For many, Victoria's Secret screams glamor, seductiveness, and more money than you could shake a stick at. It means the world's hottest models wearing the world's most expensive bras, sporting abs that most of us could only dream of owning. But for former employees like myself, the brand means something a little different...
Like a lot of women, I've been a fan of Victoria's Secret for years. It was a job I believed would be laced with elegance, style and free lingerie. What else could be better for a broke student?! Before I worked there, I spent months saving up for lingerie, but with a 40% employee discount, those days were gone. If only I'd known then what I know now...
[post_page_title]Always Wash Your Underwear Before You Wear It[/post_page_title]
There's nothing better than slipping into some new clothes. But when it comes to lingerie, you should always wash your new purchases before you allow them to get close to your lady bits. Trust me...
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Please stop living under the assumption that we all live in a world of clean and sane people who try on our underwear over the top of their clothes. There are customers who will not hesitate to get down to their birthday suit, try on a million different panties, and leave their lady germs - and some rather suspicious marks - all over the undies. You have been warned!
[post_page_title]Employees Are Forced To Wear A Full Case Of Makeup[/post_page_title]
Everybody wants to look their best, especially when they're dealing with a lot of customers. However, could you imagine having to always look "pretty". That's the pressure Victoria's Secret employees are under...
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Not only are we made to wear a 95% black uniform in any weather, but all employees must wear makeup, and when we do, it has to be kept absolutely perfect. No accidentally smudged eyeliner after a heavy night out for us. In addition, having to wear a full and thick face of makeup nearly every day of my life left me with awful skin. Sometimes it just didn't seem fair...
[post_page_title]We See Far Too Much Of Our Customers[/post_page_title]
When you work with underwear and perform fittings and measurements in the privacy of changing rooms, this one is kinda obvious. Still, some customers are far too keen to take their shirt off in front of us...
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Although bra fittings inevitably involve getting up close and personal with our customers, that doesn't mean we're down with handling your bits and bobs on a regular basis. You'd be shocked to know the number of times customers have been far too comfortable going completely naked in front of employees. I've seen enough boobs to last me a lifetime...
[post_page_title]Preteens Are The Worst[/post_page_title]
They say kids are growing up way too fast these days - and they're right! Seriously, what does a 14-year-old need with a lace thong?! Victoria's Secret employees know too much about the young girl's spending habits...
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Preteens visiting the store fall into two categories: spoilt brats getting everything paid for by their doting parent, or ballsy thieves who will spray a bucketload of tester perfume onto themselves and cut the security tags out of pairs of panties. The very worst is when a cocksure 12-year-old will insist they need the sexiest, most supportive pushup bra when they haven't even started puberty yet. Ever heard of Old Navy, kid?
[post_page_title]All Employees Smell The Same[/post_page_title]
That distinctive aroma may smell good to you, but imagine being surrounded by that toxic cloud for twelve hours a day. I used to look forward to the end of my shift because it meant getting some fresh air...
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There is no escaping the ever-present smell of perfume. With customers spraying it all day, they all kinda mix into one overbearing toxic cloud. Sure, we could smell of worse things; like coming home after a 12-hour shift at McDonald's. But no matter how much we shower or wash our clothes, the smell still follows us around like, well... like a bad smell!
[post_page_title]Every Female Employee Has 542,302,932 Bras[/post_page_title]
Okay, this is a definite advantage to working at Victoria's Secret on top of the discount. Not gonna lie, it's what I miss about working there. I loved this particular perk, but not as much as I love my boyfriend...
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Since the store's items are heavily discounted or even free for some employees, our underwear drawers are disproportionally full of Victoria's Secret merchandise. And yes, free stuff is probably the only reason we're still in the job. Our boyfriends love it, despite the fact we never look quite like the Angels who strut their stuff on the runway.
[post_page_title]Returns Are Gross[/post_page_title]
At the end of the day, you're working with people's underwear, so this is a definite disadvantage. And it's absolutely disgusting. I retched the first time that I saw products that fell into this category for myself...
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I'll let your imagination run wild instead of going into too much detail on this one... Actually, I've had to deal with it in person, so yes I will. From poop to menstruation blood, employees see every kind of stain under the sun (or UV light) on our returned products. Especially on the panties. I used to pinch my nose when I opened up the bag!
[post_page_title]Couples Do "Do It" In The Changing Rooms[/post_page_title]
This happens more than you may expect. With all that underwear around, I guess some people just can't control themselves, especially when they see their beau looking fine in a brand new lacy thong...
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When I worked at Victoria’s Secret, we were repeatedly told to keep a close eye on the dressing rooms, as many men have been known to sneak in there whilst their wives were changing. Funnily enough, I was never given instructions regarding lesbian couples, which was quite common. Sex in the changing rooms happened quite a few times, and we had to bang on the door and demand that they come out. If that didn't work, we had no option but to threaten to call the police. So please, at least wait until your home before getting it on!
