Burlesque Costumes UK

To put together a burlesque costume you can simply buy the complete costume or, if you don’t want to spend the money for a one-off party, you can work with what you have at home or what you can find in vintage shops plus some fabulous accessories to put together an outfit that will still make you look sexy and fabulous!

Burlesque Costume separates:

• a corset (of course!)
• fishnet tights or stockings
• a frilly garter
• a feather boa
• high heeled shoes
• a hair piece such as a fascinator or feathers
• a top hat

Lingerie Express has a great range of fun and sexy stockings and some fabulous corsets at a reasonable price.

Here are a couple of ideas for simple burlesque costume ideas you can put together yourself:

A burlesque showgirl costume

Start with a good corset, or a top that looks as close as possible to a corset. Add a skirt in velvet or a shiny fabric.

Wear fishnet tights or stockings,  a garter and a feather boa or even just a piece of tulle.

If you have a fascinator that you’ve worn to the races you can wear this in your hair, or find some coloured feathers.

Face decorations and glitter with bright red lipstick will finish off the look nicely.

A burlesque “ringmaster” costume

As an alternative you could consider wearing no skirt but a jacket with tails over a corset. Wear fishnet tights under a pair of frilly or shiny knickers. To finish off the look wear a top hat and carry a cane.

With this look you can wear lots of dark eye make up and even a fake moustache… and practice the one eyebrow raised look!

Remember burlesque was all about entertainment so you can really go to town – your act could be wearing a vintage bathing dress and undressing in a glass bowl of water, it could be a trapeze artist as in the Moulin Rouge, you could be a lion tamer and carry your own lion and a whip!  However, if you just want to fit in with the theme some fabulous burlesque style accessories will “sexify” any outfit!