I have finally finished most of this act after beginning it last January. Last year I really wanted a swing to fly across the stage. I created a costume based of a rockettes costume. Although it was a neat idea, the costume was hurried and poorly made. It was also very unflattering in pictures. I decided to change the bra an underwear and have a matching upholstered swing.
My honey helped me get the furniture nails just right. I also added a little something to the bottom by cutting out felt and gluing it right to the fabric. Because the stage is so high, when I swing out you can see the underneath side very easily. Someday I might rhinestone it!
I also hand made the bra and underwear for this costume. I was trying to submit the video for a deadline of a festival and my rhinestones did not come in till after. Here is a picture of the lingerie with rhinestones. The pasties are also now super sparkly as well!
Recently I performed with Orchestra L’Pow. I will have performance pictures in my costume soon!
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I should have really been on top of it. I mean my name is Holly Dai so shouldn’t I have a solid holiday burlesque number? Well inspiration didn’t hit me until 4 days before my show. If I wanted to be a snowflake I had better get started! As a performer there are times we find a great song and start the whole process of costuming and planning out a routine. Sometimes it’s a success while other times we find that the act is less than fabulous or just mediocre. I felt this way about my number “I Want to Be Bad.” I loved the song by the adorable Betty Boop and fell in love with it after watching “Pennies from Heaven” with Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters. I also enjoyed my costume. I wore a beaded fringe corset over Lacey purple undergarments and a poofy bustle with elbow length gloves. I thought the problem was the dancing. It is very cutesy. It wasn’t until last night that I fell in love all over. I was invited to dance with the Charleens and Johnny Cockatoo. They are a troupe that specialize in strictly all 1920s flapper era dancing. The producer requested I have 20s hair and makeup, something I’ve never done before. It was so simple. I had the wrong look. After the finger wave hair, moody smoky eyes, and red bow lips my look was complete. I’m glad I didn’t throw the number away because just by adding a little something special I had renewed my I interest and adore how cutesy it was! Greeeat I wrote a whole post and tried to post in on Sew Retro on accident, therefore deleting all of my work. Oops. Let’s try this again. I haven’t written in a bit mostly because I have been overwhelmed and without a camera. Hello iPhone! I decided that many of my burlesque outfits need a major up in quality. I will have to share the “Padam” costume when I get my next chance but for now I started to fix my Tom Waits act to “Temptation.” Here is my costume with a corset I got from ebay. It has terrible acrylic rhinestones and is very recognizable as a inexpensive boudoir item.
 I took all of the cheap rhinestones off and put on some czech crystals that are blue zircon. I also added some blue panels to add accents. I think I might have to add more all around the corset but there is much more to be added to the costume. I am going to make new beaded tassels, add more tulle to the tutu (not pictured), and fix the falling apart matching panties.  Today my room mate and I also went to Gem Faire at the Portland Convention Center. I wish I had thought to take pictures but I forgot to be a good blogger with so much bling. There were so many $1 strands of beads and tubes that were perfect for beaded tassels and fringe. I can’t wait to make more hair creations and hangy bits from my costumes. Here is some of the loot! There have been many changes in the past four months. Finally I have my own website and too many shows this month to keep up with much. There are some big changes happening in our school that I am very excited about. I will keep you posted. In the mean time come to our Halloween event at the Bossanova Ballroom for Glitter and Gore! Check out all the details on events to attend! So I swear I am not dead. Life has been super busy and stressful. I graduated college and have had a few graduating classes from the Rose City School of Burlesque as well as moved. PHEW. I also love this jumper she is giving away here. MUAH Where have I been? OOOoh that’s a good question. Last week was a little too busy to post. I graduated college and had finals as well as did a lot of traveling. Sooo back to the regularly scheduled programing. Here is some costuming I made for a Lady Gaga burlesque tribute. I sewed and dyed the bottom half of the costume. Very fifth element n’est pas?
I think I have a major addiction. Patterns. I have more things in my to do box than I seem to have time for. I keep looking at the red dress, all the pattern pieces are cut I just have to start sewing but with my graduation less than six days away, more pressing things are at hand like papers. Ultimately I am completely broke and since graduation is on Saturday there is no more financial aid. It is time to STOP buying fabric, thrift and patterns and just make do with what ever I have got. It was incredibly hard to pass up such a good sale and I promise I won’t use this rational again until I am gainfully employed. As I posted on Sew Retro, there was a three day sale last week with Vogue, McCalls and Butterick patterns. Vogue and Butterick was only 3.99 each and McCalls was only 1.99. Thus the unnecessary necessary buying spree. A little delayed…say by two hours. Okay ok I know it is not Friday anymore but I didn’t have time to put this up before the hour past midnight. This whole keeping up with certain blogging days can be easy to mishandle! I did get to document my outfit today and I am very happy with my latest finds. Last weekend I was able to go to two garage/estate stores and a thrift store resulting in the $8 dollar outfit minus the stockings. I am not sure what I paid for those but I am sure they were new once. I found a size 10 pair of flat hush puppies at one estate sale and the gorgeous vintage lace skirt from another garage sale. The top is newer but thrifted. Another gloomy Portland day!
With this being said our classes are every Thursday and although this has little to do with sewing it is still a big part of my joy! Tonight we have our first class recital ever! It is the premier for all the hard work we have been doing the past six weeks and I am very proud of my students. Congrats to the first ever graduating class of the Rose City School of Burlesque. Break a gam! To learn more about the Rose City School of Burlesque visit our website.
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