The Tape Dilemma

By: Black Mariah

How do you apply pasties?

I think the only real point that will never have one answer between burlesque dancers is “how do you keep your pasties on?” The answers will range from Flash tape, eyelash glue, spirit gum, toupee tape, and the list grows every year I spend in the world of burlesque.

I have attended many shows, many conversations in the dressing rooms, many “pastie rescue efforts”, and one thing I do know, is as many answers as exist to the pastie dilemma question, whatever choice a dancer uses, they stick to it. (no pun intended. Ok it was intended)

I have only decided that the reason for the variety in adhesive usage is A) availability of products and B) skin types and their reaction to adhesives.

Liquid adhesives like Liquid Latex (which is also known as eyelash glue) and spirit gum, and medical glue are favored by many dancers. The disadvantage to these is the drying time. In the need of quick pastie changes, drying time cannot be an issue for a dancer’s changing regiment. Another point to consider is skin allergies. Although people can be allergic to virtually anything these days, a latex allergy is a very common allergy, and must be considered when choosing an adhesive.

The other types of adhesives are the tape style adhesives. These are adhesives that come in a solid double sided sheet type form, and are applied to the pastie, then a wax backing is removed to expose a sticky side which adheres to the skin. The tape style adhesives vary greatly in their adherence and composition. Flash tape, toupee tape, carpet tape, medical adhesive (the tape form), and many others are all adhesives used to apply a pastie. Testing products to see what works best with your particular skin type is essential to becoming a happy pastie wearer.

Make sure that whatever adhesive you choose does not take skin off when you remove the pastie, (think cheap bandaids! OUCH!) look for swelling, itching, hives or sever redness while wearing the adhesive, as all of these are signs of skin allergies or sensitivity to the adhesive.

When you apply your adhesive, apply the adhesive to the outer ring of the inside of the pastie that makes contact with your skin. Make sure your skin is clean and dry when applying the pastie, free from lotions or body oils as the adhesive will not stick when oil is present. The nipple area is sensitive and thin skinned so avoid placing adhesive where it may make contact with the nipple itself (center of the pastie). Those of you with nipple piercings will also want to avoid adhesive that will make contact with your jewelry. Pulling off the pastie when it is adhered to jewelry could cause trauma to the pierced skin.  If you have exhausted every possibility of adhesives and your pastie is still coming off, then resort to putting tape adhesive all over the pastie. Do not try this method with liquid adhesive as the center of the pastie will not dry while the outside will dry. Also avoid liquid adhesives if you have piercings as wet adhesive can seep into the piercing and cause lots of issues and even infection. When removing the pastie take care and gently pull the pastie off starting on one side and pulling towards the opposite side. If the adhesive requires a remover (spirit gum) be sure to use that to remove your pastie. If you should receive battle scars or irritation from pastie removal (this will happen with repeated pastie changes in a short time) apply Neosporin or some type of triple antibiotic cream to the area that is irritated until healed. And certainly don’t cover it with a band aid!

Here are some brands you can look for to try their adhesives.

Braza bra “Flash Tape’ comes in a 30’ roll of double sided tape.Can be found at local dancer shops as well as online.

Top Stick Men’s grooming tape- toupee tape this can be found at beauty supply stores and wig shops. Top stick comes in 1×3 strips. Top Sol which is made by the same company comes in a roll, and is virtually the same product.

Double sided tape from TheBreastFormstore.com This tape is pressure sensitive and heat sensitive, becoming more secure the harder it is pressed into the skin and the longer it is worn.

Duo lash glue- get clear, the dark tone will dry black.  Can be found at beauty supply stores and drugstores in the beauty supply section.

Liquid Latex- can be found online as well as local sex shops in various sized containers.

Spirit Gum/ Spirit Gum remover- sold by Ben Nye or any theatrical supply company. This product can be found online or at local costume or theatrical suppliers.

Medical adhesive/removers- can be found online through medical suppliers. Searching locally could prove to be a hard sought adventure.

DIY Pasties with Vivienne Vermuth

Photos: Courtesy of Miss Vermuth

One of the most fun things about being in burlesque has to be making pasties! These little circles of delight can really bring out your creativity, and lets you express your personality on your…well, personalities! Once you get the basics down, you’ll be a pasty making princess in no time!

As far as materials for pasties, I tend to use buckram, which is a stiff mesh-like fabric that’s used commonly use for millinery (hat-making.) Other materials that are good to use are vinyl and stiff felt. I tend to use Aleene’s Fabric Fusion or E 6000 as my glues of choice. If you choose to attach tassels to your pasties, you will also want to grab some metal grommets to ensure a smooth twirl. I’ll go over tassels more at the end.

