Oprah Responsible For Proliferation Of Plus-Size Lingerie, WWD Says

By now, you've heard about Oprah's family secret...but how about her style secret? The talk show diva is apparently responsible for bringing fashionable and sexy innerwear to the plus-sized masses, WWD reports:

"The Oprah Winfrey Show" began featuring bra-fitting segments in 2005, and retailers and manufacturers got the message that women with fuller figures want innerwear that is comfortable and functional, but also fashionable. Another impact on the category: red-carpet divas including Jennifer Lopez, Queen Latifah, Fergie, Mo'Nique and Beyonce, who have made it no secret that voluptuous curves were chic and desirable.

Okay. Seems like a logical connection. The fashion newspaper continues:

Since 2005, the average dress size in America has grown to 14 from 12, while the average bra cup size has graduated to 36C from 34B a decade earlier. As a result, major bra brands such as Just My Size at Hanesbrands; Warner's and Olga at The Warnaco Group; Flexees and Lilyette at Maidenform, and Wacoal have responded to the growing demand for larger sizes with broader assortments of cup sizes, in the D, DD or larger range, as well as novelty styles such as strapless.

And thanks to "The Oprah Effect," brands like Spanx, Shapeez, Squeem and more have created plus-sized offerings. And because we cannot resist -- you get a properly-fitting bra, and you get a properly-fitting bra, and you get a properly-fitting bra...