prefer to walk into any store and purchase something knowing it would fit her, she said she understands the appeal of exclusively plus-size stores. “I think there’s prejudice sometimes in retail for plus-size women,” Olsen said. “There’s a lot of judgment, whether it’s internal or I’ve had bad experiences walking into a store and they’re like, ‘Sweetie, I don’t think anything’s gonna fit.’”
Some companies, including eShakti and Doodlage, are also exploring made-to-order options through which an item is produced only after a customer orders it. This technique makes it easier for companies to create plus sizes without worrying about overstock.
The challenge of made-to-order fashion is appealing to consumers who expect delivery in 24 hours, not four to six weeks. “The issue is that we’re used to fast fashion,” Annie Williams said. “I think if people start to see their clothing as valuable pieces, then I think [made-to-order fashion] will take off.”
If a customer has the time and money, Hurwitz also recommends customizing formalwear. It gives women control over which parts of their body they want accentuated and which they don’t. “It takes a lot of imagination, because you’re seeing a sketch,” Hurwitz said. “But once you’re in the first fitting, you can adjust and make tweaks.”
Pressuring brands to do better
To further encourage extended sizing, the fashion industry needs to find ways to connect with plus-size consumers and understand their wants and needs, Annie Williams said. Older brands will eventually need to change to stay competitive. “It seems that a lot of younger consumers are saying, ‘Brands that are not inclusive, we don’t like them and we’re not going to shop with them,’” Annie Williams said.
Companies like Levi’s, which sells jeans up to a size 26W, are just now learning to tap into that audience, Annie Williams said. “You’re opening up this entire new revenue stream, and [bigger companies] are losing market share to smaller brands they haven’t really had to compete with before,” Annie Williams said.
Plus-size women want quality, fashionable clothes. They’ve got money and are eager to spend it in places they feel welcome, Holliday said. “It comes back to knowing you deserve to wear and have access to nice things.”
Abigail Ali is a former magazine graduate student at Medill. You can follow her on Instagram and X at @abbymorganali.
