Out of a showgirl's trunk

New York burlesque Queen, Angie Pontani posted a photo of a trunk of treasures that she'd found at one of NYC's flea markets.
As you can see, her trunk is a bounty of dazzling items, sequins, beads and feathers.

Angie's market find
Copyright Angie Pontani

Angie was one of the first performers I saw in NYC in 2008 at This Was Burlesque at the Corio.
I loved the show so much that I returned the following weekend with a good friend from Tasmania and a group we'd met at his hostel, they too loved it so it's sad to know that the show is no longer running. But the performers, The Pontani Sisters, Melody Sweets, Peekaboo Pointe and MC Murray Hill are, so if you're looking for burlesque in the US, start googling those names!

The costumes in this entry came from a showgirl's trunk.
Most of them are unwearable, gelatine sequins which melt due to contact with water or heat, costumes so small I can barely get a foot in... So these I use for study or for guilty hoarding.

This nude illusion playsuit has a short tulle skirt, sequined rope and plastic pearl beads

The sequined rope is bald in some patches, it ends in a bow on the left hand side

Some of the plastic beads are attached with glue, others sewn on, there is no deliberate pattern!

The fabric is very thin and flimsy

The sequined rope ends in tulle swatches

My favourite piece from the collection if only because I can wear it!

Whether I find something online or on a rack, my heard starts beating just a little faster. I've gone out of my way to return to flea markets when a stall owner suggests they might have something at the back of a garage that they can pull out for the next day, I've gotten up at 3am to snipe bid on Ebay- not always sucessfully.

I was drawn to this tunic because of the design and the colour of the sequins

The front is secured with small push studs.

The back is my favourite part. The pattern is a bit uneven which is typical of the cheaper hand made burlesque costumes of the 40s and 50s

Great straps and colours. The bra is very basic, I'll update with photos of the inside seams

Cute pants with fixed ruffle skirt.

asymmetrical design...

Some of the leaves are sewn on, others are hand beaded straight on to the pants which are heavy, lined and fasten with a zip at the back.

Painstaking work, each of these were hand sewn

Occasionally I sell, repurpose or regift items, I do so reluctantly however if I can't use it, I hope that others will. A dear friend of mine was delighted when I gave her a little showgirl bra. I love it so much but it would never fit me. Happily the next time I saw her she gave me a vintage 1960's hawaiin bikini, so I think we're square!

Great little show girl bra, hand sewn, tiny fit.

I really like the design, the big ruffled shoulders with a tropical print, hand sewn sequins on the ruffles and bra.

Pink net and magenta velvet set. Jaci had multiples of this set for sale so I presume it was made for a chorus line.

Love the matching fringing, there is no faded patches on the velvet

The stitches are large and the velvet is roughly hewn 

These were from a showgirl trunk. Sold on Etsy by Jaci Brooks from California who has a collection of home made and vintage treasures up for sale including this saloon dress

The Australian Burlesque Festival 2012 (Melbourne)

When you live in Tasmania, you tend to hear a lot about flight delays. It's a topic of conversation that arises as often as the weather so it was no surprise when my flight to Melbourne for the Australian Burlesque Festival touched down two hours late.
A quick trip on the Skybus to Southern Cross Station and a run across the street to Vibe Savoy Hotel where I disturbed a drowsy Oopsy Daisy, my room mate for the weekend.

Oopsy Daisy had performed that evening and was crashing after being on a performance high. Baby Bombshells is the first official night of the Festival featuring up and coming performers in a friendly competition. The prize is a spot in the Big Tease, ABF's classic burlesque showcase, in Melbourne.
Oopsy had been first up and distinguished herself by tripping on to the stage in front of some of her idols,the judges, Peekaboo Pointe, Anna Fur Laxis and Tasia. Her drowsiness was only second to her anxiety over her trip up the stage!

On Friday morning we broke fast at Kinfolk, a local cafe staffed by volunteers on bourke street. Cheap and tasty and after I questioned our waitress intently, we found that the staff are more than happy to work as volunteers although I think the free coffees they score keep them going!

Oopsy Daisy at Kinfolk

Kinfolk

We mooned around Melbourne before I whipped my hair up, packed a bag and boarded a train to Thornbury where I was performing in the Thornbury Theatre as part of ABF's Empress Erotique show.
I loved the blue facade of the theatre which sat on the main strip.

Thornbury Theatre

The tech run was delayed  which gave us plenty of time to relax back stage...

Backstage refreshments

Backstage at Empress Erotique with Coppelia Jane

Everyone gets ready differently, some of us plug our ears and rehearse, some get into the zone, but Lola the Vamp I caught having a nap on the couch- no pre performance nerves for her!
The backstage area was a large airy function room lined with floor to ceiling mirrors
 To get to the Green room we had to exit a side door, bypass the kitchen and mount some stairs.

Lola the Vamp ready to go!

Performing Sirenes at Empress Erotique

Raven in the Green room

Betty Blood keeping it clean for the censors

I quickly changed into a white sequin maxi dress from the Chelsea flea markets in NYC during the interval to watch the second half from the front- not before jumping behind the merch table to give Miss Jane a hug. We met at the Perth International Burlesque Festival in May. Jane performed in the Big Tease at the Hi Fi the following night.

