Save Victoria's Secret

[tifftg]

I read an interesting article on CNBC yesterday regarding the decline of breast augmentation surgery and the financial threat that changing tastes would have on the V Secret bottom line. Perhaps the stores should more clearly market to the CD community. We have to do our part for the sake of successful capitalism.

[RainbowDash]

I am very new to crossdressing, so I don't know much about Victoria's Secret. I have however wanted to go inside and look around, even before I became a CD, but I never did because I felt out of place. Now that I am a CD, I will more likely be paying a visit to 1 of their locations here in North Texas. I should point out though, I have been doing this for less than a month, and haven't gotten anywhere close to gathering up enough courage to walk into a women's clothing store (I have enough trouble shopping at Walmart lol).

[Stephanie47]

I really do not think there are enough cross dressers among the population with buying habits that are going to save any stores bottom line. I get enough email adds from Macy's, JC Penny and others with prices that will make most women choke. If you're a cross dresser trying to conceal your expenditures Victoria Secret is a great place to bust the family's budget and get a wife wondering.

[Meghan4now]

Really? If women don't get breast augmentation, Victorias Secret will suffer? Women (and men in new relationship) will stop shelling out for lovely but over priced and limited fit bras and panties?

I think perhaps they are more subject to the reality of Internet pricing and service and selection, wars with Amazon and the like, than the prevalence of plastic surgury.

[Lacy PJs]

Ironically, VS was originally supposed to be a place where men could go, get help in selecting items for their sweeties and NOT feel intimidated. My only problem with VS is that their sizes tend to be on the small side... and they don't have much in the way of larger sizes to begin with. :(

Lacy PJs

[Krisi]

Stores (and chains) come and go. Remember when Montgomery Ward was one of the top retailers?

They will survive or fail depending on many things. There's nothing we can do to change that.

[Lana Mae]

Can help when they make bras in my size!!! LOL Actually, panties fit without pads! They are on their own!! LOL Hugs Lana Mae

[Elizabeth G]

Ummm... so if women stop getting augmentations they're going to stop wearing bras altogether? I don't get it.

[Lorileah]

well, not wearing hose killed the hosiery industry. You can't buy pantyhose anywhere anymore :)

Krisi, That's funny, as I was climbing down off the roof today I noticed that I had bought it at Wards :)

One could add Blockbuster to the list of "long gone" along with all the investments people put in it

[Steph_CD_62]

I have only bought one bra and pair of panties from Victoria's Secret, but again I can find a large selection at Wal-Mart, K-Mart and other discount stores to make me happy for 1/2 the cost. When I used to hear Red Neck Woman by Gretchen Wilson I could relate when she sang about it.

[Jodi]

well, not wearing hose killed the hosiery industry. You can't buy pantyhose anywhere anymore :)

Krisi, That's funny, as I was climbing down off the roof today I noticed that I had bought it at Wards :)

One could add Blockbuster to the list of "long gone" along with all the investments people put in it

Loraleah, Must disagree with you on your quote--"Can't but pantyhose anywhere anymore" Are you looking for pantyhose at Central Tractor?

I will agree that the selection of pantyhose is not what it was 20 years ago, but it is still available. I have recently seen pantyhose at Macys, Lord & Taylor, Nordstroms, Saks, and many other places.
I even see the very cheap variety in the dollar stores.

Start looking around. I'm sure uou'll see some. LOL

jodi

- - - Updated - - -


well, not wearing hose killed the hosiery industry. You can't buy pantyhose anywhere anymore :)

Krisi, That's funny, as I was climbing down off the roof today I noticed that I had bought it at Wards :)

One could add Blockbuster to the list of "long gone" along with all the investments people put in it

Loraleah, Must disagree with you on your quote--"Can't but pantyhose anywhere anymore" Are you looking for pantyhose at Central Tractor?

I will agree that the selection of pantyhose is not what it was 20 years ago, but it is still available. I have recently seen pantyhose at Macys, Lord & Taylor, Nordstroms, Saks, and many other places.
I even see the very cheap variety in the dollar stores.

Start looking around. I'm sure uou'll see some. LOL

jodi

[Rhonda Jean]

I don't think Tifftg was seriously suggesting that we could actually save VS.

I must confess, I'm not crazy about VS stuff. I own some, but it's another case where it's strictly a matter of me responding to marketing exactly as their marketing people hope. I don't think the quality lives up to the hype. Possibly some of my own fault. I wash bras and panties with everything else. No gentle cycle or lingerie bag. VS stuff just doesn't stand up to washing as well as some others, and most of it is, to me, over-hyped for what it is without regard to how it holds up. What I do have I bought just because I like shopping there, and wearing something from VS kinda has a positive mental thing about it. Like I said. Marketing. There's definitely an allure to VS marketing.

