Lingerie
June 29, 2007
By Patricia Granata
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As the runways of Paris, Milan and New York direct us to patent leather, cropped jackets and feminine blouses this season, we at Baltimore SmartWoman are not interested. To us, what is being worn under those fancy new frocks is much more intriguing.
Fortunately, for Baltimore women of all sizes, shapes and tastes there is a bounty of new lingerie shops in our midst, each with delicate and darling pieces to meet each girl’s style and needs.
Revitalized Federal Hill boasts an adorable new lingerie shop, The Bottom Drawer. Owner Julia Elgert took her father’s advice to the fullest. “He always told me not to be afraid, to do exactly what I wanted and to follow my dreams,” Elgert says. “I always wanted to own my own business.”
In fact, this is her second business. Formerly the owner of Jule’s Jewels, a jewelry and handbag shop in Annapolis, Elgert last year decided to move north and to focus on frills. She found newly revitalized Federal Hill to be the perfect locale.
Stop by The Bottom Drawer and secure some of Elgert’s most popular items: Mary Green’s boy shorts are so great she can’t keep them in the store. “They come in every color for $14 and they are extremely popular,” she says. Other brands to draw you to The Drawer: Natori, Lucy B, Arianne and Hanky Panky.
Visit Julia at 1003 South Charles Street in Baltimore. Hours: Monday and Wednesday 11-6, Thursday 11-7, Friday and Saturday 11-5. Closed Tuesday and Sunday.
For those who can’t get over to Paris as often as they’d like, a simple click onto the just-opened website Alamodbody.com will take you there. Baltimore-based owner Susan Rohr has done a remarkable job of connecting local ladies to lingerie fashions from France. Frustrated after not being able to find lingerie that she liked for her fortysomething body, Rohr discovered designers in Paris whose work not only fit her perfectly but made her feel sexy.
Geared toward woman in their thirties to fifties, the lingerie on this site is beyond lovely — as well as delicate and incredibly soft. Brands like Elise Aucouturier, Araks, Princesse Tam Tam and Antonia Ghazlan are now brought to our shores thanks to Rohr (a Hopkins anesthesiologist in her spare time).
Alamodbody.com (there is no bricks-and-mortar store) also offers special services. Rohr works with her customers to create the ultimate lingerie-buying experience. Giving a gift? Have it delivered with flowers or a catered dinner.
Robin Bryan Culver is yet another local lingerie entrepreneur who sells her lacy wares via the Internet. The long-time owner of a plumbing, heating and waterproofing business, Culver came to her new trade in 2002 after she and her daughter, KC, got tired of searching for matching bras and panties that fit. The two are classic entrepreneurs: They had a need and found a way to fill it.
After a little bit of research and a trial run on eBay, Aboutcurves.com was born. Here, plus-size women can find lingerie to flatter and fit — and make them feel fabulous.
And, as it ’tis the season, brides-to-be take note: Bryan Culver’s white stretch baby-doll teddy is a massive seller this time of year. All shoppers are invited to log on and create a wish list to keep track of all that they desire. (Make sure your sweetie sees it, too.)
Where do ladies who lunch go to find bras that fit and silky nighties that slink? To Bare Necessities at Greenspring Station in Lutherville. Here sister co-owners Lynn Fram and Mindi Leikin offer luxury lines such as Natori, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Cosabella and the ever-popular Hanky Panky. Bare Necessities is worth a visit just to have the shop’s experts fit you for a bra. Though it’s hard to know where the statistic comes from, 85 percent of us are supposed to be wearing the wrong-sized brassiere. The staff at Bare Necessities can fix that: They know just how to find a bra that won’t tug, stick, sag or pull. We also love the comprehensive selection of Spanx pantyhose and control garments. What gal won’t look her best with all parts and pieces under perfect control?
Bare Necessities is located at 10751 Falls Road and is open Monday through Friday 10-6 and Saturday 10-5. Closed Sunday.
