Thanks to the ladies of Lane Bryant

[Tiffy]

Ok, I told you all the other day that I am now out to my granny. Well two days ago while she and I and my wife were doing our shopping my wife and I went to Lane Bryant. The store was almost empty except for to girls that worked there. My wife and I looked around and I saw the ladies watching me. Well we left and went to the Cingular store next door to see about a new phone(which keeps getting pushed back and I am still waiting on Nokia to relase). While there we were talking about a shirt we was at the last store that I thought I wanted and might fit. So my wife went back and bought it. While there she spoke to the ladies and told them that I was a CD. They shrugged and said that there were at least 15 to 20 that come in every week. The one lady told her that her best frined was a CD and that she was in all the time to buy and try on clothes. And the ladies had been studing me and told my wife what size they thought I was.(turns out they were wrong :( )

My wife and I went home and she told me what the ladies had told her. She was smiles as was I. Well the blouse we had bought did not fit. So yesterday we returned it. I went in with her this time atleast so I could see the ladies and they see me. Well they did not have what I wanted in my size and since we wrote a check we could not return it for ten days. So we decided to get something different. So we looked and looked and found several things I wanted. Well my wife grabbed me by the hand and lead me to the dressing room and asked if I was ready to try on ladies clothes for the first time in a store. I was not. She said she would go with me. So the ladies opened the door and in we went. OMG :eek: IT WAS AWESOME :) My wife smiled at me the whole time helping me get everything right. I decided on five different items and we left the room. The ladies smiled and asked how we had made out and if it all fit me. We said yes and went to check out. At the register the lady told us that with my purchase I would get two pair of panties free so she waited as my wife picked them out for me and held them up for my approval. BTW, I was dressed in drab which made it weird for me trying on clothes there. But, the ladies smiled as we left and I told them thank you and that I was sorry about being so nervous and they all said that I could come back any time and not to worry.

Well ladies THANK YOU, for one of the greatest days of my life. Damn what a week this has been.

Love, April

[Marla GG]

April, that is fantastic! I loved your whole story, especially the part where you said you weren't ready to go in the fitting room and your wife took you in with her. Awwwww :<3: I guess sometimes you gurls just need a loving little push.

It's great to hear that the salesgirls were so helpful and welcoming. Somehow I think you'll be back there again soon. ;)

[DonnaT]

That's great April. I love Lane Bryant. No hassles.


While there she spoke to the ladies and told them that I was a CD. They shrugged and said that there were at least 15 to 20 that come in every week.

Wow! In Charlotte no less? Seems CDing may be more prevalent than many of us thought.

[Lauren_T]

That's great April. I love Lane Bryant. No hassles.



Wow! In Charlotte no less? Seems CDing may be more prevalent than many of us thought.Are you surprised, Donna? I myself have lived up and down the East Coast between DC and Miami, and in Charlotte (Dilworth) for a while. It's hands-down the most liberal, low-key major city between those two points... Fine people, everybody is too busy living their own lives to worry much about what others do...

[Sharon]

It's a wonderful story, April, and I'm so happy for you. :)

[Tiffy]

That's great April. I love Lane Bryant. No hassles.



Wow! In Charlotte no less? Seems CDing may be more prevalent than many of us thought.


Actually, I am near Charlotte, but I was in Gastonia. Even smaller by a long shot.


Kisses, April

[Lauren_T]

Actually, I am near Charlotte, but I was in Gastonia. Even smaller by a long shot.


Kisses, AprilAnd I woulda thought Gastonia would be a suburb of Charlotte by now. :D
Anyway, the entire western NC area is the most comfortable place I've been, myself. :thumbsup:

[Tiffy]

No, still separated from Charlotte. But only by Belmont.

April

[Denise01]

Hi April:

Your story was very interesting and i hope you enjoyed your first of many times that you try on ladies clothing in the store.

