91% of women want to see clothes worn on a diversity of models and models who look like them, over traditional models.*

Yet, we continue to see a lack of size diversity in fashion, which feels particularly relevant at the moment due to ongoing global conversations about the lack of size diversity in recent fashion week runway shows. While some are dissecting fashion, style, and pop culture trends to explore whether ultra-thin models are making a fashion comeback, others - including fat activists- are asserting that thinness has always been in our society.

Size diversity is always a top-of-mind topic here at Mys Tyler, which is why we recently commissioned a study of Australian women to identify their relationship with the fashion industry. From this study, we learned that:

• 90% of women don’t don’t feel represented by fashion models/runway shows
• 78% of women feel more relevant, better about their bodies, and/or inspired to try new styles when they see women who look similar to them in the fashion industry
• 50% of 18-29-year-old respondents negatively compare themselves to women they see in fashion advertising and social media
• 1 in 2 women struggle to find clothing that suits their body/age/style
• 59% of women felt under represented by the fashion industry due to their size
• 52% of women felt under represented by the fashion industry due to their age?
• 35% of women felt under represented by the fashion industry due to their height
• 9% of women felt under represented by the fashion industry due to their ethnicity
• 8% of women felt under represented by the fashion industry due to their abilities

On a positive note, the findings showed that 89% of women said their confidence is improved by wearing an outfit they feel good in.

But, only 15% of women wear outfits every day that make them feel confident. This brings us to another finding: 1 in 2 women found that clothes didn’t meet their expectations after looking different on them than they did on the model.

"At Mys Tyler, we’re shocked by some of the findings, but sadly we’re not surprised. Our community is made up of a diverse range of women who often let us know about their frustrations with mainstream fashion retailers and their lack of representation. As a collective, we need to work together to put diversity at the forefront of fashion advertising so women feel seen, and to ultimately make shopping easy and enjoyable for consumers,” said Mys Tyler founder, Sarah Neill.

Representing a range of bodies in runway shows and in digital advertising campaigns will be a great start to improving women's relationships with fashion and their own bodies.

For more findings from our study, read our survey results here.

*According to a recent study of Australian women that Mys Tyler commissioned.