Burlesque is an often overlooked art form, frequently dismissed as ‘stripping’ (which, if we’re being honest is also an art form in itself, so lets stop dismissing everything at first glance shall we?)
Whichever side of that rickety fence you’re on, there are few distinguishing features worth recognition, that might hint at the two being separate disciplines; my favourite being, of course, the costumes.
Here are ten things about burlesque costumes and the beautiful men and women that wear them.
The outfits are not ‘just a costume’.
Burlesque outfits are not just skimpy parodies of police, fire fighter or catholic schoolgirl uniforms. These kinds of outfit are synonymous with stripping’s image because, well, who doesn’t like a uniform? But they can also be found in most tacky costume stores and have unfortunately been given a bit of a bad rap. The kinds of costume I want to talk about however are the ones that provide narrative, that build a story and character.
Those costume-store-outfits act a little like those big velvet curtains you see at the theatre, dividing the main act from the spotlight and center stage. The audience anticipation is there but it doesn’t last long, because after a little drum roll, the curtain is up and all is revealed. The audience could care less about the curtain in those scenarios – they just want to see the act.
The other kinds of costume are the main act. Or at least, a huge part of it. Each item illustrates a single part of the costume’s story and entertains and amuses whilst building anticipation as they are slowly peeled off.
That is often what the striptease is all about; escalating audience excitement in time for the grand finale.
You can’t get the outfits just anywhere.
So these more extravagant outfits. Where do they come from?
You never see them in the same costume shops as the plastic handcuffs and Velcro rip-open firefighting pants. Nope.
Vintage nylon stockings, bespoke hand stitched sequined corsets, feathered head dresses worthy of an Aztec deity, these things can take a lot of work to track down.
Vintage clothing for a start can be hard to find.
Sure, you see vintage stores on every corner in certain parts of town.
But whether they have the item you’re looking for, from the right time period, and even more importantly – in the right size – is a whole other matter.
Corsetry can be the most important part of an outfit, and it’s something that can be done quite badly very easily.
Finding a good corsetiere is sometimes a struggle and buying online can sometimes result in untimely deliveries, returns and exchanges, which might be inconvenient if you have a show-time deadline.
Burlesque costuming is a skilled trade.
And what if you can’t find what you need for your outfit anywhere? Well, you’ll just have to make it yourself. And many burlesque artists do, with the fervor of a dedicated cosplayer. They learn how to sew, spend their cash on craft materials, they paint, cut, build, accidentally dye their hands, burn themselves on hot glue-guns, nick their fingers with craft knives, and then magically pull it all together in time to look absolutely fabulous.
Burlesque costumes are a glimpse into history.
Quite often, burlesque outfits are like a glimpse into history. Firstly, the art of burlesque it’s self is a very old one with a colourful past. But a lot of the costumes themselves borrow from chapters in burlesque’s history and beyond, and demonstrate cultures from around the world.
Burlesque is for pop culture geeks.
If not a look into history, burlesque performances can be like a time capsule from a more recent era, loaded with current pop-culture references. We’ve all seen that video of the recent Star Wars themed burlesque show that’s been making the rounds recently. But what about a Dobby the House Elf burlesque show, or Legend of Zelda’s Link, or Princess Peach?
There’s more to burlesque than dancing and boobies.
It’s not just about dancing and taking your clothes off. I mean, that’s a HUGE part of it. But it also comes with sideshow acts and circus tricks, and occasionally it’s hilarious. Sometimes, but not as often as you’d think, its focuses on fetishism – although fetish is usually more of an accessory to the act. And as it’s grown more popular, there have been a lot of pop culture themed acts forming.
Burlesque outfits are totally practical.
A quality you may not usually attribute to burlesque clothing is practicality. Believe it or not, functionality is key in burlesque costume items. Think about it, the item has got to be easy to take off, preferably while dancing. And if there are a few acts with costume changes, costumes need to be easy to put on quickly too. They need to look awesome, but not get in the way of your dancing or inhibit your movement in anyway. Stiff awkward dancing just isn’t all that sexy.
Burlesque outfits need to travel well too; you’re going to be performing in a location outside of your own house most of the time, so you need to be able to pack it easily and prevent it from being damaged whilst on the road or while it’s waiting for you back stage. You may even need to think about how easy it is to clean, it could get a little musty if it’s worn during a particularly vigorous burlesque sesh. It might even get outright filthy with your act involves water, glitter, fake blood or fire breathing and so on.
It’s not about what you CAN see.
Burlesque isn’t all about the amount of skin on show, but how you hide the skin.
Elegant fan dances and drawn out sexy strip teases make for excellent entertainment; the build up is often more exciting than the reveal – like shaking your Christmas presents before unwrapping them, ripping the paper off piece by piece. Rather than just being given an unwrapped gift with the price tag still on it.
Burlesque dancing is a great way to exercise.
Because of the recent boom in burlesque popularity (can we blame/thank the Cher and Christina movie?) It’s become kind of a fitness fad, like pole dancing or areal hoop yoga. Who knows how long it will last, but in the mean time burlesque styled aerobics is taking over gyms and studios. It’s a way for girls of all shapes and sizes to feel sexy and learn to appreciate their bodies – and also do a little cardio vascular exercise and some muscle toning.
The difference between stripping and burlesque…
What some people might call one of the differences difference between stripping and burlesque, is to what extent the act delivers character or a theme. Much of which can be done with a good costume.
However this is still up for debate, and a lot of burlesque performers quite like to refer to themselves as strippers anyway. That just goes to show how blurred the lines are and that even the people who take part aren’t always sure if there even IS a difference.
The difference between stripping and burlesque is largely political. It’s complicated, and dependent on how the performer sees themself. But that isn’t really the issue, so let’s stop worrying about whether there is a difference or not. Both should be considered art forms in their own right and performers shouldn’t be judged on their wishes to entertain in either or both formats. Having the balls (or not having any balls, it depends on your act really) to perform in front of people is worthy of respect no matter how you choose to do it.
And if you put as much heart into it as most on the burlesque circuit do, you should consider yourself an artist.
