Plus Size Clothes: Shopping Big

Women in America are larger than in pastKohl's and Penny's expanding their noted label
decades and plus size clothing manufacturers,products to include larger sizes.
realizing this, have spent the last five yearsPlus size clothing fashion and design options are
ramping up their marketing efforts. According to aexpansive - much more so than a decade or so
recent study completed by research firm Mintel,ago. For many years, women have had to shop
nearly $32 billion was spent on plus size clothing infrom a very limited selection of plus size clothing.
2005. The growth in the plus size clothing marketNow the styles are more flattering and more
in the last five years has exceeded 50 percent.diverse, the manufacturer's distributions are wider
According to the Centers for Disease Control 62and the plus size clothing products are mass
percent of U.S. women are overweight or suffermerchandised like never before.
from obesity. Research indicates an expected 10Celebrities such as Oprah and Queen Latifah as
percent plus size clothing market growth in thewell as comedian Mo'Nique have championed the
next decade.acceptability of the plus size clothing industry. In
More than half of the respondents in the Mintel2005 Mo'nique introduced the first annual plus size
study said they buy plus size clothing. The biggestbeauty pageant, which was televised nationally. It
group of plus size clothing providers is onlinehas become clear to these manufacturers that
catalog merchants such as Brylane, home of Laneobesity is lucrative, as women with the money to
Bryant and Roamans. Local and national retailspend on looking fashionable flock to plus size
chains are also starting to jump on the plus sizeclothing stores, departments and catalogs.
clothing bandwagon as well, with retailers such as