The other day I got the confirmation that I will be performing in the Dallas Burlesque Festival at the House of Blues on Friday, January 21, 2011. That day will be my 4th anniversary as a burlesque performer. Seems a lot longer than that. I’m doing my signature number and the very first number in my repertoire, the Siren.

However, I think it’s time the Siren costume got a bit of a facelift. I’m going to revamp the pieces of the costumes. More rhinestones. New knickers. New gloves. It will be a work in progress.

Then again, all burlesque costumes are working progresses.


The Siren gown

You want how much for that??

I’ve been thinking about corseting again. I did it a few years ago; wearing my corset for 4 hours a day, 3 to 4 days a week and training my waist. That’s put me back in the mood for shopping for corsets. I have the usual places that I got to get mine custom made. But there is not place in Dallas to find these delicate objects.

I walked into Gregory’s at Northpark after seeing a couple of their corsets displayed.

I fondled the white brocade corset with lace trimming and an oddly placed chain. The boning was plastic and flimsy. There was nothing exciting about it. I could have every easily replicated this myself.

The Cadolle corset I was fondling at Gregory's. (Who ever put the image of this corset on the Gregory's website obviously put it up-sidedown.)

“These are made by Cadolle, the first French company that made bras,” exclaimed the salesgirl excitedly.

I glanced at the price tag. If I were sitting down, I would have fallen out of my chair. I had to do a double take…

$1,145.000? For that?! I chuckled.

For the price of that corset, I could have an entire burlesque costume made for me. Complete with rhinestones. Or two pairs of Louboutins. Or a pair of the largest ostrich feather fans. Or have my corset-makers custom make 4 steel-boned corsets, exact to my measurements.

Don’t get me wrong, Cadolle makes exquisite lingerie. But after a little digging around on the internet for similar corsets from the brand, I don’t see where it justifies the high price tag from Gregory’s. My conclusion is highway robbery.

Ah, but Gregory’s is not selling to someone like me. They are selling it to someone that without a second thought or question, drop the credit card for it and a few other things in the store. Ignorance is bliss.

I’ll stick to my custom corsets.

Here's looking at you, kid....

I go through hair phases. A few months ago I was achieving the Brigitte Bardot just-rolled-outta-bed hair do. Now it’s finger waves and pin curls. It has a lot to do with all the 20’s era movies that I have been watching as of late. Easy Virtue, Godsford Park, Chicago, and the Great Gatsby.

I’ve also been reading a lot about the flappers who propelled the fashion style. They were the rebels of the prohibition, women of easy virtues and loose morals. They drank, they smoked, they slept around and they were unapologetic about it.

They wore their hair in bobs, finger waved or Marcelled. They rejected the curvaceous hour-glass figures and corsets in favour of boyish structured frocks. Dark rimmed smoky eyes and deep wine pouts drawn into cupid’s bow. The Charleston was all the rage during this time of the jazz age. The flappers kicked their feet to the music with wild abandon, shocking the conservative generations before them. I’ve always wanted to be a flapper.

My great-grandmother used to tell me stories about “hanging out” with Elliot Ness and attending all those “wild” parties. My eyes would glaze over every time she talked about her younger days. My aunt always told me I was born in the wrong era. No kidding.

One evening recently, before Christmas, I was inspired to do my makeup a la Clara Bow, smoky plum eyes, dark berry lipstick drawn with slightly exaggerated cupid’s bow and tight pin curls. I topped my curls off with a raspberry felt beret. Louis (my partner in crime) and I walked into Nosh for dinner. He walked behind me and when we got to the table, he leaned over and said, “People are staring at you.” Not surprised.

What surprises me though is that you don’t see more of it here in Dallas. But then again, it’s not easy pulling off dark lipstick without looking too goth. And who wants to sit around for hours getting the pin curls down to bouncy curly-qs? And who wants to sit in front of a mirror making sure the cat eyeliner is even, perfect and Marilyn Monroe approved? And to spend an extra minute to put on those fluttery false lashes? And who wants to waste time making sure the seams on the stockings are straight against the gams?

