Suburban Oblivion

On the radio this morning they posed a question that I would love to see you guys answer-

If you had to get a tattoo today that was one word or picture that would sum up your life or personality, what would it be? 

(Remember it can only be ONE word or ONE object.)

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Usually it’s life as normal here in Suburban Oblivion. My days are filled with kids, their school stuff, PTA, the blogging, and the general domesticity that makes a rare Moms Night Out feel like a wild and crazy escape.

 Every once in awhile something happens to shake things up, and this was one of those weeks. It would seem that thanks to FuelMyBlog.com, yours truly will be attending SOBcon 2008  May 2-4^th in Chicago. This is a blogging conference held by the incredibly charming Liz Strauss, the creator of the SOB (Successful Outstanding Blogger) award. I was fortunate enough to ‘meet’ her during a FuelTV chat a few weeks back, and she is one of those people who are so incredibly people-smart you want to sit down and pick her brain for hours. Anyone looking to build relationships with their readers and potential readers would benefit, and so I have to say I hope I will be seeing at least a few of you there.

 Check out the SOBcon site for more info, and be sure to watch the video here for Liz’s thoughts on this years’ conference.

Dear Ms. CEO of Victoria’s Secret,

I recently read an article about your company, about how stock is going down and women just aren’t buying your products like they used to. You are quoted as saying the brand has gotten “too sexy for it’s own good”.  As a woman in your supposedly target demographic, I can tell you exactly why your products aren’t exactly flying off the shelf these days, and it has nothing to do with ’sexy’.

You are looking at everything *but* the customer and what they need.

You want my business?

Explain to me why your panties are only sold up to size Large, which according to your website is about a size 14. Have you read the statistics lately? Do you realize the average woman in the US is a size 14? So what about the other half, the ‘above average’ sized contingency? Are they just SOL in your book?

Explain to me(and my more amply-endowed friends, lucky gals) why your bras only to up to a DD?

Explain to me why despite the hundreds upon hundreds of letters you’ve received over the years, you still deem us unworthy of a line of attractive nursing bras? The market is there, and women will shell out the $$$ for a comfortable, pretty bra. Why not capitalize on this, instead of focusing only on our bodies between the ages of 17 and whenever we have our first baby?

You may think you are being progressive and open minded by using super models who are in their 30’s in some of your ads, but we aren’t fooled. We don’t look like those women, and we don’t have the plastic surgeons of those women who are able to have a tummy tuck along with their month-early c-sections so as to avoid the stretch marks that plague the rest of us. (On that same topic, how about making underwear thats not so low cut you need a Brazilian wax just to put them on?)

Better yet, explain to me why a catalog shows up at my door every month that you claim is to make me want to buy your products, but is clearly intended for my husband’s viewing? It must be, because last I checked, I have a hard time shopping for a bathing suit when the top half is..errr…missing. We don’t have a lot of topless beaches in Alabama, and I’d have the devil of a time trying to swim while holding my breasts in my hands like women in your pictures. 

Long story short, quit worrying about what you think men want, and start listening to the people actually pulling out the cash. Women spend 80 cents out of every household dollar. Thats all women btw, not just the size 2 ones, or the super model types. We would be more than happy to throw some of that your way if you’d cut us a little slack and start giving us the attractive, well-fitting underwear we want.

We’ve been telling you for years what we need, now it’s up to you to start listening.