Holiday Traditions of the SOL Girls

While I'm never one to turn away a present, I think we all agree that the real gift of this time of year is that we gather around the people we love and we're drawn to do the same things time and time again. Tradition. I live for it. We all do. It makes us feel like family. Like we're cherished. It helps us stay connected to the past and teach our little ones what to do in their futures. 

This week, we asked all the SOL Girls what their favorite holiday traditions were. Not surprisingly, a lot had to do with food...but all of them had to do with family.

My personal tradition? Every Christmas, we have special SOL Christmas PJs made for all of us. My sister Nancy always gives my daughter and Jeanie's daughter matching PJs. So cute.

My sweet Bella on Christmas morning. She designed her silk top herself!

Adorable  cousins in their matching PJs. They grow up so fast!

Now...for some of the SOL Girls' faves...

Tracie - "We have a Christmas Eve tradition. Every year we let our daughter Kendall open one gift. It's always something cozy and fun from SOL. After that, the whole family sits in front of the "electronic hearth" and watches A Christmas Story together."

"It's thuck!"

Krista - My family gets together on Christmas Eve for tamales and green chili! La Casita (a North Denver institution) makes more than 200,000 tamales for the holidays and you have to place your order almost a month in advance! For the last four Christmases, I have brought tamales in for the SOL family to enjoy as we work Christmas Eve helping people finish their shopping. I guess you could say my Christmas tradition is eating tamales at all three meals on Christmas Eve. iFeliz Navidad!

Yum.

Janelle: I'm 37 and while I've lived in Colorado for fifteen years, I've never missed a Christmas with my family in Long Island, NY. I even book the same United flight every year. Being together is the tradition.

"My lovely Mom a few years ago after opening her yellow box. She loved gifts from SOL."

Jordy: Growing up in Texas, my family would always go to church together on Christmas Eve. There would be a beautiful candlelight service and then we'd venture out for some delicious TexMex food! At home that evening, we would each open one gift from a family member (not Santa, of course). My sister and I would watch a Christmas movie and wait patiently for Santa to eat our cookies and milk and leave everything on our list. The next morning, we'd eat Sara Lee coffee cake and then take off for Waco to celebrate with relatives...and eat even more! Merry Christmas, y'all!

Amelie: My favorite holiday tradition, which I'm sure my mother completely made up on her own is "Bayfana - the New Year's Witch." She always left a little gift on New Year's Day. She wasn't as extravagant as Santa, but it was always something beautiful and sweet! Also, after we opened our presents on Christmas Day, we had to go outside and yell as loud as we could, "THANK YOU SANTA!"  That was so much fun!

Merry Christmas from all of us at SOL. We hope you have a wonderful time celebrating with the people you care about and making traditions.  We'll be doing the same - so we'll close the store at 4pm on Christmas Eve and reopen in the New Year, on January 2nd.

Happy Holidays!

xoxo,

Cindy

It's the most wonderful time...of the year!

I love this time of year as the excitement builds towards the holidays. Trees twinkle, houses sparkle, there’s a glow on everyone’s cheeks…and though it does get busy and hectic, I find myself humming Bing Crosby and Dean Martin tunes and gently shaking the gifts under the tree when no one is looking.

There’s a lot going on here at SOL to help get you in the spirit, too!

I sometimes call Christmas and Channukah “toaster holidays.”  Because you usually open your gifts in front of the whole family from mother-in-law to children, it’d better be as safe as a toaster. But seriously? Who wants a toaster? 

Natori Medallion Long Robe. Sumptuous and comes in a bunch of great colors.

That’s why you’ll find an amazing selection of fabulous robes, sleepwear, slippers, even stocking stuffers here that make perfectly appropriate and wonderful gifts to open in front of everyone.  

My advice? Ask for a separate yellow box to open on Christmas Eve...in the bedroom!

Aubade Pin Up. It doesn't make toast, but he won't mind

By the way, we make it so easy on the guys who come in shopping for you. Tell him that we have your size, and probably your wish list. Tell him that we’ll wrap it for free. Tell him that we’re open Noon to 5 on Sundays in December and purchases Sundays get a free grab bag that will have an extra surprise he can put in your stocking. 

And tell him that if he comes on Friday, December 16 between 1pm and 3pm? He can meet and listen to Irv & Joe from Mile High Sports Radio who will be here talking to shoppers and giving out sexy Aubade calendars. I have a feeling Todd will be calling in “sick” that afternoon!

You can cross off a lot of your gift list here, too. 

Give the Natori Jersey collection and you'll get the most sincere thank you cards ever written.

