Don't worry, we're still alive!

Whoops-a-daisy!  I somewhat forgot this blog existed...with all of the social media to keep track of these days, some things get lost in the shuffle.  I'm still updating on other platforms, so check them out if you want to know what we're up to!

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Spring 2013 Collection

Love Always,
Stephanie

Dottie's Delights Tradeshow Debut!

We are so beyond thrilled to be making our market debut at The Lingerie Journal's Designer Showcase this February in New York!  A new player in the tradeshow scene going strong in its second season, the Designer Showcase is specifically catering to the small and independent lingerie designers with a personalized and intimate experience!  We have a beautiful suite at the AKA hotel to present our A/W12 unveiling (and let me be the first to promise you, this season is a STUNNER), along with a full house of other wonderful gems such as Toad Lillie, Good Night Gilda, Ann Vogue, Clare Bare, Ombrato and Priscilla Jade!  We promise to have comfy lounge seating area, girlie cocktails, and enough luxury underpinnings to melt even the most stubborn heart!  There is even a special evening workshop presentation in the works for a limited number of attendees with a fantastic panel of experts and model showcase!  All boutique buyers, press, stylists, etc. are encouraged to make appointments by following this link: http://lingeriedesignershowcase.com/dotties-delights/ or http://lingeriedesignershowcase.com/attendee-registration/


The Lingerie Designer Showcase runs from Feb. 21-23rd, conveniently coinciding with Curve NY.  Those with a packed itenerary are also free to schedule a private viewing with me directly by contacting dottiesdelights@gmail.com.   <3

Runway Photos!

As the press coverage comes trickling in, we wanted to share with you some of our favorite shots of the runway.  What a magical affair...we took over Millennium Park in downtown Chicago with fashionable glamour, showcasing 6 looks from our upcoming Spring 2012 collection, Magic Garden. The show included 15 designers in all, each a particpant of the Chicago Fashion Incubator, and was presented by Macy's and Chicago Social Magazine, with models from Ford Model Management and live musical accompaniment plus amazing violinist who at times walked the runway herself while playing.  We were also pleasantly surprised to have the lovely (and very dapper dressed) actor Billy Zane in attendance!  Please enjoy:

photo: Chuan D. Vo for chicagoshopping.com

photo: Time Out Chicago

photo: NBC Chicago

photo: Chicago Sun Times

photo: Chicago Scene magazine

photo: Now You Know events

photo: Racked Chicago

photo: Chicago Scene magazine

photo: Now You Know events

photo: Racked Chicago

photo: Chuan D. Vo for chicagoshopping.com

photo: Time Out Chicago

photo: Chicago Scene magazine

photo: Now You Know events

photo: Chicago Sun Times

photo: Chicago Scene magazine

photo: Chicago Scene magazine

photo: Chuan D. Vo for chicagoshopping.com

photo: Now You Know events 

photo: Chicago Scene magazine

photo: NBC Chicago

photo: Chicago Sun Times

photo: Chicago Scene magazine

photo: Time Out Chicago

Billy Dec & Billy Zane.  Photo: Chicago Sun Times

Thank you so much to everyone for their hard work and amazing talent in making this show a success! We would love to hear your comments about what you think of these newest pieces!  <3

XOXO.

Fashion Focus!

My goodness, I think we are about due for a blog update, no?  It is always busy over here in the lacy confines of Dottie's Delights headquarters, but this month of October is just unprecedented.  But, in a good way, so I am certainly not complaining.  ;)  Wholesale orders, custom orders, special photo shoots, fashion shows, oh my!

Thus, I must be getting back to it, but I just wanted to make sure everyone has purchased their tickets to our fabulous runway presentation at Millennium Park in downtown Chicago for this Tuesday.  We will be kicking off Fashion Focus, which is a weeklong celebration of the thriving local fashion industry in our fair city, and we will have some very special guest and surprises (gosh, I wish I could share them all!)  This will be the first in-person look at our Spring 2012 offerings and I just can't wait.

It will be a grand affair you definitely do not want to miss.  See you there!

Girlie Fun at Indie Wed's Summer Soiree

Hello lovely Dottie’s fans! Intern Jennifer here to tell you about our latest fabulous event! 

We had the joy of participating in the Indie Wed bridal expo last week. We loved meeting all of your pretty faces; thank you to everyone who came! There were models and music and sweet treats galore! Two of our own lovely pinup gals walked the event in Dottie’s lingerie and chatted with brides-to-be. 

The event was held at the Aérée Loft at Room 1520 and there were so many wonderful vendors. We were in the elegant Bridal Salon and our room alone featured Truffle Truffle, Mojuba, and Head2Toe Mobile Spa!

Dottie's Delights pinup gals Erika Blair (left) and Michelle Lynn Shick (right) pose with the glamorous Vavoom owner & photographer, Heather Stumpf (center)

We were also lucky enough to be right next to Vavoom Pinups and we all had a blast! We adore those gals and their fabulous pinup work; you should definitely check them out!

Bubbly Dottie's pinup gals Erika Blair and Michelle Lynn were the life of the party!

Find more info about this year’s fabulous Indie Wed event at any of these wonderful sites. 
We're keeping busy here at Dottie's Delights so stay tuned for more summer fun and photos!


-xoxo

Vaudeville Villains: The Real Murderesses of Chicago

Hello lovelies! Dottie’s intern, Jennifer, here! At Dottie’s Delights we usually focus on mid-century design but we are really full vintage lovers at heart. Recently, we have been positively titillated with Jazz-age hometown Chicago and we would love to share some fascinating tidbits with you.

