Making Pretty: Before and After

Going from mild-mannered, ordinary Person to show-stopping, mind-blowing Burlesque Dancer, at least in appearance, isn't a difficult process. It is a drastic one, though.

Consider, if you will, this picture of what I looked like mere hours before Widow Svedka's Black Hearts Memorial (a.k.a. the Mutter Museum show, a.k.a. the New Hope show). This, with very little exception, is what I look like from day to day. On an average day I wear little or no makeup because of a combination of temperamental skin and laziness. I'm not a terribly girly girl--a surprising number of the burlesque girls aren't, either.

And here is the look I used for the Mutter Museum show last night. The flowers were a last minute decision: I was going to apply them to the top I was wearing, but putting them in my hair solved the problem of what on earth to do with the rest of my head.

I really do want to put flowers in my hair more often. It was incredibly easy to do. Step 1: Flower. Step 2: Bobby pin. Step 3: Repeat.

I'd love to spout makeup tips or hair advice but I have none. Every time I have to sit in front of a strange mirror and doll up, I am practically flying blind. What colors to use, what brands to use, what tools to use changes every time.

The show was brilliant, by the way. Everything went well, both bands were incredible. The Absinthe Drinkers never disappoint and everyone loved This Way To The Egress. Of course, the night didn't end without a discussion about October's burlesque barbarians show. NOW it's time to get excited.

-DD