Victoria’s Secret Swim Special – How to Navigate Victoria’s Secret Swim From Long-Time Employee

 

            Victoria’s Secret new swim special is the first of what is now probably going to be an annual thing to get hyped up for Spring Break – which is a major selling point for the company. Their swimwear, however, is a lot more on-going than most people realize.

            Almost every Victoria’s Secret carries swim in-store during spring and summer, and my store (which was 9 rooms large) had its own swim room and carried swimwear year round. Now, as an employee, we always get extensive training in bra, fit, and the personality of the product, but during my time there, not even we were trained in swimwear. It was more like, we came in the next morning from closing and boom, there was swim, new swim, different kinds of swim. In fact, my store actually got new swim in (and had it sold out) before it was ever posted online.

            So how does one navigate such chaos? What are all the different labels, what is “Very Sexy” versus “Beach Sexy” even about? Well, from my training and 40+ hour weeks and 2 years being a smiling associate, allow me to take out the guess work.

The PINK Collection

Might as well get this part out of the way. PINK is directed more to a younger generation, about late high school to college years. Because of that, PINK costs less, so isn’t as well made as normal Victoria’s Secret, because females’ breasts continue to grow until they are about 25 (I can certainly be a subject, here) so they don’t want something of great worth to go to waste, per say. It’s meant to last as long as needed, and also it needs to cost less as college students are kinda broke.

            PINK is more faddy with their designs. As I said earlier, things would come into the store but never be posted online. The company does this to see how well things sell. If it sells well, they continue the fashion, if not, they cut it out. For example, my store received a shipment of 8 (yes, only 8) maroon workout tank tops that said “I hate running.” Now, I’m a lifter, and I hate, HATE, cardio day, so I needed this shirt, but I didn’t get paid yet and I only shop on paydays. I left at 4 that day, and the next morning I opened, they were all gone. Two months go by, and a green “I hate running” tank top came in, and I put it on hold immediately. They sold out that day, as well, but I got my tank top. Moral of the story: If you need it, get it. (and I mean NEED, working there made me a shopaholic for awhile).

            PINK, being geared to a younger generation, fits smaller. It just does. Let's use me as an example: I’m a small across the board in Victoria’s Secret side, and an extra small in their clothes. On the PINK side, I am a solid medium in the swimwear. Swimwear fits slightly tighter than their normal bra/underwear because you don’t want your bathing suit to slide off. Fit that into being for someone younger than you and prior to being filled out by 25, and you have a size bump up. Always try on to ensure the best fit.

PINK Summary:

PINK costs less.

PINK is faddy, if you want it, buy it as it’s probably going to be gone.

PINK fits smaller, try on to be sure.

Best time to shop: Tuesday mornings. (as Monday shipment came in and has been pushed out).

Beach Sexy.

            Beach Sexy is the bottom tier of quality in the Victoria’s Secret line of swimwear, but don't get me wrong, they are still some of the highest quality swim out there. It costs the least, with bottoms as low as $18, and is more for the mix and match crowd. However, if having variety and mixing and matching is your thing, this is your line.

            Each line is made with different swatches of fabric, but VS has it down to an art. Almost all the Beach Sexy colors can be mix and matched well, and the colors in the paisleys and patterns match the solid color bottoms. This kind of innovation takes the guess work out of mixing colors and makes shopping and styling so much easier, everyone will think you are a walking Pinterest board.

            If you like matching sets, however, and want to put your money on a set that will last a long time, you might want to move down on the list. Beach Sexy is more for the young, wild, and free types of people that don’t want to think that far out in advance. Their colors fade quicker than the other fabrics, and are more easily nicked. Their quality is lower, as note the lower price, and aren’t meant for repeated wear over the years. With proper care and cleaning (as in rinse it after each use and dry it in the bathroom and not outside) they can last a couple years, but aren’t a keeper for years bathing suit.

Beach Sexy Summary.

Cost less, lower quality, easy to get loads for variety.

Best for Mix and Match-ers.

Not best for long time own-age, more easily damaged/faded.

Best bet is to try the Bikini Mixer online: https://www.victoriassecret.com/swimwear/bikini-mixer

Forever Sexy

            Forever Sexy is a good, middle road collection. The quality is up there with Very Sexy, but is more modest and classic in its styles. Their swimwear is less flashy and more traditional, as it is meant to be kept. These tops cover more, and the bottoms are more modest. Don’t get me wrong, their padded tops do do the trick of looking natural, easy, and streamline without any issue (that I have ever come across), but they do not give major cleavage or show off any assets.

            Now, since it is more modest, this line is best for being around family, church events, activities like volleyball, and especially around children. I have a nephew (who is 3 now) and when he was a baby I wore my Gorgeous black and white bikini at our pool in the backyard. While I was holding the then 6 month old, he grabbed my bikini and pulled it, thus flashing my laughing older sister. My Gorgeous bikini is in the Very Sexy category (even though it is a slightly cheaper, lesser quality, it is built roughly the same), it is more for showing off than actual protection of my assets. I now have what I call “Child-Proof” bathing suits for these sorts of occasions, where I might be holding a baby (I love babies and try to hold as many as I can) without fear of my girl parts being shown to everyone (which is my own personal preference).

            This collection also carries more modest options, such as high-waist bottoms, tankinis, one-pieces, and more conservative tops. If less flash and more matte is your cup of tea, I suggest checking out this collection.

Forever Sexy Summary.

Good to High quality, will last years with proper care.

More modest, best for things family events and being around children.

Keep your assets safe.

Timely, classic designs.

The Very Sexy Collection 

            This is the more publicized, more edgy, more, well, sexy line of bathing suits. Very Sexy offers some of the highest quality fabric out there for bathing suits, and in rich, vibrant colors. These swimwear pieces are the fashionable, sexy, look-at-me pieces that give loads of options.

            Although, the designs may be fun and exciting, they can cause issues. Not everyone is built the same, in every little inch is unique, so it is best to try things on more than any other collection. I once helped a blushing mother and 17 year old daughter return a strappy halter that had criss-cross and extended holes from the straps. The extended holes went all the way down to their nipples – both the mother and the daughter.

            There is also the itsy fad – the bikini bottom that covers about only 30% of the buttocks – and that’s on the VS models that don’t have body-builder-booties to put it nicely. I have had guests try them on and they became instant thongs – and yet our store was constantly out of stock and guests constantly asking for them. And I mean about 8 questions a day was normal of “when are you getting more itsy’s in?” Note the marketing ply I noted earlier in PINK – because of this outcry for tiny bottoms, the bottoms of Very Sexy are almost all cheeky – and their cheekies have gotten cheekier. They still have more modest bottoms, but they are fewer and far between than before. Plus side is, they kept the favorites, and have plenty of color options.

Very Sexy Summary.

Good to High quality, will last years with proper care.

Flashier, more edgy and skimpy bathing suits – more for showing off.

Can cause flashing: make sure to try on.

Cuts have gotten smaller – try on to see if it’s in your comfort zone.

Swim shopping can be rough with literally hundreds of options, but hopefully this break-down chart can help you navigate. So relax! You got this.