Why plus size and big and tall clothing is worth so much to retailers

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It says something if the report Plus-Size and big and tall Clothing in the U.S. is a not only a 290-page document, but to obtain a copy a person or company would have to pay between 3-6 thousand dollars to download the report. On the surface this number may seem astronomical until you look at the facts:

• The combined worth of plus size/big and tall spending in 2006 was $76 billion dollars
• $47 billion of that came from the plus size or women’s side.
• Projections for 2012 are $104 billion with $65 billion coming from plus size and $46 billion from the big and tall side.

I have said for years that men, teens, and the internet will cause the sale of clothing for plus sizes to rise. I makes me feel good that something that I had a hunch about is worth $3000 to a company to read and learn about the plus size market and how valuable that we are when it comes to spending power.

When I made the prediction that 2007 would be the year for plus sizes, I knew that men would play a big part in that growth. I have changed the metrics of my blog to include men more. I have added more links for men in the Full Figure Shopping section as well as added more stores for ladies.

Retailers may have been supportive of plus size and big and tall fashion in the dark in the past but, with numbers like this if they want to maintain the competitive edge that plus size leader Charming Shoppes has with Lane Bryant and Big and Tall champ Casual Male XL they will have to be open about there desire to do business with larger individuals.

These two stores have been on the size of larger men and women since they opened for business and will have a big share of the money that is spent in the plus size/big and tall community, but the internet is slowly closing that gap. Independent merchants like IGIGI and Monif C. Plus Sizes are giving ladies more options than ever both online and in brick and mortar locations.

Another area that retailers cannot ignore is the teen sector.  Stores like Torrid have been serving this market for a few years and there is the new additions of Fashion Overdose and B&Lu, letting plus teens that there is an alternative to shopping in the same store as mom and dad.

Though people like Mimi Roth think that it is a bad thing and that fat people are a disease to be dealt with, researchers and retailers think differently when it comes to approaching their larger customers and that is a good thing.  If someone wants to donate to help me get my hands on a copy of this report I will forever be in your debt!

What do you think?  Do you agree or disagree with the numbers in the report and what are your thoughts on the future of plus size/big and tall fashions?

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