https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:50:17 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372185 Mon, 14 Oct 2024 20:15:50 +0000 JAileen 2372185@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Angie’s comments are very interesting. &nbsp;I’d seen their ads, of course, and they were very off putting. &nbsp;I’ve never bought anything from them, nor has my husband (to my knowledge, anyway!). &nbsp;The only time I’ve been in was to collect my toddler son who ran in and was manhandling a mannequin set up on the floor. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372183 Mon, 14 Oct 2024 20:07:46 +0000 cat2 2372183@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>For decades VS was the only place I could find bras that fit, and my travel bag was always stocked with their sleep Ts, which were really light weight and had enough coverage. I still buy their sports bras. But as you can tell from my other comments, I was historically not their target demographic! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372178 Mon, 14 Oct 2024 16:42:32 +0000 Angie 2372178@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Happy to help out, <b>Jenni :)&nbsp;</b></p> <p><b>Helena</b>, high fiving your thoughts on VS!&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372169 Mon, 14 Oct 2024 13:04:01 +0000 Helena 2372169@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Love your explanation Angie! Jenni, I har har'd at your brief joke ... Very punny indeed </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372140 Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:07:59 +0000 Jenni NZ 2372140@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I Googled. We only have one store, airside at Auckland International Airport. That must be the one I have seen, don’t think I went in, or if I did just very briefly! No pun intended, ha ha. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372139 Sun, 13 Oct 2024 23:59:37 +0000 Jenni NZ 2372139@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you Angie I understand it better now. It wasn’t a big thing here in NZ though there might be one or two stores in the most up-market malls, I vaguely feel I have seen at least one. NZ has had our own bra brand called Bendon for many years and so all my bras come from their stores.<br /> I will Google to see if we do have VS here?! I had heard of the Angels since whenever that started. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372124 Sun, 13 Oct 2024 20:40:34 +0000 Angie 2372124@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Jenni,</b>&nbsp; FWIW, let me try to explain how I perceive it. This is very generalized, and using hopelessly outdated gender concepts because it goes back to the late '80s and '90s, when VS was at its peak.</p> <p>Yes to your question - as<i> one</i> part of the company's focus on captivating the "male gaze" - as you put so succinctly! The catalogue was very much targeted at men.&nbsp;</p> <p>When I was a retail buyer in the '90s, many men in the RAG trade working with me would talk about the VS catalogue, and knew when it came out. It didn't seem to interest woman. Not even the lingerie buyers. Very interesting!</p> <p>Also as far as VS shopping goes, you used to see men with women&nbsp; shopping for items in stores. Men used to encourage women to shop there if they fancied the vibe in the catalogues. Also, in the US, items are very easy to return, so it didn't matter if sizes were incorrect.</p> <p>Not a fan of VS. That said, years ago, I found the right sweat pants there and bought them despite my feelings. They were great sweats! I'll give them that ;)&nbsp;</p> <p>I hope the brand evolves to become more inclusive and respectful on many levels.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372120 Sun, 13 Oct 2024 20:05:44 +0000 Jenni NZ 2372120@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Helena and Angie, when you say you thought it was a brand for men, do you mean marketed for the male gaze? Like for men to buy gifts for women?<br /> I don’t get it, men wouldn’t understand women’s bra sizes usually would they? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372110 Sun, 13 Oct 2024 16:53:28 +0000 Carla 2372110@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>When DS#1 was born, I was stuck in the hospital for almost a week. &nbsp;It was a holiday long weekend, and he was being treated for a mild case of jaundice When my milk came in the one nursing bra I had purchased was not up to the job, so I sent DH to the one department store in town that had a lingerie department with detailed explanations on what I needed/wanted. &nbsp;That was the&nbsp;<i>only&nbsp;</i>time DH ever bought me underwear! &nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372101 Sun, 13 Oct 2024 15:22:38 +0000 Angie 2372101@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Jaime</b>, "bad news and fashion" - I relate!</p> <p>Victoria Secret was not for me either. Like <b>Helena,</b>&nbsp;I thought it was a brand for men. The catalogue especially. Woman were not the target market.&nbsp;</p> <p>When I came to the US 21 years ago, I had a bra fitting there out of curiosity - which was laughable! They said I was a 34B. (I wear a 28D or 30D). I may have mentioned that in a blog post.&nbsp;</p> <p>Thanks for the interesting articles and thoughts, everyone. I wonder what EA has planned for the brand..... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372096 Sun, 13 Oct 2024 13:41:28 +0000 Helena 2372096@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This was never a brand I was into, although I did find some t-shirt bras at Pink which worked for me, several years ago. I guess I always thought VS was for men, not women ... Which the original story kind of confirms! It's good to look under the veil of these things and see what's there ... Makes us smarter about how we're marketed to, I think! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372073 Sun, 13 Oct 2024 02:07:48 +0000 LaPed 2372073@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Really interesting! Here’s the Fashionista piece: </p> <p><a href="https://fashionista.com/2024/10/victorias-secret-fashion-show-history-comeback" rel="nofollow">https://fashionista.com/2024/1.....y-comeback</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372072 Sun, 13 Oct 2024 02:05:47 +0000 Suz 2372072@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Bad news and fashion, <b>Jaime</b>, I hear you!!