The Art of Allure: Exploring Burlesque's Fashion Legacy
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Suffocating in corsets, layering on powder, and drenching the air in clouds of hairspray, performers of the Golden Burlesque era of the 1930s turned their world into a dazzling fever dream. Beginning in Victorian England as a blend of comedy and popular music, Burlesque found new life in American culture, where boldness and allure took center stage. Women were at the forefront of this era, exuding confidence and bringing them to the spotlight as they wore it as proudly as they wore feathers, sequins, and flashy jewelry, becoming staples of the scene.
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On stage, performers danced in gowns covered in rhinestones and vivid colors, each ensemble developing more audacious than the last. Thousands of feathers adorned their costumes, molding the performers into living artworks embodying the primary message and representation of the era: boldness. Their movements were captivating as they adorned giant gemstones and animated props, making you not want to look away. With charisma and flamboyance, the women of Burlesque captivated audiences, drawing crowds desperate to witness the art of seduction live. The electric energy of Burlesque transformed the culture from mere entertainment into an act of artistic rebellion, giving birth to “costume-esque” fashion. At the same time, elaborate fashion masterpieces allowed each performer to tell a story of the time, pushing the bounds as they symbolized the fantasies of their audience.
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In more recent decades, icons like Jean-Paul Gaultier and Dita Von Teese showcased Burlesque’s spirit of theatricality. Gaultier toured the world with his idea of “fashion freak shows,” where the theatrical elements of these garments are on full display on the runway. Dita Von Teese, queen of Burlesque, fashion icon, and published author, embodied Gaultier’s vision of theatricality perfectly. Teese and Gaultier were the haute couture match made in heaven. Gaultier’s 2014 Paris Couture show featured Teese as the embodiment of his showgirl meets butterfly vision. Not only a tribute to the transformative beauty of Burlesque, Gaultier’s passion for self-expression is reflected in his collection’s concept.
With stark elements of unique beauty, Burlesque represented the freedom of women to embrace sensuality, a freedom stripped away from them at the time. Burlesque provided an opportunity to take the power back as they highlighted allure and seductiveness through their physicality. Contemporary fashion icons now pursue individuality and uniqueness; however, in the 1930s, this wasn’t the case. Burlesque women were filled with grit and extraordinary confidence as they were shameless and unavoidable on stage.
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Though the era of Burlesque may seem like a glittering relic of the past, its influence on style and culture prevails. Combining fashion with performance amplifies the expression behind the production and allows performers to convey a message, telling their stories. Through these impactful moments in the spotlight, a blend of fashion and musical performance is curated. Through the performer’s fashion, the cohesion and context of the time are highlighted. Watching Burlesque dancers perform, their ability to become merely an extension of their apparel is a skill solely comparable to that of a chameleon. Truthfully, these women paved the way for generations of individuals to feel confident wearing costume-esque couture on any occasion. Burlesque may have begun as entertainment, but it evolved into a powerful statement of individuality, forever changing the landscape of fashion and performance. Its legacy remains a reminder that boldness, beauty, and brilliance go hand in hand.
Strike Out,
Writer: Isabelle Kim
Editor: Emily Montarroyos
Tallahassee