Gorgeous and cozy robes for your mother-in-law, flowing caftans and pajamas for your sister and best friends, slippers for a neighbor, cute flannel Munki Munki jammies for your baby sitter and Paris Tights for the kids' teachers. It's all here!

Munki Munki nightshirt. Your babysitter will love it because it's perfect for texting.

Sweet sleepwear from Eberjey, a great gift for your favorite sister.

Sassy Paris Tights will help any educator get through the day.

And - we’ve got a great selection of gifts under $100. The best part?  Purchases $350 and more get a $50 gift card, so you can make everyone happy and put a little something in your own stocking, too!

Jacques Levine Slippers. Decadently comfortable and warm.

Have a friend who needs “a lift?” Take her to lunch and bring her in for a bra fitting as her gift. With our Share the Love program, new SOL customers get $20 on their account and the referring customer (YOU) get $20 on your account! Everybody’s happy!

Do you follow us on Facebook? Well, you should! We have fun contests, show new product there before anyone else sees it and even have Facebook Only Sales. Tell your friends to “like” us, too, because on December 16^th we’ll be drawing a name from our Facebook friends to win a $250 Natori gift card.  Natori and Josie by Natori sleepwear and loungewear are our favorites and the perfect holiday gift for your mom, your friends, yourself!

Merry merry merry!

Cindy

P.S. Remember that we reward our hard-working SOL Girls and ourselves with some family time after the holidays, so we are closed from December 25 until January 2.

On friends, fashion and feeling great.

One thing Jeanie and I learned early on in business is that it's important to surround yourself with like-minded people who believe in your dream. One of those people we are fortunate to have met also happens to be the founder of one of our favorite sleepwear brands. 

Her name is Josie Cruz Natori, but everyone calls her Mrs. Natori. She is the force behind the Josie and Natori brands, and although petite in stature, she is a major player in the world of fashion.

Mrs. Natori. If you look up "fabulous" in the dictionary, you'll see her picture.

Mrs. Natori has been our mentor and our friend since we started carrying her line years ago. When we were celebrating our 10th anniversary, it coincided with the 30th anniversary of Natori, and she was gracious enough to make a private appearance at SOL, bringing along several select pieces from her couture collection. I was in heaven.

The SOL Girls with Mrs. Natori. I'm wearing one of her couture pieces. I could live in it.

Mrs. Natori and I share a basic philosophy - that self indulgence is not a treat...it is a necessity!

We've also visited Mrs. Natori's home in Paris where she throws an amazing party every January during Fashion Week. I cannot tell you the depths of her hospitality. She is an elegant and warm woman that makes everyone feel very special and welcome. She always asks questions, wants to know what she can improve for us, but more importantly, she genuinely listens. Once you are invited into the world of Natori...you don't want to leave!

Recently, we were proud to have Mrs. Natori collaborate on a catalog with SOL. In it, you'll see the cozy caftans, sassy chemises and the sumptous lounge wear she is famous for.  

Sleepwear really is an affordable luxury that we all deserve. Being comfortable doesn't mean putting on your guy's sweat pants. You can be cozy and comfortable and happy and look like the fabulous girl that you are!

I hope you all have an inspiring mentor and friend like we have in Mrs. Natori. And a I hope you'll try putting a little glamour in your day, and in your friends' days, too. Flattering loungewear from Josie or Natori make perfect holiday gifts for the women in your life.  Click here for holiday gift ideas.

xoxo,
Cindy 

Savvy Shoppers Share SOL Sale Secrets (say that 3 times fast!)

I woke up to a Denver covered in a blanket of snow and could only think of one thing. 

Yippee! 

That means its almost time for my favorite sale of the year...The Customer Appreciation Sale!  It's the time of the year when we get to say Thank You, Gracias, Merci, Grazie, Arigato...well, you get the idea!  You know we love what we do, and you're all the reason we get to do it - so this is our way of showing it.

Now - some exciting news. Last year, we planned the sale to be a week (like we normally do) and then due to so many customer requests we ended up extending the sale to much fanfare. So this year, we decided to extend it in the first place. The new and improved Customer Appreciation Sale is now officially Ten. Days. Of. Awesome! Mark your calendars, girls.

2012 Customer Appreciation Sale

November 2nd - November 12th

- including Sunday, 11/6 - 

So, what's the big deal? Two words. Every. Thing. That's right, everything is on sale!  During the Customer Appreciation Sale, your entire purchase is 20% off. And it's on current, just-arrived gorgeous new merchandise.  

This is YOUR sale.  It's 20% OFF everything YOU want.

Our favorite Daisy bras. 20% off.  (even the new Ruby Red Daisy!)

Fabulous Andres Sarda 20% OFF

Gorgeous Aubade 20% OFF

 

Cozy Natori Sleepwear - 20%

 

Versatile and adorable Paris Tights 20% off!

