A Fond Farewell to Lane Bryant

My home away from home for the past seven years!

 For all new readers, please allow me to give you a brief history of my style awakening. When I turned 50, my driver’s license picture actually was a wakeup call. I saw a tired, old woman who had really given up on her own life…she lived life through her children and her students. That picture set me on a new path to return.


I was overweight. I had been ever since I first became pregnant….each child was just an excuse to remain that way. My chosen method for dealing with the weight was to wear oversized clothing…cheap clothing…men’s clothing….frumpy clothing. I was one of the disillusioned who believed XXXLarge T shirts actually covered up the problem….I was wrong.

Another good place for full figured girls,
and great jewelry!!


I have written early posts about the important role that WHAT NOT WEAR played in my life at this time. I knew I needed to “embrace my body” right where I was…suck it up….and wear clothes which fit the body I had. My first stop was Catherine’s, though I do not really know why. I remember standing in that store and looking around absolutely horrified. The clothing looked like what I was attempting to be free of and made me feel older not age appropriate.


So, I walked next door to Lane Bryant, and for the next seven years, I walked in their door almost weekly. Lane Bryant introduced me to youthful, appropriate, trendy, fitted clothing which helped me regain my confidence and have fun doing it. Occasionally, I would venture down the block to Avenue, but it was really LB where I found exactly what I was looking for. The sales women were friendly and helpful and some became friends who I enjoyed stopping by to visit.


So, this post is bittersweet. My body no longer looks good in the women’s sized clothing. The pants I have purchased during the time of my diet are now baggy. I no longer need Lane Bryant…..but I am so grateful they were there and are there for others like me. In a weird way, their clothing set me on the path which eventually led to the diet and no longer a need for them. They fill a huge void in the fashion industry, for full figured women who want to look fabulous. I would recommend anyone walking around in oversized clothing to start now, this minute with a trip to LB for a new look. I am so very thankful and really do bid them a fond farewell!!

27 Comments

  1. You look wonderful in both pics but just look at your smile in the "today" picture, you look so happy! 🙂

    Congrats on your weight loss, you are an inspiration!

  2. Holy cow lady…it's obvious how much work you've put in to become healthier. It's not about how much we weigh or what size we wear, it's about what we're putting into our bodies and what we're doing to move our bodies for exercise. You're clearly doing something right and you look fabulous!!!

    Lane Bryant should make you a spokesperson!

    Come take a look inside A Working Mom's Closet

  3. You look amazing. You will have to share your diet secrets. Lane Bryant does have really cute clothes. With a market that is geared towards small sizes it is wonderful that there is a store that gears towards fuller sized figures and provides stylish, well fitted clothing. xo

  4. Wow, Pam, you look fantastic! And like a completely confident woman, a great role model for us mid-lifers (and all ages). Congratulations on getting healthier and happier. And thank goodness for Lane Bryant, sounds like they bring the style!

  5. You look so cute and peppy in both photos! I am so glad you did this post (you should submit it to IFB Links a La Mode!). I love that you decided to NOT give up on yourself, but I have to say, since I am still deep in the mommy trenches (I have a boy, 8, and a girl, 4), I can see how it is so much easier to put everyone else's needs before your own. Thank you for showing me there is light at the end of the tunnel and you can come out looking and feeling fabulous!

  6. So glad that LB was able to help you feel stylish and fabulous during that period, and what a great tribute to their influence and your amazing journey!

  7. I am so happy you wrote this post!! It is so true we need to start now to dress to the body we have and not wait for the body we want!! What Not To Wear does such a great job of teaching people this and accentuating their good features. I spent the first several years of my kids life in oversized everything. Not fun. Love ya girl! You look fabulous!

  8. Wow…wow… you..look…GOOD! And I know exactly how you're feeling, since it is exactly one year ago that I started my weightloss journey, which consequently turned me into a runner – at the nice age of 46! And I only can second what was said already: it is really important to dress stylish and fabulous for the moment – regardless if overweight or not!

  9. You look marvelous! I shop LB and just got two shirts that I LOVE and, because they are already a bit too big, I was wondering what I could do to them to continue wearing them as the weight goes down!

  10. Pam you look amazing!! great work and I love hearing about your transformation.. very inspiring!! you are my SHE-RO!!!

    xox Jodi

  11. Your transformation has been incredible to watch through this blog. Thank you for sharing your journey with us. I, for one, really appreciate your honesty and your love of fashion.

    xo,
    Tracy

  12. wow, look at the transformation. although you were still stylish then, you really do look incredible now. congrats to the past year's journey to a new you.

    rockoomph.blogspot.com

  13. So glad to hear how you've transformed–and clothes are so much fun, aren't they? And glad you were able to find fun before you lost the weight–altho that's good too. We Old Ladies will carve the path to a better dressing tomorrow! Love, Paula

  14. You looked beautiful and stylish before and you look gorgeous and fashionable now. I'm so proud of you for embarking on this journey – you look amazing!

  15. I know just what you mean about LB – it was my go-to place for so many years. I'm short so it was a bit more challenging for me to find something that fit but I could always find something online if it wasn't in the stores. I don't shop there any more after losing 120 lbs but I still think fondly of an aqua/grey tweed jacket that went with everything I owned. Great store.

  16. Loved this post! I find it very inspiring that dressing for the body you had, and accepting yourself for where you were, actually led to positive changes in your health. It sounds like a paradox, but it really isn't. Congratulations!

  17. I think you looked lovely then – you just got pretty fabulous! thanks for featuring me- you are very sweet indeed – Ariane

  18. Congratulations….you look great! I am glad LB is there for women who are larger adn do want to be stylish.

  19. Progress. In spite of my size, I still find that I browse LB sizes in the thrifts, where I will occasionally find something I like for its flowiness.

  20. Thanks for the LB information. I'm coming to the NY for my first ever trip in the next few weeks and can't wait to hit this store. The $Aus to $US is fantastic for us so I'm ready for a BIG spend.
    Plus size stores in Australia tend to be a bit frumpy for me and all the clothes look the same. I've checked out the LB website and its great to see everyday fashion in larger sizes.
    Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

    Oh, and you look fantastic, both 12 months ago and today. I hope I manage to look half as good as you after my spend.

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