Alright, I'll admit it, I like having QVC on in the background as I'm cleaning, exercising or whatever. Call me a junkie, just so long as I'm purchasing very little, I'm OK with it !

Anyway, here's the thing. There was a clothing hour on this morning and I heard them talking about the size of the "average" American woman, so I went into the living room and sat down to watch a few minutes. Basically, they have different sized models, all these little XS gals, and a couple 1X gals, then this other lady comes out wearing a size large. They were saying that a size 14/large is the AVERAGE size for American women. Can this be true? I always knew I was above average , but now am I truly just a little smaller than the average at a size 12? What do you all think?

I've always heard that 14 is the average size for an american woman

Would it be because now over 50% of Americans are considered overweight/obese? Maybe they have based it on this? Just a guess.

I know one thing, I'm on a quest to be healthy - no matter what the number on my shirt says! LOL!!

I have heard that to that the average american woman is a 14/16. Not to sure what to think of that

Right now, I'd love to be average!

I have also heard that the average size of american women is a 14/16, I always thought that was a size XL on top though? Also, if its true that a large is a size 14, then why does The Gap go to a size XL on top and only a 16 on the bottom?

I DO love shopping in the USA because there are actually larger sizes, they don't stop at a very small large in the majority of stores. Imagine my suprise that *I* fit into tops at SunPac!

-Aimee

I heard that too. Thank stars I've never wanted to be average. Although, a 14 right now, would suit me right down to the ground.

I heard it was a size 12, that is average.....

Now that you say it, I do remember hearing that the average American woman wears a size 14. So why do magazines have models that are nowhere near a size 14? What is wrong with this country?

The real funny thing is all of MY 14's are swimming on me, they no longer fit me. In fact I just took 2 of my size 14 skirts to be altered.

Hahaha. Me too!

It does sound accurate to me. Makes me wonder why retailers haven't figured it out. Most stores only carry to 14 - very discouraging (but perhaps that's only up here in Canada). I'm so tired of shopping in the same 2-3 "fat" stores - ugh!

Plus - at my slimmest in high school I wore a 12/14 - doesn't leave much room to play.

I agree with the other Canadian ladies - plus-size shopping here stinks. American stores are sooooo much better!

I can definitely see the avg size of a woman being size 14. I'd love to be average too

I think that has always been true, the average size being 14, it has not increased just because the level of obesity has increased. I've also heard that the sizes have not stayed the same but I don't know exactly how they have changed. Like a pair of pants that was a size 14 several years ago might not be considered a size 14 now. Maybe a size 14 is bigger than what it used to be and that is why they have sizes 0 and 2? I think women that are now considered a size 2 were probably a size 6 several years ago. I don't know all this for sure, I know I read something about this in the newspaper awhile back.

Clothing sizes have increased. I was watching something years ago, about how Lucille Ball and Marilyn Monroe were both considered size 14's. Then. Today they'd be size 10's or 12's. I wish more clothing manufacters would wake up to this issue. And have some standardized guidelines. I'm so sick of buying a size 18 at store a, a size 20 at store b and a size 16 at store c. Guess which store gets my money? Store c baby. They feed into my need to see smaller numbers!

LOL - I totally agree!!!

I wish women's clothing was like men's - by actual measurement - it may be a reality shock at first but it would be so much easier to buy clothes!