What do you want in your yellow box?

The holidays are upon us, faster than ever this year with Thanksgiving being so late and Hanukkah being so early. It's hard to believe Christmas is less than 2 weeks away.

I had a relative ask me the other day, do people really give bras as Christmas gifts?  And I smiled and realized that while the answer was a resounding yes, it is also so much more than that.  To see a yellow box under your Christmas tree means that besides what lovely thing is about to be unwrapped, there is also a smile, a treat, a twinkle in the eye, a gasp of anticipation ... essentially the yellow box is also full of feeling. 

Whether it is a bra and panty set, a robe, cozy pajamas or a pair of Paris Tights, the SOL Girl who gets a yellow box is getting something thoughtfully picked out for her from one of her favorite stores, wrapped and given with love.  I remember one lucky gal last year who came in with the message from her husband "wrap yourself in SOL." She went home with lots of yellow boxes that day!  

A gift from SOL is more than a bra, or a pj set; it exudes a touch of the SOL Girl's personality. It can spark a smile or a squeal, provide glamour and inspire confidence. All that, wrapped up in a little yellow box! Talk about the ultimate gift!  

We hope this year your holidays are amazing and that you wake up Christmas morning with a yellow box under your tree.

xoxo,

Cindy

THANK YOU to all of our amazing SOL Girls and Guys!

THANK YOU to everyone who shopped our Customer Appreciation Sale! Every year it is fun to meet new and old customers alike and think about just how long we've been doing this!  It is REMARKABLE just how long we've known some of you and we love getting updates on your lives.  And to all the first time SOL Girls who shopped this week, WELCOME to SOL!  We are so happy to meet you and have you part of the SOL family!

As we make notes for how we can impove for next year, we'll do what we can to have 65 degree weather every day again!

xoxo,
Cindy

Savvy Tips for the SOL Sale Shopper.

SOL’s Customer Appreciation Sale is FAST approaching! Don’t get me wrong – SOL appreciates its customers 365 days a year, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day but with this sale, we really get to show our SOL Girls (and their significant others!) how much we appreciate each of you.

2013 Customer Appreciation Sale

November 6th - November 16th

- including Sunday, November 10th from 10-6pm - 

Our BEST sale of the year has been extended to 11 days. Yes, 11. Why is it our best sale? EVERYTHING is 20% off. Everything. That's right, everything is on sale!  During our Customer Appreciation Sale, your entire purchase is 20% off. And you could save on current, just-arrived gorgeous new merchandise, too.  

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

Daisy bras: 20% off. Every style. Every color – Including the new Blue Bijou that has just the right amount of classy Swarovski crystal bling. 

Lise Charmel:  Straight from France and utterly irresistible. 20% off.

Aubade: 20% off. Feeling sexy?  Aubade is just the ticket!  

 Cozy-chic Natori sleepwear: 20% off.

 Even SOL’s famous Le Bourget Paris Tights: 20% off!

Don't forget the boys this year!  SAXX is also on sale for 20% off! It's perfect time to stuff your hubbie's stocking with some underwear!

I could literally go on for pages.

Never been to a SOL Customer Appreciation Sale? Fear not!  I called a few of our professional SOL sale shoppers and asked them for some tips and tricks when it comes to shopping the big sale. 

So here they are: SOL Sale Secrets from our Savvy SOL Shoppers ...

Lauren: 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!  But beware not to park in the Garbarini lot next to the coffee shop!  They are quick with the tow trucks so it's not worth parking there even for a minute!

Joy: Get on the waiting list! The wait is never super long but getting on the list for a fitter as soon as you get to SOL is a definite time saver. Even if I think I'm just going to pick up some PJs, I sign up just in case I find a little fancy fancy from Aubade!

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

Katie: 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.  (want the number to call:  303-394-1060).

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

Haley: 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 hubby –

that way, I know I'll get exactly what I want for Christmas and he'll save 20%.

And don't forget: keep an eye on our Facebook page for contests, info, and more during the sale!

xoxo,

Cindy

SOL's "It" Item for the Season

Back in October of 1997 when SOL opened, we needed to find a great gift for men to buy their sweetie. The cute cami and panty set was quickly named the "It" item. When the first ad for the Annie set from Cosabella was published in 5280 magazine the phone rang off the hook and guys walked in the door with the ad in hand.

