DC Area Lingerie Shopping

[Weave]

Am totally closeted and into lingerie. Mail order won't work...I have a rough time shopping at VS, Macy's, etc... sometimes it works, and sometimes I can't go through with it!
Are there any CD-friendly stores you'd recommend for lingerie (primarily panties/bras/stockings) in the area?
Thanks!

[KimberlyS]

Weave I have yet to find a store where I have asked for help not help me. And much of my shopping has been in male mode. There are not very many stores I have not shopped in. I have learned to just walk into a store and go up to the first clerk and ask for help. I have been at the minimum treated professionally. Most are just happy to help and treat me like any other customer. And some seem to go above an beyond and give me excellent service like they are having more fun than I was. Truthfully the sales clerks like to help and would rather you ask for help than wander the store looking nervous.

Yes I have encountered a few old bitty type of sales clerks that I did not ask for help. Maybe a hand full over all the years I have been shopping. You could just see the look in their eyes before I got to them. I just move on to the next store and get a happy clerk. And I know it was just the clerk because going back to the store other times I had no problems.

Something that may help you is to go shopping during the store less busy times. There will be less customers to make you nervous. And also it is easier for the clerks to help you. Mornings during the week about an hour after they open is a good time. That is also often when the managers are often working. The managers often have training how to deal with CDers and they also know a sale is money.

I have found the stores with sales clerks that know something are the best ones to go to. Walmart, Target and similar discount stores mostly just hire warm bodies to work in their stores, so getting a clerk that can really help you usually does not happen.

Also I have had nothing but great luck with VS if you fit into their sizes. I have even had their clerks ask me if I needed to try on a bra a couple of different times.

IMHO, once you get by the struggle in your head the sales clerks are ready to help you.

kimberlys
joe in a skirt

[Virginia]

I have to agree with Kimberly, the shopping is in your head. Unless you tell them it is for you and you know what sizes you need, ain't no big deal.

I have yet to meet a sales person, when I ask for a bra 42-B, that has asked me, "Is it for you?" If I do get asked, I just say, "Yes! Do you have a problem with that!?" Of course the shopping is easier if you have a general idea what you need. Like of course, the band size, cup size, underwire or not, full figure or demi, sports bra, and on and on. As for other sizes, from Women's to petite to juniors, etc. It helps to know the nomenclature of women's sizes.

What I have done is at stores like Goodwill, I will put the sizes I think that will fit into a cart, push it to the dressing room and carry the stuff in and try it on. I can assure you, no one will be paying a bit of attention to what you have in your buggy or what you carry into the dressing room.

I have also learned that a 12 in Levi's is NOT a 12 in Gloria Vanderbilt jeans and on and on!!! But it sure is fun to try the stuff on!

Shop on and don't give a damn what others may think. Well, actually you would not know what they are thinking and should not care anyway!

Virginia

[DonnaT]

Fashion Bug, or Dress Barn.

However, I've been in many of the major department stores in the DC area, and have never had a problem.

[Weave]

Kimberly- Thanks! Yes, I have found salesladies have been generally helpful, you're right! I also had one or two "old biddy" reactions, and maybe that's created some problems in my head.
I do try to know what I want and act confident. Often it works well... sometimes, not so much!
OMG, did you really have salesgirls at VS let you try on bras!?!? You've blown my mind (thanks!!!)!

Virginia- Yes, I know it's in my head, lol! Am sometimes successful, sometimes I suck!
I've not had good luck at Goodwill, but then again, I'm mostly looking for lingerie, not dresses/etc.
Ha, you're right -- those sizes are different...too funny!

Donna- Thanks for those suggestions, will have to try there. Also trying to work my way up for a store here in MD burbs...
Mostly, I've been okay with department stores...but sometimes I'm just too shy...

I'll get better...THANKS for your help!!

[SharonRose]

Weave,

Here is another store to consider:

http://uniquethriftstoremd.com/

I've been to their Falls Church, VA location. There are no changing rooms (at least, not at this store) but the prices are good and the selection is better than Goodwill.

Good luck,

Sharon

[Weave]

Sharon- Thank you. Nice link! I think I went to the Md/Hillandale shop over Labor Day. It was pretty big, lots of stuff (but crowded )
Sara

[Michelle Miller]

or Dress Barn.

Every Dress Barn I've ever been to have been staffed by friendly, helpful employees that weren't in any way prejudiced by how I was presenting myself, both en'femme or en'drab.

[Absaroka]

Lane Bryant is a good store if you are not petite, and the staff actually sometimes gets some training in this area.

I've read that VS, because of the vast amounts of sexy lingerie they sell, winds up acting like a magnet and as a result is not always too happy about letting men try things on.

Other lingerie stores, like Bare Neccesities, in my experieince, are much friendlier.

Sex stores that sell mostly corests and nighties, like Satin and Lace, are a good bet, Half the customers there are men.

Places like Walmart don't pay attention to who goes in and out of the dressing room. My tactic is to scope out the dressing room first, see if it's locked and etc, then just bring a bunch of stuff in, maybe covered with a pair of guy jeans, and try them on.

You can also call the stores first and ask about their policies, and if you are anxious, remember no one will know who it is on the phone.

A lot of the shopping stuff is in your head, as Virginia says. However I do think it is important to be thoughtful of other peoples feelings. I have 2 reasons for covering the bras to be tried on with a pair of jeans at Walmart. One is my own privacy or fear of what will people think. The other is that maybe some guy is going to feel uncomfortable seeing the man in the changing room next to him bring in an armload of bras, or maybe an unknowledgable sales person is watching and wondering if I am going to masturbate (or shoplift) the bras in the dressing room.

I often hide everything in plain sight, just try things on secure in the knowledge that no one is paying attention. However a few times I have just chatted with the sales people. Halloween is a great time to do this for the first time by the way. One thing I have to remember is that if I am being honest with them I need to let them be honest with their reactions as well. Often the idea of a man provokes some sort of laughter when first brought up, but a friendly pleasant laughter that I enjoy from the SA.

Zari

[KimberlyS]

Sara over Labor day is not a good time to go shopping if you do not want a crowd as you have found out. Try during the week mornings or afternoons. Or week nights Mon-Thursday.