Recently, there were some people that interpreted a post on Victoria’s Secret’s Facebook page as an announcement that they were marketing a new line of bras and panties for young women called “Bright Young Things”. READ: The company was supposedly targeting this line of underwear for teens.
Here’s what really happened as per the company, published by MSN and confirmed by the Business Insider:
“Victoria's Secret is taking a lot of heat for three little words.
A new "Bright Young Things" spring break campaign for the company's popular PINK college lingerie line has some parents up in arms because they think the company is now targeting tweens.
Victoria Secret's Facebook page was slammed with comments over the last few days from people boycotting the brand, saying slogans such as "Feeling lucky" and "Call me" on the underwear have crossed the line.
The company explained through a statement Monday [3/25/13] on Facebook that despite recent rumors, Victoria's Secret had no plans to introduce a collection for pre-college women, but not before angry parents launched an online campaign and a Facebook page asking Victoria's Secret to pull the Bright Young Things line from the shelves.
"In response to questions we recently received, Victoria's Secret PINK is a brand for college-aged women," Victoria's Secret said. '"Bright Young Things' was a slogan used in conjunction with the college spring break tradition." - MSN
While some parents are up in arms over this misinterpretation, I don’t think it would be a bad thing if such a clothing line came to fruition for a few reasons.
First – it’s a brilliant marketing move – and this is not the first company to target a pre-twenty-something audience. Kohls, Candies, and Justice have been designing colorful “fun”derwear options for a few years now for those who are post-pre-teen and want other options than the tightie whities of yesteryear. I think it’s odd that Victoria’s Secret is singled out to be bashed.
OMG – I remember being in seventh grade in the locker room back in the day – what an experience! It was hard enough to get used to changing clothes in front of your peers, but then you had to deal with the fact that some girls had the big boobs and the nicer bras. It was a total scene of self-consciousness! And there I was at the time, in my JCPenney white training bra feeling mortified that I didn’t have a prettier one with maybe a pink bow on it (as embellished as it got back then) like the girl across from me, or fill it out as nicely as the girl next door.
The ego of a teenage girl is very fragile. She’s very body and brand conscious. It is all about fitting in. You want to look nice and feel a little bit good about yourself as your body is growing and changing over time. Anything that retailers can do to boost your self-confidence is a plus in my book.
Ok, so Victoria’s Secret may not have chosen the best words like “Wild” as certain media outlets have proclaimed, to print on a few of the colorful boy shorts and pretty panties. I’ll give you that. But you have to give them credit. Here’s why:
I remember having to wear leotards while on the Pom-Pom squad in high school, and meticulously tucking my panties in so they didn’t show beyond the seams. There were no thong options back in the day for post-pubescent (now) young women. And boy, what I would have given for some color! White and beige were bland. I finally acquired one pair of black panties when I was about 15 and wore them only on special occasions because they were such a rare find. See, I couldn’t fit into the larger sizes that my mother or other women wore, but I wanted something that looked nice – that looked feminine – that made me feel like the woman I was becoming – not the little girl I used to be. The last pair of “fun”derwear I had before I was a Junior in high school was probably Underoos when I was five – and Wonder Woman is not a look you want to sport when you’re in the locker room!
There should be bras and panties that span the gap from Hello Kitty 3-packs to Frederick’s of Hollywood lacy lust, and who better to do it than brands that make quality clothing with a bit of style and a great fit.
If parents think that the words “Call me” on a thong is going to make their daughter go out and have a sex-a-thon or lose her innocence, I’ve got news for them – it’s not! The values we instill in our children don’t come in the form of a panties purchase or a push up bra. They are taught over time. All girls have underwear envy – of their mothers and models. They want to look sexy and pretty when they look in the mirror – just like every woman does.
If you think that for a minute teenage promiscuity is established by a pair of panties, just look into the past. Teenage pregnancies are not something new to this year, the twenty-first century, or even a hundred years past – and they didn’t have lacy lingerie back then! Comfort, style, and confidence are all positives, and it’s what you place between the ears, not on their rears, that matters most.