See where I'm going with this?

Never been to a SOL Customer Appreciation Sale? Want some advice from the pros?  We thought you might. That's why we called a few of our veteran SOL Sistas and asked them their strategies and favorite parts of the big sale. 

So here it is, SOL Sale Secrets from our Savvy SOL Shoppers...

Sarah: Go more than once! I always see things the second time that I can't believe I missed on my first visit. 

Anne:  Take a friend. My BFF recommends things that I wouldn't choose for myself, but turn out to be my favorites!

Kelsey: Maybe I'm a little OCD, but I always plan ahead! I cruise the website first, then go to the store a couple of days before the sale, and then I make a list! I also make a separate list for my husband - that way, I know I'll get exactly what I want for Christmas and he'll save 20%.

Marika: They always say this on their website, but it's true. I never pay for parking when I go to SOL! Besides having "the girls" taken care of, my car is too. Run in for a token, and you're set without worrying about parking tickets!

Jenn: Did you know you can place a phone order during the sale and still get your 20% off? I travel a lot for work and found this out last year. I just spent a few minutes on the phone with Anna, she packaged up everything I wanted and by the time I got home on the weekend, it was on my front porch. Like magic, I tell you.

My favorite Savvy SOL Sale Secrets?  Our VIP Lounge!  We have our favorite masseuse stop by on Saturdays to give customers (and us!) a little shoulder rub down. Who doesn't love that while they are shopping?  And don't forget, keep an eye on our Facebook page for info during the sale!

xoxo,

Cindy

Janelle's European Lingerie Tour - Day Four - Part Two

Well, it's the last day of my European Lingerie Tour. Bittersweet, because while I miss all the SOL Girls back home, I really could stay here in this beautiful place a long time.

You cannot visit Barcelona without seeing some of Antoni Gaudi's buildings. He is the defining architect of the city

The Sagrada Famila Basilica has been under construction for 129 years

Perhaps the most famous of Gaudi's works, it was consecrated by the Pope in 2010, it is set to be complete in 2018. It truly is indescribable and I suggest putting it on your must-see list! 

Barcelona is an very livable city; bike friendly, easy to walk around, mild Mediterranean weather. On our tour through the historic streets, we came across their famous, must-see open air food market called Mercat de la Boqueria.  It is the largest outdoor food market in all of Europe and the sights, sounds and smells of it are unbelievable. I wish I could bring back bags and bags of all the lovely fruits and vegetables I saw. 

September/October is mushroom season in Barcelona! So many kinds!

En route to our goodbye dinner we strolled through Roman ruins from 300 AD.

Can you even imagine the things that have happened here?

We arrived at the stylish Boca Grande where we had yet another incredible meal! we enjoyed a traditional Spanish dish of fish prepared and served in sea salt...extremely tender and delicious!  

That just looks like rice. It's sea salt! So yummy.

Is it really our last night? 

It was a lovely, drawn out dinner where I had the opportunity to catch up with Vicenc, who has been at Andres Sarda for eighteen years. He's been our account rep since 2005. I also met Carlos Mira, the Marketing Director for the company. It's official. Our SOL Man Bruce isn't the only man in the lingerie industry!

Seriously, how cute are they?

We don't wanna go home!

The late night gathering was the perfect ending to a wonderful trip! I want to say thank you to Inge for inviting us and planning such a memorable experience. It is rare to meet and talk to other women who understand bra fitting the way we do. 

I really learned from all of you.  Zee, Savannah, Judy, Eva, Jamie, Marla, Pam, Janet, Viktoria, Colleen, Susan and Kristy…. Thank you for all the laughter!  I’m still amazed at how well we all clicked. Until next time! 

And thank you to all who have followed my adventures. 

xoxo,

Janelle 

Janelle's European Lingerie Tour - Day Four, Part One

I cannot believe it's the last day of my trip. Say it isn't so! I could explore here for months and not see everything I want to.

So. Barcelona! So beautiful. We arrived late and scooted off to a late dinner of tapas at El Chiringuito del Vela.  It was the perfect welcome to Barcelona.  The view of the beach and skyline was incredible. The paella...bigger than our heads and divine. 

The beach spread out before us and I made a note to come back here when I could stay and stay. And stay! And I can also whole-heartedly recommend the Hotel Actual -  a lovely, modern hotel perfectly situated in the historic center on Passeig de Gràcias. 

Back to the business of lingerie - Barcelona is the home of Andres Sarda, a Spanish line SOL has been carrying for many years...almost as long as the Daisy Bra line from Marie Jo! The next day was all about discovering more about them.   

