Glitter, Feathers, and Feet…

Here are some of the latest pole-related items I’ve found and purchased; I thought these might come in handy for some of you all!

Foot undeez (link to buy here) are great! They have a little suede patch on the ball of the foot, which is great protection from the friction burns you can get from doing too many pirouettes, and also provide enough grip so that you can do footwork without slipping. They are mesh on top so your foot can breathe, and ride close enough to your toes that they don’t interfere with climbing. These are traditionally used for modern dance, but I’ve seen quite a few pole dancers rockin’ them. I picked up my pair from Apple Jelly Studios in Sarasota Florida when I went to visit, and they told me that they are really popular among the students there!

I’ve been struggling with my body’s inability to regulate temperature lately. In the winters, if I’m not wearing enough (easily removed) layers, I find it impossible to get warm enough to stick to the pole. These thigh-high socks from American Apparel have been a lifesaver in cold studios- especially since all my legwarmers only cover my calves! They are available in tons of colors and are a sturdy weave so they hold up to washings really well. Also– hello, thigh high socks?– sexaaay!

Embellishing our high heels has become a popular idea among polers! If you are looking for a great site for sourcing your glitter, look no further: Art Glitter has almost every color you  can think of, and probably a few you haven’t realized existed, including some amazing transparent, neon, and holographic glitters. I first happened upon these when I was getting my nails done and the nail tech pulled out a jar of this stuff to mix in with my mani. I’ve purchased a few colors since then to try on my battered shoes that need new life, and the ultrafine glitter is wonderful. 1/4 of an oz is just enough to cover a pair of 6″ heels, but if you want to be safe, I would order 1/2 oz.

So, hand in hand with a love for glitter, comes my love for feathers. A while back, for a photo shoot, I wore this feather skirt from Patricia Field.  And for Halloween, I re-created it with yellow feathers (for a Big Bird costume, don’t ask) using much, much cheaper feathers from Lamplight Feather. If you are looking for any feathers for any kind of costume, I highly recommend them– the type I used for my skirt were “schlappen”, and about 10% of the price I was going to have to pay at the only other place in NYC that sold them. The sales reps are very knowledgeable, and their customer service is tops too.

Happy shopping!

Tomorrow’s post: Status quo