A Christmas Story

I hope you all get what you want for Christmas. I’m hoping for new “fly-lo” tele-ski pants! I am also excited to light up my new “leg lamp” from A Christmas Story, that bedecks the window on the front of my house! And of course, I am looking forward to spending time with my husband and daughter and enjoying the holiday together. We are heading up to the mountains and I can’t wait for my daughter to shout out, “There’s your billboard, mom!” (check it out, I-70 and 6th Westbound) As a reminder, SOL will be closed December 25-January 1st. We will re-open for all your panty needs (returns and exchanges are welcome) on January 2nd. Have a great holiday and Happy New Year with your family!

Stockings & Elves

Christmas is almost here and it feels like the season has flown by. Can you believe there are only 3 days left until Christmas? It’s easy to remember when you have a 9 year old reminding you every day for 2 months what the current countdown is.

Hopefully you are done with your shopping and have a few elves to help wrap up all your gifts. Don’t forget those last minute stocking stuffers - gift cards…Hanky Pankys… the matching panty for her daisy bra...

And, just in case you are one of those “last minute” shoppers, (shhh…don’t tell, but I still have a few things to pick up myself), SOL is open on Christmas Eve from 10-3. We even have our own little elves who will wrap up your gift for you!

Gift Picks and Holiday Tips

Check out my top 5 Holiday shopping tips and scroll down for our staff’s top holiday gift picks!

Tip #1: We have a vast selection of the best Christmas gifts around. Whether you are shopping for mom, your best girlfriend or your special someone, there is something for everyone!

Tip #2: When visiting us, don’t be shy. One of your friendly and extra cute SOL girls can help you choose the perfect gift in the perfect size. In fact, if your special someone has already shopped at SOL, we have her sizes on file.

Tip #3: If you would like to take the guess work out of gift shopping, you can always pick up a gift card. This way she can pick out something on her own, or you can make it a fun by coming together. This works great for guys (pick out something you both like) AND gals (make it a bra fitting afternoon out with all your girlfriends)

Tip #4: Don’t forget stocking stuffers! Remember how fun it was as a kid to find all the little things hidden at the bottom of your stocking? Hanky Pankys are just the thing.

Tip #5: Guys…has she been naughty or nice? Give her some nice, cozy PJ’s to open with the family and pick up a little something naughty for her to open later!

Happy Shopping! XOXO, Cindy

Marie's pick: something sassy!

Tiff's pick: A snuggly robe

Anna's pick: A glamorous gown

Jordy's pick: A cozy nightshirt

Krista's pick: A silk chemise & matching robe

Kendall's pick: A sexy black lace bra & panty set

Helen's pick: A gorgeous SOL silk chemise

One Stop Shop!

It’s that time of year again. I just finished watching A Miracle on 34th Street (the original version of course) with my daughter and I am geared up for the holiday season. I am halfway done with my Christmas shopping, and excited that I can easily finish shopping for the rest of the girls on my list at the store.

One of the things I love about SOL is that we have so many gifts that work for so many different people. I can pick up a robe for my mother-in-law, matching PJ’s for my sisters and a sexy black bra and panty set for my best friend quicker than Santa can wink his eye and shoot up the chimney.

Below, I have posted a few pictures of some great gift ideas for the girls on your list!

For Mom/Mother-in-law:

For Someone Special:

For Daughter/Sister or Friend:

And the Nominees Are...

Exciting news! Perhaps you have seen our newest billboard on 8th and Lincoln, or maybe one of the others earlier this year as we follow our favorite SOL girl on her road trip. We just learned we have been nominated by CBS Outdoor for an OBIE Award, outdoor advertising’s greatest honor! The OBIE Award is the oldest-and certainly among the most sought after honors for creative excellence in the world of advertising. Wow!

