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Thank Oprah for Plus-Size Bras and Panties

Updated on June 19th, 2024

In 2011, Women’s Wear Daily wrote about “The Oprah Effect,” detailing how Oprah Winfrey kicked the manufacturing of cute plus-size undergarments into action. Now, fashionable bras and underwear for curvy women are more readily available and a money-making industry.

The Oprah Winfrey Show began featuring bra-fitting segments in 2005, and retailers and manufacturers got the message that women with fuller figures want innerwear that is comfortable and functional, but also fashionable. Another impact on the category: red-carpet divas including Jennifer Lopez, Queen Latifah, Fergie, Mo’Nique and Beyoncé, who have made it no secret that voluptuous curves were chic and desirable.

Women’s Wear Daily

Maureen Stabnau, senior vice president of merchandising at barenecessities.com, agreed that plus-size women demanded more style options and the growth of the market caused vendors to come out with more designs, including sports bras and deep plunge bras.

A diverse group of models wearing underwear and holding signs with empowering messages.
Source: Canva.

Demand should drive plus-size supply

It’s unfortunate that it took a super star to drive clothing trends, as supply should be based on the sheer fact that more people demand garments for the curvy figure.

Thank goodness for Oprah and all that she’s done for those who don’t fall into the teeny-tiny category. Though we know America is dealing with an obesity epidemic, news flash: There are healthy people over the size of 8, or whatever arbitrary number society has told us we need to aspire to. Sadly, it seems the fashion world spent a long time pretending this wasn’t the case.

Fortunately, times are a-changing — and the flow of money is behind that trend. According to Future Markets Insights , the plus-size fashion industry was valued at $288 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to $501.35 billion by 2033. Even for the holdouts against curvy fashion, those numbers are too big to ignore.

3 thoughts on “Thank Oprah for Plus-Size Bras and Panties”

  1. Undergarments the essential for all sizes, they support, lift, shape and allow outer garments to glide over the top. We need our celebs to give suppliers a push in the right direction.

  2. I love Oprah and appreciate everything she’s done for plus size women, but I agree that it’s sad that it takes the insistence of a super star like her to achieve something in the clothing industry.

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