With Miss Jane Doe behind the merch table

Saturday was a slow day of shopping, walking and coffee with the girls from Miss Kitty's Meow who were there to support their third, Oopsy Daisy (and I like to think me too!)
We got ourselves dolled up and caught a tram up to Flinders st to join the line for The Big Tease at the Hi Fi. Headliners Lou Lou D'Vil, Miss La Vi Da and Anne Fur Laxis were easily my favourites of the night. We headed back to the hotel after the show, Melbourne was settling in for a long night of drizzling rain and we had early flights back to Hobart!

Showing off a Moro Landis showgirl costume

Moro Landis was a Vegas based production company formed by George Moro and Ruth Landis, two young Vaudeville dancers. The company was housed in a large building which had rehearsal studios, sewing and set rooms. Everything was made in house, acts were choreographed and costumes such as the two below were designed and made.

Moro Landis dance troupes performed all over the country and were resident dancers at the Sahara and the El Rancho in Las Vegas.

Photo by Bret Salinger

Photo by Bret Salinger

1973 film starring Kim Novak and Tony Curtis 'Third Girl From the Left' apparently featured Moro Landis costumes

The fringing is a little faded but the actual construction has no obvious faults, no rips, tears or breakaways.

The feather boa trim is in good condition

Moro Landis Production label.

Side view

Similar costume on Ebay 2006

I also purchased a Moro Landis show girl costume from a different seller.
It's a two piece black sequined corset with matching ostrich feather and tulle skirt. This one's currently in storage as it's very delicate and faded.

The purple chiffon is faded and a bit dirty but I love the contrast it would have made

The feathers are more of a dull grey than deep black and the sequined appliques are falling off in some sections

Perth International Burlesque Festival

Pickled sharks, retro markets, a tour of Perth's suburbs and a variance of burlesque, the first Perth  International Burlesque Festival was a welcome invitation to perform and visit the sunnier side of Australia.

I arrived late on Friday night after spending hours in transit and was picked up by Anne, one of my hosts for the weekend. She cast amazed judgement at my small suitcase and shuttled me to the home she shares with her partner, Ben and a friendly street cat, Chat. Home is a low slung, art filled bungalow in the rejuvenated suburb of Maylands around the corner from a strip of cafes and antique shops.

Saturday started slowly, a warm day with clear skies. After helping me stow my suitcase in the boot, Ben and Anne took me on a driving tour of Perth ending with lunch at Ootong & Lincoln in Fremantle which has an amazing gluten free and vegetarian menu as well as meat for the carnivores. I had pumpkin and Parmesan soup and a soy flat white which was glorious. The cafe was furnished with retro furniture, old school tricycles and had some incredible photographs of Antarctica on the wall, printed on glass plates.

Photo from Perthnow.com

We still had a couple of hours to spare before the tech run so we visited the wharf with its submarine docked near the maritime museum which housed amongst the yachts a large pickled shark in a tank.

A quick drive took us to Fremantle's Fly by Night Theatre, a wooden hall with a good sized stage and bar that ran the length of the back wall.
We had two green rooms to use which were quickly filled with props, costumes, hair rollers and wine glasses. I snagged half a couch for my costume pieces, Sirenes doesn't require much in the way of costume but the beading tangles. Once ready, I spent the evening trading stories with the interstate and local performers- Danica Lee, Silla Black, Agatha Frisky, Renee Pilkington, Coco Poppin and Adora Derriere-  the usual backstage gossip, primping and teasing of hair and egos.

Silla Black and Renee Pilkington backstage in the Green room

Fuelling up backstage

'Sirenes' Photo by John Leonard

'Sirenes' Photo by John Leonard

Onstage felt great, one of those performances where you finish and want to dive back on and do it all again. The audience was welcoming and appreciative and the performers were able to watch the other acts from the wings.
We finished late and ended the night with tea in Maylands, a very proper evening.

Saturday night curtain call
Photo by John Leonard

If Saturday started slowly then Sunday started with a whimper. Chat needed breakfast and I required the warm embrace of a barista brewed coffee. I piled Chat's bowl high and walked around the corner to Chapels on Whatley, a busy cafe that refused me table service as I wasn't ordering food. I hung back with the extensive range of teas and teapots on display until I could escape back to my temporary home's sun drenched front veranda and soak in some vitamin D.

Anne and Chat

A couple of hours later saw Anne, Ben and I brunching at West End Deli. I had an omlette, Ben the duck and Anne stuck to traditional bacon and eggs.

Sunday brunch at West End Deli

We returned to the Fly By Night to check out the Retro fair before heading back to Maylands to change for the closing party, The Swing Soiree, an evening of swing dancing, cocktails and cold fries.

Swing dancing at the Sunday Swing Soiree

Swing Soiree with Silla Black, Becky Page, Agatha Frisky

 
After a quick change into something more comfortable, Melbourne performer, Ginger Leah Raye and I  made tracks to the airport to catch the same delayed flight. With hours to wait, we welcomed the airport bar, tended by a make up artist who had been backstage on Saturday night. Cue free drinks and happy smiles from Ginger and I from Perth to Melbourne.