A matter of shape

For girls of my generation, three things were considered completely disgraceful: dropping out of school, pregnancy out of wedlock, and having to shop in Lane Bryant. It was known as the "fat girl's store," and whenever we put on weight, our mothers threatened to take us there. I, who have always been heavy, managed to avoid this fate by continual, though not extraordinarily successful dieting.

Shopping in Lane Bryant was social disgrace, a sign of complete failure as a human being. Nothing could make up for it-- even if you were valedictorian, a national merit scholar, or a junior soloist with the New York Philharmonic. Fatties were failures.

I always diet. Sometimes my weight is up; sometimes it's down; sometimes it shifts. Recently, I noticed that a scoop necked blouse I was wearing did not sufficiently conceal my chest. Perhaps I should wear a camisole underneath? I found just one in my size at Belk's, where I normally shop, and liked the effect. I could not find others. My daughter Emily takes an interest in these things, though she is much smaller than I. She recommended Lane Bryant.

Lane Bryant!!?!! According to Emily, they have a line of underwear suited to what we may euphemistically call larger women. I went there this weekend. It was great. I wear one of the smaller sizes they carry, and there was a large selection of things I could wear.

While it makes sense to keep your weight down, there's also a lot to be said for knowing how to dress the body you have.