More reasons to hate Victoria's Secret

[Galatea]

I went to Macy's yesterday to get some new bras. The saleslady and I were chatting and I mentioned that I wouldn't buy from Victoria's Secret b/c they don't let women nurse in their store. She said that VS doesn't have any manufacturing plants and their bras are the same as the ones her store carries, just with different tags and higher prices. Also, they don't carry anything above a 38D in the store, and so they will "measure" a woman as a 38D to sell her something. Then the woman will be shopping in Macy's, thinking she is a 38D, but when this saleslady measures her, she is really more like a 42DD, and then she gets angry and won't believe the saleslady. Finally, and this was cool, the woman asked me why I only buy softcup bras, and I said "So when I nurse I can just pull the band up - I don't like messing around with nursing bras." She said, "That's what I did, too!" Nursing women everywhere!

[BelovedBird]

Wow. I did not know that about VS. of course, I haven't been in a VS is a few years anyway.

[Millie Ivy]

Yuck. And that sucks about the measuring, how low! Just one more reason not to go there.

Maybe I will check out Macy's! Although I love Gap body bras.

Side note--- I was at a lingerie section of a Coldwater Creek (? I think?) Here in DFW and talked to a lovely young woman there about nursing bras (my pregnant belly starts conversations!) and she said no they don't carry them but that they SHOULD, I told ehr about VS and that they would have a market there with BF bras, she agreed. I wish I had gotten her name and commended the company for her or something, she was cool.

[Smalls181]

Ive never been a fan of VS. A few years before having dd I went to buy a "high quality" bra from that store. They measured me to be a 38C, and I had always worn a 36B. But, I listened to the sales lady anyways, and got a $30 bra. After wearing it for a day it totally lost its shape, the straps got stretched out, and the underwire started to poke out within a week! Its a piece of crap, and I havent stepped foot in that store since.

[KirstenMary]

Really???

I buy all my bras from VS, and I have nursed several times in my local store.

[mirlee]

I don't buy VS because they have used unfair labor practices and have been known to use sweatshop labor in the not so distant past . I don't know what their current practice is, but I haven't shopped there in ages. I also am aghast at their provocative display windows.

[mama_at_home]

Also, they don't carry anything above a 38D in the store, and so they will "measure" a woman as a 38D to sell her something.

OMG they did that to me!!! I was SOOOO mad. I am a 32 H and I could not believe she was so stupid to tell me I was a 36 DD. I had no idea that was so they could sell more bras, but that is just wrong! :

[spero]

Originally Posted by Galatea

Also, they don't carry anything above a 38D in the store,

This is THE reason (although I know there are many) that I refuse to shop at VS. I cannot find anything bigger than 36D at the store here - and most of the clothing is stocked in really small sizes, as well. It's so exclusionary.

We have an outlet store in my area that sells slightly imperfect Bali bras - I have always loved those. Also, I recently got hooked on Breezies bras - I tried one last summer, and I will definitely be getting a couple more before the warmer months arrive again! They're awesome!

[Meiri]

I find myself not willing to shop in any place that doesn't carry a full range of sizes, in all styles. We women come in many sizes. Any place claiming to be for and about women should recognize that, otherwise, they're hypocrits.

[My_Three_Sons]

This is an interesting thread for me as I love to order from VS. As we have no stores in Canada, I order online, and find that they do have bigger than 38D. Perhaps it's just the stores that don't carry the bigger sizes and more supportive styles? I've tried sooo many bras from so many places, and just haven't found any that really compare to VS. I have suggested to them in a survey I got by email that they start making a nursing bra. I'm sure it won't happen, although for me it would be heaven as I also have a really hard time finding a comfortable nursing bra.

Apparently VS has bought out a very popular lingerie store here in Canada (La Senza), and plan to sell some items in the LS stores and open a few VS shops as well. Canada is pretty bf'ing in public friendly, as far as I've heard and experienced, so it will be interesting to see whether they would even try to kick out a nursing mom. They'll have the Human Rights Commission to deal with if that lady happens to be me!

