Victoria’s Secret was always known as the place where all my friends and their moms bought underwear and bras. I was under the impression that the company stood for more than “playing out a fantasy” that simply catered to the male gaze. As I got older, I realized that the company had a specific idea of what kind of women were deemed “sexy” and which ones weren’t. Starting this year, I have decided to no longer shop at Victoria’s Secret or Pink. Here are a few reasons why.
- Questionable Sizing
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Victoria’s Secret is known for measuring your bust in order to get the perfect size fit. At VS, I was usually a 32C, a pretty average size. One day, I went into another store whose employees also used measuring to ensure a proper fit — there I was a 34B. After noticing the weird change in sizing between the stores, I encouraged both my sister and my mom to be “resized” at the other location. Their sizes were also quite different. The sizes were different in that, as seemingly normal bodied women, we fit into the larger sizes — whereas, at other locations, our measurements landed in the middle sizes. Personally, I think this has to do with the image Victoria’s Secret has for its audience and consumers.
- Their “Fantasy” Image
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VS promotes a pretty specific image with its branding. There is a certain type of woman who is a “bombshell” or “sexy.” Those types of women are those with thin, long legs and 25-inch waists. Women like this are gorgeous of course, but what about women who don’t look like that? Let’s be honest, most women don’t and that’s okay. The problem is young girls and women growing up with these images of what beauty is supposed to look like when in reality, beauty is not so straight and narrow.
- Quality and Price Range
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I can’t be the only one who thinks that despite those high prices, the quality just isn’t there. On Victoria’s Secret’s website, there are full-priced bras ranging from $45–$60, whereas other brands — like Aerie — list full-priced bras ranging from $45–$50. I know that is an extremely minuscule difference but the difference in quality is where the significance comes to play. VS underwear is where the quality seems to fall short the most. Even with their underwear sales, if I’m meant to pay about $5-$6 more per pair, I would hope that they last.
I understand that VS is sort of a fan favorite when it comes to anything bras and panties. If you love their merchandise, I bet you look great and more power to you. But for someone who never felt as though their company had a good influence nor a good function, I‘d rather spend my money elsewhere. If anything, I’d truly recommend Aerie. I applaud their diversity among models and wide range of sizes that don’t isolate a large portion of their consumers. In all honesty, though, shop where you want and wear brands that make you feel comfortable.