&nbsp;</p> <p>The brand never appealed to me, either. But I love reading/ listening/ thinking about fashion history and development. Articles of Interest is still a huge favourite of mine.&nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.articlesofinterest.co/podcast">https://www.articlesofinterest.co/podcast</a></p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372071 Sun, 13 Oct 2024 02:02:45 +0000 Peri 2372071@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I can't see or hear the word's Victoria's Secret without hearing that song in my head. You know the one I'm talking about? &nbsp;"I know Victoria's Secret...she's an old man who lives in Ohio, making money off girls like me". </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372063 Sat, 12 Oct 2024 23:56:41 +0000 Jaime 2372063@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Regarding Victoria's Secret, I know that Lauren Sherman, a fashion writer just released a book about them, which is probably generating the buzz. I never saw the appeal of the brand in the 90s until today to be honest.&nbsp;<br />I read and listen to a lot of fashion content (it is my best distraction), including some substack newsletters and Lauren Sherman's podcast. It is very insider oriented, to a fault, but good for driving around. A lot of the substack newsletters are very consumer oriented I have to say. Also I mostly don't pay for them so only get previews. My favorite fashion critic is Rachel Tashjian right now. I subscribe to the Washington Post anyway, and always enjoy her articles.&nbsp;<br />Alas, bad news and fashion is what I am all about these days. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372055 Sat, 12 Oct 2024 21:14:02 +0000 LJP 2372055@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Andrea Linett went to work for them &nbsp;few years ago which surprised me, but she never posted anything related to it. &nbsp;I think she was hired as a stylist and merchandiser but again, not sure if she's still doing it. &nbsp;Back in the day , I'd flip through the catalogues but never ordered from them . &nbsp;There's a massive store in our big mall here but I haven't been in it in years - I die a little every time I walk by at their sadly dated concept of what modern women want in their lingerie. &nbsp;The Emmanuel Alt thing is intriguing, and a little odd, no? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372047 Sat, 12 Oct 2024 19:45:40 +0000 Kate 2372047@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I remember the catalogs from the mid-80s. Though I never bought lingerie from VS, I did buy a handful of long sleeved 100% silk tee shirts in various colors. Thirty years on, I still have most of them. Back then, I wore them under jackets. These days, they are great to wear as an underlayer in cold weather.</p> <p>I also bought a beautiful blue and white silk robe from the company that I had for many years until Sammy, our big tuxedo cat, took an extreme liking to it, and kept dragging it off no matter where I put it. He'd cover himself with it, and suck on it. I finally let him have it, much to his delight.</p> <p>I really miss that robe, but I miss Sammy more.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372044 Sat, 12 Oct 2024 18:37:04 +0000 Lisa 2372044@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I don't know if it's interesting or just weird that they are coming out with Crocs for pets. I know Greyhounds often need to wear booties but I haven't seen them on other breeds.</p> <p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://fashionunited.com/news/fashion/crocs-to-launch-pet-crocs-for-furry-friends/2024101062346">https://fashionunited.com/news.....4101062346</a></p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372035 Sat, 12 Oct 2024 15:35:09 +0000 Roberta 2372035@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>VS was never the brand for me, being mostly a Jockey girl my whole life, but it's history is interesting. I always like reading about a major fashion brand and behind the scenes drama. Of which there is a LOT. Amy O'Dell wrote an interesting essay in her Substack: <a href="https://open.substack.com/pub/amyodell/p/how-victorias-secret-lost-its-way?utm_source=share&#038;utm_medium=android&#038;r=ggk7d" rel="nofollow">https://open.substack.com/pub/.....38;r=ggk7d</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/fashion-history-lesson#post-2372033 Sat, 12 Oct 2024 15:21:39 +0000 Carla 2372033@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Interesting article in&nbsp;<i>Fashionista&nbsp;</i>about the &nbsp;‘Victoria’s Secret’ brand’s past and planned future. &nbsp;</p> <p> <div><br /></div><div>I discovered the brand in the ‘90’s when I lived in a remote community with few retail options and VS had a catalogue I could page through (like Lands’ End, LLBean, and a few others). &nbsp;I actually found a bra that worked for me and a bathing suit that made me feel pretty good about my mom-bod. &nbsp;It was a chore to order through the US though (taxes and duties, difficult returns, etc.) so interest in the brand stopped. &nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I never watched the fashion shows and found the ‘Angel’s’ concept (like Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Ed.) kind of sordid. &nbsp;In an effort to leave no fashion stone unturned I visited a shop when they opened some store fronts in the Big City, but it wasn’t my vibe. </p> <p>The brand’s provenance is an interesting story, and though I was aware of the brand’s importance in a model’s career (like the afore mentioned SI swimsuit edition) I didn’t know about the scandals or it’s tumble in popularity. &nbsp;(There’s still a store presence in malls these days.) &nbsp;I have to say I’m intrigued by the role Emmanuelle Alt will play in the brand’s re-invention!</p> <p>I can’t seem to link to the article. &nbsp;I read it on the&nbsp;<i>Fashionista&nbsp;</i>page as a free article.</p> <p>Have you read any interesting fashion related articles or books recently?</p> <p> </div></p>