Fashionably Voluptuous: Repackaging the Fuller-Sized Figure

This article investigates the voluptuous female silhouette in fashion. Is it a superimposed image of a desired female form or a way of accentuating the ample assets of a larger-sized body? Body image has been identified as crucial to clothing provision and fashion consumption. Research has recognized that fuller-sized and obese people were considered unhappy, unconfident, unattractive, and identified a huge level of discrimination and negativity towards the overweight. Presenting and describing a body as voluptuous could be a more palatable way to repackage and reconceptualize the larger-sized. It is perhaps a more flattering description shrouding prejudices with regards to fashion, style, and garment selection. The investigation adopts a number of methodological approaches to identify the fashion choices available for voluptuous bodies and if these clothes involve levels of body modification. The research also suggests how the repackaged voluptuous body could continue to be represented in a future global marketplace.