Friday, February 29, 2008

Let's Go Back To The Days Of The Sears Catalog


I have a problem with Sharen Turney. Who you ask is Sharen Turney? She is the woman who is the Chief Executive of Victoria's Secret and she thinks her company is too sexy. Ummm. Lingerie is supposed to be sexy. That's the point. And last I checked your sexiness has turned into lots and lots of sales and a brand known the world over. Hell, women use the bags to carry their lunch in. I really hate that by the way. Not the fact that women carry things other than their purchases in their bags, but when I see one, I am always trying to figure out what they could possibly have bought, and to be fair, there are times when I have seen someone and said, "oh dear God, please don't let that woman have bought a thong."

I'm guessing Sharen wants to get back to the glory days of Sears catalogs and JC Penney Sunday inserts. For those men who really don't remember a time before VS catalogs, videotapes, or the internet, let me tell you what life was like when you were a teenager and looking for a little porn for yourself.

Basically you could hope that someone in your family had some hidden magazines in the house or that one of your close friends would lend you one of his. If that didn't work you could always use your imagination, but that doesn't work well if you haven't actually been with someone. You could go through all the Sidney Sheldon books your mom had around the house or if you were lucky a copy of the Thorn Birds or some other author who would throw in a sex scene now and then. If you were too lazy for any of that though there were the women in the the catalogs and the Sunday inserts who were attractive enough to be sure, but were wearing bras and panties that were more akin to body armor than anything sexy.

Back in 1977 Roy Raymond realized this was a problem and started Victoria's Secret. Yes, I know he started it because he was embarrassed to shop for his wife at most lingerie stores, but I also like to think he started the company because he had a vision. A vision that one day his models would be dressed in heels and lingerie and shipped for free to every home in this great country so teenage boys would not suffer the shame of trying to make out a breast on a scrambled television, but instead show them from an early age what was unattainable, but to at least have a dream.

That dream has made lots and lots of people rich and famous, and lots of acne scarred youngsters easy access to soft porn.


18 comments:

  1. careful that Thorn Birds ref shows your age..LOL!

    oh and it wasn't just lil boys that looked for naughty stuff...

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's a rouse to get the name back in the press. Stock was down last quarter and the VS runway show didn't have as long of a media impact as they had hoped.

    There wont be any noticeable changes to the brand or advertising. In fact, two new models were added to the Angels roster and there will be press junkets over the next 6 months pushing them and the growth of the lineup.

    Watch "sources" reveal to page 6 and other gossip arenas over the next few months how Giselle was so eagerly dropped after she made her demands because the two new models (one a rising Brazilian and the other an established Dutch model) make Giselle look plain and dated.

    There's actually bad blood between Giselle and the Brazilian that goes back a year or two.

    Hope everyone is having a great leap year!

    ReplyDelete
  3. ^^^Wow. Gisele didn't think she was going to reign supreme in the modeling world forever, did she?

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think VS has turned pretty slutty imo. Not sexy, just whorey. I've also never thought Giselle was that damn good looking, or had a nice body. I prefer cleavage that doesn't need such insane ends as some of the crap VS pushes.

    When it comes to whore lingerie, I think Fredrick's, not overpriced, under quality VS crap. Nothing I have bought from VS in the last year has lived up to my expectations. It costs too much for the lack of good materials and stitching.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ahhhh ENT, you definately brought tears to my eyes. Oh how I miss those good ole days of searching under bed mattresses, closets, and attics for old Playboys and VHS tapes.

    Kids these days just don't know how good they have it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Well, if you've been buying VS for some time, as I have, you'll know there has been a shift from wholessome looking models and modeling to something more racey. I don't know if that's turning women off or not, but the catalog HAS changed.

    ReplyDelete
  7. for some reason every 12 year old girl gets VS gift cards for birthday presents--it took me a while to ralize it was for the Pink Line, which is very popular with the middle school crowd.
    A shout out to Twisty-- I am going blindfrom voting & reviewing so I took a break. #22--W00T!

    ReplyDelete
  8. to be fair, there are times when I have seen someone and said, "oh dear God, please don't let that woman have bought a thong."

    Ahahahahahahahaha
    amen brothah

    I remember the Sears days as well. My older brother once had the catalogue in his room and I pointed out to my mom that I bet I knew he was getting her underwear for her birthday, since the pages were well worn and open to that section.

    It took me a while to figure out why her face got beet red and she threw it out.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hey Adrian, I'm watching and voting and seeing you get closer every day. Way to go!

    ReplyDelete
  10. oy! I am getting all hunched over & blind!
    When my daughter came home & said all her friends wore thongs-- I almost threw-up--but then you see their moms bend over-- & they are all wearing thongs.
    I beat her to the punch--I went to VS & bought a whole bag of bikini panties wth the liitl white dogs on them--she was as happy as could be. Who buys little girls thongs!!??!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I have no idea, but from what I hear, some of the girls buy them for themselves and don't tell mom. Huh? When do they get washed?

    Adrian, of all times for that site to be down. ;-/

    ReplyDelete
  12. I also said who washes their clothes. My daughter has a friend who is very boy crazy, & the mother encourages her to buy the thongs. I can't imagine parents don't know what their kids are wearing.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hey Twisty, Buns & Capt.--
    #20!!!

    W00T!!!!
    My fingers are numb!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I think her statements have more to do with the company's financial problems than women who insist on wearing g-string's with feathers and sparkles.

    PINK is unbelievably popular with 18 to 24 year olds. I'm not as bad as some people, but I own more my far share of aweats with PINK on the ass.

    OT: Has anyone heard of Gilly Hill? It's the new lingerie company from Abercrombie. The ads I have seen make the XXX catalogs look PG-13 in comparison.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Haven't heard of it Gamma, but that's sick if they're trying to market to young teens and tweens.

    ReplyDelete
  16. YAY, ADRIAN!
    had to be at the vet's yesterday, but am going over now for a vote!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous6:02 PM

    Look, my wife and my mistress are both complaining about VS being too slutty. You know what they say in journalism class: one is a story, two is a trend, and three is a movement. Anyway, supposedly the more "recent" sexy direction was well-liked by men, but not by women, who prefer the lacy and feminine look of earlier years. And since they do the buying, they're gonna get the look they want. Until they find their husbands put out a lot less than they used to. And they realize yet again that the whole point lingerie is to keep men interested after 10 years of marriage.. And we like slutty, damn it. Speaking of which, I think I better start looking for a new mistress.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I know their jeans used to be made in Canada and fit perfectly. Now they're made in China and it's a crap shoot at best on fit. Their lingerie is also made by children somewhere. That's why it falls apart so quickly and barely fits properly.

    Yet they want prices like something made in France or Italy!!!!! And people pay it!! Surprising, really.

    ReplyDelete