SOL's "It" Item, Circa 1997.  Cosabella's Annie Camisole

I love selling a gift that SOL Girls love to receive and their man loves seeing on them. We always make the gift a floral lace (not geometric) that is comfy and easy to size. Over the years we have had loads of different "It" items from Cosabella and Natori but last year we were in a bind because no one had made something that would work for us. Well, genius struck while we were in Paris sharing lunch with Mariela from Eberjey and the Rosina was born. Eberjey was using the lace in another collection that I thought would make a gorgeous camisole and chemise for SOL. Eberjey's design team agreed and the Rosina became SOL's "It" item and was carried exclusively by SOL.

The Rosina was so successful last year we are doing the styles again with a twist! No gal should be without one!  This year SOL Girls can enjoy the camisole, panty, or chemise in black, turquoise, or plum.

Eberjey invited me to choose the custom colors and I chose them to match up with the Ready-to-Wear outfits that are on trend and you're already wearing. I suggest wearing the chemise peeking out from under the hem of dresses or the cami adding a lace touch at the neck line of sweaters.

Have fun with them, even try layering them together. I always think a little lace can make any outfit just a bit more fun!

xoxo

Cindy

Our Friend. Steven Adams.

It is with heavy hearts that we share that on September 22, 2013 we lost a very special, creative, tenacious, artist and friend! Steven Adams, SOL’s first photographer, and co-founder of the Morgan Adam’s foundation passed away from cancer. He guided Cindy and Jeanie in their early creative endeavors. It was with Steven that SOL's first advertisements, the signature black and white "It" items, were created. 

To learn more about our amazing friend and force or to donate to his Endowment fund for the Morgan Adams Foundation, click here 

 
We will miss him dearly. 

XOXO,

Cindy

Cindy's Breast Surgery Tips & Advice

When I think of all the Sol Girls I have helped over the years, the gals I have offered the most advice and support have been the ones that have gone through some type of breast surgery.  I am always struck by the varied outcomes depending on the surgeon and the amount of research put forth.  I hope some of my information will help when contemplating an upcoming surgery.  I will touch on mastectomies& reconstructions, implants and reductions.

I feel lucky that over the 20 odd years of fitting bras, I have met some amazing gals that have gone through breast cancer and removal of tumors.  The first thing we have learned together is to do your homework.  Interview at least 3 surgeons before making a decision.  In most cases the surgery can be put off for at least a week or more to give you time to determine which doctor will be most compatible with your personality and has the best skills to suit your needs.  The most successful tip I'd like to share is to consider having a double mastectomy even if you only have cancer or a tumor in one breast.  More times than I can count I have had gals chose the double mastectomy come back and tell me that their doctor found cancer in the second breast. By having a double mastectomy she was saved the need to go back under the knife.  I've also found it can be a bunch easier to get back to feeling whole again when both sides match and fit easily into your pretty bras.

The next topic I want to chat about is implants. I think it is super important to be clear on the size you WANT to wear AFTER the surgery.  Because surgeons do not base the implant size on actual bra sizing (they base it on CCs), you could choose what seems like a small implant (350cc) but because you are a 32 band size,  you end up being a 32E not a 34C.  I know it all sounds complicated but it isn't if you come in and work with your fitter prior to the appointment. We will set you up with bras so you can show your surgeon what size you want to be.

Lastly, every Sol Girl I have ever helped in regards to a reduction wishes she would have done it years ago!  My advice here is to spend time talking to the surgeon about what size would be balanced for your body type.  Now I know if you have been lugging around a pair of 38Gs for your entire life, your first request will be a small C cup.  Chances are a full D cup will suit you better.  Most gals lives change after the surgery.  I remember one girl saying she was shocked the first time she could run across the street without holding her boobs.  Good times!!!

No matter the surgery, I urge every gal to talk to as many surgeons as you can to make sure you bond with them.  You will have tons of questions and want to feel comfortable with them.  You want to feel confident that the doctor understands your request.  If I or my fitters can't fully answer all your questions we have a list of Sol Girls that have gone through every surgery imaginable and are happy to share experiences or advice. Here is a short video again of Jackie talking about how SOL helped her with advice when she found out she needed to have breast surgery.  