Our holiday mailer should be arriving this week so keep your eye on your mailbox! I hope you are enjoying following along on our SOL girl’s road trip as she takes in the sights. Maybe it will inspire you to pick up a little something to treat someone…or maybe yourself this holiday season. After all, everyone “needs a lift” once in a while!

Turkey, Cranberries, Cake and Corona

Happy Thanksgiving and a very Happy Birthday to our SOL man, whom we are very thankful to have. Bruce is one lucky duck. Not only is he the only man to work at SOL, doing all of our shipping and receiving, but he is my brother in law! Our family will be celebrating Bruce’s birthday and turkey day on the beaches on Puerto Vallarta this year. So, tip back a cold one in honor of Bruce, and have a great holiday with your family.

Oh, and Bruce, here is your plug- Come see the Humbuckers (Bruce is in the band!) at Herman’s Hideaway, December 12th around 7:30 pm. Come support our SOL man, the way we “support” our SOL girls! ;)

Priceless!

After the sale, as the sales girls and I were chatting and we were discussing what it is that brought women to SOL, and allowed them to wait patiently in hour long lines for a fitting.

We all agreed that there is something about wearing nice lingerie, whether a matching set or a beautiful robe, that really can make a woman feel special and good about her self. We also hear, more often that you realize, how a bra fitting is actually life changing for a woman. She's more comfortable, she's more confident, she learns that other women have her shape and size…all of this does wonders for a woman's confidence. I believe it is this intangible aspect of lingerie which inspires many women to buy it. It can just make you feel darn good about yourself.

Simply stated. Beautiful bra: $110. matching panty: $51. Feeling great about yourself all day long: PRICELESS!

Camera Shy?

Check out these pictures from the first day of our Customer Appreciation Sale! The SOL girls sure aren't camera shy...

It is one of my most favorite sales of the year. The sale where we get to say thank you to all of our panty loving customers by giving them 20% off of EVERYTHING in the store. It’s the Customer Appreciation Sale and it starts this Saturday, November 7th and runs through November 14th. Stock up on your basics, indulge in those fun, lacy bits, make sure you have a cozy robe for those cold winter nights...better yet, buy your holiday gifts now and save! Bring your daughter, your mom, your girlfriend or your co-workers, and let us appreciate you!

Plus, kick back and relax in our NEW V.I.P. lounge where you can enjoy a snack, a refreshing beverage, and a therapeutic hand massage. We can’t wait to see you!

P.S. Congrats to our Trick or Treat Raffle winners: Amanda Brown, Cris Finn, and Rebecca Martin. Enjoy your new bra and panty sets! And thanks to all the rest of you who entered and donated during our October Bra Drive!

Snow Day!

Brrr it's cold outside! Due to the snowstorm SOL is closed today, October 29th. Which makes it a perfect day to cozy up inside wearing your favorite robe and clean out your lingerie drawer! There are just a few days left of our Gathering Place Bra Drive (although we do collect bras year round). Enjoy this snowy day! Stay warm and be safe!

What Happens Off Camera

I thought you might enjoy seeing what happens off camera when we go to NYC to film for the Today Show. Above, my sister Jeanie and I enjoy a rainy moment in Times Square!

Early morning, as I pick an early riser, Erin, from the crowd for a “bra makeover.”

Reviewing the segment with anchor Natalie Morales just a few minutes before the segment goes on the air.

On the set of The Today Show just before the cameras roll with the models and one of the camera persons..

Check out the segments to see the end results. They are up on our Press/TV section of our website!

Make A Wish!

As I was going through old pictures, I found these old ones of SOL, before we opened the doors for business. No fish in the fountain, no bras on the boards…long before Hanky Pankys and sidewalk sales. It is with fond memories that we celebrate 12 years since opening our doors. Happy Birthday SOL. We have had a lot of great times in those 12 years…but I think 13 will be the best yet!

We've Got Spirit, Yes We Do!

Last Sunday, Lara and I showed our SOL girl spirit, and love for our team at the Broncos/Cowboys game. It was an exciting game, especially near the end when the Broncos scored to win.

