Hey there you beautiful people! (I'm still feeling loved up from the last post.)
Just thought I'd let you know that I have now begun blogging for Fashion Changed My Life.
It's more fashion and less me... if that's what you're in to.
Here are links to my first 3 posts:
A little bit of Christina lovin'
http://fashionchangedmylife.wordpress.com/2012/10/10/christina-aguilera-your-body/
Femme fatales take a look
http://fashionchangedmylife.wordpress.com/2012/10/09/oxblood-lips/
Geek chic galore
http://fashionchangedmylife.wordpress.com/2012/09/28/what-does-your-bow-tie-say-about-you/
Enjoy!
Wednesday, 10 October 2012
Striptease!
Breaking news!! I have officially twirled my tassels for the first time (aside from the time some friends and I attempted it with dangly earrings hooked into our t-shirts...you know who you are).
Explaining more fully, this week in my burlesque class, we learnt the basics of striptease. I love the fact that I love in a society where it is both possible, and socially acceptable to be professionally taught to take your clothes off. The Cheek of It! school alone trains over 700 women each year across the UK, Europe and America, so it's obviously quite a popular hobby!
The idea of burlesque is so appealing to so many people for so many reasons (it's just SO good). It's got that certain romance that comes with vintage-inspired things. It's glamorous, feminine and expressive. Sure, some people don't understand the appeal, they may think taking your clothes off in public is crude or demeaning. That's fine, that's your opinion. To me, it's empowering. How can it not be? A room full of people, celebrating the female form in a fun and ironic way. Yeah it's stripping, but it's got a sarcastic charm. After all, the definition of 'burlesque' is 'A parody or comically exaggerated imitation of something'. It's cheeky, and to me, that's all good.
Anyway, back to me (we all know you love it). I learnt to strip. Gloves, stockings and bra, all removed with some degree of seduction (hopefully...). I'm not going to lie, sure the 'big reveal', the moment where our teacher said "Right, lets just go for it, take your dresses off", was scary. But we're all in the same boat, it's not like one of has a tail or a third leg (...don't be cheeky). I don't know what the big deal is.
Peace and love. This is all very emotional. I need to go hug something.
Explaining more fully, this week in my burlesque class, we learnt the basics of striptease. I love the fact that I love in a society where it is both possible, and socially acceptable to be professionally taught to take your clothes off. The Cheek of It! school alone trains over 700 women each year across the UK, Europe and America, so it's obviously quite a popular hobby!
The idea of burlesque is so appealing to so many people for so many reasons (it's just SO good). It's got that certain romance that comes with vintage-inspired things. It's glamorous, feminine and expressive. Sure, some people don't understand the appeal, they may think taking your clothes off in public is crude or demeaning. That's fine, that's your opinion. To me, it's empowering. How can it not be? A room full of people, celebrating the female form in a fun and ironic way. Yeah it's stripping, but it's got a sarcastic charm. After all, the definition of 'burlesque' is 'A parody or comically exaggerated imitation of something'. It's cheeky, and to me, that's all good.
Anyway, back to me (we all know you love it). I learnt to strip. Gloves, stockings and bra, all removed with some degree of seduction (hopefully...). I'm not going to lie, sure the 'big reveal', the moment where our teacher said "Right, lets just go for it, take your dresses off", was scary. But we're all in the same boat, it's not like one of has a tail or a third leg (...don't be cheeky). I don't know what the big deal is.
So here's a little moral of the story for you. I like it when a blog post gets all meaningful. Here it is. We're all the same really, love your body, and if you can stick glittery little hearts over your nipples and make tassels swing like there's no tomorrow, even better.
Peace and love. This is all very emotional. I need to go hug something.
Wednesday, 3 October 2012
My adventure (so far) into the world of Burlesque
You may have seen a few posts down that I spent my holiday reading Jo Weldon's Burlesque Handbook in preparation for my Cheek Of It Burlesque School 'Showtime' course. So, for the last 2 Tuesday evenings, I have been introducing myself to the art of the tease. Week 1 was spent learning the basics; your standard, bump, grind, shimmy and the rest, along with a short routine as a group. I was loving every second of it, and at the risk of sounding big headed, I have a good shimmy. I felt confident, I felt sexy, and at this stage, I still had all my clothes on.
So, for homework we were given the task of making up a short routine using the moves we had learnt that week. 'Great! I can totally do this!' I thought. I spent every spare minute I could (which at the moment, turns out is quite a lot) picking songs and trying out moves. To cut a very long story slightly shorter, I eventually had a minute-long routine choreographed to Smokey Joe's Cafe by The Robins aka The Coasters. Listen here if you fancy it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1QELlwrvc8
The time comes in class number 2 where I am given to chance to showcase my work, my burlesque debut in front of 8 or so fellow beginners. I was to be magical, an epiphany, the moment where I ask myself 'where have I been doing with my life until now?'....
I'm pretty sure I blacked out. My legs stopped working, my attempt at a strut looked more like Bambi than Jessica Rabbit, my eyes stopped working and all I could see was darkness, I was shaking like a leaf and my seductively cheeky facial expressions went right out the window.
Despite the inevitable forgetting of some moves, I just about made it through the routine. Needless to say I was disappointed with my performance. But I think I'm lucky to have come out of it in one piece. I blame the clothes. Burlesque is all about striptease, right? Clearly it was my body's reaction of telling me something wasn't up. Maybe if I'd been in just my knickers it would have been a masterpiece of performance.
What?....You never know....
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