66% of American women are plus size
(originally published January 2026 via substack)
It feels hard to post today. What keeps me going in moments like these (of which there have been entirely too many in the last 10 years) is a quote from Ursula Wolfe-Rocca.
“It can be overwhelming to witness/experience/take in all the injustices of the moment; the good news is that they’re all connected. So if your little corner of work involves pulling at one of the threads, you’re helping to unravel the whole damn cloth.”
I wholeheartedly believe that if I have any small part in alleviating the angst someone feels about their body or their clothes, which frees up part of their brain to push back against the atrocities happening today, then I’ve done good work.
This short post is about all I have in my right now, but it also serves as a little reminder to always question the story those in power are telling.
You’ve probably heard the statistic that 66% of American women are plus-size.
Recently, I decided to dig up the original study that generated that data in 2016. What I found surprised even me.
Here are a few choice quotes directly from the study (all emphasis mine). I think they stand for themselves.
“The Average American Woman (AAW) actually wears between a Misses size 16–18, which is equivalent to a Women’s Plus size 20, with greater distinctions among racial and ethnic groups.”
“In light of this overlap in sizing classification, frequent reports of female customers being frustrated about the general fit and sizing of clothing is understandable(Scaraboto & Fischer, 2012)”
“With sizing standards provided and followed, the amount of returned clothing could be reduced, and the shopping experience of women could be improved. Inconsistent sizing designations and classification factors have contributed to greater product returns and exchanges (Faust & Carrier, 2010). Variations in sizing contributed to $194 billion in returned clothing in 2010, and more than $264 billion in lost sales for US retailers in 2012.”
“The authors speculate that women may be relieved in knowing the average clothing size worn is larger than they thought. The industry’s lack of compliance to a standard of sizing, in addition to the subsequent discrepancies of fit, further contributes and distorts consumers’perceptions of size (Kennedy, 2009, p. 517). While the smaller clothing size, style, and figure may be desirable, it is not reality; thus, it is imperative that our society considers the veracity of the true size of humanity.”
-Williams, S. C. (née Dunn), & Christel, D. A. (2016). Average American women’s clothing size: Comparing National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys (1988–2010) to ASTM International misses and women’s plus-size clothing. International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, 9(2), 126–136.
Why clothing companies have done nothing to address any of these concerns in the last ten years is a post for another day.
That’s all for today. Thinking of everyone who’s fighting for justice and those who have lost their lives doing so.
Dacy