I do. All of it.

I am finally connected….to Netflix.

So I finally broke down and joined Netflix. The first movie I watched, by suggestion from my milliner friend Kim, was Easy Virtue, starring Jessica Biel. I am not a huge fan of Jessica, but after watching the movie, I really liked her for the role. She plays a widow Grand Prix driver, who falls in love and marries the heir to a near bankrupt estate in the British country side, to the dismay of his mother and sisters. Hilarity and drama ensues when the new couple visits the estate for a few weeks. The movie takes place in the late 1920’s and the costumes were magnificent!

I am inspired to buy a cloche and take up smoking filter-less cigarettes. Enjoy the photos:

Eye Candy

Eye Candy

New beginning…

I am finally unpacking my boxes and arranging my boudoir. With the exception of a few boxes, which I am waiting for some shelving, I am almost done. Of course it will always be a work in progress, because our sanctuary always is. I want window treatments, more furniture, and more things to put in the furniture.

My move cannot be more ill timed. With the passing of my grandmother (I credit her for igniting my love of everything 30's, 40's, and 50's) and the Christmas show, it's proven to be quite a task to juggle everything. Shows are time consuming on their own, with promotion and production, and for the performer; practicing.

And as I mentioned, there is the "great purge". I am throwing everything out that I have no use for. I can't tell you how many hair pins, coins, clips and stray rhinestones I have swept up in the dustpan. It's amazing how much stuff we accumulate in such a short time. I've also discovered things that I've packed away from my last two moves. I came across my blue and white china tea cup and saucer set. (I have a thing for tea cups sets).

Unfortunately one of the beloved I had to leave behind was my Russian Blue, Misha. She has become accustomed to living outside and I concluded that it would be unfair to keep her trapped in the apartment. Returning her to the pound was not an option as I believe this to be irresponsible pet ownership. My young next-door neighbor couple offered to adopt her once they learned that we were moving. She has become a fixture on their comfy porch (Misha loves a great porch) and they come to enjoy her company. I am heartbroken but I do believe she will be in great hands with her new owners.

Le sigh.

There is just a few more weeks if this year left. Once I get past this week, I think things will look up for me. Last year has been exciting, busy and amazing. This year, however, is for the dogs. I am actually looking forward to next year as there are a few things in line that will be exciting if they ever come to fruition.

My boxes are packed….

I am surrounded by boxes, packing tape and I've finding things that I forgot existed. Ah, the joys of moving. I feel like this is my new beginning. I am tossing out old things to make room for new things. The great purge.

I am very much looking forward to my new resting place. It's a very old apartment building in uptown. Imagine Melrose Place of the 1930's. Even my stove is circa 1950.

The most exciting thing is that I am walking distance to my favourite hang out spot. It's also a short drive to everything we ever need. This may actually prove dangerous.

Enzo

This is Niccolo Vincenzo, Enzo for short, my Italian Greyhound. He's about six months old. The sweetest, most spoiled puppy I've ever had. He tests my patience and my sanity, and I love every moment of it.

I want to wake up every morning and look like this...

Images: Ellen Von Unwerth (her images makes EVERY woman wet for sex. Men, take notes.)

The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves. ~William Penn

Envy is one of the cardinal sins. For good reason. It can drive a humble person mad to irrationality. There are traits that my other people are blessed with that I wished I had. I want longer legs. I want a high metabolize. I want to sing opera. I want thick jet black hair. The list is endless. However, I also know that if we were all born the same, there would be absolutely nothing unique, beautiful or grand about us, and that is not the way our Creator intended it to be. I may say to someone, “Oh, I am so jealous that you have….” bit it’s merely a compliment. Confident people are not threatened by someone else’s blessing; they celebrate something that they are blessed with.

Sure, I have been jealous of another woman who flirted with a crush. After all, a wise man once said, “He that is not jealous is not in love.” But I would never plan their untimely demise or wish them ill will. Well, maybe. But when one is so motivated by jealousy that they spend their day trying to “one-up” you or put you down or ruin your reputation. Yeah, it’s happened to everyone. And most of the time it’s for the pettiest reason. Perhaps you have excelled in something and your nemesis can’t handle your glory. Instead of finding something they are good at and celebrate it or understand friendly competition, they become obsessed with you and destroying you.

