Coming to My Neighborhood

I swear, lingerie was the furthest thing from my mind....

Okay, that's a blatant lie. Lingerie is never that far from my mind. But as I was running some lunchtime errands a few days ago, in a retail shopping neighborhood near my office, I stumbled upon it innocently enough.

It had been a store of some kind, amidst a mile long stretch of road that was home to hundreds of other stores. I don't remember what store specifically had been housed there, as it was now dark inside, windows covered with brown paper. Truth is, it didn't matter what had been there. I was much more excited to see what was coming. There it was, stuck to the front door, the white sign that was a stark contrast to the brown paper coverings. It read: "Coming Soon: Agent Provocateur".

My emotions went almost instantly from excited to almost annoyed. Coming soon? Coming when? How soon? What day? I need details, dammit!!

Of course, there were none to be had. Even a look on their website reveals no clues. Their Geneva store opened yesterday, apparently. But not a word on their soon to be Boston, Massachusetts location, which will only be their 7th in North America.

At any rate, this is big news, of course. Boston, for all of our big city aspirations, and perhaps occasional New York envy, can still often be stuck in out puritan roots. While we pride ourselves in being a liberal, progressive city, on the level of, say, a San Francisco, when it comes to things like lingerie and sexuality, San Fran has its Dollhouse Betty and its Piedmont. We have.....well, sadly not much.

That's why the forthcoming opening of Agent Provocateur is so exciting. Beyond the obvious reason that I will soon get to shop there, their is the perhaps more important issue that lingerie and eroticism might actually be becoming relevant here. There mere acknowledgment that this store could have some success here is, in fact, a big step.

That's why I hope it is a success. I hope it leads to similar type stores and boutiques. I hope it leads to an admission that Victoria's Secret isn't the be-all end-all of lingerie and sexiness. I hope it leads women, and more men like myself, to the realization that lingerie can make you feel beautiful, so long as it isn't the same tired old lingerie that you and 20 of your closest friends keep buying from Victoria's Secret. I hope it helps people feel like it's important to feel sexy and beautiful any day, not just on special occasions.

Most of all though...I hope it opens soon!