5 Terrifying Trends Facing Women With Curves Today

1. 5 terrifying trends facing
women with curves
Learn the truth about how your
body shape affects the quality
of your life
© 2013

2. Researched and produced as a service to
our customers
Sponsored by
© 2013

3. Why we commissioned a study
Every day we are in contact with women
with curves, we are deeply impacted by
their passion for happiness.
As a service to our customers, we engaged
an independent research company to
investigate some of the greatest challenges
facing women with curves, in addition to
possible solutions.
We are pleased to bring this research to
you in conjunction with Empire Research.
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

4. Areas covered
The 5 mistakes made by women with
curves.
The link between depression and weight
gain.
Why 90% of women are concerned about
their weight and shape.
Why women with curves earn less money
than their thin counterparts.
The secret of weight loss, and how to look
instantly slimmer.
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

5. Will be replaced with image from
original presentation
Female body trends
© 2013

6. 31
33
35
29
27
25
23
21
19
17
15
1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2010
Waistsize(inches)
Decade
Women are getting curvier, as a result of changing lifestyles
The average 20”
waist of the 1920s
has been replaced
by an average 34”
waist.
Source: Independent, Daily Mail
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

7. The majority of women in the UK are a dress size 16+
43%
57%
Source: Keynote
Size 16+
Size 14 & under
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

8. Source: Mintel, Daily Mail, plus size model magazine
71% of women hate shopping
for new clothes
Is this because 66% of women find it
difficult to get the correct cut for their
highly variable body shapes?
Difficulty in finding clothes to fit well
makes many women believe they have the
wrong body shape and that they should
lose weight.
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

9. Less than 1% of fashion brands use curvy models during
London Fashion Week
Source: Daily Mail
1%
Fashion brands using curvy models
Fashion brands not using curvy models
99%
The majority of
plus size models
on agency
boards are a
size 6 – 14!
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

10. 30
25
20
15
10
5
0
20 years ago Today
The average fashion model weighs 23% less than the
average woman!
20 years ago the
average fashion
model weighed 8%
less than the average
woman, today she
weighs 23% less!
Source: Plus size model magazine
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

11. Consequently
Looking at fashion magazines for just
60 minutes, lowers self- esteem by
80%.
Source: Dr Raj Persuad, Consultant Psychiatrist at London’s Maudsley Hospital
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

12. So what are the
consequences of this
disconnect between the
needs of women and the
fashion industry?
© 2013

13. Challenge 1:
Poor body image
© 2013

14. The social stress of being
surrounded by stick thin models
causes poor body image
Poor body image can influence weight.
An 11 year research study revealed a
staggering 78% of females who perceived
themselves to be overweight, actually
became overweight!
Source: Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

15. Young women with poor body
image are at HIGH risk of
depression
Research shows that people who suffer
from depression are more likely to gain
weight than people who don’t.
Increased appetite and decreased physical
activity are common symptoms of
depression - both of which lead to weight
gain.
Source: Bradley Hospital, Butler Hospital & Brown Medical School.
BMJ Online First /www.webmd.com
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

16. Antidepressants can treat depression, but they
have dangerous side effects
Antidepressants carry a black box warning, the most serious
warning placed on the label of prescription medication.
Antidepressants are only 10% more effective than placebos
(sugar tablets).
Antidepressants have little effect in curing, but they do have a
dreadful effect in killing.
Between 1993 – 2002, there were 4,767 deaths in England and
Wales involving antidepressants.
Source: Bradley Hospital, Butler Hospital & Brown Medical School. www.sideeffectsofdepression.co.uk www.mcmanweb.com
FDA antidepressant suicide warning Dr Robert Lefever, MailOnline. The Telegraph
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

17. Challenge 2:
Social media
© 2013

18. Social media is amplifying body
& weight obsessions and making
them worse
51% of Facebook users reported that
seeing photos of themselves on the social
network makes them more conscious of
their body and weight.
Source: The Centre for Eating Disorders
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

19. Facebook is used by all age
groups, toxic self-criticism is not
limited to teenagers
31% of Facebook users said they feel sad
when comparing Facebook photos of
themselves to friend’s photos.
Source: The Centre for Eating Disorders
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

20. A whopping 75% said they are
not happy with their body and
weight
37% said they want to change specific parts
of their body.
Source: The Centre for Eating Disorders
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

21. Challenge 3:
The rise in popularity of
cosmetic surgery
© 2013

22. The UK cosmetic surgery market has grown by 66% in 5 years
38000
34000
36000
32000
28000
30000
26000
24000
22000
20000
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
According to a global
survey by Dove, a
quarter of females aged
15-64 are considering
cosmetic surgery.
Source: Dove
Numberofprocedures
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

