I wonder when the tradition of putting a little decorative bow between the cups of a bra began. Lots and lots and lots of bras have them, from the highest end lingerie lines like Eres, to the most practical and affordable ones such as Eberjey, that bow is there, just hanging out and saying “Hi! I’m girly.” Panties too. Bows are often sitting there, right below the belly button, just sort of existing for the sake of existence. It’s such a common thing that I barely even notice them anymore, I just take them as a given. And it’s not that I don’t like the bows. I’m not one of those people who cuts them off or anything, although it is easily done. One careful snip and bye bye bow bow. No, the bows are fine by me, I even think they’re pretty cute. I just kind of wonder why they’ve become the standard thing. I can understand functional bows on a bra. Designs such as the Divorcee by The Lake and Stars, and the Star Bra by Beau Bra are actually held together by their bows, which is fun because they allow the person wearing them to be opened like a gift, good times, but really functional bows are a rarity. More often than not even the big fancy functional looking bows like the one on the Delicate by Princesse Tam Tam are merely decorative. After much thought and absolutely no research, the only answer I could come up with is that in the early days of brasseries, the bows were, in fact, always of the functional sort. However, in the wake of modern elastic technology, the tie fastens gave up their load-bearing duties and have since retired to more of a figurehead status, like some grand old matriarch who’s living in a time that’s not her own, but still refuses to be forgotten. Such proud little bows, they are. Funny little things.

Just in time for the Holiday Party season, a new shipment of Beau Bra has arrived, all the way from London! I don’t know about you, but I always seem to purchase lingerie when I buy a new cocktail dress. My wallet says no, but my heart says yes, yes, yes! There’s just something special about slipping on a new set of lacey underthings before you don that perfect party dress. Speaking of which, I have my eye on a few great ones from The English Department - anything by Development will do, thank you very much Santa.

But back to Beau Bra…the elegant designs from their Holiday collection include the warm gold Imply Underwire Bra and G-String, the classic Stealth Bra and Suspender Brief, perfect for holding up those Vintage Thigh-High Stockings, and the incredibly unique Suggest Bra. It hardly seems fair to call this one just a bra, since its so much more - camisole, wrap, lace hug - none of these terms do the piece justice. Gorgeous black chantilly lace gently embraces your figure while the contrasting champagne silk cups hold everything in place and a lovely black ribbon ties it all together. In a word, amazing!

I recently went on a shopping trip with a male friend of mine. For some reason men think that because I am a woman I have some innate sense of what it is they should be buying for themselves, as if I have been dressing as a man all my life. They are always asking me to go shopping with them. When they ask, I always warn them that I don’t really do menswear, but say I’ll be happy go join them if it makes them feel more comfortable. I imagine that being seen with a woman while clothing shopping makes men feel a little more masculine about the whole endeavor, but that’s just speculation. Anyway, during this particular shopping trip my retail partner stated that he desperately needed underwear. I don’t really do menswear in the panty department either, but I acquiesced and we hit up the intimate apparel section. As we stared at a wall of tiny boxes, faceless bare torso after faceless bare torso stared back at us, all perfectly sculpted and beckoning ‘come hither’ from behind an array of tightie whities, the subtle differences in which I could hardly decipher. Body Trunk, Body Hip Brief, Body Regular Brief, Pro-Stretch Trunk, Pima Cotton Brief, Steel Low Rise Micro Trunk, Steel Cotton Boxer Brief, Flexible Fit Trunk, Ribbed Flexible Fit Trunk, Knit Slim Fit Boxer, Seamless Boxer Brief… my mind reeled, it was surprisingly overwhelming. My friend then turned to me and said “Well?” I perused the boxes, then took a stab. “Pima Cotton is nice.” It seemed like the only advice I was qualified to give. He went for it, got the Pima Briefs, and we continued on our journey.

