I Now Know Victoria’s Secret
I have always assumed that British women were very conservative in every way. I had surmised this from the way that most women dress. Even in the Spring, I saw women wearing dark, thick hose, a-line or pleated mid-calf skirts in black or navy blue. Most blouses are very plain and white over which is worn a dark cardigan. Everything is rather shapeless and the opposite of sexy. It is a warm, motherly look. Even the Queen wears mostly shirtwaist dresses with sensible shoes.
When I was in England in the Spring of 1998, I discovered that washcloths are a rarity. When I questioned a young woman of my acquaintance about this she said, “We think that washcloths are unsanitary.” So being very curious by nature, I asked how did she wash her face. I was told, “with my hands.”
Later I related this conversation to an older woman who was lodging at the same resort. I laughingly said, “I was afraid to ask her what she washes the rest of her with.” The woman looked at me incredulously, “Why, with her hands.” Now, I thought that for a nationality of women whom I had been led to believe were very uptight, that was a very sensuous thing to do. I didn’t know the half of it.
Recently I had an opportunity to chat with the manager of a beautiful lingerie shop in the Yorkshire Dales. The merchandise displayed in the windows is exquisite and very sexy. I had passed that shop many times until at last my curiosity got the best of me. So I asked, “Since most of the women I see on the streets are dressed ultra conservatively, who buys these beautiful things?”
“My average customer is well over fifty,” she replied with a smile.
“Are you telling me that the women I see who look so grandmotherly in very plain clothing and sensible shoes, who wear very little if any makeup, are actually wearing these super sexy undergarments?" I would thought they wore plain white cotton bras and knitted cotton snuggies down to their knees.
“That’s right.” she said. “The French lingerie is my best sellers even though a bra cost from 20 to 50 pounds.”
I was dumbstruck! That is $33 to $85 for a bra and the matching bikinis cost about one-half that much. Imagine paying over $100 for something to wear that no one sees, well, I would think not too many. Maybe I am the Victorian.
So from now on when I see a woman dressed like someone’s maiden aunt, I will wonder if she is wearing the yellow number with the violet embroidery,the taupe satin with all over leaf shaped cut work, or maybe that purple velvet number... Move over, Victoria, they have the secret. At least now I know why these British women are smiling all the time.
| Home |