Now, I don’t know much about football… I left that part up to Lara, who is an avid Broncos fan and who has been attending the games since she was little. But I do know that it is easy to get into the game when you are so close to the action. It definitely helped to have these custom made Hanky Panky’s (see above) to get us in the spirit…thanks Gloria! GO BRONCOS!

Trick or Treat for The Gathering Place

Stop by SOL this month to “trick or treat” for The Gathering Place. Enter our Trick or Treat Raffle, for a chance to win one of three FREE bra and panty sets from Marie Jo, L’Aventure and Prima Donna. Tickets are $10, and all proceeds are used to buy bras for The Gathering Place. Three lucky winners will be chosen on October 31st. Don’t miss out on a chance to help someone else and get the chance to “treat” yourself! And, if you are stopping by to enter, don’t forget to clean out your drawers and drop off your gently worn bras at SOL for our annual bra drive!

The Gathering Place: An Uplifting Cause

It was many years ago that I dropped a box of bras off at The Gathering Place, a local women’s shelter. They told me that the box of nearly 200 bras would be gone by the end of the day. Suddenly I realized that these women needed a lift, in more ways than one. This is how SOL’s bra drive was born.

Once a month we take gently worn, donated bras (from our generous customers) to their facility, where our fitters donate their time to fit these women and give them 3 good bras each. Every month the line for fittings is out the door, and we receive hugs and thanks all around from these grateful women.

While we take donations of bras all year round, I would love to remind everyone that October is our official “Bra Drive”. So, clean out your bras and bring us the ones that don’t work for you anymore. We accept all sizes, styles, colors, sports bras and even nursing bras! Donate your bras and make a difference.

For more information about the gathering place visit www.the-gatheringplace.org

SOL's Right On TARGET

Your favorite panty store is right on trend, my friends! We’re not the only ones doing fabulous recycled bags from billboards.

Check out this link to read more about how Target is turning their Times Square billboards into re-usable bags. They may have Anna Sui designing theirs, but we’ll one up them…no, we’ll two-up them…ours feature bits of your favorite SOL girl, and are even more green because they are made of eco-flexx (an already recycled material) as opposed to vinyl!

SOL's latest round of limited edition bags will be available in time for the holidays, once the current billboards come down.

Granny's Panties- How It All Began

Me and my sisters

As my 41st birthday quickly approaches, I reflect upon my love affair with lingerie. People often ask me where my passion from panties comes from, and here it is:

I am the 2nd youngest of 4 sisters, and all of us would get panties from granny each year for Christmas. Every year, I would unwrap my Carter’s panties to find bumble bee prints, while my sister Julie received romantic, feminine little flowers on hers. My panties were big enough, that if I attached a string around my neck, it would make a one piece swimming suit. Julie’s panties were petite bikinis. When I asked my granny why I couldn’t have the petite bikinis, she said, “Sweetie, you have a big bottom. You need more coverage”. After this moment, I vowed that when I could finally buy my own panties, I would buy pretty ones.

Fast forward to around 15 or 16. For all of you local Denver folk, you will know the store Fashion Bar…Well, I walked into the Fashion Bar and saw a rounder of not just beautiful bras, but matching panties, and I swear I heard angels sing! The sales lady approached me and informed me that I would not fit into any of these bras. I just grinned and said, “Watch me make em’ work”. And I did!

From that day forward, I was hooked. I love my matching sets most of all, not to mention a pretty garter belt here and there. Do I feel that they have kept me young at heart? Absolutely. And as I turn 41, I will be wearing a show stopping electric blue Agent Provocateur set to celebrate my special day…Thanks granny!

Purple Reign!

While our lingerie may be limited to the bedroom or hide out under our clothes most of the time, it is still great to know that whatever we are wearing underneath is trendy, modern and stylish.