23. Women are turning to cosmetic
surgery, in the hope it can help
with weight loss
Tummy tuck procedures have grown by
82% in 5 years.
But liposuction procedures have grown by
a staggering 144% in 5 years!
Source: The British Association of Plastic Surgeons, Clinic Compare
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

24. Research shows liposuction is
dangerous (death rates may be
as high as 1 in 1000)
Research also shows that liposuction
doesn’t last long term.
Within 2 years of undergoing liposuction,
81% of patients did not lose weight, and
43% actually gained more!
Source: Journal of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Dermatologic Surgery, Healthy Living
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

25. And worryingly, it’s an
unregulated industry where
danger occurs
Patients as young as 21 have died from this
procedure.
After working 7 days a week to save up for
the procedure, a 38 year old mother died,
leaving behind a grief stricken daughter.
Source: Medicinenet, ABC News, news.ninemsn.com.auk
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

26. Challenge 4:
The trials and tribulations
of dieting
© 2013

27. 90% of women are concerned
about their weight and shape
The average woman will go on an
astonishing 61 diets by the age of 45!
That’s an average of 2 diets a year from the
age of 16!
Source: Etcoff, et al, 2006 and Prynn 2004, Fashion & Beauty, Woman
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

28. But 80% of the things women
most want are foods
A 12 month research study of 27 billion
conversations on social media revealed
that 80% of the things women most want
are foods!!
Why deny ourselves the things that give us
the most pleasure.
Source: Netbase
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

29. Especially when we know that
most diets fail
The New England Journal of Medicine
published a study which shows diets reap
very little rewards.
After 2 years of tremendous effort, over
300 dieters lost an average of only 6 – 10
pounds!
Research further shows that up to 66% of
people on diets regain more weight than
they lost within 4-5 years.
Source: New England Journal of Medicine, Science Daily, New York Times
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

30. Challenge 5:
Lookism
© 2013

31. Research shows our physical
appearance strongly affects the
quality of our life
A survey of 2,000 curvy women revealed
43% of employers stigmatised them.
Being stigmatised translates into not being
hired, being passed over for promotion, or
losing a job!
Source: Yale University
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

32. And unfortunately, this
discrimination is not just
perception
When it comes to the all important wallet,
curvy workers tend to make less than their
thin counterparts.
Curvy women can expect to earn up to 6%
less!
Source: Yale University, Tennessee State University
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

33. Standards of beauty have
become harder to attain,
especially for women
In 1917, the physically perfect woman was
5ft 4in tall, and weighed nearly 10 stone.
25 years ago, top models weighed only 8%
less than the average woman, they now
weigh 23% less!
Society’s idea of beauty is achievable by
less than 5% of the female population.
Source: Social Issues Research Centre.
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

34. But there are steps you can take
to dramatically improve your
body confidence
4 steps to improving body
confidence
© 2013

35. Step 1:
Reframe body image
© 2013

36. Most people repeat in their
minds negative words about
their body & shape
This creates poor body image.
A $9.5 million research study revealed
that positive affirmations work, and are
effective.
Repeat positive affirmations daily and fight
negative talk.
Source: Internal Medicine
“My body is an instrument,
not an ornament”
“The images in the media
aren’t real”
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

37. Stop talking about your weight
Accept you don’t look like the women on the cover
of a magazine (chances are, neither do they!!)
Complex.com posted a non-photoshopped photo
of Kim Kardashian, and then realising their mistake,
they posted the edited version!
Source: Complex.com
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

38. Follow these 3 strategies for
reframing your body image
Fight negative talk
through positive
affirmations.
Focus on being
healthy, not thin.
Focus on your
appearance
through your hair,
nails and dressing
well.
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

39. Step 2:
Embrace your body shape
© 2013

40. Embrace your body shape rather
than trying to change it
44% of women confess they don’t know
what body shape they are.
Do you know what body shape you are?
Rectangle
Triangle
Inverted triangle
Busty
Source: IPC Media Origin Panel
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

41. 99% of women have bought
clothes that don’t suit their figure
Find out what body shape you are by using a
free online body shape calculator.
Source: IPC Media Origin Panel
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

42. Dressing your body according to its shape will give you
instant resultsBefore
After
The model used in these pictures is a UK dress size 18. The images are a true and exact
representation, no photoshopping has taken place to make the model appear thinner / larger.PANTONE 267C
© 2013

43. Step 3:
Overhaul wardrobe
© 2013

44. 80% of women are hoarding
millions of pieces of clothing
they can’t wear
One in eight women have deliberately
bought clothes that were too small, in the
hope of slimming to fit into them.
Could this be contributing towards poor
body image?
Source: Daily Mail
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

45. 66% admitted they are keeping
the clothes...
In the hope they will one day be able to
wear them again.
Top psychologist Linda Papadopoulous
warns that holding onto clothes that don’t
fit can do more harm than good.
Source: Daily Mail
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

46. Only 12% of people regularly clear out their wardrobe
Source: Ecouterre
Overhauling your
wardrobe will
help to promote
a positive body
image
Go shopping! Make
sure you stick to the
body shape rules.
Try everything on and
see what no longer fits,
or flatters your body.
Undertake a fun body
shape quiz if you’re
unsure.
Separate clothes
into 3 piles (donate,
keep or bin).
Make a shopping list
using the headings
career, casual and
dressy.
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

47. Step 4:
Dress for success
© 2013

48. Clothes talk: is your image in
harmony with your desired
outcome?
In a CareerBuilder.com survey, 41% of
employers said people who dress better
tend to be promoted more often in their
organisation.
Source: www.careerbuilder.com
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

49. Did you know a first impression
is made in 7 seconds?
Researchers from NYU found that we make
11 different assumptions about strangers
within the first 7 seconds of meeting,
including their level of education and
wealth.
Your clothes add to or detract from the
impression you make.
First impressions are crucial.
Source: Journal of dental education, H. Asuman Kiyak, M.A., Ph.D, Forbes,
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

50. Well dressed women receive a
better service
A study conducted by Oregon State
University found that customers whose
clothes were rated as more attractive
received the friendliest and fastest service.
Source: Oregon State University
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

51. Wear great clothes all the time,
you never know who you’ll meet
All of us learn to make assumptions about
strangers quickly, and we don’t have much
to go on besides how they look.
A top dating survey asked respondents “do
appearance and looks matter to you”, 67%
said yes.
Source: Dating statistics, www.topdatingtips.com.
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

52. But wearing great clothes all the time is easier said than done
Source: Mintel, Facebook
80% of women with curves feel too few stores offer enough choice.
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

53. Grace was frustrated at not
being able to find clothes for her
holiday
After several shopping trips, Grace was
finding it difficult to find clothes that
flattered her body shape.
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

54. Grace was running out of time
and felt pressured
She started to feel that she had the wrong
body shape and that she should lose
weight.
She fell back into her old habits and started
to shop based on size alone.
Grace made lots of panic purchases and
bought anything that fit.
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

55. Grace didn’t take all of her new
purchases on holiday
When she got home from her shopping
trip and tried them again, she realised some
didn’t suit.
Sadly by the time she returned from her
holiday, it was too late to return these
purchases for a refund.
These garments still hang in her wardrobe
today, a constant reminder of what she
refers to as her “stupid shaped body”.
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

56. When shopping for clothes, look
for mid price point retailers
Value retailers use cheaper fabrics that don’t
always hang right or flatter curvy body shapes.
Less is more. Filling your wardrobe with cheaper
items will never feel as good as one dynamite
outfit.
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

57. Look for retailers who specialise
in curves
But be wary of those who are only interested
in selling to you!
Look for caring retailers who want to help
and educate you. These retailers provide
information on what body shape you are,
and which of their garments will suit your
shape.
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

58. Educational insights brought to you by
A word from our sponsor
© 2013

59. Our mission
This study discussed how to improve body
confidence, we’re a brand built on these
principles.
Grace is devoted to women with curves, and
exists solely to help women improve their
body confidence through the clothes they
wear.
At Grace it’s not just about making a profit,
it’s about making a difference.
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

60. Benefits we bring you
Led by fashion but defined by science,
we embed body shape methodology into
our clothing, enabling women to “dress
themselves slimmer.”
Free 24 hour delivery and free returns for UK
customers.
28 days to assess purchases, and full refunds
on all returns (no questions asked).
When shopping with Grace you will receive
outstanding levels of good old fashioned
customer service, a great experience is
guaranteed.
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

61. Our invitation to you
Undertake the FREE Grace body shape
calculator and find out what body shape you
are. It’s based on scientific data and is highly
accurate.
Undertake the FREE Grace body shape
calculator and receive a FREE e-book worth
£99 “dress yourself slimmer, style tips for
women with curves” (this week only!)
www.grace-uk.co.uk
PANTONE 267C
© 2013

62. Call us for free, personalised
fashion advice
01482 820654
Grace@Grace-uk.co.uk
Led by fashion, defined by science
PANTONE 267C
PANTONE 267C
© 2013