Last March when on vacation, ( we do not have them in Canada ) I was in a Layne Bryant store looking at skirts. The sales girl asked if she could help me.Asked if the particular one i was looking at fit large or small, at which time she said it could be returned. At that time I told her it was for me, she said really and then said to try on anything I wished.
She was very helpful, and had to get the next smaller size as they fit large with the elastic waist band. With out a hesitation she got the next size and placed it over the top of the door for me to try. I was not totally femme, even though fully underdressed including bra and slip, I was wearing male slacks and not hard to tell i was not a GG.

That exerience was very good and just increased my courage to ask about trying on in the store, after all especially if they are on commission, a sale is a sale regardless to whom

Denise

[ladyfydiana]

Thats great April,I am glad that you got the help you needed.Plus they treated you with respect and thats a plus in my book. :)

Diana

[Marlena Dahlstrom]

As I mentioned in my post about my shopping adventure, the girls at Lane Bryant were extremely friendly and professional with me.

Don't know if it's corporate policy to be t-friendly, but I'm sure they do get a lot CDs shopping there.

[Tiffy]

Well for one thing, by being friendly ther is word of mouth. And then there is word or key board(internet). Which means advertisement and more sales. Cause lord knows how we love to shop.

Thank you for reading my story, April

[Phoebe Reece]

Charlotte has been TG friendly for a long time. I lived there in the late 1970's. Here's a newspaper ad from around 1978 that you might find interesting.

[Marlena Dahlstrom]

Well for one thing, by being friendly ther is word of mouth. And then there is word or key board(internet).

BTW, you might email Lane Bryant a thank you note. There's a Contact Us form on their site. (It requires an address, but I just put in the address of the store I visited and in my note mentioned that I did so because I'm in the closet.) I figured it's good to let Lane Bryant know who's shopping there and I mentioned that I ws telling others about my good experience there. Plus hopefully it will result in an atta-girl to the store employees.

[Tiffy]

Darla, that is a very good idea. I had not thought of that. But you are right and I think I will send them a note. Again, thank you for the idea.

Kisses, April

[Priscilla1018]

Hi April,

Good thread,I will add Lane Bryant to my list for shopping.I used to buy from their cataloge,this sounds even better.

[Adrianne]

That is great, wish everyone could be like that when you go shopping.

Adrianne.

[Tiffy]

Hi April,

Good thread,I will add Lane Bryant to my list for shopping.I used to buy from their cataloge,this sounds even better.



Priscilla, I have never been a fan of Lane Bryant. But, I sure am now. Was wonderful and can not wait to go back again.

Kisses, April

[Marlena Dahlstrom]

FYI, Lane Bryant Catalog (http://www.lbcatalog.com/) and Lane Bryant (http://www.lanebryant.com) retail stores are two completely different companies with different websites.

The retail stores (their website) have much nicer, fashionable stuff than the catalog does.

[Tiffy]

To be honest, the retail store is only paying for the Lane Bryant name. The clothes that are in it mostly belong to Romans. Which I order from online and by mail all the time. You are right and I guess I should have mentioned it. My bad, sorry.

Kisses. April

[Billijo49504]

Hi April, I'm glad your experience was as good as mine is with Lane Bryant. It's my favorite store. I was to one of the 3 stores here Sunday, to get a couple pair of dress slacks. I also tried a couple pair of there Easy Fit jeans. Not as comfortable as there stretch bootcut jeans. And yesterday I went to another LB store for a couple bras. We both like the sheerwear bras. Actually, I went from opening a charge to getting my platinum card in 13 months. That's a lot of shopping.
As far as the LB retail stores being connected to Romans, I don't think so. The retail stores are connected to Fashion Bug and Catherines. I used to deal with the LB catalog and you could use Romans charge for LB catalog purchases. The really confusing part was, you could pay your charge bill for the catalog at the store. I don't know if this is still that way, cuz I don't use the catalog now, just the stores. Happy shopping. Billijo :)