I don't buy bras, panties, or lingerie online, either. I've got to at least look at it and feel of it, even if I don't try it on (never try on panties!). I buy almost exclusively at TJ Maxx and the like. I think I've only bought two or three bras at full price and without regard to price in my life. I've occasionally found Wacoal bras (and even VS) at the off-retail stores. I very rarely buy any of that stuff at Walmart and the like.

My wife use to buy me lingerie for every gift giving occasion, and those times when it was in a Victoria's Secret bag or gift box definitely turned the excitement up a notch or two. If it'd been the exact same thing in Playtex or Vanity Fair, it just wouldn't quite have had the same effect as VS.

[dolovewell]

Only place I will buy bras and panties. They make the best. Could never wear anything else.

[KimberlyJean]

All of my underwear and most of my fitness clothes come from VS. Besides being sexy they do have very good quality. I don't believe they are in any danger of closing. Besides wouldn't lack of breast augmentation actually help VS, most of their stuff is add a cup or push up bras marketed toward smaller breasted women. Then there is the whole new craze for natural look that they have a line for as well. I would be very upset if they went out of business.

[Jenni Yumiko]

They discontinued their swimwear clothing and makeup lines in May.

[Dana44]

I used to buy my bras there. But I haven't for a long time. I hope they are still doing okay though.

[Jenn A116]

I read an interesting article on CNBC yesterday regarding the decline of breast augmentation surgery and the financial threat that changing tastes would have on the V Secret bottom line.

An amusing premise. One that doesn't hold water. I'd guess that 95+% of the women that shop at VS have not had BA surgery. Women need bras (and preferably pretty ones) wheather or not they've had BA.

[Michaelasfun]

Agreed that more stores should have an eye towards CDs, especially viz-a-viz realistic sizes (aka "larger".) Torrid, for an example, or even Walmart. As an aside, I've found that even Aeropostale stuff fits me if I order XXL.

[Tracii G]

Maybe they have over extended their number of stores in a bad economy and that why the drop certain lines of product.
If it sits on the shelf get rid of it.
I don't see what the draw is about VS, the panties might be pretty but they don't last long if you actually wear them, they irritate the crap out of my legs with lace that feels like razor wire.
I think a lot here "think" VS is some magical stores for CD's or even think shopping there is some rite of passage to being a "real" CD.

To be totally honest out of the 6 or 7 times I have been in a VS store I was very uncomfortable.
In guy mode was worse but girl mode not much better.
I got looks like what are you doing in here are you some kind of pervert? Enfemme it felt like ewwww not one of those trannies again.

[~Joanne~]

their pricing would have to do with a lot of it. Like others have stated, women will stop wearing bras all together? I seriously doubt it.


well, not wearing hose killed the hosiery industry. You can't buy pantyhose anywhere anymore :)


um, I buy and wear pantyhose all the time. They are still pretty much every where, maybe not in mass volume at the high end stores but they are still there. Besides I wear Legg's and they are EVERYWHERE still.

[Heidi Stevens]

Victoria has a bent towards flirty, sometimes not very practical items. Stores like Soma are taking customers away by offering cute but functional products. 90% or so of the time, women are not trying to impress anyone else but themselves and they do that by being comfortable. I hardly darken a VS door any more.

[dolovewell]

I agree Heidi... I love VS and its the only place I buy my bras and panties, but I feel like they are focusing too much lately on flirty items instead of functional items. Everytime they come up with a good bra that is simple yet still sexy and functional it gets discontinued in favor of more lacy, racy items or dumb fads like Bralettes.

[sometimes_miss]

well, not wearing hose killed the hosiery industry. You can't buy pantyhose anywhere anymore :)
Here you go!

[/QUOTE]https://www.amazon.com/4-Pairs-Leggs-Control-Support-X-Large/dp/B01DL8ORJM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1478687750&sr=8-2&keywords=leggs

That said, I don't see any correlation between breast implants and VS. Wonderbras are for women who have NOT had breast implants. So there should be a larger market for them now.

[sara66]

if they are in trouble, all they need to do is make larger sizes. The average size is now a 16. I wear a 46d. there are only a few place to find bras and find any thing really cute is difficult.
Sara :2c:

[Raychel]

Victorias Secret lost my business years ago.
In my eye they changed to be more aimed at the young 20 something crowd
That is fine of they want to limit their sales that much.

They need to have more items in Larger sizes and aimed at
a larger selection of people.

