The standard of beauty is undergoing a remarkable shift, driven by the empowering platform of social media. Women are no longer relying on “ad men” to dictate who is considered beautiful. Instead, they are taking control of their own narratives, showcasing their natural beauty through social media posts that garner tens of thousands of likes and celebrate beauty in all its diverse shapes and sizes.

Recent data from a study published in the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology, and Education reveals a significant change in the average American woman. Over the last two decades, the study analyzed more than 5,500 women in the United States and found that the average woman is no longer a size fourteen.

At the turn of the millennium, the average waist size for American women was a slim 34.9 inches. However, this has now increased by 2.6 inches to 37.5 inches on average. This change is attributed to “greater distinctions” when considering race and ethnicity.

“We hope that this information can get out and be used by industry and consumers alike. Just knowing where the average is can help a lot of women with their self-image,” said Susan Dunn, one of the study’s lead experts.

The average American woman now wears between a size sixteen and eighteen, which are the lower end of plus-sizes. This shift in the standard of beauty has significant implications for the fashion industry, which has traditionally catered to a much smaller demographic.

The study encourages clothing designers to update what they consider to be regular sizes and what they consider to be plus-size clothing. Because the average woman has increased in size in the United States, clothing needs to be updated to mirror that trend.

Instead of expecting women to fit into something they simply don’t fit into, clothes need to be updated to match the modern American woman. As Dunn and co-author Deborah Christel, both faculty members of apparel merchandising, design, and textiles at Washington State University, stated: