French women face a growing divide between high street fashion offerings and reality, as author Tiffany Touzé highlights widespread sizing shortages across retail stores. Speaking on the French morning broadcast Bonjour ! Avec vous, Touzé addressed the persistent challenges facing women who wear plus-size clothing in France.
Data from the French Textile and Clothing Institute shows that half of French women wear between size 40 and 44, while one in three wears size 46 or larger. Fewer than 20 percent of women in France wear size 38 or smaller, yet size 36 remains the dominant benchmark featured in clothing displays.
The French Textile and Clothing Institute, known as the IFTH, is the national technical center responsible for clothing industry standards and biometric measurement campaigns. Measurements collected by the institute reveal that French women have gained two centimeters in height and three centimeters in waist circumference since its previous study conducted in 2006. In European ready-to-wear sizing, size 36 represents a slender mannequin standard, while size 44 corresponds to an average frame for millions of French consumers.
The institute data reinforces a 2016 survey conducted by ClicknDress, an online fashion fit and recommendation platform in France. The ClicknDress survey found that approximately 40 percent of French women wear a size 44 or larger. Despite these demographic realities, physical store displays routinely focus on smaller sizes, leaving larger options underrepresented on high street clothing racks.
Retail sizing availability and store options
Finding stylish clothing in larger sizes remains a frustrating task for shoppers across the country. Charlotte, a viewer who joined the broadcast, shared that searching for plus-size garments was extremely difficult, describing the daily effort to find suitable clothing as a full-time job.
Touzé echoed Charlotte's experiences, having built a major social media presence under the name La grosse dame to advise thousands of French women struggling with fashion options. Touzé is the author of Les conseils de la grosse dame, a style guidance book published by Marabout, a major French publishing house known for practical lifestyle titles.
While specialized plus-size collections do exist, Touzé noted that options beyond size 44 or size 46 are rarely available in mainstream shops, and available models often lack trendy cuts. She stated that public perception incorrectly assumes plus-size women prefer loose black garments to hide their bodies, emphasizing that women actually want bright colors, short hemlines, and sexy designs.
For women who feel hesitant about wearing eye-catching garments due to weight insecurities, Touzé advised incorporating vibrant fashion step by step. She suggested starting with colorful accessories such as handbags or scarves, stressing that plus-size women should never restrict their wardrobe choices and can freely enjoy patterns and modern cuts.
Sizing inconsistencies and vanity sizing practices
Shopping becomes even more complicated for consumers wearing sizes above 42 due to unpredictable sizing standards across different retail chains. Sylviane, another viewer on the show, explained that she struggled to navigate labels such as XL, XXL, and XXXL because items were consistently either too small or too large.
Touzé noted that physically trying garments on in store is the only reliable way for shoppers to know if a piece fits comfortably. Program host Jacques Legros observed that sizing unreliability affects both men and women, sharing that his own clothing size ranges between XL and 5xl depending on the brand.
The issue of inconsistent garment labeling was highlighted in a March 2026 investigative report by French television network TF1. The report detailed the commercial phenomenon known as vanity sizing, where clothing manufacturers deliberately assign smaller size numbers to garments so consumers feel flattered when fitting into a smaller labeled size.
TF1 is France's largest private television network, regularly broadcasting consumer watchdog reports and national news updates. Touzé noted that despite ongoing sizing hurdles, several retail chains are making active efforts to design modern, fashionable collections tailored specifically for plus-size figures.
Undergarments and comfort solutions for daily wear
Beyond garment selection, Touzé highlighted the importance of body self-awareness to determine which clothing styles best accentuate individual figures. She reminded viewers that practical solutions exist to help ease personal insecurities, noting that individuals who feel uncomfortable can wear shapewear and high-waisted briefs to smooth out their silhouette.
Journalist Julie Tomeï introduced functional underwear options on the program, including shorty shorts designed specifically to prevent inner thigh chafing. Tomeï explained that friction between the thighs can cause painful skin irritation during hot summer weather, adding that anti-chafing balms and anti-burn creams are also available on the market to help manage skin discomfort.
