The lingering dilemma of the lingerie purchase...

Women in Saudi must still buy their bras and undies from male sales staff. While many finds it annoying, they don't have much choice because only men are hired as sales staff in most retail stores . So they have men selling g-strings to women, and grabbing push-up bras from the rack when customers complain that they need to push up sagging bosoms.

Ewww...

No wonder modern Saudi women buy their lingerie online or when they go abroad.

Apparently, it's not an easy situation for male sales staff too, as some finds it embarrassing to admit that they work in a lingerie shop.

One 21-year-old Saudi man who works in a lingerie chain called "Women's
Secret" is too embarrassed to tell his friends.

"I swear before I took this job, I never even went into these stores with my sisters and family because I was too embarrassed and now I work in one," he said.

"I told my buddies I am still unemployed and those of them who know I work think I work in a regular store," he added. "I can't allow anyone to see me in this store, it's too embarrassing. I'd rather they think I'm unemployed."

Here in Malaysia, I believe most women still buy their bras and undies from fellow female. But some find it embarrassing to shop for lingerie with men around. And it happens from time to time - men going to the lingerie shop with a female - sister, mother, daughter, wife - waiting for the women to make their purchases. Some are also consulted before final purchase is made. And some even go there alone to buy bras and undies for their female partner.

Which will make some female customers feel very conscious and uncomfortable merely with their presence. While the women might not subject to making their lingerie purchase from a male (at least in Saudi the women are covered from head to toe with exception of the eyes, so there is no telling how crimson a person's face would turn, being 'forced' to buy such a private piece of clothing from the opposite sex), some feel that there's an element of 'harrassment' to pick or buy a private garment in the presence of members of the different gender.

So, should men be banned from being near lingerie shops or lingerie section in the departmental store? Should they (like Saudi women) resort to buying lingerie online or when they go abroad? (Wacoal in Bangkok for an instance is a lot cheaper and more affordable than they are in Malaysia) If men were banned from entering lingerie shop or being near the lingerie section in the departmental store, it might make lingerie shopping a lot easier for many women. Some friends told me that they would go and kill some time elsewhere before hitting the undies and bras section upon seeing a guy in the vicinity. Especially so if they are browsing through really, really private stuff, like thongs. After all, imagination might run wild too upon seeing a man in the lingerie shop - it might not be so bad if the men who go there alone buy stuff for his wife - what if he's buying them for himself?

Ewww...

Anyway, what is the guideline for a man who wants to surprise his wife with lingerie? Too big and the wife might believe that he thinks of her as fat, and too small will be taken as a hint that he wants her to shed some pounds. Too conservative might lead the wife to believe that she's boring and too raunchy might be considered as trashy.

So, how?