Burlesque Costumes UK

Burlesque is a “great gaudy theatrical show” that, yes, did and does feature more skin than shown on the street, but was based around comedy and entertainment.  Here’s a very brief overview of burlesque through the ages.

1840s

In the Victorian era a woman could not show skin and wealthier women wore layers and layers of petticoats and underwear to ensure that no glimpse of ankle was shown.  The burlesque shows of the time were essentially variety shows with a mixture of comedy, song and dance.

1860s

Lydie Thomson and her British Blondes troupe caused a stir in theatres when they showed what looked like bare legs. They wore skin coloured tights to get around the law and created a scandal and a ready market for their tickets! They brought their show to the US in 1868 and burlesque took off.

In France the Folies Bergere was set up at the end of the 1860s and the famous Moulin Rouge opened in 1889. The artist Toulouse Lautrec used the Moulin Rouge as the subject of many of his famous works.

The showgirls’ can-can costumes were fantastic – showy, sexy, fun and colourful – and the comedy and song and dance acts that were performed alongside were always a large part of the show. The showgirls themselves became famous and were courted by royalty and famous artists and writers.

Early 1900s

From 1900 to 1930 was probably the golden age of burlesque. Costumes became more minimalist and even in the streets hemlines moved gradually up towards the knee. The age of speakeasies and prohibition in the US meant that even more “naughtiness” went on behind closed doors and famous burlesque artistes such as Gypsy Rose Lee became famous.

During the war period the pin up girl was more in vogue but once the war was over the live burlesque shows came back into fame.

1950s

With actresses such as Marilyn Monroe seen regularly on television in peoples’ homes, once again the hourglass figure came back into mode and with it the corset. Performers had extravagant costumes, extravagant names and extravagant stage acts. And the fashion on the streets made the most of a womens’ voluptuousness.

1980s

The 1979 Broadway show Sugar Babies gave Burlesque the revival kick it needed after a period of “seediness” where too much striptease overtook the comedy elements of the shows.

2001

The movie Moulin Rouge featured such fabulous costumes, life, fun and extravagance!  (if you haven’t seen it recently watch it again!)

And in present day there are burlesque clubs and performances all over the UK, you can do burlesque courses, go to burlesque themed night clubs or simply decide to wear a corset with jeans and make the most of your figure!

what a great theme for a fancy dress party!  The burlesque theme has come back into fashion since the movie “The Moulin Rouge” and Moulin Rouge costumes are now readily available at all of the good costume stores.

The source for this article is an extract from Burlesque and the Art of the Teese by Dita Von Teese