Interview with Michelle Athanasiades, Dollhouse Bettie

Michelle Athanasiades, 42, owner of Dollhouse Bettie, a vintage lingerie store in San Francisco and on the Internet at DollhouseBettie.com, took a few minutes from her busy schedule to chat with LoveToKnow Lingerie about her store, her success and why vintage lingerie is such a huge hit today.

Getting Started

How and when did you get started in the lingerie business?

"I started my business in January 2004. I was working on a masters degree in music at the time, and during winter holiday I went on a mission to get rid of old costumes and extra things I'd accumulated during 15 years of performing. I started auctioning on eBay and in about three weeks, decided I didn't want to continue with school.

"I dropped all my classes and began selling online full-time. Many of my own personal items that I started selling were vintage costumes, and I realized that it could be a great niche market. I started buying vintage for resale, and in March 2004, I sourced a very large collection of deadstock girdles in New York. That was the beginning of Dollhouse Vintage, my eBay store, which I operated from 2004 till summer of 2007."

From where did the name Dollhouse Bettie come?

"The name "Dollhouse Bettie" came in March of 2007 when my partner Eric and I decided to open a brick and mortar store. I knew we would have more than just vintage lingerie, so Dollhouse Vintage seemed too limiting, but i wanted to keep part of the name. To me, the 1930s and 1940s era was always the most alluring, and Bettie Grable was always the quintessential pin-up girl. Dollhouse Bettie is an homage to the amazing glamour girls of that time."

What made you decide to focus on vintage and retro lingerie, as well as designer and classic?

"When I had Dollhouse Vintage I only sold vintage because the online store was fairly small by comparison, and vintage lingerie is definitely an online niche market. But once we opened Dollhouse Bettie, I knew we would have to expand with more items. It just isn't possible to fill a whole store with vintage lingerie! I wish there were more of it around, but the good stuff gets harder and harder to find.

"The choice to include classic and designer styles seemed obvious, and as long as an item has a fun or glamorous aesthetic, it fits the shop. I generally only choose items that I like, so if you like my taste then you'll enjoy what we offer. I also think that it helps customers know they can rely on our choices; that each time they visit they'll find something new they love. Whether it's new or vintage, it fits their style."

Wearing Vintage and Retro Lingerie Today

Dollhouse Bettie sells vintage, classic and modern lingerie.

How do you think vintage and retro intimate apparel fit into a modern woman's lingerie wardrobe?

"Honestly, that depends on the woman. There are rare die-hard fanatics who will only wear vintage, but they are few and far between. Many of our customers come to us for wardrobe for pin-up photo shoots, burlesque, and theater/film costuming, so there are always performers looking for that fantastic rare jewel. I think the average, modern woman's approach to fashion in general is much less rigid than it was even a generation ago, and I see that translating to lingerie as well.

"A modern woman who has staples like basic nude t-shirt bras will also have a couple of gorgeous vintage slips, maybe a vintage silk nightgown or dressing gown, a bed jacket that she might wear as a bolero jacket with dresses or jeans... it's really about mixing it up. One of our regulars buys vintage silk nightgowns and shortens them to wear as dresses. They are so incredibly romantic, it's a shame to hide them in the bedroom!"

How do today's lingerie items differ from those of years gone by?

"Differences first depend on quality and price. If you're looking at a beautifully executed silk bias cut gown, there isn't necessarily a huge difference in a fine garment made today and one made 70 years ago. You'll often find similar construction methods like French seams or hand finished hemlines in both.

Bras of today certainly are quite different in that the technology used to make them is about as far from traditional tailoring as you can get. Molded cup bras are heat-sealed to their fabric cover using a steel press that forms the foam into the shape of a breast. Softness has always been a goal regardless of era. In the 1920s and 1930s, you had gorgeous silks, and in the 1950s and 1960s, featherweight nylon tricot was the mode. Today you have fabrics like Modal and bamboo that are incredibly soft, but don't give you sheerness of nylon or the glamour of a silk satin weave."

Dollhouse Bettie's Offerings

What kind of garments do you sell?

"Our shop is a mix of both authentic vintage and new merchandise. Of course we have bra and panty sets, sleepwear, loungewear, boudoir sets, bustier, girdles and foundations, garter belts, steel-boned corsets, hosiery, the list goes on! In vintage we have full- and half-slips, flapper bras, deadstock panties, garters, girdles, bras, vintage deadstock hosiery, cami-knickers, nightgowns, peignoir, dressing gowns and accessories. We have fun and frilly things like feather hair clips, lace gloves, cocktail hats, feather boas, boudoir slippers and little necessities that add a glamorous touch.

What are your best sellers?

"We can barely keep waist cinchers in stock! They are hugely popular because they are so incredibly versatile both as a seductive boudoir piece and as a functional waist-slimming foundation under your clothing. Vintage slips are always in high demand, and the Satin Doll bra and panty set from Mary Green is always a hit in black lace and silk."

More Than Just Lingerie

Variety is key here.

What is Dollhouse Weekly?

"Dollhouse Weekly is a weekly e-mail that goes out to our mailing list highlighting new items, special sales, discount coupons, or member-only, in-store specials."

Tell me about Adventures in Pantieland. I take it it's your blog? What's it about?

"Adventures in Pantieland is about what's going on at the store, what I'm working on, travels to shows for buying trips, product development, new items, and generally what I'm up to that week."

Tell me about the boudoir photography service you offer? How did you get started in that?

"The boudoir photography developed out of requests from customers who had seen my photos on the web site. I've always loved using live models, and photography has turned into something I really enjoy doing. I have a dedicated studio filled with beautiful period furniture and accessories. It's hard to not feel like a princess when you're in that room! I love being able to offer women who aren't professional models an opportunity to be glamorous, and to capture that essence for them in a beautiful image."

Is there anything else you'd like to share with me about Dollhouse Bettie?

"I love designing and am always making something new; you can check the blog to see entries about the gingham apron garter belt and bra set. This week, I'm obsessed with lace gloves and have been working on a couple of different styles for fall. We're working on launching a full line of lingerie under our store brand. I hope to have it in store starting spring of 2009."

For More Information

For those living or shopping in San Francisco, Dollhouse Bettie is located right in the heart of the Haight Ashbury shopping district at 1641 Haight Street. The store is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. While phone orders are not accepted, customers can call the store for information only at (415) 252-7399. Or you can e-mail the store at contact {at} dollhousebettie dot com. Information on specific lingerie items can only be done via e-mail.