The next day he called me up and enthusiastically insisted that we go find more of the amazing Pima underwear that he was presently sporting. “Pima. Pima Pima Pima.” He was chanting it the entire second shopping excursion like some strange textile mantra. I’m not even making this up. “Pima Pima Pima Pima Pima Pima Pima Pima.” All. Day. Long. (more…)

A dear friend of mine has had the self-appointed moniker “Pretty Pretty Princess” for nigh on a decade. What’s ironic about this is that she is the toughest dame I know, with a Masters in Psychology and a job that requires serious physical strength and agility - she can also drink most men under the table. No one in their right mind would dare insinuate that she is remotely prissy, girly or spoiled - the usual characteristics that typically go along with the term. Having been christened with a biblical name that literally translates to “princess,” I suffered the occasional chiding about it from my mother when my behavior bordered on impudence. I grew to resent the word in all its various incarnations - from Disney’s retail empire of princess paraphenalia to stories ending in “and they lived happily ever after…”

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I often feel like I’m in the Wild West here on East Burnside Street. It’s a bit lawless at times - with the close proximity to downtown Portland and several homeless shelters, a certain amount of petty crime is inevitable. (Not long ago, we were unfortunate victims of a window smashing from a drunken bar brawl.) We get our fair share of sketchy characters sidling out of the nearby strip club mid-day, and a veritable parade of people who walk down the middle of the road yelling at invisible spirits. When the Burnside Bridge is closed, the occasional tumbleweed blows by and completes the scene.

But not for much longer. (more…)

So I know I recently blogged about holiday shopping on a budget, but I’m sure there are some gentlemen out there who want to splurge on something fabulous for the light of their life. What better way to show her your love and appreciation than a hand-picked set of designer lingerie? Now you might be thinking, “No way! Won’t she hate me and think I’m just buying it to see her half-naked?” But I assure you, this depends entirely on the lingerie selection, which is a delicate process. Knowing a little bit about her personal style helps tremendously. Vintage lover? Lake and Stars, all the way. Indie Design fan? She’s sure to flip for Araks. No matter what you find at Lille Boutique, it’s guaranteed to bump up the romance level in your relationship, especially if you get something she’ll actually wear. Crotchless panties and pasties? Not so much. (more…)

Ah, it’s Black Friday once again. For some people that means getting up at the crack of dawn to go duke it out with other bargain hunting go-getters over plasma screen televisions and video game machines. HA! I don’t care how good the sales are today, you’ll never catch me getting up that early on my day off unless catching a flight to some exotic land is involved. For me, the day after Thanksgiving is all about sleeping off my tryptophan dose, eventually rolling out of bed, fixing myself one of those “leftover sandwiches” (OH MY GOD THEY ARE SO GOOD!), eating it in front of one of those somewhat challenging but not quite ‘weekend paper caliber’ Friday issue crossword puzzles, taking a nap due to a second dose of tryptophan, waking up, fixing myself a sandwich… you get the picture. (more…)

According to Wikipedia:

“The Alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in superficial appearance. (more…)

Like most fun-loving people, Christmas is one of my favorite times of year. Eating rich food - guilt-free, no less, with the justifiable “holiday season” excuse…cutting loose with friends at the many obligatory Cocktail Parties…buying the perfect gift for someone I love, then wrapping it with care…I relish every minute of it! Of course this year, like many people, I’ve been forced to cut back on spending and be frugal about my holiday expenditures. But I’m not going to let that ruin my fun - we have so many great Sale items in the store that I know will tickle the fancy of everyone on my list, be they boy or girl, naughty or nice! (more…)

I have this strange habit of sometimes flipping silky/satiny garments inside out when I’m lounging around the house. Really, it’s not that strange when you think about it… selfish maybe, but not “strange” in the sense that it doesn’t make any sense, it makes perfect sense. When you’re wearing a robe or a nightgown to bed, it’s kind of a waste for the part of the material that feels nice on the skin to be on the outside. Yes, I’ve been wandering around in inside out robes, slips, and nightgowns for years because sometimes comfort just wins over style, not all the time, mind you, but sometimes. That’s why I was thrilled to discover Kumi Kookoon. They had the brilliant idea to make their 100% silk bath robes silky smooth on both sides!! Look good AND feel good without compromise! God, I love winning! Since both sides are equally pretty and shimmery the robes are actually reversible, so if you aren’t feeling beige one day, you can just flip it and go white. That’s like two robes for the price of one! Another win! Man, I should put on my robe and hit the casinos.

