Open Everyday Through December 23!

• Open Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.
• Starting Monday, December 17th through Friday open until 7 p.m.

I often wish I could do something else. I wish I could make music. I wish I could be a doctor or a nurse. I wish I had a head for numbers or scientific theories.

I spent a lot of life trying to do “something important”. Now I’ve realized, you can only do what is in you. And what is in me is a love for people and pretty things. I also love the human body. It can stop me in my tracks everytime I think about my heart and how it beats again and again and I don’t have to do anything. That’s amazing. And. I have a love for philosophy and world religions that are mixed in there too. I thought of going to seminary for a bit.

Through all kinds of twists and turns, I own a lingerie shop in Des Moines, Iowa where I have gotten to meet all of you. Hear about your weddings, your loves, and even your broken hearts. I’ve learned about the struggles that ALL the different and wonderful shapes of women have. I’ve been as frustrated as you when things don’t fit right. I’ve gotten to hold your sweet babies. I’ve met your mothers and sisters and daughters. I’ve toasted with you, I’ve cried with you, and sometimes I’ve missed you when I haven’t seen you. And when I think about it all I feel overwhelmingly grateful.

Our expert from Simone Perele Paris, Emily, will be here in the shop on Tuesday, July 17 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. She'll show us the fall lines, a dreamy bridal collection and just talk all things French lingerie. . .

Simone Perele is one of the most storied lines of French lingerie: "Designed for the modern woman, Simone Perele lingerie is created with passion and precision to achieve superior fit, unparalleled comfort and sophisticated styling."

You can order specific pieces or just browse. Come check out their beautiful underpinnings.

We just signed on to participate in the Amazing Wedding Race Summer Edition at Jasper Winery on Sunday, July 22nd. There is nothing quite like this event! This year's winners get $17,000 worth of wedding prizes including tuxedo rentals, venue space, catering, flowers, spa & beauty treatments, wedding photography and much, much more.

Couples will participate in multiple levels of activities and challenges to narrow the competition down during each leg of the race. There will be paper challenges like puzzles as well as physical challenges. The field will be narrowed to 25 for additional challenges and then the final five couples will face off in a cake-eating contest to determine the official winner. Anything can and most likely will happen! We can hardly wait!

At our June Trunk Show you can see the product offered by not one, not two, but THREE quality companies. In addition, we're excited to welcome an National Bra Fit Specialist to Amour. If you've ever felt like it's hard to get a good fit, stop in for a complimentary consultation. (Trust us, she has such helpful information to impart.)

• No appointments necessary
• A variety of styles: soft cup, contour cup, t-shirt
• A wide size range: 30-40 bands and D-J cups

If you wish, you can place an order for the bra of your choice or choose from the stock we will have on hand. If you shop with us already, you know that we're committed to finding you all the best options in a wide range of sizes. And, please, bring a friend, sister, neighbor, mom. We hope to see you there.

• Saturday, May 5th, 2-4 p.m. "Oils in the Bedroom" with Allyson Cheney.
  Join us for some bubbly as you sample these inspiring scents.
• Friday, May 11th and 12th, we'll be celebrating moms with iced tea & cookies.
  We will also be launching Cottage Greenhouse bath products. This extremely natural line makes a beautiful pampering gifts with a garden inspiration. Give them a try with a pretty robe and you'll have the perfect treat for mom.
• Wednesday, June 20th and Thursday, June 21st Full-bust Trunk Show.
  We will have three gorgeous styles in D-K cups. This is a GREAT event to get professionally sized for those especially hard to find sizes. You can order your preferred style and color. Keep an eye out for more information.

So many things shape our thinking and planning at Amour. Here are a handful of readings, videos, and songs that have inspired us recently. We hope they inspire you, too.

• Movie by Tom Misch - a smooth and lush song from one of our favorite artists out of the UK. Mystery and memories!

• Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee - a historical fiction account of a young British lord's romp across Europe. Funny, snarky and thoroughly modern.

• Drink I'm Sippin On by Yaeji - chill tunes from a Seoul-and-NYC based DJ. Very now.

• Murder on the Orient Express at Fleur Cinema - Agatha Christie's classic mystery stylishly updated for today. And the mustache!

• Here I Am by Al Green - Al's performance on Soul Train (with a broken arm!) smolders at first and turns into a blazing fire by the end - wow!

• Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty - A darkly hilarious novel from the author of Big Little Lies, now a HBO mini-series.

• Life is All the Negative Space Surrounding Orgasms and Belly Laughs - by Holly Wood - A rambling rant about screens, Buddhism, emptiness and turning things off to tune in better.

• Blu by Mura Masa (featuring Damon Albarn) - a slow, retro feeling tune to calm things down in the summer heat.

• The Music of Strangers - an amazing documentary showcasing Yo Yo Ma and his Silk Road Ensemble about how music can bridge cultures and make them last.

• How Art Can Make You Happy by Bridget Watson Payne - a brief handbook with tips, ideas and quotes about bringing more joy to your life with art.

• God in Chicago by Craig Finn - part story, part song -- all beautiful!

• Finally by M.I.A. - an airy, spacious tune from a normally hard-hitting artist.

• Exit West by Mohsin Hamid - what are we seeking when we immigrate and look for a better life; what do we lose?

• How Missy Elliott Became an Icon by Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah - a profile of the rap star and icon expressing how she was "going to be a superstar!" since grade school.

• Writing Advice to My Students That Would Also Have Been Good Sex Advice for My High School Boyfriend by Helena de Bres - even if you aren't a writer you'll find this list will have you rolling on the floor.

• Truth by Kamasi Washington - a lovely jazz suite and accompanying video of beauty, faces, work, space - the cosmos.

• The Forty Rules of Love: A Novel of Rumi by Elif Shafak - A fictional story of Rumi who reminds us "Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it."

• Lover Come Back by City and Colour - dancing through a rural land of fields and buildings to a song about lost love.

• This Turkish Lingerie Brand Is a Success Everywhere - Except in Turkey by Liana Satenstein - a short profile of designer Ela Onur, who designs Else Lingerie - a favorite of ours and our customers.

• Interlude (That's Love) by Chance the Rapper - I'd be lying if I said we've never sung this song at the top of our lungs to each other in our living room (to the embarrassment of our kids).

• Army by Ellie Goulding - sometimes the love you get from your best friend makes you feel stronger; this song captures that.

• Kitchens of Great Midwest: A Novel by J. Ryan Stradal - a quick and fun story showcasing the terroir of the Midwest; I'm sure you'll find your friends and family in the characters.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, we're hosting a Champagne and Strawberries Open House on February 3 from 12-5.  We will have a drawing for a $100 off a boudoir photography session with Modern Boudoir as well as a $50 gift certificate to the shop.

And if you have a shower coming up, we're happy to write down all your favorite items and sizes so those who love you can buy you something you will love (and that fits you perfectly).