Note: This is not a sponsored post.

I’ve become obsessed with the Lou & Grey line at the Loft lately — comfortable, cozy, textured pieces that can be dressed up or dressed down — which is perfect for me. First, I work in a cool-but-cas environment (digital ad agency), so I can get away with jeans and heels and a cute, comfy tank and cardigan. And since I’m a mom, I look for ease and comfort when it comes to dressing on the weekends. While I still love (and live in) my beloved Lululemon gear, I’ve wanted to branch out a little — yoga pants don’t make me feel like a 35-year old woman lately.

Enter Lou & Grey: “clothing for a comfortably confident life.”

In store, I had been pleasantly surprised by the fits, fabrics and how flattering each item I tried on felt and made note of several items to purchase if/when they went on sale. (I never pay full price — and anything not currently on sale is 50% off at Loft.com right now, including Lou & Grey — use code OURTREAT).

Then yesterday I found the collection online and was blown away by the beautiful model shown in many of the clothes, Kenya Kinski Jones. Not only is she absolutely stunning, but she also is not your stereotypical size-2 model. She looks healthy, fit, and not at all what you see on the Loft’s main site.

Exhibit A: Kenya modeling Lou & Grey

Exhibit B: Monthly Edit home page for Loft.com

One could argue there is nothing wrong with the woman in Exhibit B — and I agree; there isn’t: she is beautiful and thin and she has the same figure we see in every single magazine/website and on every runway. When it comes to fashion, she’s the norm. She’s the “ideal” in many eyes.

Of course, I personally gravitate to Kenya modeling Lou & Grey line because she is more relate-able to me. She is still thin … but her figure isn’t unattainable. Unreachable. Inaccessible.

I can picture myself, in the here and now, wearing the items she is modeling — and, in fact, I will — I ended up ordering this in darker gray color. It comes next week — squee!

[Side note: I also loved what she had to say here: “It is hard to be in the moment if you aren’t comfortable.” While she is talking about fashion, that statement could be applied to so much in life, and I really, really dug it.]

I was thinking maybe this gorgeous not-size-2-and-not-“plus-size”-model [plus-size in quotes because, I’m sorry, it’s ridiculous that a size 8 is “plus-sized”] might be an isolated incident when tonight a good friend texted me a photo of a new Lululemon model and shared how truly wonderful it was to see a model who looks like a real, relate-able person.

It got my wheels turning … maybe the tides are slowly changing. Maybe there’s been enough push-back lately that [some] retailers are finally listening and hearing us out. Maybe they realize that, hey, if women can picture themselves AS THEY ARE NOW wearing the same sweater/jeans/dress a model is in … they are more likely to buy it! Hmmmm … (doesn’t take a genius to realize this, but it’s shocking that it’s taken this long!)

Because that’s exactly what happened to me with Lou & Grey. While, yes, I had already been inclined to make a purchase in store, I became even more inclined to do so when I saw someone like Kenya modeling pieces in the collection, realizing that I could wear them, too. Now, and not “5-10 pounds from now,” which is how I typically feel when it comes to clothes shopping.

And it worked. I’m a convert.

Likewise, seeing the new lulu model revived my hope in that brand, as well — which had been showing a lot of super-thin, straight-figured models not too long ago.

I hope to see more of this trend in the fashion industry: which I think will lead to a beautiful trend of self-acceptance in the here-and-now.

I leave you with this awesome line from Jennifer Garner on Ellen this week. (Source: US Weekly) “Apparently I have a baby bump. I’m here to tell you that I do. I do have a baby bump. I am not pregnant, but I have had three kids and there is a bump. From now on ladies, I will have a bump, and it will be my baby bump. Let’s just all settle in and get used to it. It’s not going anywhere! I have a bump, it’s name is Violet, Sam, Sera.”

Amen, Jennifer. A-fricken-men.

How about you? What brands have you seen lately that are showcasing more physically-diverse female models? Does it / would it impact your purchasing decisions?