[post_page_title]Liar, Liar, Panties On Fire[/post_page_title]
Underwear is small, foldable and easily hidden. We all know that Victoria's Secrets products aren't cheap, either. Despite the rules set in place, there's a lot of people who still insist on breaking the law...
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Victoria's Secret employees have to deal with shoplifters all the time. We usually ask our customers to put panties on the door handle outside the fitting room, and if they wish to try them on, they can take one pair in to try on, either with the hypoallergenic cloth panties or over their own underwear. You're not allowed to try it on bare, but, like I've said, people do at the time. In many cases, women will go in, and after they leave, we'll find the tags and security devices stuffed behind the mirror. Unfortunately, there's no easy way to stop them.
[post_page_title]The Back Room Is Super Creepy[/post_page_title]
Welcome to the most terrifying place in Victoria's Secret stores! Where headless and limbless corpses - without lingerie - haunt your every thought. It's definitely not a place I'd want to get accidentally locked in!
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“Would you like to open a Victoria’s Secret Angels credit card today?”
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The backroom is filled with more dismembered bodies than a horror film. Thankfully, I'm talking about mannequins and not actual bodies, because that would be a slight cause for concern. But when you're closing up at night and you're on your own, the store becomes a living nightmare. In fact, I've actually had nightmares about headless torsos chasing me...
[post_page_title]We All Hate The Angel Card[/post_page_title]
If you've ever worked in retail you'll understand this problem all too well. This question might annoy you, but it's in our job description, so please be polite whenever a store employee asks you it...
“Would you like to open a Victoria’s Secret Angels credit card today?”
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The Lion King
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Just like any other store loyalty card, we're forced to offer it to our customers. We don't like asking you, and we know that you don't like being asked. The whole thing is an utterly awkward unpleasantry, but it's what we're being paid to do. Just understand that it's our job to ask, so please don't roll your eyes you're offered a card.
[post_page_title]The Panty Table Is A Disaster Zone 99% Of The Time[/post_page_title]
Do you remember that scene in The Lion King when all the buffalo rampage down the hill and kill Mufasa? Well, the same happens to the panty table every day when the store is opened...
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No matter how hard we work to battle the never-ending stream of customers intent on unfolding every single panty, there comes a point when we just give up all hope. Usually mid-afternoon. Do you really need to look that hard at every item in a stack of identical panties? We're not hiding a Golden Ticket to the Victoria's Secret show in there, guys!
[post_page_title]The Secret Is, There Is No Secret[/post_page_title]
It is perhaps the biggest marketing ploy in the world. The store's name may sound seductive, mysterious and intriguing, but here's the truth about what Victoria's elusive "secret" actually is...
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The biggest secret of all? There is no Victoria, and there is no "secret". Apart from the ones I'm revealing in this article, of course. Apparently, the name Victoria was inspired by the refinement of the Victorian era and a reference to the secrets they kept underneath their clothes. Saucy stuff...
[post_page_title]You're Probably Wrong About Your Bra Size[/post_page_title]
You're going to have to trust us on this one! You might think you know your bra size, but we've seen literally hundreds of breasts, so just take our word about your size and accept defeat...
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It sounds arrogant, but it got to the point where I could tell a woman's bust size just by looking - and every employee will be about to tell you if you're wearing the wrong bra size. However, nine times out of ten, the customer would refuse to believe us and were completely in denial. It didn't matter if we went bigger or smaller! On one occasion a woman was wearing a 36B and I told her she was actually a 34DD! She laughed at me, called me stupid and left the store. It's bizarre behavior that makes absolutely no sense!
[post_page_title]What Guys Need Help With Most[/post_page_title]
Despite the fact that lingerie is going onto their favorite parts of your body, most men - gun to their head - can't get this right about their girlfriends or wives. They haven't got a clue where to start!
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Guys come into the store more than you'd probably think, and many have no idea what size of bra their girlfriend wears. Some will pull out their cell phones and show us zoomed-in pictures of their girlfriend's chest! I usually have a pretty good idea, but often I'll ask them to compare their boobs to a fruit. Whether it be an orange or a watermelon, it's a pretty good way of measuring. Sometimes I would suggest they call her best friend or sister, and ask for her size. It's nothing to be embarrassed about! Plus, I'm sure they love the gifts they end up receiving.
[post_page_title]The Golden Girls[/post_page_title]
Think lingerie is aimed at a certain age group? Think again! You're never too old to look your best. It doesn't matter whether your a fresh-faced college student or a mature lady, Victoria's Secret is for everyone...
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Sure, most of the time our customers are younger women, but we do get some ladies over the age of sixty come in. One time I asked this 70-year-old what she needed help with (I thought she was lost). She just had this facial expression that said, "Sweetie, I'm not dead yet!" She left the store with around $150 worth of bras and panties.