So we just received the first installment of our Fall/Holiday order from The Lake and Stars. Really, the installment is just one set in two colors. It’s called Social Hour and hmm, what else can I say about it? Well, to quote a customer, it’s “Ab-so-lute-ly STUNNING!”. The color combinations are a rosy champagne silk with a dusty pink mesh (”mocha/blushed”) and a bright white silk with mesh that’s a shade that I could only describe as neon light blue (”blonde/blue eyes”). That means there’s an option for warm or cool skin tones, how thoughtful! The bralettes are very constructed and vintage looking and perfect for smaller cup sizes. The bikinis are mesh with silk trim and very similar to Tootsie Bikini from last Spring, but without the keyhole in the back. The piece de resistence, however is that garter belt I briefly mentioned the other day. Hallelujah! A non-trashy garter belt! It’s silk and it’s shape is minimal, almost utilitarian, but then there are these charming floppy bows at the front clasps- The Lake are Stars girls are masters at unusual and unexpected touches in their designs. Their garments never fail to be fun and sexy and a little bit flippant. You can count on them to produce a gorgeously feminine and classic looking silk bra with an incongruous back closure that looks like it would be better suited to a military duffel bag. I can’t help but think of the garçonnes of the 30’s. Yes, the Social Hour set in particular has Lee Miller written all over it. I can’t wait to see what else is on it’s way. Perhaps a little witty Bette Davis served in a sex pot? Who knows… Well, technically, I know, but that’s for a later date.

I, personally, do not enjoy hand washing. I’d far prefer to spend my Sunday afternoons out window shopping or having brunch with friends. That’s why I’m in love with the Mesh Laundry Bag for Delicates that The Laundress makes. They were made for lazy launderers like myself. All you do is toss your panties (and bras as long as they aren’t molded or padded) in the bag, zip it shut, and throw it in the washer. The mesh bag holds all your delicates in one place, so they don’t get tossed around and snagged on things. Genius. I’m fairly certain you can throw it in the dryer too if you want, although I’m not as opposed to laying things flat to dry as I am to the whole hand wash process. No biggie laying flat. Lay them flat, walk away. That way you can still admire all your delicates laid out on a drying rack if that’s what you’re into (man, she’s such a weirdo). Basically, taking a second to lay everything flat will ultimately give you the sense that you’re still taking special care of your delicates without the hassle of hand washing. Hand washing though! GUH! No thank you. Although I must say, and I know it’s been said already, in those emergency situations where an immediate hand washing is necessary, the Wash and Stain Bars (yup, The Laundress again) are a God sent. I don’t know what kind of magic those handy little bars are made of, but they are like stain ninjas. 3 scrubs with the detergent and about 30 seconds of washing and everything is good as new. Plus they’re organic, cruelty free, and they smell awesome (amber and citrus with green herbal notes). Oh, and there are 3 little airport friendly travel sized bars in each pack, so they don’t wear down as fast as one huge bar would. One pack will last for years. Can you tell I’m infatuated with these things? I was kind of mad that Sarah beat me to the punch blogging about them. It’s a good thing I’m not ashamed to re-blog. HA!

