European women's fashions are taking after the influence of Spanish design companies, who have altered their size charts to meet the needs of a more realistic and common body style.
Not all women are born with tiny hips, nor can they keep a young, tight body through their forties and fifties. That shouldn't mean they have to sacrifice high fashion or well-fitting clothes.
The change in fashion sizing came from a study completed by the Spanish Health Ministry, which traveled around the country measuring women's bodies to find out what their measurements really are.
Spain is clearly making an effort towards encouraging healthy and realistic perceptions of beauty. The government is even going as far as to pressure stores into replacing the super skinny manikins with ones that are fuller and more human-like.
As many of the Spanish retailers are sold throughout Europe, other designers are sure to follow in Spain's footsteps. This is a great step forward and shows how fashion can actually have a positive effect on consumers worldwide.