Just the other day, I overheard two young ladies (roughly in their mid-twenties) chatting about the latest line of lingerie and other types undergarments that Victoria’s Secret recently released. They went on and on about the different types of bras and matching panties, bustier designs and colors, and just the “cutest lil’ babydoll nighty” that you ever did see. One of the ladies was hoping that her boyfriend would be buying her something from this collection, while the other just laughed, mumbling something about someone not having a job.
Later that day, I overheard three guys, about the same age as the ladies, talking about the new Frederick’s of Hollywood catalog that just came in the mail (and to whom the mail was addressed to remains a mystery). While the Victoria’s Secret catalog did come up in their conversation, the topic on point was still Frederick’s of Hollywood.
So I thought that a compare and contrast post was in order here, researched totally and completely by me, an open-minded female who has been known to shop at both.
First of all, just over 80% of all Frederick’s consumers also shop at Victoria’s, while the reverse numbers are significantly (even staggeringly) lower.
Frederick’s has gotten a reputation over the years as being “trashy”, “stripper clothes”, or even “The McDonald’s of Lingerie”. But those that purchase merchandise from this shop/catalog believe the brand name to be sexy and fun, giving women the “permission” to be that person. “In-your-face” sexy-feminism is a genre of fashion that makes any feminist screech about the degradation of women. I’ve found that a good percentage of these women don’t have the “necessary appearance attributes” to be able to wear the types of ensembles found within this category, and thus they are merely completely against the topic as a cover for their own lack of self-confidence.
On the other side, Victoria’s Secret sells $40 panties and $100 bras, and they’re selling them by the truckload. In the mid-1990’s, Wal-Mart flannel shirts and worn, holy jeans were the staples of exterior fashion, while the undergarments of females worn in a single day would have a retail value greater than their compiled wardrobe for the month.
“Passive Sexy” is more of the genre of Vicki’s, leaving a bit more to the imagination than it’s competitor. It’s kind of like how James Bond movies always had a “Bond Girl”, but their clothes were on through the entire movie, leaving only what lies in the mind’s eye to what any particular girl looked like underneath her attire. Everyone knows what going on behind closed doors, but the imaginative factor alone was felt to be “sexy enough”.
Campaigns and Models
Victoria’s Secret is infamous around the world for it’s beautiful, relatively healthy-looking women, with or without breast implants as a means to fill their bras. Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, Elle Macpherson and Cindy Crawford were all Vicki’s models at one or more points in their career. Each of these women is considered to be incredibly sexy, while none have done anything that one might consider immoral. The infamous “Angels Campaign” brought new definition to the term “Supermodel”, as the images of angel wings and halos surrounded the likes of Heidi Klum, Daniela Pestova and Helena Christensen, just to name a few. The result? Every guy’s dream…someone he’d want to take home to meet Mom.
On the flipside, Frederick’s models are a bit different. Dita Von Teese, a modern-day pinup girl and burlesque performer synonymous with strip teases and provocative on-stage routines is one of the current showgirls for Freddie’s. Nicky Hilton, the less popular sister of Paris, has also done some modeling work for this retailer. Former Playboy Playmate from August 1974 Carol Vitale joins the ranks of famous girls of Freddie’s. The result? Every guy’s wet dream, for instead of bringing these girls home to mom, they’d probably rather bring them to a sleazy motel or the backseat of an SUV for a while.
In conclusion, the best retailer to earn your hard earned money would have to go to: Both. If you’re looking for an annoyingly cute thong for your beau that happens to be in the shape of an elephant, crotchless panties, or a peek-a-boo bra (one with the nipples cut out), with or without the matching thigh-high boots, then Frederick’s of Hollywood is the place to shop. But if you’re up for something that’s sexy but still leaves a bit to the imagination, Victoria’s Secret might be your best surreptitious mall destination, too.
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