NYLON - February 2009 - (Page 60) social studies: what lies beneath these nyc lingerie shop girls have seen and heard absolutely everything. by faran krentcil. photographed by jimmy albright JESSE HOM DAWSON, Azaleas HOW DID YOU GET INTO LINGERIE RETAIL? I’m obsessed with bras, so last year, I went to bra school. They teach you everything—stuff like triple H’s really exist, and that 80 percent of women are wearing the wrong-size bras. WHAT IS THE EXPERT WAY TO FIT A BRA? You always want to fasten your bra on the loosest hook, and your shoulder straps should be tight enough to only fit two fingers under. And the nipple needs to be in the center. WHAT IS YOUR BEST SELLER? Elle McPherson’s line is really nice but not super-expensive. That surprises a lot of people; she should have been a lingerie salesgirl instead of a supermodel. NAME AN UNDERWEAR SIN. The wrong size! You’ll look saggy. I can tell someone’s bra [size] just by looking at them—my guy friends quiz me, like, “What size is she? Is she real or fake?” WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOUR JOB? I can definitely say that my friends have a better time in bed now. They look amazing in their lingerie—I make sure of it. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR STRANGEST CUSTOMER REQUEST? I’ve had guys wanting to come in and try on underwear! And I’m like, “No sorry, I can’t allow that.” And when guys buy clothes for their girlfriends, they are always an extra small. No guy will say his girlfriend is bigger than a size zero—and really, almost no woman is a size zero. SHONTÉ WILLIAMS, Calvin Klein Underwear HOW DID YOU GET INTO LINGERIE RETAIL? I love working in stores, and for whatever reason, I’m really good at fitting underwear. Women come in wearing their Calvin bras from five years ago and I’m like, “Honey, you come right over to me, I know what will fit you better.” WHAT IS YOUR BEST SELLER? The T-shirt bras. You can wear them under everything and they’re comfortable. Plus, sometimes you don’t want to be so overtly sexy, you just want to look good in a simple way. NAME AN UNDERWEAR SIN. Wearing underwear that sticks out of your clothes. Like, you can wear a buttonup shirt with a black bra peeking out underneath—that’s sexy. But you can’t wear a white T-shirt with a pink lace bra underneath— that’s tacky. WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW WHEN BUYING UNDERWEAR AS A GIFT? Always know the size. If you buy the wrong size for a woman, it’s insulting! Too big and you’re saying she’s heavy. Too small and you’re making her depressed. WHAT DO CUSTOMERS ASK THAT MAKES YOU LAUGH? Old men come in, point to the giant blow-up photos of Eva Mendes, and say, “Will my girlfriend look like that in your underwear?” I always just smile and say, “Sure, have her come in and try it on!” 060
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