5 Ways Lane Bryant is Redefining Beauty Standards

5 ways Lane Bryant’s #ImNoAngel Campaign is Redefining Beauty Standards

The Lane Bryant #ImNoAngel initiative celebrates women of all shapes and sizes by redefining society’s traditional notion of sexy with a powerful core message: ALL women are sexy.

Victoria’s Secret, whose size chart only accommodates up to waist size 34, is well known for their annual fashion show featuring very slender models modeling Victoria’s Secret lingerie. According to the University of Texas, the size of the average American woman is between a size 12 and 14, which is the very end of the spectrum on Vicky Secret’s size chart. Lane Bryant’s size chart starts at a waist size of 34, and extends up to 52 inches. Launched in April of 2015, Lane Bryant and their lingerie line, Cacique, have taken the fashion world by storm by insisting that they are no angels.

In a society that has long praised and admired a more slender feminine shape–from pushing down breasts in the 20’s to achieve a more “flat-chested” look to today’s popularizing of the Victoria’s Secret model frame–Lane Bryant has challenged conventional size and beauty standards with its sexy #ImNoAngel campaign, featuring major plus-size models Candice Huffine, Ashley Graham, and more.

Lane Bryant is More Relatable to American Women

“Body image” is the way that someone perceives their body and assumes that others perceive them. This image is often affected by family, friends, social pressure and the media. More than 90 % of women are unhappy with their bodies and resort to dieting to achieve their ideal body shape, but only 5 percent of women naturally possess the body type often portrayed by the media in America.

A Provacative Double Standard

Since debuting in April of 2015, Lane Bryant’s #ImNoAngel campaign has been referred to as provocative, though the brand’s models reveal no more skin than other popular lingerie brands. In 2010, ABC refused to air a Lane Bryant advertisement featuring model Ashley Graham, though the ad would be run during the same time slot that Victoria’s Secret advertisements have been previously run. The #ImNoAngel hashtag was created as a headline provoking all to come together in redefining the ideals of sexy with the hopes of igniting a significant revolution. In conjunction with the national advertising campaign, Lane Bryant invites anyone and everyone to join in the movement with a selfie that showcases their own idea of sexy. Using “#ImNoAngel” – written in lipstick on a mirror- all are encouraged to share their images across the brand’s social media channels as well as through their own personal channels. The campaign has caused much controversy, with many insisting that the hashtag is a direct dig at Victoria’s Secret. However, Lane Bryant CEO Linda Heasley insists otherwise, claiming that the campaign isn’t about telling women what they can’t be, but rather telling them what they can be. The #ImNoAngel campaign is not about labeling or marginalizing women, but rather helping them gain the confidence that they should have to be the best that they can be.

How the #ImNoAngel Campaign is Changing the World:

1. The campaign models each have their own backstory—some have been modeling for years, others are newer to the industry. They all have a unique and powerful story to tell, including Elly, ovarian cancer survivor.
2. People everywhere are encouraged to get involved themselves by simply posting with the hashtag to social media. If you have a smartphone, you can instantly and easily be a part of the self-love revolution.
3. By choosing women with sizes closer to the national average as models, Lane Bryant is providing a more relatable and attainable standard of beauty for young girls/women both nationally and internationally.
4. The campaign and many like it are paving the way for other plus-size women to achieve success—internationally recognized plus-size model Tess Holliday made history last year by being the first size-22 model to land a contract with a major modeling agency, and made waves again when she was featured on the cover of PEOPLE’s annual body issue during summer 2015—just months after the #ImNoAngel campaign launched.
5. The lingerie and undergarments featured are actually, dare I say, sexy—unlike the few plus-size brazier options many of us grew up having. How does one choose between black, white, and beige/nude fabric options? Yawn…..Lane Bryant is changing all that with fun lace, patterned, sheer, striped, and polka dotted options.

Beauty: Redefined

These plus-size models are demonstrating that curves are sexy, and that looking and feeling beautiful doesn’t have to be unattainable for your body or your wallet. Lane Bryant is the nation’s leading women’s special size apparel retailer, providing stylish and high-quality fashion in sizes 14-28. The Lane Bryant collection includes a wide selection of career to fashion conscious apparel as well as accessories, footwear, hosiery and Cacique intimate apparel. Lane Bryant strives to make trendy plus-size fashion available to everyone. The signature fashions are available nationwide at its 775 Lane Bryant stores, and online. By making these stylish options more easily available to plus-size women everywhere, the brand is doing exponentially much more than simply promoting clothes—rather, the importance of self-love and style. After all, when you look good, you feel good. In the words of Nelson Mandela, “As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same.”

This article is written by  Arianna Rose. You can find Arianna on Instagram, Facebook, or by contacting roseam3@vcu.edu.

What do you think? Is the #IAMNOANGEL hashtag offensive or not?