Knowing the most common clothing size for women may seem like a matter of casual curiosity. And yet, this seemingly innocuous question reveals truths far deeper than a simple number on a label.

Researchers determined that the average American woman's clothing size is between a 16 and 20w Lindsay Kimble is the Executive Editor, News at PEOPLE. She have been working at PEOPLE for seven years.

As Americans have grown physically larger, brands have shifted their metrics to make shoppers feel skinnier—so much so that a women’s size 12 in 1958 is now a size 6. Those numbers are even ...

As a plus-size woman, I know the struggle of finding great clothing in extended sizes. Fortunately, where once there were only two or three retailers catering to plus sizes, now there are dozens ...