I am, unfortunately, the victim of my own success and I do have someone that is hell bent on destroying me and my hard work. I would pay very little attention to her, except that it does affect my business, which I am ferociously defensive of. But, my friends tell me, give them enough rope to hang themselves with. Because ultimately, Karma is keeping a score card. And yes, it’s satisfying to watch when she fails miserably as she is trying to outdo me. I have faith, confidence and pride in my work. I am motivated by art, passion and happiness. She is motivated by fear, envy and paranoia, a sure combination for disaster. Once, I was upset by her brazen attempt to copy my work, but now, I just sit back and watch the train wreck. I hear feedback about her through mutual friends. It’s never good. I’ve heard of people that were very disappointed with her work. She may try, but she could never replicate the quality and caliber of my work. That’s because I know what the hell I am doing, I have an eye for top notch quality and I am not afraid to turn someone down if they don’t meet my standards.

Of course I have already wasted precious energy talking about my nemesis even though she does not deserve a bit more of my time. But, my lovelies, I know you have been in a situation like this. Or perhaps you are the “hater”. There is nothing to be gained by being motivated by jealousy that is makes you obsessive about the person you are envious of. It will only make you a miserable person and it will eventually, consume your soul. If you are the one that is the target is someone’s jealousy that means you have done some right. Bravo.

Girly-Girl

It’s pretty bloody obvious that I love make-up. I have invested loads of money for make-up that I love or don’t even need. I love colours and clever techniques on makeup application. During my coffee and lunch break I watch make-up tutorials on You Tube (I will attach some of my favourites at the bottom).

I get loads of compliments on my hair and make-up, especially when I get all gussied up for a night on the town. So here are my hair and make-up secrets.

Hair:
Currently, I am all about the Brigitte Bardot hair. I set my hair using Remington Care setters, leaving them in for at least 30 minutes for the rollers to cool completely. I use large/jumbo rollers to create tousled hair. I spray my mane with L’Oreal Elnett, one of the finest sprays in the world.

Makeup:

My favourite part of my daily ritual.

Foundation/concealer: I use MAC Studio Sculpt foundation and concealer for night time and just dabs of MAC Select Moisturecover for the day around the areas where I need it most. I’ve recently bought a bottle of Chanel Mat Lumiere. L-O-V-E it!

Powder: To set my foundation, I use MAC Mineralize Skinfinish for low coverage during the day and Chanel Double Perfection for a fuller, matte coverage.

Eye shadows: I can’t tell you how many eye shadows I have. I love colour. I use neutral colours like MAC Satin Taupe, Clue (discontinued), Folie and Patina for a sedated daytime look. For night drama, I use MAC Contrast, Nehru, Print, Scene and sometimes Carbon (matte black) for dramatic smoky eyes.

Eyeliner: For glamour girl eyes, I use MAC liquid liner in Bootblack and a very fine eyeliner brush to create the foxy cat-eye. I can’t tell you the perfect way to do it except practice, practice, practice.

Faux lashes: I have a drawer in my vanity dedicated to all my false lashes. They are loads of fun. I wear them all the time, even to work. My secret to putting them on with perfection: practice! I get the lashes as close to my lash line as possible, using latex lash adhesive and applying them with tweezers.

Lipstick: for the perfect Brigitte Bardot pout, I line my lips with MAC Half-red and fill in with MAC Kinda Sexy lipstick. I dab just a bit of Chanel Rouge Allure lacquer in #77 to complete the look. For my Silver Screen Siren alter ego, I line my lips with MAC Cherry lip liner and brush in MAC Russian Red or MAC Red. Blot with a tissue and reapply.

Cheeks: for a soft flushed look, I dust blusher in MAC Margin, Mocha or Plum Foolery. For a luminess glow, a light dusting of MAC Iridescent Powder in Silver Dusk to the top part of the cheeks.