BURLESQUE-NEW ORLEANS--edited post

On Sat. evening, Sept. 18, my husband and I went to New Orleans to see the competition at the 2^nd Annual New Orleans Burlesque Festival where judges determined who would be crowned “Queen of Burlesque”.

Years and years ago (too many to count) I made a brief visit to Paris, France. I was supposed to go with friends to see the Follies Bergere, but because it was sold out we ended up at a cabaret show. I was a naive young 20 year old from Mississippi, but, nevertheless, I wasn’t shocked or turned off by watching the show. I’ve always been an open minded person—even back then!

Therefore, seeing the N.O. Burlesque show was fun. I wasn't embarrassed at all. If anything, I envied those women who had the courage to do this. For some reason I expected that the ladies in the show would all be young and have perfect bodies. I was pleasantly surprised to find this wasn’t so!

I loved the show—even the raunchiness of the emcee. I was glad that my favorite entertainer won-- Coco Lektra from Texas. She did an outstanding number dressed in red. There was a live jazz band to play for all the performers. What I really liked about Coco was her beautiful smile and her expression that conveyed how much fun she was having. I like the other contestants also--one used a giant swing to show us her acrobatic talents and another used a giant couch to entertain us with a very seductive routine. What really came across with all the ladies was that they had worked hard to get to this point in their careers.

I was glad to see that women who are older can still “wow” an audience. Some of the performers were no "spring chickens" as my granny used to say! Yet, they all managed to hold my attention and they all performed beautifully. (A "spring chicken" to me is someone younger than 25!)

Even though none of the dancers had perfect bodies, what struck me as the MOST sexy and seductive of all was the CONFIDENCE they each exuded. I realized that what some men have told me before is true: women who portray confidence, while not heart-stoppers in looks, are hot! They carry themselves upright with their shoulders back and heads held high as if to say “look at me, I have it!”

Another aspect of burlesque I love is the glamor. The lovely gowns and costumes, the high heels, the makeup and other adornment were splendid. I was reminded of the lovely gowns from the movie "Gone With the Wind". They also brought to mind how women used to get dolled up in dresses, stockings, high heels, gloves and hats even if they were going to have lunch with their friends.

As women, we have the option of utilizing these things to our utmost advantage. We are fortunate that we have a vast array of things to help us feel beautiful. And when we feel beautiful, we have confidence. When we have confidence, we turn heads!

Sadly, however, too many of us don’t fully utilize all the tools we have available to us! We opt for no makeup, ponytails, and jeans instead because it’s easy and comfortable. I'm at fault here also in this regard. But, it seems to me we’ve lost some of the feminine mystique in exchange for that comfort. While I am all for feeling comfortable I long for the days when, as women, we embraced a little more glamor in our everyday lives! Perhaps that is why burlesque appeals to me. It gives us that glamor!

Thoughts?