Holiday Hours

It may not be a white Christmas here in California, but it certainly feels like it should be! At just 40 degrees Fahrenheit, Fourth Street is teeming with bundled up patrons sporting scarves, gloves and hats. But never fear! A La Folie has the heater on full blast, so come on in and join us and all of Fourth Street for extended holiday hours!


Throughout December, A La Folie will be open from 11am til 7pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Regular store hours are in place Sundays through Wednesdays, but the store will be open late on the 21st through the 23rd for all you last minute shoppers!

As if you needed yet another reason to visit Fourth Street during the holidays (besides the stunning evening light displays, Santa's cottage and that special winter je-ne-sais-quoi), Chocolatier Blue is giving away free cups of cider and hot chocolate to shoppers throughout December!

For more information about goings-on down on Fourth Street, check out the street's official website!

Oh-So-S'Huit to Celebrate With You!

Sugar cookies, egg nog, cider and champagne cocktails aren't the only sweet treats popping up this holiday season! Join us in celebrating three sweet years of A La Folie on 4th Street, filled with lingerie, laughs and libation, not to mention mouth-watering underthings from quintessential French brand, Huit!

Let our Huit-swathed models give you holiday gift ideas, or sneak a peek at what's to come for Spring!

The party is from 11 am - 6 pm on Saturday, December 5th. Fashion shows are at 1 pm & 3 pm.

Satisfy your sweet tooth! For every $100 you spend, A La Folie will enter you for a chance to win a delicious Huit lingerie set!

Enjoy treats and music courtesy of DJ Cecil, and help us celebrate an anniversary that is truly S'Huit for us!

A La Folie is located at 1816 Fourth Street between Hearst Avenue and Delaware Street (click here for Google map) in Berkeley. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Fa-la-la-la-la-la-Lejaby!

Think it's a little early for a holiday-related post? Think again!


One of my favorite blogs, The Consumerist, routinely covers a phenomenon called "Christmas Creep", in which retailers (mostly big box) break out the tinsel, Christmas tunes and animatronic Santa Clauses months and months before the big day. Instead of sweltering in the summer sun, you can swing over to your favorite air conditioned mega mart for mega deals on ornaments, candy canes and Christmas lights... in August! So trust me, I'm not taking it that far when I post about the perfect holiday gift in mid-November... and this one can't wait.

We just received our first shipment from one of our favorite va-va-voom lines, Lejaby, and it's definitely something worth caroling about. As a line, Lejaby expertly bridges fun and function. Their bras are absolute masterpieces, with the little details that lingerie aficionados drool over. The collection is called La Garconne (the French word "garcon" means "boy") and uses elements of men's fashion, like pinstripes and clean lines, to give a refined flair to a truly beautiful lingerie that exhibits just a hint of cheekiness.

The La Garconne balconnet bra makes the ideal gift for the holidays, even if it's just for yourself! The sleek molded cups are covered with a deliciously smooth satin stripe tulle and Chantilly-style lace. Even sweeter, the whole package is finished off with a delicate bow embellished with crystals.

Lejaby's La Garconne balconnet

Mes belles, pair the La Garconne balconnet with either the boxer or Brazilian brief and there's no doubt that you'll be the perfect holiday treat!

The Garconne Boxer is sweet and sassy.

Be cheeky with the La Garconne Brazilian Brief!

In addition to the La Garconne balconnets and bottoms, from the same collection we also received a lovely cami with built-in bra-like support. It's a dream, just modest enough to wear under a blazer with jeans, and just sassy enough to move the holiday party back to your place!

So deck your halls with with La Garconne this holiday season, or gift it to someone you love. It's a present that will turn heads, and that NEVER goes out of style!

(Plus, the icing on your Christmas cookie: For every Lejaby purchase you make, you'll get a free Lejaby lingerie bag! Make sure to ask for it at the register!)

One, Two, FREE! Featuring fleur't Loungewear and Benefit Cosmetics!

Triple creme cheese, The Three Musketeers, three wishes...
There's no denying that good things come in threes!
And at A La Folie, voila three more things to be excited about...

1. Beauty consultations with Benefit Cosmetics expert, Amanda!
2. Treats, sweets, tunes, good times!
3. The ultimate deal: Buy two of our delightful fleur't boy shorts and get the third pair free, plus enjoy discounts on our lovely lingerie storewide!

Join us on Saturday, November 7th from 11am - 6pm
for a day of beauty, fun and unbelievable bargains.

Call us to make an appointment with Amanda.
Beauty consultation fee is $30, applicable to your cosmetics purchase.
Receive a gift with a three item purchase of Benefit Cosmetics products.

See you there!

Jenna Leigh is the Lovely New Girl on the Block

As a girl with a lot up top, I can say that there are lots of reasons to embrace a bigger chest. Today, I will do nothing of the sort, because this post concerns girls A - D: my new archenemies. You want an explanation for my hostility, you say? You ladies have all the luck, as evidenced by our newest arrival: sumptuous offerings from Jenna Leigh.

