Blog Entries

Spring Fever: Feathers and Flounce

admin@dollhousebettie.com — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Spring is just around the corner, its so close you can smell the eager blossoms ready to burst open. The flowers aren't the only ones anxious to bloom. After spending months wearing pants, scarves and sweaters we too are eager to don our sun dresses and hats, spread our picnic blankets and soak up some sun. The change in weather not only affords us the opportunity to bust out our skirts and break in our sandals it also seems to have a positive affect on our attitudes over all. Suddenly you want [...]

Bra Fitting 101

admin@dollhousebettie.com — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I can't tell you how many woman come into our shop wearing the wrong size bra, it's practically an epidemic. Bands too big, cups too small, you name it we've seen it. Figuring out your proper size is crucial to ensure you're getting enough support, lift, contouring, and the right silhouette from your bra. At the shop we provide personal fittings, but for those of you who can't make it in we offer this online tutorial. Our goal is to see every woman wearing the correct size so that she looks g [...]

Fresh New Colors of Mary Green's Nouveau Retro Teddy

admin@dollhousebettie.com — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

We are pleased to announce the arrival of brand new colorways of the ever popular Mary Green Nouveau Retro Teddies! These best sellers are a modern twist on the vintage cami-knicker and are now available in sultry solid black and sweet pink with contrasting black lace. Beautiful styles offer the best of both vintage and new designs, the retro styling is delightfully romantic while the modern stretch silk is comfortable and easy to care for. Check out the online listings for more detail [...]

The Vanity Fair Story Part 3

admin@dollhousebettie.com — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Just as they had galvanized the lingerie industry with the invention of nylon in 1939, DuPont laboratories transformed the design and production of intimate wear again twenty years later with another genius innovation, Lycra. In 1959 Joseph Shivers invented the synthetic material and it soon became the preferred elastic substance for clothing. Previously, manufacturers had used natural rubber and latex to provide elements of stretch to their designs but the difficulty of producing long t [...]

Carol Malony Gives Us The Ooh La La's

admin@dollhousebettie.com — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

We love Carol Malony's sexy and sassy designs. Her own story of success is an inspiration for budding lingerie designers. In the 1970s Malony ran a chain of lingerie boutiques in Los Angeles importing European brands for a Californian clientele. Looking to develop her own line of intimates that delivered the same level of [...]

The Vanity Fair Story Part 2

admin@dollhousebettie.com — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

In 1940 WWII was sinking its claws into Europe and the tensions could be felt clear across the Atlantic. America's strained relationship with Japan worried officials at Vanity Fair who feared the repercussions of a silk embargo and got to work researching alternatives for what had always been the preferred material of lingerie.

Their salvation came in the form of nylon. Exhibited at the New York World Fair in 1939, the miracle fiber developed at the DuPont laboratories, won instant pop [...]

The Vanity Fair Story Part 1

admin@dollhousebettie.com — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Vanity Fair is one of the more familiar of the classic lingerie labels. What is less well known is the unique history of this American standard and its significant influence on lingerie production and design.

Reading, Pennsylvania is in many ways the birth place of American lingerie. The Reading Machine, invented there, revolutionized hosiery manufacture in the early 20th century and both Berkshire and Vanity Fair, two of the countries most famous labels, call this place home [...]

Getting To Know Vintage Labels: MunsingWear and Vassarette

admin@dollhousebettie.com — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

One of the ways to become more familiar with your vintage treasures is to understand the backgrounds of particularly celebrated and collectible brands. Hollywood Vassarette and its parent company Munsingwear are two famous American brands whose designs frequently make their way into our collection.

Originally called the Northwestern Knitting Company, the classic brand Munsingwear got its start when founder George Munsing developed a method of weaving cotton and silk in with wool in 1887 [...]

Carol Malony's Creations

admin@dollhousebettie.com — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

California's own Carol Malony is a brilliant lingerie designer whose taste and ideas reflect some of the best things about lingerie and love. Her lovely styles combine classic romance, modern sophistication, sumptuous materials and a healthy portion of fun for looks that are beautifully sexy and most flirtatious. We currently have two of her delightful ensembles available.

Chain Chain Chains is a flashy fix of golden chain fringe and black silk chiffon. The triangle bra and skirte [...]

That Looks Familiar...

admin@dollhousebettie.com — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Appreciating vintage takes a good amount of research. Getting familiar with production methods, technological milestones and design advances gives us a better understanding of the pieces and where they come from. Every once in a while during our investigations we come across a vintage advertisement for a particular item we actually have in stock. It's always interesting to see the styles in their original context and the captions are often hilarious.

