Study reveals ‘skinny bias’ among denim’s biggest brands as consumers turn to yoga pants over jeans

For the first time ever, the US imported more yoga pants than jeans in 2017 according to data from the US Census Bureau, perhaps as a result of ‘skinny bias’ among America’s largest denim retailers.

A study by Quartz analyzed size offerings for jeans at brands that sell women’s apparel with storefronts at the Mall of America, and found what it called ‘definitive skinny bias by US retailers.’

The findings revealed that of all of the jeans offered for sale in one of the country’s largest malls, only 13 percent would fit women of typical size or larger.

When Quartz looked online, the offerings didn’t get much better, showing that only 19 percent of the sizes available through retailers’ websites would fit a woman with a waist larger than the national median.

A study by Quartz analyzed size offerings for jeans at brands that sell women’s apparel with storefronts at the Mall of America, and found what it called ‘definitive skinny bias by US retailers;’ This file photo shows various types of denim hanging in a closet

If you lined up the waist sizes of all American women, from smallest to largest, who are ages 20 and older, the number in the middle would be 37.3 inches (94.8 centimeters). 

If you added all of those sizes up and took the average instead, the number goes up a bit to 38 inches.

The Quartz study showed that most well-recognized retailers with shops in the Mall of America don’t have either of those sizes in stock at their stores.

To compare, if you laid out all of the jeans available to buy, from smallest to largest, from all of the brands that sell women’s jeans in the Blooming, Minnesota building, the size of the pair of jeans in the middle would be 30 inches at the waist.

If you did that same thing with only the largest size available at each store, the size of the pair of jeans in the middle would be 31 inches at the waist. 

If you lined up the waist sizes of all American women, from smallest to largest, who are ages 20 and older, the number in the middle would be 37.3 inches (94.8 centimeters); This stock images shows diverse women wearing denim

If you lined up the waist sizes of all American women, from smallest to largest, who are ages 20 and older, the number in the middle would be 37.3 inches (94.8 centimeters); This stock images shows diverse women wearing denim

The analysis found that every single store that sold women’s jeans offered options for women whose waists were smaller than the national average, but only 50 percent of the stores in the Mall of America had any sizes for women with waists larger than 38 inches.

Even of the stores that did offer at least one option larger than 38 inches, many of them only offered those choices online, rather than in the physical building where consumers could try them on before making a purchase.

Among the brands included in the study were Old Navy, Express, Ann Taylor, Loft, Madewell, New York & Co., White House | Black Market, The Gap, TopShop, AE Outfitters, Athleta, Banana Republic, Charlotte Russe, Maurices, Club Monaco, Forever 21, Hot Topic, Lucky Brand, Silver Jeans, J. Jill, Zara, Levi’s, Eddie Bauer, L.L. Bean, Long Tall Sally, True Religion, Rainbow, Christopher & Banks, Carhartt, Lane Bryant, Chico’s and Torrid. 

The Quartz analysis found that every single store that sold women's jeans offered options for women whose waists were smaller than the national average, but only 50 percent of the stores in the Mall of America had any sizes for women with waists larger than 38 inches; A model wearing jeans from Express is shown

The Quartz analysis found that every single store that sold women's jeans offered options for women whose waists were smaller than the national average, but only 50 percent of the stores in the Mall of America had any sizes for women with waists larger than 38 inches; A model wearing jeans from Old Navy is shown

The Quartz analysis found that every single store that sold women’s jeans offered options for women whose waists were smaller than the national average, but only 50 percent of the stores in the Mall of America had any sizes for women with waists larger than 38 inches; A model wearing jeans from Express is shown at left; A model wearing jeans from Old Navy is at right

H&M was not included in the study becausethe company is currently in the process of restructuring its sizing, after years of criticism from shoppers who have said the sizes don’t match standard sizes in the United Kingdom.

Department stores were also excluded from the study. 

Quartz said the data for this analysis is based on sizing charts found on each retailer’s website. When sizes were indicated by a range, an average was used.

This stock image shows three women wearing various types of denim styles, from the back

This stock image shows three women wearing various types of denim styles, from the back



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