A couple of weeks ago I wanted to do some shopping. I knew that it was time to prepare for summer and toss out some of my sweats and baggy tees that I tend to favor. What can I say I love to be comfortable, especially if I’m just staying home. I’ve even been known to coach in my jammies. I guess that’s an occupational hazard. Oh well, who cares? I like it that way.
Knowing that I had a few more formal engagements to attend, including my step daughter, Janelle’s promotion to Sargeant in the Air Force at the end of April, and an upcoming family vacation to Puerto Rico in June; I had to get some clothes that would be befitting of Andrea, The Juicy Woman. I guess my old Elton John tee shirt with the air conditioning wouldn’t cut it.
That meant I needed to do some shopping.
Ugh! That’s something that I’ve always hated ever since I was a kid. I remember so much trauma and drama around finding pants that fit when I was a young girl. My bottom has always been my biggest asset, no matter how small I was or how much exercise I did. I’m still smaller on top than I am on bottom. That makes it hard to fit many clothes, especially jeans.
I started my shopping trip by going to some of my favorite stores like Express, H&M and The Gap. After about an hour of fussing and fighting in the fitting room, I got tired of trying to squeeze my bottom into clothes that were just a bit too tight.
I had to face it. My butt was no longer a size 14. After leaving H&M, in utter disgust, I decided to go in search of clothes that truly fit me and would look great on me. I wanted to enjoy more fabric ease in my clothes. I wanted to be able to breathe and sit comfortably in them. What a concept!
Filled with negative memories of shopping in “big girl” clothing stores as a child, especially Lane Bryant, I headed down the mallway in search of the store. Cringing and dreading walking through those doors, expecting the worst, I was shocked out of my mind to see a huge assortment and array of fashionable and stylish clothes. I was approached by a sales woman offering to help. She wasn’t abrasive and she had a lovely smile. Her name was Christine. She introduced herself as the manager. She opened up a fitting room and told me to shop to my heart’s content.
Overjoyed with a myriad of choices, enjoying the great Motown music, I danced through the store and took armloads of clothes into the dressing room. First I tried on the size 14-16. No that didn’t quite fit, I wanted more breathing room. I settled for the size 18’s. They had plenty of extra room and looked lovely.
As I approached the check out counter and met another sales associate, Rhonda, I felt triumphant. I had grabbed the brass ring, a pair of jeans! What a great shopping experience I had! In addition to the jeans, I bought 2 stunning linen tunics, a silver filigree metallic belt to wear over them and a pair of linen crop pants. All that for under $150! What a wonderful feeling to have clothes that fit me without relying on an expandable waistband.
Since that day in Lane Bryant, I’ve been in recovery from my years of previous negative shopping experiences in plus size stores. Now I am on a quest to find gorgeous clothes in larger sizes for myself and other women to continue to live and be juicy women.
Today I ordered online a stunning top and bottom set that I found in a store called Roaman’s. At the beginning of this post, you will see the picture of the set. It’s lovely! I can’t believe it came from Roaman’s. I remember that store as a kid. My mother’s friend, Rhoda used to shop there but it only had dresses that were shapeless and garish, with no style whatsoever.
I’m pleased as punch to share the news with you that plus size clothes are now being made to be exactly like smaller size clothes. The only difference is that you get to breathe and enjoy the comfort of walking around in clothes that actually fit you.
What do you think? Would you take the plunge and try it out? I’ve been browsing online and these are a few of the stores that I’ve found that have lovely clothes in all shapes and sizes, Onestopplus, Silhouettes, Kiyonna, Roamans and last but not least so far Lane Bryant.
Let me know what you think of all this. Share a comment with me and tell me what you think. Do the clothes make the woman or does the woman make the clothes? In my experience, I’m always at my best, when I feel that I look lovely. What about you?