Recently we found these two ads [...]

Julia: A Lingerie Must Have

admin@dollhousebettie.com — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Certain items are fundamental to a womans wardrobe. The Little Black Dress, a well shaped stiletto, the classic handbag, red lipstick... these are the basics you know you can count on to look fabulous. They are standards that suit you in almost any mood. The new Julia styles in black satin fall right into this category.

The well designed underwire bustier is a stylish basic, it is sexy and practical, supportive and flattering. Princess seams and light weight boning create trim lines d [...]

The Jantzen Story

elke@dollhousebettie.com — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Many readers are probably familiar with the famous swimwear brand Jantzen. What might be news to you is their lesser known background in foundation garments and bras, this being their 100 year anniversary it seems like a perfect time for a brief history lesson.

Originally called the Portland Knitting Compan [...]

Valentine's Day Preparations

elke@dollhousebettie.com — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching and it's time to start putting together your plan of action for seduction. We've just listed some delightful items online, perfect to give or receive this lover's holiday. Whether your shopping for yourself or looking for a gift these new pieces are sure to please.

Planning a night of romance? Have a l [...]

New Old Stock Bra Stash

emetens@gmail.com — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Vintage aficionados take note: we have just listed a variety of gorgeous New Old Stock bras in our on-line catalog. These pristine beauties are a special treat because each one is in 100% perfect condition, many of them still baring their original paper tags from when they were on display over sixty years ago!

The selection includes lustrous satin Exquiste Form bullet bras from the '50s sewn with beautiful geometric stitching along the cups and center gore, as well as a lovely Best Form [...]

Ooh La Legs

admin@dollhousebettie.com — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Few garments exude sex appeal the same way stockings do. Their vintage look, distinctive fit, and slinky feel appeal to us on multiple levels of sensuality. They are both classic and exotic, romantic and saucy, with the slightest glimpse of a lacy welt enough to raise a man's blood pressure!

The stocking's history is almost as intriguing as the item itself. Predecessors to the modern stocking date back to the Greeks and were worn in some form or another for thousands of years by a range [...]

Diamonds! Diamonds! Diamonds!

admin@dollhousebettie.com — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Marilyn Monroe said it best, "Diamonds are a girls best friend!

"But square-cut or pear-shaped,
These rocks don't loose their shape.
Diamonds are a girl's best friend.

"Tiffany's!
Cartier!
Black Starr!
Frost Gorham!
Talk to me Harry Winston.
Tell me all about it!"

Diamonds and glamor have a long standing relationship. It would be difficult to paint a picture of feminine luxury without these sparkling gems and some of Hollywood [...]

The Kestos Brasierre: The First Of Its Kind

admin@dollhousebettie.com — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

It may seem like common design knowledge but bras weren't always constructed with two separated cups. The Kestos bra was the first commercially produced bra that had two distinct and defined cups and for that we salute them! Early bras were constructed with simple bandeau type tops that supported breasts by compressing them. While they sometimes had seams or a center gathering that distinguished the two sides this definition was very subtle and can't be described as truly separate cups. The vint [...]

D-Day Cup

michelle@dollhousebettie.com — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

while i don't think i'll be offering it in store anytime soon, i really felt i had to pass on the goodness and make sure my dedicated lingerie collectors weren't missing out on the special experience of the D-Day Cup. i honestly don't even know if this miracle of science has even been produced, but does it really matter? when you think of protec [...]

A Loose History of Tight Corsets

admin@dollhousebettie.com — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

"It controls the large, supports the small and uplifts the drooping," read the advertisement on the window of a 18th century corset maker in France.

Vanity is, by far, my favorite vice and I know I am not alone. For hundreds of years women (and men) have labored to achieve some ideal of beauty, often compromising health and logic to reach that ivory tower. This perpetual struggle is obvious in the fashion fundamental known as the corset, whose tight laced allure is depicted mos [...]

Mary Green Nouveau Retro

michelle@dollhousebettie.com — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100

i've been anxiously awaiting the Nouveau Retro stretch silk collection from local SF lingerie designer Mary Green to arrive, and as soon as it did i had to get this gorgeous group photographed and up on the site!

these sexy soft cup bra and high waist pantie sets combine a 30's triangle button bra with 40's high waist panties, both fabricated in stretch silk charmeuse for an easy and comfortable fit. the unique styling of the bra gives it a seductive low back, each strap winds around to [...]