A common question here at Lille is, “What is the best way to care for lingerie?” Being a staunch advocate of hand-washing, I always recommend soaking in a gentle cleanser in lukewarm water and drying flat. Many women are deterred by this seemingly daunting task, but I assure you, it will make a huge difference in the longevity of your precious new Eres Attraction Lace Bra and Panty if you take the extra 15 minutes to treat them with the respect they deserve. (more…)

I’m not a huge fan of garter belts. I think they are super trashy 99% of the time. The thing is, we have some beautiful silk stockings here in the shop and many of them *require* a garter for functional purposes, so I end up getting request after request for garter belts. Who knew? This poses a problem because a good looking and affordable garter belt is hard to come across. Really hard. Of course we have an incredibly beautiful one in stock by Eres, but it is definitely more of an investment than an impulse buy. Every other garter we carry is a) exclusively made for one season and b) sold out. Sadly, a majority of the brands we carry don’t even make garters. That’s because the typical garter manufacturer also makes crotchless panties and I certainly don’t get down like that. So, what now? I don’t know. We have a belt by Vera Wang on the way, and another very cute one by The Lake and Stars, but I imagine both of those styles will be snapped up very quickly and we’ll be left in the same predicament. Where is our Eberjey of garter belts? A clean and simple design that’s comfortable, functional, readily available, and priced under $30. The everyday every woman garter belt (although I’d like to meet the woman who needs one everyday…). Well, I’m still sniffing it out like McGruff, but just in case I come up empty handed… Designers, I’m talking to you.

Just in time for the holiday shopping season, a new shipment from Côté Bastide has arrived. For this order, we’ve opted for some new flavors, though we did stock up on old favorites, so for those of you who have become addicted to the heavenly Fig and Violette scents, don’t worry. New products include the Violette Eau de Toilette, which comes in an adorable glass bottle and the Fig Room Spray. To spice things up a bit, we brought in the Cannelle Orange line, an intriguing combination of delicate cinnamon and slightly bitter orange. Candles, Glycerine Soaps and Potpourri are among the offerings, all packaged in a lovely, rich chocolate brown paper. From the popular Vanilla Tea range, we received the Baroque Gift Box of Crystal Potpourri, which looks and smells fantastic! Cute little golden pine cones are nestled in with the crystals - it’s not your granny’s potpourri, that’s for sure. Wrapped in a gilded orange design that is not unlike our wallpaper here at Lille, this package inspires me to wrap all my Christmas presents early.

I’ve recently discovered that the “Wedding Season” is perpetual. Sure, the most popular months for the Big Day are June and September, but blushing brides have a tendency to plan that once-in-a-lifetime event for at least 12 months prior. As a result, we here at Lille have the pleasure of helping at least a few brides-to-be every week in selecting not only the garments that help keep the dress in place, but also the boudoir ensemble for the wedding night. (more…)

I do not subscribe to the philosophy that “fashion is pain.” My days of enduring blisters and bunions for sporting 5-inch heels are over, and I’ve long since retired my corsets. I’m still known to don an itchy vintage wool skirt, but now I’ll pair it with cotton tights and ballet flats. This is why I am not a thong girl. By and large, thongs tend to be uncomfortable, synthetic, wide strips of material that go where they shouldn’t. I cannot imagine why someone would willingly opt for an all-day wedgie when there are so many irresistible options available in the form of boy-shorts, tap panties and tried and true bikinis. (more…)

I am, without a doubt, one of those girls who falls into the “flat chested” category. Friends, you know who you are. If more than once in your life someone has put their hand on your shoulder and looked you in the eyes and said “Uhhh, well, more than a hand full just gets in the way anyway…” while sadly shaking their head, then you know where I’m coming from. If you’ve ever longed to be able to say “HEY, buddy! up here” just once, then you understand my plight. (more…)

For those of you who weren’t able to join us for the Fall Fashion Show last First Friday, we thought we’d post a few pictures so you could see what you missed…

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We got a shipment in from fan favorite Eberjey today. Mostly it’s more from the tried and true Pima Goddess line. The Pima Goddess smiles upon us quite benevolently; those bra/panty sets are so amazingly soft and comfortable and affordable that we have a hard time keeping them on the shelf sometimes. It’s good to know that we have plenty in stock now since I hate having to send anyone away pantyless. (more…)