Oh, The Glamourous Life!

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! It’s particularly happy today as the heat as broken and it’s pouring rain here in Boston. And tomorrow we have our first live show in 16 months!

Here’s your tip!

If you use a table in your act, bring a tablecloth.

If we need a table, most of us are going to be bringing a folding table or using something that the venue has. In either case, they are unlikely to be lovely. A tablecloth can disguise a myriad of sins and help set the scene for your act. A long cloth will also make under the table a fine storage space for something you need later in the act or want to hide after use.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 12 Patrons. Thank you! I appreciate you all so much. To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

Reapply your sunblock more frequently than you used to.

The SPF (sun protection factor) in sunblock refers to how long you can stay in the sun before you burn. If you usually burn after 15 minutes, 15 SPF will let you stay in the sun for almost four hours. However, most of us have spent over a year inside and our skin doesn’t have the tolerance for the sun that it did when it was getting more exposure. So, use that sunblock more often to avoid burning!

Personally I prefer a sunblock with zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide rather than a chemical sunscreen.  Add a big hat, sunglasses, and a wrap for more protection, plus additional glamour.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 14 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

Here we are, Friday again! After 10 years, maybe I should come up with an actual name for these weekly tips…

Last Friday we talked about washing feathers, here’s how you clean them if they’re too delicate for water or attached to something that shouldn’t get wet.

Use a soft brush to remove dust and dirt from feathers.

A soft flat natural-bristle paintbrush is the best, but you can also use a microfiber cloth. The key is a very light touch. You don’t want to damage the barbules — those are the little hooks that hold together to make the feather vane one smooth piece. Brush in the direction of feather growth — from the shaft to the edge, working your way from the base to the tip. Everyone once in a while, it’s okay to gently stroke the feather with your fingers. A little of the oil on your skin is actually good for the feather.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 14 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

Here it is, Friday again and I have once again failed to fill your week with delightful missives. For that I am terribly sorry. May has been a busy month indeed!

I’m teaching my last installment of Fantastic Fan Dancing tomorrow with “Fan Dance Uncovered”, a history of the art. I’m very excited to teach this brand new class and a little nervous, since it will be my first hybrid class, taught simultaneously at the American Burlesque Collection and on Zoom. Tickets to the in-person class are very limited and include museum admission and a guided tour of the “Fantasy of the Fan Dancer” exhibit. I hope you will join me!

May also celebrates 4 years on Patron and 500 tips right here! You have until Monday to subscribe to my Patreon at the Advisory Committee tier ($5/month) and download my Very Little Book of Costuming Tips, which contains 25 helpful hints to improve your costume-making!

And now for your tip!

You can wash ostrich feathers.

I know it seems terrifying, it can be done! You can wash loose feathers or ones attached to washable clothing. Feathers on fans or headdresses and antique or fragile fragile get a different treatment, which perhaps will become another tip.

Note: if your feathers have been dyed, there is the possibility you’ll get some bleeding. Test a small spot first.

• Fill a basin (sink, tub, etc.) with tepid water and a little mild soap. Dawn is my go-to.
• Gently swish the feathers or feather-trimmed garment through the soapy water. Don’t rub or scrub.
• To rinse, swish through clean cool water. Repeat with new changes of water until the water is clear.
• You are going to be horrified at how your feathers look. Don’t panic!
• Lay your feathers on a fluffy towel to dry, preferably on a drying rack. Don’t try to wring out the moisture.
• The feathers will fluff up a bit as they dry, but after they are completely dry, steam them for maximum fluff.

(I was really sure I’d given you a tip about steaming in the past… I guess it’s a future tip!)

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 14 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s another celebratory Friday! B.A.B.E. turned 15 today! I taught my first burlesque class under the auspices of my own school on May 14, 2006 (it was Mother’s Day). I didn’t expect the class to sell out and I certainly didn’t expect that a decade and a half I’d still be running a burlesque academy. Thank you, everyone, for your support over the years — all my students, instructors, and anyone who has spread the good word about B.A.B.E. Here’s looking forward to many more years of bump & grind!

This tip comes from something I realized very early on as an instructor.

When creating a teaching choreography, be sparing with moves where you face away.

When performing on stage, we often coyly turn our backs on the audience. It’s a great tease! However, when you’re teaching and you turn away, you can’t see the students and they can’t see you! It’s even worse if you’re teaching in a space without mirrors.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 14 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s a celebratory Friday! You’ll see why when you read your tip…

The journey of 500 tips starts with a single post.

I never thought, back in 2011, when I started this blog, that I would get to 500 tips. I was just looking for a little content and decided to post an occasional tip. And “occasional” became weekly. And then that became a decade.

Big projects can be accomplished a little at a time, especially if you’re consistent about working on them.

I’m celebrating 10 years of Friday Tips and four years on Patreon! If you join my Patreon this month at the $5 level, you can download…


…a charming little PDF with 25 of my favorite costuming tips from this blog and a few new ones. Graphic design, including amusing illustrations, by Mr. Scratch (without whom I would never get anything done).

Thank you for accompanying me on this journey, Dear Reader!

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 14 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s Friday! I’m spending my day helping The American Burlesque Collection get ready for their reopening tomorrow. In honor of the temporary exhibit The Fantasy of the Fan Dancer, I’ll be teaching fan dance workshops in May!

Here’s your tip!

Store your X-Acto knife blade point down in the handle.

These little babies are so useful for all sorts of projects and it’s easy to add a sharp new blade. It’s also easy to lose the protective cap. If you store your blade like this, you are much less likely to stab or cut yourself. I learned this little trick from Nina Nightingale during an session of her Charm School, presented by Atlas Obscura.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 14 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.