Jessica Simpson thinks gaining weight has been good for her "brand".

The 31-year-old star - who confirmed she was pregnant with her first child yesterday (31.10.11) - admits not being "anorexic" has helped her clothing brand, thought to be worth close to $1 billion, be more relatable to her customers.

She said: "I got so much scrutiny for putting on extra pounds, but I think that the decision not to make myself anorexic was actually great for branding, because when you're really, really skinny, not everyone can relate to you."

Despite the public debate about her figure, Jessica - who is engaged to sports star Eric Johnson - reveals she was not too upset by the comments.

She told Lucky magazine: "Everybody fluctuates, but I'm open about my weight and I'm still confident. I didn't cry about it too much. I like the way I look."

Despite being engaged, Jessica admits she has yet to plan the wedding and has not even tried on a dress for the big day.

She added: "I haven't started shopping for our wedding yet. When I got engaged, everyone thought I would get married immediately, but I have not put a single dress on, and by the time this comes out I will not be married! We're just enjoying being engaged right now - and that's honest."