Tricia, expecting baby boy #3

[ledzepplon]

There's a brand called Felina that we used to carry when I worked at Nordstrom, and they had a very popular bra called the Harlow. Low and behold, a few months after we had it, I saw it in VS with their tags. So I know they don't specifically make all their own bras.

[Shelsi]

Frederick's of Hollywood actually carries a nice range of sizes....they go up to at least an F I know for sure. They don't have nursing bras but I've found their customer service to be so much better than VS, the bras cuter looking, and lower priced.

[njeb]

Originally Posted by Meiri

I find myself not willing to shop in any place that doesn't carry a full range of sizes, in all styles. We women come in many sizes. Any place claiming to be for and about women should recognize that, otherwise, they're hypocrits.

:
What I don't understand about VS is their refusal to carry plus-sizes. They're shooting themselves in the foot financially! Plus-sized women are one-third of the population, so they are cheating themselves out of one-third of the dollars. :
Besides, Frederick's of Hollywood has carried plus sizes for years!

[Autoemesiss]

I've distained VS for a while. Even when I was skinny, I was a 32/34DD and they never had anything in my size. Now that I am a 36/38 F/G, my blood boils any time I go near that store.

Personally, I think they cater to puberty/teenage girls, which I think is morally and ethically wrong.

Sue

[KirstenMary]

Originally Posted by Meiri

I find myself not willing to shop in any place that doesn't carry a full range of sizes, in all styles. We women come in many sizes. Any place claiming to be for and about women should recognize that, otherwise, they're hypocrits.

Then please tell that to the plus size stores that sell beautiful clothing that won't fit me.

[Demeter9]

That they are buying out La Senza doesn't surprise me. This store and the ones just like it are not my favourite.

I'm a 36 DD to a 36DDD when nursing. When I've gone in a couple of times lured by a cute looking bra I've asked for my size. Well, these little skinny chicks try to tell me that they don't have my size, I could just as well go for a 38D (BS).

Then, several times these girls look me up and down and say, "You could go to the Plus Size stores."

I'm 5'4" and about 150# - I have a very nice hourglass figure.

Unprofessional, unethical, and frankly I might cold cock one of them next time.

[spero]

Originally Posted by KirstenMary

Then please tell that to the plus size stores that sell beautiful clothing that won't fit me.

That's a bogus argument.

Victoria's Secret doesn't cater only to thin women - they have plus size clothing in their catalog.

Plus size stores became a necessity when regular places would only carry ugly, shapeless clothing for curvy women.

[KirstenMary]

Originally Posted by skellbelle

That's a bogus argument.

Victoria's Secret doesn't cater only to thin women - they have plus size clothing in their catalog.

Plus size stores became a necessity when regular places would only carry ugly, shapeless clothing for curvy women.

First of all, it wasn't my argument (not sure if you knew that). And that's good to know about the VS plus size as I never noticed that.

[St. Margaret]

Continuing OT-- But only carrying in the catalogue is still exclusionary. I have been told countless times in the last few weeks that I am welcome to order from the catalogue for my plus size mat clothes... but I don't know how they will fit, and I refuse to pay more for shipping and returns etc just to get the size I need. I went to the two places that had stuff that fit me. I was not even all that "big" before pregnancy... makes me feel worse for others who have even fewer options (I could at least buy tops and even some slacks at any place, but jeans were the hardest to find).

On topic-- I've pretty much decided to never enter a VS again, not that I spent a lot of time there before. I love my boobies as sexual play things and a big part of my female sensuality, but VS has just come off as totally single minded (or NO minded, lol) about the boobs' potential.

[KirstenMary]

But aren't many stores exclusionary? There are stores that cater to petite women. I'm 5'8", so I can't shop there...even though I would love to wear some of the styles. Lane Bryant is also exclusionary (for me, anyway) as well. I would never find a bra to fit me in that store.

So some exclusionary stores are "better" than others? Or better tolerated?