Most models and fashion designers are not people who are touched by obesity. There are many people in the general population that struggle with their weight and need to purchase clothing in larger and larger sizes. It is time for the fashion designer and the industry as a whole to look into this growing need.

Obesity is an epidemic, that fact is plain for us all to see. Over half of the women in this country are overweight or obese. It is worse for middle-aged women. In this demographic close to 2/3 are overweight. Another quickly growing demographic is teenage girls. As a result there is a sharp increase in the demand for clothing plus size and larger.

Indeed, the fastest growing market segment in the business is for plus size clothing. However, the fashion industry has yet to fully meet this demand. There is consistently a lag in fashion trends before they reach the plus size market, and even when they do they are merely sized up or scaled versions of clothes designed for skinny bodies.

The response to this is size inflation. This is the term used by the industry observers. Simply put, a garment that used to be size 14 is now a size 10. Consumers do not address the real concerns while feeling smaller in size. Plus size fashion clothing as dissatisfied customers as a result.

The good news is that changes are on the way. For the first time since World War II, a consortium of clothes manufacturers, led by American plus size clothing makers, has conducted a huge sizing study for women. This way, they can be sure that clothing that they make will fit the women of today. There are some plus size only fashion shows and plus size models, but their numbers are still limited.

The obesity epidemic does not seem to be retreating. In fact, it is forecast that in the future there will be even more overweight people. The fashion industry is aware of this trend in sizing but is not reacting by targeting this segment. Instead of plus size clothing being a specialty market, it instead is becoming the standard to which consumers turn. With such a large customer base, fashion designers should zero in on the special needs and wants of overweight customers.

Andrea writes about Plus Size Clothing. Find plus size deals at Woman's Plus Size Clothing Discounts