Baby, It's Cold Outside
Umm, not really. Temps are in the low 80’s right now in New Orleans. Holiday season just doesn’t feel the same without cold weather but I’m not going to complain too much. Because if you think about it, lingerie is worn in any type of weather, right?
But still, the holiday season is upon us with our big weekend after Thanksgiving coming up. This year, we added silk pajamas, robes, bedroom slippers and lots of silky chemises to our inventory. And we hunted high and low for the kind of bra and panty sets that look gorgeous even coming out of the gift box. Truly, things she never knew she wanted but just can’t live without.
Holiday season for us is so much fun what with seeing our usual customers and helping pick great outfits for their ladies. And once again, we’ll be hosting our Holiday Gentlemen’s Nights on December 15 and December 22. It’s our annual after hours event planned with our male customers in mind. You can shop for your honey while sipping on cocktails. And as a bonus, we’ll provide the gift wrap! Everybody wins!
Yay, Happy Holidays everyone!
New York, New York
We just got back from lingerie market in New York City. 2 days of appointments and trunk shows and another 2 days of running around to meet with jewelry and fabric wholesalers. We are exhausted. But as with every trip we take to New York for market, we are inspired.
The 2012 Spring collections are beautiful. Lots of muted colors, soft dreamy fabrics and definitely lots of sexy. You know the line is good when you have way too many options to choose from. Our favorites this year came from Huit, Blush, Elle MacPherson, and of course, Maison Close. And we’ll have a wonderful surprise for our customers this holiday season with the addition of beautiful marabou high heel mules. We get so many requests for marabou high heels. I think the ladies who enjoy boudoir heels are going to be very happy.
We’ll also be producing some spectacular private label pieces for the holiday season. Think glamour and sophistication along with a little naughtiness in the form of bedroom fantasy costumes! Very exciting and of course we’ll post more when the pieces are ready.
Thanks everyone for supporting us these past couple of years. Don’t forget our Summer Sale is going on right now. 25% off everything in store and online. Use code SUMMER25 if you are ordering online.
XOXO.
Have a lingerie problem? We might have a solution.
Lingerie usually falls into three types of styles: basics, like your favorite smooth cup nude bra; fashion, what you wear when you want to feel pretty; and solutions, which is basically your nipple covers, double sided tape, waist cinchers, silicone inserts, sticky bras and the like. Yes, you ladies know what I’m talking about. Usually the need for these products arises when buying a beautiful yet complicated garment that just won’t work with that favorite smooth cup nude bra you love. Gah, what’s a girl to do?
Fortunately for you, the lingerie industry has come a long way in addressing your needs. At the House of Lounge, we carry solutions products by Commando, NuBra and Nippies. Commando, the maker of the famous laser cut seamless thong, also makes silicone nipple covers, double sided tape, silicone gel bra inserts and plain nude nipple adhesive covers. And their products have fun kitschy names like Low Beams, Matchsticks, Top Hats and Takeouts. NuBra, for those of you who are not familiar, are the original makers of the sticky bra. This solutions product is backless with two cups attached by a plastic clip. The inside of the cups is sticky so that once you put it on, it’s not going anywhere. But taking it off is simple and painless. And finally the Nippies. Think pasties but without the glue. These are adhesive nipple covers but come in a lot of fun colors and styles to choose from. You can choose solids, prints and bride colors in either the butterfly, heart or star styles.
So next time you have a lingerie problem, we might have your solution. Sure it might not feel sexy to pop on silicone nipple covers but it beats having your little soldiers stand out at attention in a cold, cold conference room on the day you chose to wear your new silk blouse.
Bourbon and Burlesque
Bourbon and Burlesque is an annual fundraising event held for and by the Contemporary Arts Center in the Warehouse District, usually in the month of June. It’s all about Bourbon and all about Burlesque. Patrons are invited to peruse two floors of creative bourbon cocktails, food and people watching. Local restaurants, hotels, spas, boutiques and artists donate fun items and gift certificates towards the various raffle packages given away at the end of the evening.
And let’s not forget the burlesque. Burlesque troupes from throughout the greater New Orleans area perform in the CAC theater at the top of every hour. The ladies are graceful, and beautiful and do not disappoint with their creative and sometimes hilarious tongue in cheek acts. Our favorite acts of the night include the lovely ladies of the Fleur De Tease, Slowburn and the Storyville Starlettes.
If you’re feeling like you need to document the night, you can find local photographer Zack Smith taking pictures of the patrons in the Burlesque Photo Booth on the second floor.
And if you want the VIP experience, House of Lounge sponsors the VIP lounge on the second floor. You can be greeted by hostesses wearing House of Lounge lingerie. And you can have a chance to take a break to enjoy your cocktails and food.
For more information on next year’s B & B event please visit cacno.org.
*Photo by Zack Smith in the Burlesque Photo Booth.
Get him something he'll really appreciate for Father's Day
Father’s Day is this Sunday, June 19. And yes, you can find him a gift at the House of Lounge. What’s that you say? Of course, I know we don’t carry any men’s apparel. But that’s not the kind of gift I’m suggesting.
Here at the House of Lounge, we often have ladies come in and say, “It’s our anniversary and I want to wear something special for him.” Or “It’s his birthday so I thought I would surprise him.” And that’s kind of where I’m going with this. Give him a gift from the kiddies during the day and then when they go to bed, give him the gift of you in lingerie. And ladies, the lingerie doesn’t have to be something so tiny that it feels like dental floss. It just has to be lingerie. He appreciates it, trust us.
So let us help you find something you’ll look amazing in. And then he can send us a thank you note later. Just kidding.
And yes, we will gift wrap so he can have something to open up on his special day.:-)
The French know what they're doing
One of the best selling brands at the House of Lounge is Maison Close, a line out of Paris, France. Our store manager, Jill, stumbled upon the line in a catalogue and insisted that we take a look at it back in the Fall of 2009. We quickly fell in mad mad lust with the line. As savvy lingerie store owners, Becca and I hardly ever take a chance on a line without viewing the samples first. We like to go over the details, the fit, the feel, also known as “the hand”, of the fabric content. But I have to hand it to the marketing department at Maison Close. They basically had us once we took a look at the collections in pictures. It was that easy. And the pieces were a hit!
What’s amazing about Maison Close are the designs, the fit and the pricing. Each piece is erotic and chic. With details like black crystal buttons up the back of the Salon Bourbon dress or gorgeous lace panels on the sides of the Villa Satine skirt, each piece is created to stir up feelings of lust, glamour and female empowerment. And the fit is universal. Whether thin or curvy, women just look hot in the Maison Close line.
And finally what makes this the best selling brand in our store and online are the price points. Pieces and accessories in the various collections range from $17 to $138. So you can look and feel beautiful without breaking the bank.