[Tiffy]

Hi April, I'm glad your experience was as good as mine is with Lane Bryant. It's my favorite store. I was to one of the 3 stores here Sunday, to get a couple pair of dress slacks. I also tried a couple pair of there Easy Fit jeans. Not as comfortable as there stretch bootcut jeans. And yesterday I went to another LB store for a couple bras. We both like the sheerwear bras. Actually, I went from opening a charge to getting my platinum card in 13 months. That's a lot of shopping.
As far as the LB retail stores being connected to Romans, I don't think so. The retail stores are connected to Fashion Bug and Catherines. I used to deal with the LB catalog and you could use Romans charge for LB catalog purchases. The really confusing part was, you could pay your charge bill for the catalog at the store. I don't know if this is still that way, cuz I don't use the catalog now, just the stores. Happy shopping. Billijo :)


I am only convaying what the ladies at the store told me. That is all I know.

Kisses, April

[RachelDenise]

Sounds like you had a great experience and you have a wonderful wife!!! :cool:

[Tiffy]

Rach, you are right. I had a wonderful time and my wife is fabulous. I can not wait to go and do it again.

Love, April

[Billijo49504]

Hi April, I stand corrected. I just back from paying my bill at LB. While there I asked the manager about the connection with Romans, she said yes there was a connection, but she was not sure what it was. But it took place within the last 5 or 6 years. The info I had was from about 10 yrs ago.
I still would rather buy from a local store. Back when I used to buy from Romans, I would pick something out and they would send the wrong color. Also they would substatute something different for what I ordered. Even when I ordered over the phone.
In the store I can see what the color is and if I want, try on the items. And then there are those nice ladies, who sometime help me pick out matching items. And besides they are so nice and understanding. Have fun shopping.

[Tiffy]

I would much rather buy from the store as well. But, I order from Romans faithfully. And have never had a problem and never even had to return anything. I buy from them monthly. Romans and Lane Bryant have been my life line.

Kisses, April

[CDVeronica2]

I just love Lane Bryant. Being a size 18, I find it hard to find nice clothing in my size. I have three pair of their shorts in neutral colors and three pair of their jeans and I love the way all of them fit. And I've got about a dozen pairs of their satin panties and about 8 camisoles. I've worn all of them in public (obviously the camisoles were covered by my boy clothes). I also have some PJs and nighties from there. And I've got six bras, since they actually carry my unusual size (44b).

I've also bought pink and turquoise shorts, a turquoise skirt and some turquoise tops that are too fem for me to wear in public.

Just this week I visited two separate stores in drab and asked if I could try something on. I got a cheerful "of course" in both of them. After I selected some jeans in one store the clerk suggested I might want to "try" a bra since they were on sale. She even measured me to help me find the correct size. ( lied and said I didn't know). I also received a very pleasant fairwell when I left. I've always been treated extremely well in the past when I shopped in drab without telling them it was for me.

I've was treated the same way at Fashion Bug (owned by the same company as Lane Bryant). There the clerk even suggested I look at the jewelry and treated me exactly the way I've seen clerks treat my wife, as a valued customer.

Veronica

[Denise01]

Hi Veronica:

As I have previously posted, I have shopped in Layne Bryant and had a very rewarding experience.
I bought a skirt there, and when I asked the sales Girl about tying it on. she only said really, ( I was dressed in drab ) and then very quickly said I could try on anything I wished.
I too take a size 18 in a skirt, and a 44 B in a bra. I have never bought or looked at bra's there, but with your pleasant experience will look and maybee be measured if the opportunity avails.
We do not have Layne Bryant in Canada, but I hope to be visiting in Virginia in November, and will look them up again, as I am familiar where the stores are in Virginia Beach and Chessapeake

Regards:

Denise

[barbarajeanne]

I agree! I especially love the customer service at Lane Bryant! They will help me choose clothes, see how they fit and even come into the dressing room to help. They are terrific!