Satin Gloves

Taking off, toying with and tossing satin gloves is an art in itself. Get your budding burlesque starlet started with a pair of her own. If she didn’t hold on to her ancient pair from prom (I admit it, I did), choose a few pairs in fiery red, sweet pink and deceptively innocent ivory so she can have a different look for each class or costume. They’re only about ten bucks a pair, so you can spoil her without splurging too much.

One of the very best workouts of my life happened to involve taking off my clothes. I know, I know. My mother doesn’t believe it either. But really, the burlesque classes involved a lot of cardio and killer floor work that made my legs shake, all from learning the gorgeous but demanding basics of striptease. Sure, we wore heels and garters and nighties and boas (all over yoga pants and tank tops), but that was all just the coquettish topper to the intense exercise of it all.

Burlesque is a bawdy but delicate art that requires more muscle and endurance than you’d ever reckon you’d get out of shimmying, rolling off stockings and, of course, the ancient bump and grind. The best part is that it isn’t just about toning and trimming your body, it is also an exercise in courage, empowerment and va-va-voom. And I have to admit, seeing my teacher’s curvy, conditioned, strong body made me work harder to like the body I saw peeking out from under all those boa feathers in the mirror.