The Queen of Burlesque: Dita Von Teese

Tonight after work, I'm going to Hennessy + Ingalls in Los Angeles for a book signing with Dita Von Teese. If you don't know who she is, you should. Admittedly, I didn't know who she was until just a few weeks ago... Dita is one of those treasures referred to in my opening blog. She is pinup art come to life, and as classy as they get.

Featuring elaborate sets and gorgeous costumes, her burlesque "striptease" (Stripteese is the name of her new book) shows are spectacular, whimsical, utterly feminine, and FUN. Example: in one of her many acts, she bathes in a giant martini glass with an enormous strawberry sponge!

As a young girl, Dita was obsessed with pretty, lacy lingerie, she loved it, and got her first job working at a lingerie store. Later she became a stripper, but quickly grew bored of the lackluster routines the rest of the girls did, so she began to incorporate retro style into her dances, which eventually grew and developed into what she performs today. Personally, I think she's in an arena all her own, but Dita doesn't disparage other forms of erotic dance, and says pole dancing/stripping and burlesque are absolutely related, just different presentations.

I have my opinions about "gentlemen's" clubs and won't go into them here, however I will say that until discovering Dita, the whole public disrobement thing wasn't very appealing. Not when it's done out of insecurity, fear or desperation. When approached from a place of confidence, passion, and an empowered sense of womanhood, though, that's something else entirely. It's beautiful. And that's Dita.

Her look is a throwback to old Hollywood glamour; it's made her a modern-day style icon, and she's consistently on international best dressed lists - - so Google her for some vintage fashion inspiration!

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P.S. I tried to find a photo of Dita with her hair in a ponytail, and found none. Hmmm. I noted it, but that doesn't mean Grandma's won the war!