My goal is for every Sol Girl having breast surgery is to have as positive an experience as possible.   Call or email anytime!!

xoxo,

Cindy

Celebrate Fashion, 2013

I just received my September issue of Vogue in the mail yesterday, which to me signifies that Celebrate Fashion is right around the corner. Formerly known as FNO (Fashion's Night Out) in Cherry Creek North, it is the second year this fashion event is happening in the district. It is a night of community, celebrations, and of course, fashion. Celebrate Fashion involves fun events at various

stores throughout the district from 5-7pm and then a fashion show at Fillmore Plaza starting at 8pm. As SOL's Art Director, it is magic for me to see the vision I had for the looks of the fashion show transfer from paper to real life!

SOL will be kicking off the evening at 5pm with our super cute DJ, Helen who will be spinning classic songs from female artists of the past three decades. We will also be raffling off a $300 SOL Shopping Spree and providing delicious concoctions from Little Black Dress Vodka.

The fashion gates on Fillmore Plaza open at 7pm and should you choose to purchase a ticket (the in-store events are free, but the tickets for the Fashion Show start at $60), you will be hobnobbing with Denver's fashion elite and tasting some of the delicious food that the neighborhood has to offer. The ambiance is chic and the energy is alive as everyone awaits the first dimming of the lights that lets you know the show is about to begin. For more information on tickets, CLICK HERE.

The runway portion of the night starts at 8pm on Fillmore Plaza and if you missed it last year, I would highly suggest making sure you don't make the same mistake twice. I was extremely impressed with the level of production last year and I cannot wait to see what Cherry Creek North puts together for this years show! It still gives me chills when I think about the lights going down on Fillmore Plaza and the anticipation I had waiting for our first model to walk out. My favorite part of the night had to be when Cindy and Jeanie came up to me after the show saying that they felt like they were at  a fashion show in Paris. Success! CLICK HERE  to watch last year's show.

For this year's show, I was inspired by Pantone's 2013 fall fashion palette, Poison Ivy (think Uma Thurman in Batman) and Babylon. What does this look like you ask? Well, there is only one way to find out...come to the show! And a little added bonus, we are featuring a male model in our segment.

So grab your go-to fashion buds, get dolled up and make a night of it.

In the words of the almighty Heidi Klum, "See you on the runway"!

xoxo,

Lindsey

Join Team Sol and you could win a FREE Daisy set!

            Race for the Cure is September 29th 

One of the joys of doing what we do at SOL is helping women who have been affected by breast cancer look and feel beautiful again. 

But what we would love even more is to help end breast cancer forever! In 2012 SOL formed a team for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure to help raise awareness and money.

2012 Team Sol!

Comprised of 17 staff members and 15 customers, TEAM SOL raised an astonishing $11,585 and was one of the top fundraising teams in Denver. We are looking forward to repeating that accomplishment this year!

To help inspire fundraising for 2013, SOL is giving away a free Daisy bra set in the latest fall color (Navy Blue) to any Team SOL member who raises at least $500! 

Please help us in the promise to save lives and end breast cancer forever by joining our team. Go to our Event page on Facebook to find out how to join.

You can also make a donation to a team member or, if you prefer, you may make a donation to our team as a whole. 

THANK YOU for your support of us and Susan G. Komen for the Cure!

It was a beautiful sunny day in 2012.  We are hoping for the same this year!

xoxo,

Cindy

What a sale! Thank you!

• One gigantic tent.
• Five days of crazy.
• 23 helpful SOL girls and fitters.
• 107 bins of sale bras
• Thousands of fun and friendly customers.

Thanks to you all for another amazing Sidewalk Sale. We are tired and happy and grateful and love all of you!  And now, we're taking...

A day off! :-)

The store will be closed Monday and we'll be back bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready to rock on Tuesday morning! 

xoxo,
Cindy

Tips for Savvy SOL Sale Shopper!

Calling all SOL Girls to our craziest, most fun, sale of the year!  Sidewalk Sale!  

It's right around the corner - JULY 17 to JULY 21 - so mark your calendars!  

The store will be buzzing from the sidewalk to the alley, so here are a few valuable tips from our SOL Sidewalk Sale veterans:

Browse our website before coming down to SOL

Do some research! Most of the items you find at the sale will be online.  But keep in mind we will have several limited quantity items that can only be found at the sale itself.

“Like” SOL on Facebook AND follow us on Twitter for 
Sidewalk Sale contests and prizes!

We'll be highlighting some of the deals of the year on Facebook and for
Twitter followers you have the chance to win some SOL Bucks with our daily mini-contests!