STEP ONE

Measure how big you want your pasty to be, by measuring the dark part around your nips. That should be the size of your pasty. Then use a protractor, set it at 1/4 of an inch more than your size, and draw 2 circles on your fabric. Cut them out, and cut out a small “pie slice” from the edge to the center. Your circles should look like a PAC MAN.

STEP TWO

Take your glue and run a small line of glue down one edge of the pie slice, then bring the other edge of the pie slice to the glue side. You’ll find that your pasty now has a prominent upside down “V”, or tent shape. Take your finger or Popsicle stick and smooth the glue down over the edge so its seamless, and it will get rid of the edge a bit. If you are attaching tassels, snip a TINY hole in the tip, and place the grommet into the hole, and glue the edge, leaving the hole clear.

STEP THREE

DECORATE!!! This is the fun part! You can use sequins, rhinestones, glitter, fabric- whatever your heart desires! Keep in mind the weight of the pasty – the heavier it is, the harder it will be to keep on! Also, if you attach pasties, make sure everything is smooth and laying flat – you don’t want to catch your tassel on an edge!

STEP FOUR (ATTACHING TASSELS)

Starting from the outside of the pasty, take the non business end of the tassel and thread it through your grommet, just enough to poke through the inside of the pasty. Then take your glue (I prefer hot glue for this because it’s waterproof when dry) and drop a bead big enough to cover the back of the grommet and the tassel, then place s small circle of fabric over it to protect your nip. Once dry, your tassels should swing freely! You can also experiment with using necklace chains as your tassels, because then you can change out your tassels!

USING YOUR PASTIES

My favorite adhesive is toupee tape made for wigs and hairpieces, but you can also use eyelash adhesive, double sided tape, spirit gum, etc. Keep in mind how you will use them, i.e. if you are a performer, you may want to use tape to ensure that they stay on. If you want to use liquid adhesives, I would advise putting a small layer of hot glue on the back of your pasties, because once it’s dry it will be waterproof and then whatever adhesive you use won’t stain or damage your pasties. Take the adhesive, and line around the edge of the pasty, then press onto the nip. You are set to go!

Enjoy your new pasties!

Cheers! Vivienne Vermuth

Pastie maker extraordinaire …Laura, darling is originally from New Orleans, though she now calls Dallas home.

Interview: Shoshana Photographs: Courtesy of …..Laura, darling

A pastie is a bit unusual for a first love in the realm of the arts. What is your arts/crafts background?

I can’t remember a time in my life that I wasn’t drawn to making costumes & fashion.  When I was 3, I made my first ensemble- a red string bikini-a la Charlie’s Angels made out of paper and twine and colored with crayons. I think my mom still has it. I was always in art classes in grammar and high school and for a while I was a jewelry major in college.  I graduated with a degree in fine arts and ended up in the fashion industry designing print and patterns for women’s career wear. I pretty much get paid to draw. I love it.

When did you begin designing and making pasties? What fueled your start?

Being from New Orleans originally, pasties and exotic costumes have
always been a fascination. I started collecting pasties about 8 years
ago- my first pair were from Bourbon Street. Just this past May I was
asked to create an apron for the charity event benefiting DIFFA (Design Industry Foundation Fighting AIDS). They were pale pink rhinestone, and making them was so much fun, I started making more.

Without giving away any trade secrets, can you describe your process?

My pasties are made of over 300 rhinestones per pair for the ultimate
sparkle. I bring my knowledge and passion for color and pattern to each
pair. Every stone is hand-picked and placed individually so they are
perfect. The tassels are hand sewn and fixed with glass beads so that
they really give you a good spin. I strive to make each pastie worthy of
Saks Fifth Avenue.

Where do you seek inspiration for your elegant designs?

Having a job in the fashion industry gives my access to the latest trends and runway shows. I find inspiration from the newest couture designs and from vintage and antique fashion and from our local burlesque dancers.

Do you welcome custom orders? Describe some of your most memorable special orders.

I love special orders. I’ve made apple shaped pasties for a fabulous
local burlesque dancer and I’m currently working with a lady in New
Jersey to make her very first pair.

What makes your pasties unique?

My pasties are all rhinestone and all sparkle. They are exactly what I
would want to wear on stage.  I try to imagine what would create the most impact- and that’s what I make.

What does the future hold for Laura Darling? Any upcoming events/projects we should know about?

This is just the beginning of Laura Darling- expect great things! I have a few tricks up my sleeve, I have a list of styles that will be 100% unique to Laura Darling just waiting to be made.  Costumes are a passion of mine so I’m hoping to work with some local dancers to create a complete look. I plan to start branching out into making full costumes & collaborating with other designers to make some outstanding ensembles.

Look for my booth at local burlesque events. I keep my Etsy store & Face Book page updated, so keep checking and my website should be fully functional within the next 6 months.

www.lauradarling.com
www.lauradarlingdeluxe.etsy.com