Do you know how to wear fishnets?
One of the first things I learned as a dancer in Jubilee! is the secret of how to wear fishnets. This is a two part series that I will be sharing those secrets with you.
The standards of performers and their appearance were very high in Jubilee! Our company manager, Fluff LeCoque, and assistant company manager, Diane Palm, kept the show looking pristine by upholding standards for the costumes and performer’s appearance. Those standards were passed down from generations of showgirls that were trained by Miss Bluebell and Donn Arden to maintain the quality and prestige of the Vegas showgirl.
Tuck in those Tights!
Imagine going into an interview where your shirt was untucked or some aspect of your attire was sloppy. Do you think the hiring manager is going to give you the job?
Think of the audience in the same way. They want to believe whatever story you are weaving up on that stage. If you are playing the glamour queen and every aspect of your act is oozing with grace and charm, but your tights are hanging out, the appeal is kinda shattered—you have become a real person to them. Not the glamour queen that you thought that $200 boa is supposed to uphold.
Now don’t get me wrong, some acts require a disheveled appearance. In those cases, definitely don’t try to be the pristine icon of whatever story you are telling in that act. Grunge it up!
How-to keep those tights tucked
I am going to share the secret to wrangling those tights into that skimpy g. It takes a bit of work in the beginning, but it beats having to pin those tights into place every time you perform. (Yes, I have seen people do that.)
Materials needed for the transformation
All you need for saving your self pre-show prep time is:
4 large hooks
Sewing needle
Thread
Professional-grade fishnet tights (I prefer the Toffee as it makes my legs look tan under the stage lights.)
Sew three hooks into the front, as shown in the photo above.
And one hook in the back. (Sew more if you are needing more help wrangling)
When wearing, simply roll tights and tuck into the hooks.
Tada! Now you have concealed your tights and are that much more professional looking and ready for the stage!
A few tips and precautions:
- Sew as many hooks as you may need, it can be different depending on your g string.
- Don’t use tiny hooks, they just can’t handle the job.
- When you are extricating yourself out of your g, take care not to snag your tights with the hooks. It takes practice once the hooks are installed.
This may seem like a minute detail to add to your costumes and acts, but it is an important one. One of the questions that a lot of people asked us showgirls was
How do you keep your tights tucked in?
Knowing that was on their mind, knowing that it appeared to be magic to them, makes it that much more important to consider.
We are magical creatures up on that stage—the audience expects that. Upholding that quality and mystique adds that much more value to what we do and how much the audience respects and admires what we do on that stage.
Watch for the next installment in this series: How to Wear Fishnets Like a Showgirl—where I will be sharing exactly how to prepare your fishnets and make them fit better!
‘Til next time!
XOXO! Athena
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Amplify You Podcast
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