A tour of the Andres Sarda design center was like being in a candy store full of lace, gems and embroidery. Nuria Sarda is the designer for the brand and explained the steps she goes through to design her beautiful lingerie and swim wear. (My favorite!)

She was captivating. So inspired and passionate.

She described everything, from choosing fabric for lingerie...or a swimsuit pattern, 

To choosing the lace

To the jeweled accessory!

I'll take them all, please.

All the products are made right there - in the center of beautiful Barcelona!

It's truly a work of art - planned by artisans, made by craftspeople, in one of the most lovely places in the world.

And finally, the finished piece!  Did you notice that this is the same set that the Quality Control person was checking in Schellebelle?  We have come full circle!

It's been a long day. I'm off to take a little siesta (when in Spain do what the Spanish do..) and will report back about our last night later!

xoxo

Janelle

Janelle's European Lingerie Tour - Day Three

The tour of Belgian culture continues and I truly am smitten. What a charming and lovely place, such the perfect mix of old and new.

Today, we were about an hour from Ghent and took a detour to Brugge. Brugge is a classic old world city that is actually a  World Heritage Site due to its street pattern - which originates back to  medieval times. (!) For an American, this is almost hard to fathom. Do we have any streets in Denver more than 100 years old? Imagine 1,000! 

The city’s architecture is nothing less than fantastic. The city was spared from any bombings during the World Wars, and thus its architecture is completely original. In fact, it has not been attacked since the middle ages.  Some of you may be familiar with it from Colin Farrell’s dark comedy a few years back called “En Brugge.”  Of course, no one was thrown off the top of the Bell Tower on our trip. Well. That I know of.

Can you see me poking my head out of a window up there, all Rupunzel-style?  Well, except I have short hair.

If you go to Belgium you simply MUST experience their famous chocolate, and chocolate and also...their chocolate! There are fifty-five chocolate shops in this small town alone!

Must. Eat. It. All.

Godiva is the most well known but alas, there is much more to the chocolate world than that. Here I am getting up the nerve for the Sake flavored piece.  Tasty.  The Wasabi flavored piece??  Let's just say I prefer my wasabi with my sushi, when I'm expecting to have my mouth go on fire.

Any chocolate is a good chocolate.

I also saw bacon, fried onion and pepper flavored chocolates. They were created by a Michelin-starred chocolatiere called The Chocolate Line. 

To wash down all this chocolate?

My favorite beer?  Cold.

Beer.  Stella Artois may be one of their most well known Belgian beers in the States, but Belgium has more than 400 breweries. We visited a bar well-known for their huge selection of beers. When Pam asked if they had a blonde - or light colored beer our waitress responded, "Yes! 110 kinds!"

Travel is all about the adventure - getting out of your routine, seeing things you would never see at home. And I gotta tell you, this is something I never thought I'd see. Anywhere. I can't even explain it, really. Here. Take a look.

A woman's urinal. Yep. That's what it is.

And with that? We're off to Barcelona.

More tomorrow!
-Janelle

Janelle's European Lingerie Tour - Day Two

It seems like a big theme on this trip will be food. As someone who usually eats lunch at her desk and dinner while leaning on the kitchen counter...I am not complaining.

Today we were joined by Dirk De Vos, International Sales Manager from Van de Velde. He is the only man in our group of fifteen women.

He seems fairly comfortable with the male-female ratios, doesn't he?

We spent some time walking the lovely streets of Ghent where we saw a lot of beautiful lingerie!

This window features the new Marie Jo and Andres Sarda. Ruby Daisy alert!

Then we loaded onto a bus and took a short ride from Ghent to Schellebelle, where Van de Velde's design center, manufacturing facility, quality control center and shipping warehouse are located. We got to meet a lot of their staff - so warm and welcoming. 


I have to say, it is really exciting seeing the very first steps in the design process for something that ultimately becomes a bra, and possibly one that is one of your favorites.

Who says bras need to be black, nude or white?  Look at all these glorious colors!

Then, how does it fit?

They really do check and test every.single.piece. of EVERYTHING (fabric, lace, hardware) before it ships. Check out the attention to detail!

She was concentrating so intently she didn't even realize I took her picture.

 And then...time to eat! Yay!  

We headed back to the center of historic Ghent to the Ghent River Hotel.

Located right on the canal, it has a lovely dock where you can take evening boat tours of the city.

Is it really so hard to believe that a boat and canal offer a fantastic backdrop for sharing bra fitting tips and ideas?

Some of the very helpful Van de Velde customer service reps joined us. So fun.

Tomorrow? Off to Brugge, Belgium...famous for Godiva chocolate...Mmmmm.

xoxo,

Janelle