Lingerie: Way to the Feminine Heart
“What do women want?”
It is a question posed by a series of national lingerie ads, and, as Valentine’s Day approaches, it is one that husbands and boyfriends are more likely to ask as well. Buy something sexy or play it subtle? Some men may wonder, but fewer than you might expect.
“At our stores, three-quarters of the men know exactly what they’re looking for,” says Laura Holbrook, a spokeswoman for Victoria’s Secret, the lingerie chain store that launched the ad with the leading question.
“They ask with confidence, and they have a pretty good idea what their wife or girlfriend wants. Usually, it’s something sexy.”
At Los Angeles-area J.C. Penney stores, less confident men are receiving a little extra help this weekend. Selected stores will present Valentine lingerie fashion shows and offer personal shopping assistance. Featured will be a variety of items, from the most subdued peignoir sets to sheer, lacy teddies.
“We are trying to prevent men from making mistakes,” explains fashion consultant Marilyn Wheeler of Penney’s. A red teddy may look like the right thing to buy. “But it might not be right for a woman who is more comfortable wearing pale colors.”
When in doubt, Wheeler suggests, “look in her closet and see what colors she prefers.”
At Cacique, a new lingerie shop owned by The Limited and located in the Beverly Center, spokeswoman Elaine LeFkowith says floral print camisole-and-tap pant ensembles are a leading seller.
At Merletto in Newport Beach, manager Diana Hoover says she has sold out her selection of form-fitting Spandex body suits swirled with stretch lace. Merletto, with a second store in Beverly Hills, is affiliated with Fogal hosiery.
Hoover sees a definite difference in the buying habits of married and single men.
“Single men are more likely to buy bras, panties and G-strings,” she says. “Married men are more cautious. They tend to buy lingerie that provides more coverage. They’re concerned that if they get something too sexy, their wife won’t wear it.”
But Jim Martin, a Newport Beach shopper, says he selects all of his wife’s lingerie, all sexy, and she’s never returned a thing. Mima’s boutique in the Fashion Island shopping mall is his favorite.
“It keeps the flame alive,” he says.
Not every man believes in the power of lace. Peter Richmond of Miami Beach, a sportswriter for The National, says it’s a definite turnoff.
“What I really find sexy,” says this husband of eight years, “are those full-length, flannel nightgowns with the full sleeves and high collar. They build the imagination.”
