If the Divine Dita does it, why can’t we share in the fun?
Whether in the name of cardio, old-fashioned glamour, or the pure fun of wearing pasties, striptease has become less Showgirls and more couture. Dita von Teese, high priestess of the movement, is such a high-fashion darling that Jean Paul Gaultier and John Galliano clamour to dress her. You’d think this was ironic given that her trade focuses on undressing, but burlesque is very much about what you wear and how you take it off.
Not all women are keen to perform onstage – most of us just want to adapt our own bedroom repertoire into something slightly more glamorous.
Not all women are keen to perform onstage – most of us just want to adapt our own bedroom repertoire into something slightly more glamorous.
image via pinterest
So here’s your answer: a guide to the lessons of burlesque, and what they can teach you about ‘performing’ for your partner.
Burlesque means being comfortable with your body. Sure, everybody’s fantasised about giving or receiving a striptease at one point, but the reality falls apart quickly if you’re self-conscious, apologetic, or struggling to keep your ‘wobbly’ bits out of sight as you shed layers. Repeat: You’re gorgeous. You know it. You want to show it.
Do your research. Go look at Gypsy Rose Lee, videos of Dita’s performances – even the famous scene in Gilda where Rita Hayworth sets a room alight merely by removing her arm-length glove.
In the vein of Rita Hayworth – less is sometimes more, and not in the obvious sense. A man I knew once fell hopelessly in lust with a woman whom he saw slowly, languorously taking off a necklace in a hotel bar. Just a little bit at a time drives spectators wild.
Have fun. You’re revealing the most vulnerable parts of yourself, and you don’t have to be dead-on, sex-kitten earnest about it. If Dita makes her routines a little bit silly and sweet, so can you.
Make every layer something to see. Sure, the outer costume can be something less interesting – a business suit which reveals something far hotter is a classic fantasy – but every step has to captivate, by what it shows or what it hides.
Elaborate under-things – corsets, buckled stockings, laced bustiers, complex bras – are fantastic, in that you can reveal only a little bit at a time. You can even invite audience participation if you want a little aid. However, always practise beforehand – don’t get stuck halfway through.
Music is not absolutely necessary. No matter how loudly you have ‘You Can Leave Your Hat On’ playing in your head, sometimes just the brush and ruffle of falling clothing is plenty.
Take some classes, if you’d like to improve your stamina and get ideas for positions and moves. After the boom prompted by Carmen Electra’s striptease cardio lessons, most local gyms these days offer something striptease or pole-related.
Set the scene, and give mysterious forewarning that you have ‘a surprise’. Avoid glaring lighting, candles (dangerous if you’re removing clothing), and times when you might get interrupted.
Relax, and enjoy. Take it from me, this will be a night to remember.
Lady Friday xx
Taking the pillow talk out of the bedroom, every Friday
Do your research. Go look at Gypsy Rose Lee, videos of Dita’s performances – even the famous scene in Gilda where Rita Hayworth sets a room alight merely by removing her arm-length glove.
In the vein of Rita Hayworth – less is sometimes more, and not in the obvious sense. A man I knew once fell hopelessly in lust with a woman whom he saw slowly, languorously taking off a necklace in a hotel bar. Just a little bit at a time drives spectators wild.
Have fun. You’re revealing the most vulnerable parts of yourself, and you don’t have to be dead-on, sex-kitten earnest about it. If Dita makes her routines a little bit silly and sweet, so can you.
Make every layer something to see. Sure, the outer costume can be something less interesting – a business suit which reveals something far hotter is a classic fantasy – but every step has to captivate, by what it shows or what it hides.
Elaborate under-things – corsets, buckled stockings, laced bustiers, complex bras – are fantastic, in that you can reveal only a little bit at a time. You can even invite audience participation if you want a little aid. However, always practise beforehand – don’t get stuck halfway through.
Music is not absolutely necessary. No matter how loudly you have ‘You Can Leave Your Hat On’ playing in your head, sometimes just the brush and ruffle of falling clothing is plenty.
Take some classes, if you’d like to improve your stamina and get ideas for positions and moves. After the boom prompted by Carmen Electra’s striptease cardio lessons, most local gyms these days offer something striptease or pole-related.
Set the scene, and give mysterious forewarning that you have ‘a surprise’. Avoid glaring lighting, candles (dangerous if you’re removing clothing), and times when you might get interrupted.
Relax, and enjoy. Take it from me, this will be a night to remember.
Lady Friday xx
Taking the pillow talk out of the bedroom, every Friday
