WITH A CAREFULLY CURATED COLLECTION OF LINGERIE AND A SALES team that has mastered the fine art of perfect bra fitting, Laura Skewes is taking Bits of Lace Fine Lingerie—a Mount Pleasant retail establishment with a 49-year pedigree—and making it her own.
When she purchased the store in 2022 from the previous owner, Ruth Brennan, Skewes decided the first thing to tackle was revamping the website—and tackling it she did with a complete makeover that now features eye-catching snapshots at every turn of the electronic page.
“I started working for Ruth in 2017 as a bra fit specialist, and in 2022, I proudly became the third-generation owner. Today, we consider ourselves a ‘destination shop.’ When women need bras, they know who to come to for the best fit possible,” says Skewes.
Imbued with a sensitivity of the personal nature of her work, Skewes realized she loved the job and never wanted to do anything else. “The most rewarding thing about what I do is that moment—the moment a woman feels confident and beautiful in her own skin while she’s looking in a mirror. It’s undeniably empowering,” says Skewes.
According to Skewes, first-time Bits of Lace customers have been wearing the wrong size bra for years or their entire life. Women who have never been properly fitted for bras come in hating bras and the way they look and feel in them. “But once I start fitting them and put them in the correct size and style, their entire demeanor and body language changes. I watch as their confidence grows; they feel so much better than when they came in, and it shows,” she says.
According to Skewes, it starts with the band size—30, 32, 34, 36, etc. “Eighty to 90% of your lift and support comes from your band alone, not your straps or your cups, but your band. Once you get the correct band size, the cup size falls into place, and lastly, what style of bra would fit best,” Skewes notes.
She contends that if any part of a lingerie item is off, it can affect the entire look and feel. Equally important, she says, is having bra fit specialists who are professionally trained in the art of bra fitting. They should also be personable, thoughtful and, most importantly, naturally helpful, understanding and nonjudgmental.
Skewes maintains that women in the United States have been steered in the wrong direction and consistently given misinformation about lingerie since the 1990s. She says it’s part of her job to change that—and, in doing so, create customers for life.
On the extremely rare occasion that Bits of Lace can’t accommodate a patron, Skewes will help the customer find what she needs. “While I strive to carry every bra size and style available to me that meets our standards, if I don’t have the right bra in stock, and none of our brands carry what a particular customer needs, I personally research other brands to find that item and make that information accessible to them,” she says. “The last thing I want to see is a woman settling for a bra that doesn’t fit, or worse, leaving the store feeling defeated.”
Bits of Lace has had three owners since it was opened by Margaret Bobo in 1976 in Downtown Charleston. Ruth Brennan bought the store in 1999 while it was at its King Street location. Today, Bits of Lace is located in Mount Pleasant, but patrons often travel from surrounding areas—and even across the Southeast—when visiting Charleston. Once they step inside and revel in the beautifully appointed, refined setting, they’re very likely to return.
“We’re a store for women first and foremost; meaning, we’re a place where women can come and be themselves and be catered to. We are a woman-owned business that’s run by women and a place for every woman,” Skewes says.
The seasoned staff pride themselves on staying current on all the trends for lingerie by traveling to New York City shows several times a year and reading industry publications such as Intima magazine.
Skewes says current trends in lingerie, including pajamas, feature vibrant colors such as coral, deep blue, various shades of green and paintbrush florals. Other popular styles include delicate eyelash lace, kimono robes and intimates worn as outerwear. “Think crepe silk with a matching color bra that shows through just the slightest,” she says.
Bits of Lace pulls out all the stops for its bridal parties—complete with sparkling wine and sweet treats. “We really try and make it a special occasion for them. We have an entire bridal section in the store, and it makes sense because Charleston is one of the top wedding destinations in the country,” she says.
The brightly appointed shop is about 1,900 square feet with the sales floor comprising most of the space. “We are tiny, but we are mighty,” says Skewes, who is very savvy about what and how much inventory she keeps in stock.
Bits of Lace has three private fitting rooms and often hosts events for 15 to 20 customers. During busier seasons—particularly March through June, known as “bra fit season” at the store—bra fit specialists may juggle five or six customers at once.
Bits of Lace does welcome men to the store. “We do get a lot of couples who come in. Usually, the man has a seat and often encourages his wife to buy a bra she likes in every color it comes in—because he’s never seen her like a bra so much. Sometimes they come in to buy their wife a gift card for the holidays or just because he feels she needs a little pampering. We love to see men come into the shop—we are very welcoming and specially trained to assist them in finding that perfect gift,” says Skewes.
Down to earth with an infectious, upbeat personality, Skewes doesn’t adhere to the pushy sales persona. In fact, she doesn’t allow it. “There are five of us who work at the shop, and four of us are professionally trained bra fit specialists with a combined 30 years of experience,” she says. “We are not here to push items onto customers. My employees honestly want to help their customers and are genuine about their approach. They’re very well educated in everything from the types of lace used by our brands and why to why certain styles of bras offer different types of support. While assisting a customer, we make an honest effort to share this knowledge as we guide them through a fitting.”
According to Skewes, the key to the company’s success is providing lingerie that is designed and crafted by companies that take fit into account. For the past 10 years, bras have been the best-selling item at the shop. Skewes notes that the store’s top seller is the Marie Jo Tom heart-shaped bra, made by the Belgian company Van de Velde, which also owns Primadonna and Sarda—brands that are also featured at Bits of Lace.
Actively involved in the local community, Bits of Lace donates to a host of local and statewide charities for auctions and events that support women and children, local schools and animal shelters.
For Skewes, the best compliment she receives is from women who discover she owns Bits of Lace and share the fantastic experience they’ve had at the shop. “That really is the best feeling,” she says. “It makes my day to know that my shop offered a one-of-a-kind experience.” *
Ellen Uribe is an award-winning journalist and a communications expert. She is a sought-after speaker, participating as a moderator and panelist at numerous industry events, conferences and broadcast outlets. She has contributed to Vanity Fair, Palm Beach Life, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Women’s Wear Daily and Time Magazine.