Purple is everywhere this season, so try matching your purple bra to your outfit. Lingerie inspired pieces have been taking over the runways this season, and could be a major accessory to compliment your outerwear. Try something subtle… have a cami peek out from under your jacket and let your lingerie out to play!

The Lady Behind The Curtain

Ever wonder who the magical little sprite is who does our fabulous alterations? Mystery solved! Her name is Gloria. Otherwise known as “Lady” and she is the one who has been stitching her buns off for the last 5 years to make all of our alterations happen.

Band too big around? Gloria can take it down a size. Blessed with no shoulders? Voila, Gloria puts leashes on your bra. Are you breastfeeding? Your bra is quickly converted to a nursing bra.

She doesn’t have a magic wand, but she might as well. We think that she is full of magic! And you can see by the artist’s rendering (care of my daughter, Bella) that she is very friendly and beautiful!

It's A Cinch!

You may recall watching your mother or grandmother dress for a night out, huffing and puffing and nearly blowing the house down in order to get into her beloved girdle. Getting her underpinnings on was the equivalent of doing a full day worth of cardio…

Or perhaps it’s your own fond memory of jumping up and down, only to end up lying on the bed sucking it all in to try and zip those painted on jeans. You know who you are…

Women have been squeezing and cinching in an effort to nip their waists and thin their thighs for centuries. Gals still come into the store searching for something to take sizes off of their frame. Thankfully, the shaper piece is the modern day answer. Think a really tight, nude pair of bike shorts.

Celebrities often wear two at a time under their couture on the red carpet and most still complain that they are too tight or too hot. But it could be worse! The picture above (circa 1893) will make you think your shaper piece is cozy loungewear compared to this whale boned killer!

We Love NY

We just got back from NYC for the Curve Lingerie show and had a fabulous time. Normally we stay in the meat packing district, but this year we decided to take Times Square by storm and stayed at a great hotel called The Muse. The staff was delightful, the rooms spacious and they even gave us a patio. They must have known that we Colorado girls need lots of air!

We had a lovely dinner at Morimoto, a delectable Japanese restaurant featuring the cuisine of Masaharu Morimoto, from Iron Chef, where we discovered what cows, beer and massage have in common. Our waiter convinced us to order the omakase, which included a beef dish made from a cow who has been fed beer and massaged three times daily. Holy cow! We would like the life of these cows (minus the getting eaten part)! As promised, it sent us over the MOO-n.

And of course, we are all excited for the new things coming for next Spring, including a new line from Prima Donna and a new style from Hanky Panky! We love you New York City!

Fall In Love With Fall

What a wonderful time of year…the transition from summer to autumn and the excitement of new fall fashions. I welcome the rich colors and luxe textures that come with the season and am giddy with excitement about the beautiful things we have coming.


Our website has been updated with new fall images, and we have already received some of these lovely bits. Check out the new Mary by Marie Jo in black, natural and scarlet and the Edoras by Prima Donna in black, poison, and geisha. Mmmm….enticing, isn’t it?

Stop and Stare

The SOL Road Trip has taken over the metro area and I couldn’t be more excited. Check out our three new billboards with fun new images from our current ad campaign near 8th and Lincoln, Colorado Boulevard and Evans, and I-70 and Kipling.

One of our customers reported this morning that brake lights were a plenty at the Colorado and Evans location. Be careful out there, wherever your destination may be!

I Survived SOL Sidewalk Sale!

Last week the Cherry Creek North shopping district held its annual Sidewalk Sale, and SOL had our tents up, our bra bins stuffed and the heat was on! My SOL girls worked their tails off fitting over 1,839 people. With each girl trying on an average of 6 bras; that is a total of 21,600 boobs scooted over the 5 days of the sale! Wow! Need a lift?

I would just like to thank all of the SOL girls, the helpers, the SOL man, and all of the people and customers that made our Sidewalk Sale the success and the fun that it was!