Have you heard the pop song “Big Girl, You Are Beautiful," by British star Mika? Well, it seems that the fashion industry, which has notoriously focussed its attention on only the tall and skinny, seems to be taking his words to heart!

For years feminists and many others have made the case that the fashion industry creates unrealistic expectations of women, and that larger women have been left out in the cold, having to settle for frumpy, dowdy clothes from plus-size shops. This is very true, but the good news is, it is changing. No longer is it a contradiction to be plus-sized and stylish.

It's good to remember that at its highest level, the fashion industry is all about putting on a show. The tall and thin look favoured in fashion models is partly because this body type works well on stage, in a runway show. It is as theatrically unrealistic as a ritzy house set on a Broadway show or in a Hollywood movie. In their runway shows, major fashion designers set the trends and looks for the season, and these looks trickle down through the clothing industry through ready-to-wear collections and imitations created for hip stores for middle-class consumers like H&M.

On the other hand, it remains true that it's always been hard for women with bigger body types to find clothing that embraced their need for more than just comfort and utility. However, it's fair to say that the fashion industry, despite its problems, is working harder than ever to develop looks for full-figured women that are designed to flatter their figure and embody the most important contemporary trends. This change in attitude can be seen in popular television programs like Project Runway, where contestants have held design challenges featuring plus-sized women, and America’s Next Top Model, which has featured plus-sized models in recent seasons.

Shopping for plus-size clothing is a better experience than it used to be. First of all, the fashion industry is putting more energy into creating looks that are designed for more varied body types, while still reflecting the current styles and trends. Also, there are more options than ever for plus-sized shoppers, in large part because of the internet. It’s withing everyone’s reach to research trends online, and then literally shop the world from the comfort of your own home, finding styles and clothing lines that capture today’s trends while being suited to your particular size and shape.

What you wear affects your sense of self-worth and attractiveness. After many decades of feeling left out, full-figured women are finally starting to see that fact acknowledged by the fashion industry, and can more easily than ever find clothes that make them feel stylish and elegant.