There are millions of people that wear a bra that is bigger then a 38D

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Tiff:hugs:, I really don't see VS going away anytime soon...:daydreaming:...

[Krisi]

I think Lorileah was kidding about the panty hose. You can still buy them at Walmart and many places.

My wife can't find bras her size at Victoria's Secret and she doesn't like the panties. They send her a coupon for a free pair every now and then so she gets the free pair and gives them to a relative.

Me, I'm happy with my stretch bras so I don't need their stuff but it probably wouldn't fit me either.

[MissTee]

Bigger bras.com is my VS. Always loved looking at VS catalogs, but nothing there fits more than my wrist . . .

[CONSUELO]

I was never a fan of VS lingerie. It always seemed a bit boring to me. When it started out in the Bay area of CA all those decades ago it offered a wide range of interesting lingerie. But the market for anything besides bras and panties has shrunk considerably since that time.

[SherriePall]

I debated whether I should jump in here or not. Take a guess on what I decided. Years ago I was enamored with VS. But their items just didn't cut it quality-wise for me. And price-wise. Give me K-Mart (please don't stone me). And my last bra I just bought at Macy's on sale.
Plus, I have moved on (for the most part) past those cute little things to Playtex (can't believe I wrote that) 18-hour, etc.

[Lily Catherine]

I think the bralettes probably suit us with smaller breasts better... think they're meant to be comfortable at best. I think VS values form over function, although that's a statement I could throw at Perk by Kate as well (I really like their design but I wouldn't wear them at all) I still prefer my underwired Triumph bras any day, though - I'm generally not one to expose my lingerie anyway.

[sherlynn]

Victoria's Secrets parent company Limited Brands or LB has a market cap of $19 billion dollars. I think they'll be just fine. They cater to a more youthful crowd and I find that they no longer appeal to me as much as before. These days I place a premium on comfort and I concur with Heidi that Soma bras are way more comfortable than Victoria's Secret bras. My favorite brands these days are Wacoal and Lejaby. Wacoal is more reasonably priced while Lejaby is more like "I got a huge bonus at work and I'm going on a shopping spree".

[lingerieLiz]

The last few times I've been in VS there was a throng of teen girls buying stuff. When they first started they were a catalog company and their stuff was sexy. A couple years ago when I was in one of the stores the only bras they were offering was foam cups. I see they are now offering lace cups etc.

[connie johnson]

I have several VS bras and many panties. Their cotton high leg briefs are the most comfortable I own. My problem is I like matching bras and panties and it is hard to find this at VS unless you get the more expensive things they sell. Back when they discontinued the clothing and swim wear lines I read an article that said VS is having trouble because the younger generation is moving away from clothes with branding on them and that is all that VS sells.

[Teresa]

Lorileah,
I'm slightly confused by that comment, everyone in the UK appears to be selling tights ( pantyhose. ) The problem is getting the choices in stockings, my usual store was BHS which has gone to the wall along with 11,000 employees and their pensions . Dear Mr. Green where has all the money gone, Oh on another new boat that's nice !

[Rachel Anne]

I used to order stuff from VS all the time. I really liked their clothing line. I got some pants, blouses & suits from them and they all fit perfectly in all the right spots, looked classy without being frumpy, and was less expensive than something similar from Macy's or Nordstrom. I also liked their makeup, moisturizers and whatnot.

Now that they dropped their clothing & makeup line, I rarely buy anything unless I need to replace something. That change probably cost them a bundle in just my business alone ;)

My replacement guilty pleasure is Express. Their tamer styles are a bit less frumpy than The Limited, and has the same fit that VS had. Also, their shoes fit really nice as well for some weird reason.

[Beverley Sims]

Who knows, maybe the whole CDthing will blossom one day.

Shops change their lines and marketing to cater for changing tastes.

Who thought years ago that men would go to VS for a bra fitting.

I have been to shops looking for evening wear and they have suggested a bra fitting to make the dresses fit better.

They know I am a man and I am really just another cash cow. :-)

[phplayr]

I love to go in to VS with my wife and secretly shop for me while she's shopping. I loved the clothes, so soft and cute. Found myself wishing I had all of it!

[ronda]

VS needs to start looking at the plus size woman's market larger girls are sexy to

[Bailey_in_Mansfield]

I am very new to crossdressing, so I don't know much about Victoria's Secret. I have however wanted to go inside and look around, even before I became a CD, but I never did because I felt out of place. Now that I am a CD, I will more likely be paying a visit to 1 of their locations here in North Texas. I should point out though, I have been doing this for less than a month, and haven't gotten anywhere close to gathering up enough courage to walk into a women's clothing store (I have enough trouble shopping at Walmart lol).