Don't forget, PARKING IS FREE!

Before you feed your meter, come see us first! Every SOL Girl will have plenty of parking tokens - just ask!

Get on the list

All of SOL’s expert bra fitters are on hand to fit you  during Sidewalk Sale!  We even have 4 EXTRA fitting rooms set up.  That said, when you first get to SOL, sign up with our hostess right away so she can get you on the wait list. While wait times will vary, it’s best to get your name on the list as soon as you arrive.

Bring your friends and share the SOL love!

What better time for a girl’s day out than during Sidewalk Sale? In my opinion, everything is better with friends – especially shopping!  And don't forget that if you bring a first time SOL customer to SOL and she buys a bra, you BOTH get $20 in SOL Bucks! 

Expect the unexpected

Leave no bin or rack unturned! You never know what fabulous treasures you may find!

Stay cool

Our misters will take care of the “cool” part. And by misters, I don’t mean our SOL Man. Our H2O spritzers will cool you off while you browse the goodies in our tent.

Can’t make it to the store for the sale?

Give us a call! We will have fitters on full-time phone duty to assist you with your Sidewalk Sale shopping.

Shop more than once!

We have so many amazing bargains it’s almost impossible to see everything on your first visit. Come see us every day so you don’t miss anything! Plus, additional markdowns take effect Saturday July 20th and Sunday July 21st. On Saturday, you’ll get 20% off the lowest marked price on all sale items. And Sunday? 35% off. Yes, you read that correctly and yes, I know it’s amazing ;-)

And my final bit of advice: HAVE FUN! This is SOL’s best/craziest/invigorating whirlwind of a sale and I can’t wait!

See you soon!

xoxo,

Cindy

We are starting to think "Hello" instead of "Bonjour" as we finish our last day here in Versailles, France. Holy cow did we have a blast! As I type I am over the ocean flying back to Colorado. We started our travel day at 6 a.m. in France, traveled by Eurostar to London and then hopped the pond. We should land in Denver about midnight, if all goes well. Would I do it all over again? You bet!!!!

Yesterday Todd and I had planned to go see Monet's lily gardens in Giverney but we were thwarted with car problems. No worries. We hung out in Versailles for a yummy Capri Pizza lunch followed by a lovely last visit to the gardens.

Boy did it look different the next day. We walked through all the gardens we had strolled through the night before (Todd found a glass or two left behind) but the castle was closed. We decided to camp out by the canal in the shade as I sorted through all of the great photos from the party.

Jeanie and Howard met us for our last dinner of traditional French steak and fritz at Bistro Bouchon off the main plaza. Great steak and dessert! We hustled home at midnight to get packed and ready to head back to the US.

I decided we should have some famous quotes from the trip....

Todd's Quote: "You need to have a lot of patience in France". I am a patient gal, but I try extra hard while we visit. Everything seems to take 3 times longer than in America. 

Jeanie's Quote: "It's an adventure, you have to love it!" It is and I do.

Howard Quote: "The French love their rules." It's true and sometimes the words "it is impossible" simply means you have to beg the Monoprix manager to let you enter the store 10 minutes before the store closes so that your wife can buy a hairdryer for the big party. When you call to ask what time they close, reconsider and say "what's the latest time they will let you shop". Two different things....

Cindy's Quote: "Thank the French for making such pretty lingerie." I love my collection of lovelies and my job!

We took a ton of photos for you so you can see everything we did. You can see them all in our album on Facebook.  If you have been recently to France and/or Belgium, or have never made the trip, I know you'll love seeing all our photos. Hard to believe we'll be back in Denver and this blog will be posted soon. This really has been a once in a lifetime experience and I'm so happy to have shared it with you.

Bonsoir!
xoxo,

Cindy 

One word. Magical. That's how I'd describe our night at the Chateau de Versailles. Our expectations were high when we found out we were invited to the 50th birthday party of the Paris lingerie show that we go to. But in all honesty, we had no idea. There are lots of things we love about the French, and now we can add to it that they know how to throw a party! Versailles is incredible to visit during the day, but at night it is truly something spectacular. Since 2004, each January Jeanie and I have gone to the lingerie shows in Paris. This year, the Salon International de la Lingerie is celebrating 50 years of bringing beautiful panties to the world. They did the celebration in over-the-top Parisian style!

