Size 12 is fat, fashion survey says

A survey into perceptions of body shape carried out by a UK fashion website has revealed that more people than ever think that large women cannot be fashionable.

However, more worryingly, the poll also showed that perceptions of 'large' have been skewed to such an extent that many people think even below average dress sizes mean a person is fat.

The research was carried out by MyCelebrityFashion.co.uk and asked over 2,000 British women about fashion and size issues.

When asked 'Does size matter when it comes to being fashionable?', 73 per cent answered in the affirmative.

Meanwhile, three-quarters said they believe you cannot be both 'fat' and fashionable.

When asked 'At what size would you consider somebody to be fat?', over a quarter answered that they thought size 14 was large.

Startlingly, 11 per cent said they would think a person was fat at size 12 or above.

Jill Tovey, spokesperson for MyCelebrityFashion.co.uk, said she was shocked by the findings of the poll.

"To say that somebody who is a size 14 - the average size of women in the UK - cannot be fashionable is not just unfounded; it shows ignorance that we need to work against," she commented.

Earlier in 2008, fashionistas Susannah Constantine and Trinny Woodall stripped off on a hillside with over 200 volunteers as part of a TV series encouraging people to accept their body shape and not to conform to the media stereotypes of perfection.