While I love everything at A La Folie, there have been a few shining stars that have caught my eye. These bras are works of art, truly lovely specimens that turn people like me green with envy.

Jenna Leigh's Elle Balconnet and Hipster

Take, for example, the Elle balconnet. Truly well-constructed longline bras really only come by once in a blue moon and this specimen fits the bill. It's built in sturdy satin and powermesh with a lovely chiffon trim. The band is fully boned and the bra operates as either a regular balconnet, criss-cross or strapless. The Elle collection also features a hipster brief that is to die for!

Jenna Leigh's Notting Hill Camisole and Thong

In the mood for something a little less structured? Jenna Leigh's Notting Hill line is the perfect combination of sassiness and comfort. Each piece in the line (including a bralette, camisole, thong and boyshort) is made from an impossibly soft modal/milk cotton rib knit, with a lovely flourish of ashy purple lace. The Notting Hill collection makes a perfect gift for that special someone, or just a special treat for yourself.

Jenna Leigh's pieces are a must-see, and when matched with a sexy pair of Cervin stockings... the sensual possibilities are endless!

Spanx You Very Much

I am a curvy girl. If there is one certainty in my life, it is the fact that I have hips. And given the comments I get on the street from frighteningly astute drifters, I assume that just about everyone I encounter knows it too. I not only have hips, but I have a derriere. And not a small derriere either. My bottom is so prominent that I have trouble fitting into jeans fabricated for "normal" women, and have a few tried and true brands I've pledged my undying devotion to. Jeans can be difficult, but dresses can be even worse. Nothing drives a dagger through my heart more than putting on a sheath dress only to discover that my thunder thighs are the main attraction.

I'm lucky. I actually like my shape, but sometimes it needs help. I'm fallible. I don't go to the gym enough and I like wine and chocolate more than is normal or reasonable. Hence, I'm curvy, but I'm not firm. I "move" when I walk. I will embarrass myself no further by describing the scope of this "movement", but suffice it to say my body can not be trusted to make some things look good.

That's where Spanx comes in. Laugh at the name if you will, but Spanx has become the holy grail of smoothness that every woman has been searching for. Go ahead and grab that extra doughnut... Spanx products are the workout you wanted to do this morning, and they do a great job of masking any imperfections! And don't think Spanx are only for girls with a little more around the middle, the back or the rack... even itsy bitsy Hollywood starlets swear by them!

Katie Holmes

Eva Longoria

See? Even LA's most poised and perfect wear Spanx, and with the holidays approaching, there's no better time to join the ranks of devoted Spanx fans! We have a variety of offerings from Midthigh Bodysuits ($72 in beige and black) to Midthigh Shape Suits ($98 in beige and black) and gently shaping Criss Cross Camis ($45 in beige and black).

Spanx' Criss Cross Cami and Mid-Thigh Shape Suit

Even more exciting, we received Spanx' Convertible Leggings, which are gently bodyshaping and fully opaque, the icing on the cake for your fall wardrobe. The Leggings are $28 and come in black, violet, charcoal and bittersweet.

Spanx' Convertible Leggings

Shaping, comfort, AND fashion-forward style? Spanx you very much!

PJ Harlow is Here!

Even though I have one of the most preposterous lingerie collections in the San Francisco Bay Area I will admit that when I'm lazing around at home, sometimes (OK, most of the time) I prefer a good pair of cozy pajama pants to a lacy chemise. I'm a sucker for comfort. My husband just last year made me throw out a pair of pajama pants I got from Victoria's Secret in 7th grade. (I'm now 26. You do the math.) I relented. He insisted. "They're gross!" he said. "They're comfortable!" I said. I finally gave in, mostly due to the horrified look he mustered whenever I put them on. Having my favorite person in the world glare at me in disgust is generally a deal breaker. I threw the pants in the trash, and have finally, a year later, moved on. Despite the constant desire to dress as sexy as possible, we all have those evenings where it's extra nice to bundle up in some ultra soft PJs instead of our lacy intimates, and until now it's been a struggle to find brands that bridge the gap between cozy and sexy when it comes to loungewear.

That's where PJ Harlow comes in. Before you even see their collections, their name suggests the perfect bridge of comfort (PJ -- pajamas) and sensuality (Harlow -- reminiscent of movie icon Jean Harlow).

PJ Harlow's Josie Robe

Their loungewear is undeniably comfortable, sweet and sassy. From mid-length (hooded!) robes to long satin pajama pants, PJ Harlow has it all. Each piece is durable and built to last, yet made of luxurious satin and extra soft knit. Never again will you have to give up comfort for beauty or beauty for comfort. Now you can have both! And there's one more adjective to add to the mix: easy. PJ Harlow's loungewear is entirely machine washable. Their prices are fantastic too, with the Josie Hooded Robe at $92, the Mike Satin Boxer Shorts at $51, the Jolie Satin Pants at $74 and the Charlie Racerback Tank at $46.

PJ Harlow's Mike Satin Boxer Short & Jolie Satin Pant

Swing by to check out the new collection, which just arrived in pink and teal. Their loungewear pieces will be arriving in black in early November.