Many of you have seen the 2002 musical film Chicago starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, and Richard Gere (if you haven’t you definitely should). Or maybe you’ve seen the Broadway musical of the same name. The story centers around the trials of two spotlight-loving, jazz-hand-waving murderesses who found themselves imprisoned in the Cook County jail in the 1920s. 

The show is a non-stop spectacle full of infectious song and dance numbers and dozens of  fabulous costume changes. The whole production is simply loaded with attitude and sex-appeal. And that’s where the true story comes into play. All of this sex appeal was inspired by two very real 1920s Chicagoans. Oh yes, the characters of Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart were based on the true life stories of Belva Gaertner and Beulah Annan. Written by Maurine Watkins, the story and characters are derived from her experiences as a young reporter for the Chicago Tribune. Belva Gaertner herself even came to see the show when it opened in 1927. 

Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma Kelly and Renee Zellweger as Roxie Hart.

The real Belva Gaertner and Beulah Annan.

 Belva Gaertner, the inspiration for Velma Kelly, was a three time divorced cabaret singer who performed under the stage name Belle Brown. In 1924 Belva shot and killed Walter Law, her lover, in the front seat of her car. The police found blood-soaked clothes at her apartment but Belva claimed she was drunk and didn’t remember what had happened. She even told Maurine Watkins “Gin and guns – either one is bad enough, but together they get you in a dickens of a mess, don’t they?” Her lawyer got her acquitted by claiming that Law might have killed himself with the gun. And so Belva was free to grace the stage again.

Beulah Annan, the real woman behind Roxie Hart, was born and raised in Kentucky then moved to Chicago with her car mechanic husband Al Annan. Al found a job and Beulah found a lover. Her affair with Harry Kalstedt ended tragically one night when, after a heated argument, she shot him in the back. She is then said to have sat drinking cocktails and listening to “Hula Lou” on a loop for several hours until Al came home. Beulah changed her story numerous times, first confessing to the murder, then claiming self defense. Her husband stood by her, paying for the best lawyer possible. Upon her acquittal, she rewarded his loyalty by leaving him. 

Velma and Roxie stealing the show

 Belva and Beulah were America’s first real celebrity criminals with their names and photos all over the press. These villainous vixens were acquitted largely because of their public appeal and the mass amounts of corruption of the times. Not all of the film is true.  Contrary to the character of Roxie Hart, Beulah never became a vaudeville star (she did, however, feign pregnancy during her trial to gain sympathy from the jury). Belva never killed her sister as Velma did in the film. We don’t even know if the two women ever met each other! And something tells me the real Cook County jail didn’t offer so many costume changes for poor Belva and Beulah. But these ladies really were some lucky free wheelin’ flappers and the dark glamour of their stories lends itself perfectly to the vaudeville stage in the gritty music halls and speakeasies of the day. 

Most importantly, these ladies were the fearless faces of a new generation. “In the 1920s, a new woman was born.  She smoked, drank, danced, and voted.  She cut her hair, wore make-up, and went to petting parties.  She was giddy and took risks.  She was a flapper” (Jennifer Rosenberg) 

So let’s pay tribute to Belva and Beulah. Put on your sassiest threads and go crazy! Just don’t let the gin go to your head.

 Want more?  Read all the salacious details of this true story in The Girls of Murder City: Fame, Lust, and the Beautiful Killers who Inspired Chicago

Photo credits: Chicago musical header from Through the Looking Glass; Chicago album cover art from Discogs; Velma Kelly from All Movie Photo; Roxie Hart from RedBankGreen; Belva Gartner and Beulah Annan from Popped Density; Velma and Roxie from A Red Lipstick.

Vitamin Water Inspired by Design Fashion Show!

Phew!  We have been super busy lately, swamped with event season!  Trunk shows, fashion shows, photo parties, Viva Las Vegas, oh my!  We not finished yet, but I had to share a few of the photos from one of the latest, a really fun fashion show event sponsored by Vitamin Water, where they invited 7 local Chicago designers to showcase 2 looks based off of a Vitamin Water flavor, and 2 pieces from our own collections.  It was such an amazingly colorful event, just in time for one of the first warm days here...a perfect way to bring in the summer attitude!  We were very honored to be able to take part and bring our own flavor of sexy summer fun!

Without further ado, photo story courtesy of FIG Media and Billy Rood!

We took over the Prarie Production building for the event, complete with Vitamin Water lined runway:

Delicious Vitamin Water mixed drinks and cocktails, courtesy of Three Olives Vodka:

And adorable mini cupcakes from Swirlz:

While guests mingled & enjoyed these delights, 

we were in the midst of backstage prep & chaos:

 

last minute sewing is so frustrating!

So, the two flavors I was inspired by were Glow and XXX:

       

Glow inspired sparkle set (corset, halter bra, girdle skirt)

 

XXX inspired corsolette full shaper dress

And from the real collections, I chose a new bridal set (I wish you could see all of the detail in the English netting lace!)

And a piece from the Spring/Summer Lily Collection, with the new, revamped bra (available now!)

me.

final walkthrough

 

Yay!  All the happy designers! (From R to L: Ashley Zygmunt of Zamrie, Jess Audey of Audey, Stephanie Kuhr of Dottie's Delights, Miriam Cecilia Carlson of Miriam Cecilia, Agga B., Lidia Wachowska of Evil Kitty, Anna Hovet)

Stay tuned for more photo recaps and exciting announcements as we press on!  <3