[post_page_title]Employees Dread Any "Special" Deals[/post_page_title]
The second prices are slashed, the store becomes the worst place in the world to be, let alone work. Us employees struggle to navigate our way through the sea of bargain hunters who flood the store...
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Much like the annual sales, any special deals fill us with an unshakeable sense of dread. Not only will there be a hell of a lot more customers, but they will inevitably not have read the T&Cs correctly and start a fight when we charge them full price on an item they mistakenly thought was in the deal. Like most people who have worked in customer service will tell you: people are jerks when they don't get their own way!
[post_page_title]The Staff Will Be Gossiping About You[/post_page_title]
Want to be treated nicely? Then treat the staff who're serving you with some respect. Manners and a smile go a long way on both sides of the counter. This is what happens if you're a pain in Victoria's Secret...
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If you're rude and bark at every employee you come across and demand everyone give you their undivided attention no matter how busy it is; we will be talking about you. If you leave every item you touch covered in fake tan and don't even buy any of it, we will be talking about you. If your card gets declined after trying to buy $300 worth of underwear? We will be talking about you. The staff room at a Victoria's Secret store can become somewhat of a sorority house at times. But who can blame us? People are difficult to deal with.
[post_page_title]The Angels Are Our Spirit Animals[/post_page_title]
They may be 10000 times better looking than us, but we love them and everything they stand for. They give us body goals every day of the week and inspire me to hit the gym all year round...
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Although we love to moan about anything and everything to do with our job, when the time of the Victoria's Secret show comes around, we're more excited than anyone! A good show gives us an unexpected sense of pride, and we start to think of the Angels as the patron saints of our store. We're pretty much their biggest fans!
[post_page_title]Sales Are A Nightmare[/post_page_title]
Work in retail and then you'll understand the true power of a bargain. There's nothing worse than starting your shift, and before you've even taken off your coat, a giant line has already formed at the till...
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Although you might be having the time of your life, the sales are actually the worst time for employees. Who do you think has to reorganize all those discounted panties you've just thrown on the floor? Me, that's who. Seriously, why women suddenly lose all respect for the items and just do as they please is beyond me. Next time, why not give ordering online a go?
[post_page_title]Men Spend More[/post_page_title]
Since it's predominantly women who work in Victoria's Secret, we know what other women's spending habits are like. Men, however, well, they don't like shopping, and that's something we use to our advantage...
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Men are clueless when it comes to bras and thongs. They just want to get their wives and girlfriends a saucy treat, and that's why they're willing to brave a trip to the mall. Us Victoria's Secret employees make a point of showing them our most expensive in-store items. It's not like they have any idea what counts as good value for money when they're shopping for lingerie...
[post_page_title]Apologizing To The Mannequins[/post_page_title]
When you spend your days consistently bumping into customers as you try to keep the Victoria's Secret store clean and apologizing endlessly at the tills for their long wait, at some point the inevitable happens...
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Yes, us employees can, on occasion, be heard apologizing to the mannequins for accidentally bumping into them. But when we're surrounded by half-naked women in lingerie most of the day, you can see why it's easy to get the two mixed up. Thankfully, they're not as rude as some of the customers we have to deal with!
[post_page_title]We Do Get Perverts[/post_page_title]
Seriously, after some shifts, I need to take multiple showers just to wash the comments from some of our customers off of me. Working with lingerie really does have its creepy downsides...
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The absolute worst part of working in Victoria's Secret would have to be when an intimidating group of guys come in asking questions like, "Oh, what size do you wear?", "Can you model this for us?" or "I bet you'd look great in this underwear!" It's unnecessary and really makes you hate the job. Unfortunately, it happens a lot too.
We may sell sexy lingerie - more lacy thongs than we'd ever be able to wear in a lifetime. We may love bras. But that doesn't mean we live in Victoria's Secret products 24/7...
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Most people think that because we work at Victoria's Secret, we wear sexy lingerie every single day. Although I love lingerie, I'm usually wearing mismatched granny panties. In fact, one of my colleagues hated wearing lingerie. Because it's expensive, she's single, and she's 19-years-old! People are always saying, "You work at Victoria's Secret, you must always wear sexy underwear" and I'm like, "Ha, no".
[post_page_title]Employees Are Not Angels[/post_page_title]
Unfortunately, some people have gotten the brand very, very wrong. If you're looking to catch a glimpse of one of the stunning Victoria's Secret angels, then this is what you shouldn't do...
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Don't expect to walk into a store and have Candice Swanepoel measuring your bra size. No matter how hard they work to make it appear otherwise, the worlds of the Angels and the actual employees couldn't be more different. Could you really imagine Adriana Lima handling a bunch of dirty panties? I don't think so. We may not be the faces of the company, but we certainly do all the dirty work.