North Texas, huh? Me too! I'd suggest the one at the Parks in Arlington if it's in your area. Their staff is experienced in dealing with crossdressers, and are good at treating a crossdressing man just like any woman. Opportunity to use the fitting rooms, etc. It used to be that they'd only let a man use the fitting room if there weren't any women in there. That has since changed, at least in this particular one. I did once have a VS at the Hulen Mall in Fort Worth tell me I couldn't use the fitting room. Their manager was later reprimanded by corporate.

Since I don't know if the policy on using the fitting rooms regardless of whether women are there or not is a corporate policy or just a store-specific practice, I try not to make things difficult on them. I try to be discreet, not make GG customers uncomfortable, etc. When the lady knocks on the fitting room door to ask if I'm doing okay, I try to keep my voice down and either answer quietly, or if I know there are other women nearby, I'll slide the door open just enough to give her a thumbs up. But that's just me being discreet, probably to an unnecessary level.

As for "saving" VS, I don't think they're in any danger. And the moves made by their new CEO kinda baffle me. The emails have gotten tackier and the newer products don't have much appeal besides just having lovely fabric. Lately, my craze has been Aerie, and I'm anxious to watch them grow in competition against VS. But I do like the younger look anyway, so Aerie is kinda a natural choice for me... *shrug* :)

[dolovewell]

Bailey, that is weird. I worked at 4 different stores when I worked for VS in college, and the Hulen Mall store was one of them. We never turned away any crossdressers and let them use our fitting rooms(as long as it wasn't too busy).

I also worked at the University Park Village location by TCU, Southlake Town Square, and the Northeast Mall locations. We all treated crossdressers/trans the same at all locations.

With that being said, I worked there from 2006-2009 so its been a while.

I also have shopped for myself and tried on bras at the Parks Mall, Northeast Mall, Highland Village, Vista Ridge, Mockingbird Station, Dallas Galleria, Allen Waters Creek, Stonebriar, and Willow Bend locations with no trouble.

Glad to see I wasn't the only one who did the thumbs up when someone knocked.

I agree that I am not too thrilled with some of the new products VS has been rolling out. I have no interest in the bralettes at all, and they seem to be going all in on those. Any new bra line they introduce seems to be for sex appeal and are really lacy and frilly. They always discontinue bras I like, such as the Fabulous line, Perfect One line, Biofit line, and Showstopper line.

[Bailey_in_Mansfield]

Bailey, that is weird. I worked at 4 different stores when I worked for VS in college, and the Hulen Mall store was one of them. We never turned away any crossdressers and let them use our fitting rooms(as long as it wasn't too busy).

I also worked at the University Park Village location by TCU, Southlake Town Square, and the Northeast Mall locations. We all treated crossdressers/trans the same at all locations.

With that being said, I worked there from 2006-2009 so its been a while.

I also have shopped for myself and tried on bras at the Parks Mall, Northeast Mall, Highland Village, Vista Ridge, Mockingbird Station, Dallas Galleria, Allen Waters Creek, Stonebriar, and Willow Bend locations with no trouble.

Glad to see I wasn't the only one who did the thumbs up when someone knocked.

I agree that I am not too thrilled with some of the new products VS has been rolling out. I have no interest in the bralettes at all, and they seem to be going all in on those. Any new bra line they introduce seems to be for sex appeal and are really lacy and frilly. They always discontinue bras I like, such as the Fabulous line, Perfect One line, Biofit line, and Showstopper line.

Oh wow, that's awesome that you used to work there! o_O To think I might have met you and just didn't know it! ...in fact, I think I might have! But anyway. Yeah it wasn't a big deal to me when it happened, but I called customer service later to confirm what the actual policy was and they said they'd say something to the store about it. It may well have been during your time there, but I just can't remember.

And yeah the thumbs up and stuff is because I'm super active in my church and didn't want to run the risk of a GG from there recognizing my voice and saying something to my family. :P

As for the products, I actually REALLY love the frilly stuff, and the lace if it's done in a classy way. Not the raunchy approach. Like for example, Aerie's Real Obsessed line (can I post a link to it? Is that allowed?) is exactly how I'd design a line if I could. It's frilly and girly but not raunchy. I love Aerie's bralettes too, quite a bit more than VS's. I think the bralettes probably do appeal more to GGs than CDs because of the more relaxed fit, but anyway.

[Stephj]

I love vs body by Victoria Demi bras and their high leg coton panties been thing about trying a perfect coverage bra or maybe one of their new bralettes