Jeanie and I were so excited to attend a black tie affair in the same place that Marie Antoinette hosted so very many parties in her time. I wore a Naeem Khan dress with Bagley Mishka shoes from Neiman Marcus and Jeanie was dressed by Lin from Garbarinis. Don't our husbands look so dapper in their tuxedos? Todd's bow tie matched my gown.

 Feeling so glamorous it was hard to hold in all of our excitement. As we approached the Chateau de Versailles we were guided to front row parking inside the palace gates. Lovely hostesses guided us to the entrance of the palace where we had VIP access to roam the King's Grand Apartment and the Hall of Mirrors. It was an exceptional treat made even more special because they had hired time period musicians dressed in costumes to delight our senses.

After we finished our self-guided tour we exited out onto the Chateau Esplanade (the main terrace) where we were greeted with champagne and enjoyed a view of the Grand Canal and the Palace gardens. We all lost our breath for a moment. It's one thing to be at Versailles as a tourist with loads of other tourists and quite another thing to be there in full black-tie regalia with a glass of champagne in your hand overlooking a view fit for a king.

The setting sun was the perfect backdrop for the many photos we took with our friends. Zee and Erin from Bits of Lace in Charleston, South Carolina looked so lovely in their gowns. Mariela and Ivy from Eberjey flew in from Miami to show their line at the show as well as joining in with us at the party. A very special thank you to Paolo Fabrizio from Empreinte for hosting us at the party. We all had so much fun from the first moments of the night until the wee hours of the morning.

The end of the musical fountain show and a drum line in period costumes announced the third event of the evening. We followed the drummers and other guests down the hill to the L'Orangerie where we had a dinner made by Fauchon. There was no shortage of delicious pastries or champagne to accompany all the yummy tapas. A side note for those who don't speak French...the L'Orangerie is the citrus fruit garden. The evening air was filled with the scent of orange and lemon blossoms. A pure delight for me!

The networking and industry chat was kept to a minimum but we did meet some new colleagues which is always a  welcome. Loda and Isobel from Intimacy of Atlanta shared great conversations with us about plans for their website. Sara from Funky Girl in Helsinki chatted with Jeanie about the new lines she had seen earlier in the day at the panty show in Paris. We couldn't talk shop for too long because the band started up at that point. Paolo scooped us up, gave us a glass of champagne and said "Let's tear it up!"

We danced in a hall that rivaled the Louvre. The 50 foot cavernous ceilings were made of stone and had gently curved arches. Katy Perry resonated off the walls and ceiling as the light show kicked into high gear. We all danced like crazy until 2 in the morning. I dare say we were a bit over heated as we ventured back to the gardens.

We all agreed it was the most fantastic party we have ever attended. Saying thank you to Sandrine for inviting Sol and throwing an amazing party hardly covers our gratitude, but THANK YOU!!! Awesome event and awesome fun with awesome friends.

 I know my blog entry can't do justice to the night we experienced. So, I hope the photos will. Check out the rest of our photos on our Facebook page!

Best night ever.

xoxo,
Cindy

P.S. We're on our final day and heading back to Denver shortly.

A beautiful start to a beautiful night in Versailles

Now hold on to your horses little ladies! You thought this blog was going to tell you everything about the party but I thought I would draw out the suspense for another few hours. This will give you the run down on what Jeanie and I had to do before we went to the party at the Palace! 

After breakfast Todd and I rented bikes for a quick lap around the Palace grounds. 

Howard drove Jeanie and me into the panty show in Paris. 

Just a quick 2 hour round trip for our tickets to the party to see the new 2014 Aubade. WOW!

Then we hustled back to get ready at the hotel. 

I have soooo much to tell you about the party, but I need to hit the hay for our 24 hour return to Denver in the morning. Don't worry, the photos will be posted shortly of all the fun!

Bonsoir!

xoxo,
Cindy

Saturday Fun Day for the Johnsons and Peterson-Lesters

How would you spend an idyllic Saturday in Versailles with your family?

We started with a swim in the pool

 Next...shopping for cute dresses and shoes...

 To the market for a gourmet picnic....

Then...a bike ride into the gardens of Versailles and enjoyed said picnic....

 

We ended the day enjoying dinner at an Indian restaurant where Elliot 
can make friends in the square...

A perfect day for one and all!!!

xoxo,

Cindy

P.S.  Get ready to find out about our magnificent gala - only hours away!