Burlesque Past and Present: Rosita Royce and her doves

The art of the tease is on everyone's lips; with a rising interest in burlesque, cabaret clubs are in full swing and new acts are cropping up every week. At Playful Promises we just adore a bit of cheek, and would love to introduce you to our favourite burly girls, past and present! Keep your eyes firmly peeled, as each week we feature inspiring performers guaranteed to set pulses racing!

This week's edition of Burlesque Past and Present focuses on a performer who seems all but forgotten in this age. Little information (at least online) exists about Rosita Royce. We aren't sure whether the details of her life have been lost to history or if she deliberately withheld information to add to her mystique.

Known as "The Doves Dancer", Rosita Royce was popular in the 1930s, when burlesque had really struck a controversial note with the American audience.

As we have previously seen in our article about Lydia Thompson, Victorian burlesque shows were controversial enough with a bit of leg on show, but a new decade called for more risqué acts. By the 1920s the birth of film and the advancement of radio sent shock waves through the world. Burlesque shows needed to offer something that these new mediums could not; the striptease.

Performers fought for fame, and competition was fierce; by 1935 there were around 3,500 strip-tease acts in the US, each trying to become more controversial (and thus more popular) than the last. With no way to trademark their dances, we can never be sure who invented what, or who popularized a certain act. Rosita Royce claimed she first performed 'The Bubble Dance', (a routine that is still popular today) which was then stolen by her biggest competitor, Sally Rand.  Royce needed a new gimmick that was sure to wow audiences.

Royce created her trademark act, 'The Dance of the Doves', which caused her to become one of the most controversial dancers of her time.

Filling her mouth with bird seeds and striking elegant poses to preserve her modesty, she used live doves like other performers used fans. Audiences couldn't believe their eyes when the seven trained doves carried off pieces of her evening gown; despite such a questionable act her performance at the 1939 New York World's Fair was a hit.

Royce was one of the many dancers who had brushes with the law as cities attempted to crack down on this lewd form of entertainment. She was once arrested for appearing nude on stage, to which she explained to the judge that a thief had run off with her costume just before she graced the stage, so she had to make do with a fig leaf. When questioned about said leaf she claimed "the wind blew it off".

Although we couldn't find much information about Royce from the 40s onwards, we can assume she was still performing her hit act by 1953 when she appeared in the comedy film Striporama. The film starred burlesque, comedy and dance acts popular in the early 50s, including Bettie Page.

Unfortunately, it seems that Royce died a year later, in 1954, however it is not known how or when. In her book "Burlesque: Legendary Stars of the Stage", Jane Briggeman details the two conflicting stories she received from members of The Golden Days of Burlesque Society.

In one version of the story, the burlesque artist is said to have died a dramatic death on stage, in front of thousands. Having her doves released at the top of the stadium, strong winds and the weight of the birds caused them to knock Royce over. Her heart stopped and she was dragged offstage "with the doves refusing to relinquish their hold on her costume".

In the other, more believable story of her demise, it is said she died of cancer at Mount Sinai Hospital in Miami. However, the date remains uncertain.

You can watch a video of Rosita Royce performing a routine with her two other birds, a parrot called "Red" and a cockatoo called "Silly Billy", below:

Tailoring the '20s: Boardwalk Empire

I'm a huge fan of epic American tv shows; you know, the ones EVERYONE is talking about. I've obsessed over LOST, I've shunned Heroes, I drooled over Spartacus: Blood and Sand (don't judge me), and of course I've spent hours and hours of my life watching Mad Men. But you know, I'm sick of hearing about the latter. Although brilliant, and full of Jon Hamm, Mad Men is not the ONLY good retro show full of jaw-dropping costumes.

In fact, when it comes to costumes, Mad Men is surely beaten by Boardwalk Empire. There, I said it.

Set in the boom town of Atlantic City, NJ during the prohibition, Boardwalk Empire is as rich a story-line as it is visual. Just finished up with it's second season, with another in production, this Martin Scorsese produced show is BIG budget. The pilot alone cost $30million dollars, and no expense was spared on the clothing.

Costume is a key aspect of the show - in the 1920's clothing was the most important factor for showing social status, as it had been for centuries beforehand. Like many of the personas in Boardwalk Empire, the lead character, Nucky, (played by Steve Buscemi) is based on a real person who was known for being a snappy dresser.

"The wardrobe is incredible, you just put on the clothes and walk on the set and see everyone else in character - you feel like you are there," says Buscemi

 

In this interview with Esquire costume designer John Dunn discusses how he brought out the male characters by tailoring alone.

 

Dunn and his team immersed themselves in the year 1920, contacting vintage clothing dealers, researching tailoring of the period, to ensure complete authenticity. Using real vintage suits just wouldn't cut it; as with most 20's clothing, what has survived is usually too ragged, the cost of restoring the clothing too high. The suits had to be tailored from scratch, using only the fabrics of the era.

Boardwalk Empire is not for the faint-hearted; it delves into the gangster underworld of the prohibition, and in a Scorsese-produced show, you know it isn't going to be all happiness and rainbows. As characters get beaten, murdered and more, multiples of the same suit had to be created, further ruling out authentic pieces.

Accessories and some dresses, on the other hand, are mostly vintage. The team scoured the country looking for original pieces - stockings, coats, gloves, pins.

 The rise of character Jimmy is shown through his clothing - previously the drab khaki of a returning soldier, to a full suit meaning business

 

The most surprising thing about the costumes of Boardwalk Empire is how colourful they are. We are so used to seeing the 20's in black and white, who knew what colours would be in vogue at the time? Using references to colour in magazines along with sketches and swatches of fabric used by tailors, it was obvious that this was an era where manufacturers experimented with dye.

Different characters living in different cities were dressed in different ways. The seaside summer of Atlantic City (the shows key location) has a brighter palette than the elegant, cutting-edge tailoring of the New Yorkers (I'm particularly in love with Arnold Rothstein's wardrobe) or the old-world darker colours of the Chicago-based Italians.

 

The female characters, too, were instantly recognizable by their costume, which also tells the story of the women's part in the prohibition. The dour old-fashioned button-ups of the Temperance League (whose slogan was "Lips That Touch Liquor Shall Not Touch Ours") contrasts against the decadent beading and elaborate patterns of the early flappers. The main female character, Margaret Schroeder, transforms from struggling immigrant to more exquisite locations and thus, dresses. In one scene she wears a green silk evening dress recreated from a sketch by Coco Chanel.

During this era fashion also reflected the changing status of women in society. Going from a corsetted silhouette to rectangular shapes just skimming the body, perfect for showing off beading and decoration. Light fabrics were used to lay thin layers against the body, and women were just starting to wear bras and knickers rather than bloomers.

For the first time in history, clothing started to look like its modern-day counterpart - a 1920's dress could easily look the part on today's fashionista. But what makes these fashions so beautiful is the hand-crafted detail, something which we rarely see now. Dunn points out, "The 1920's was a transition into modern clothes, but with all the embellishments of the past" - and that's exactly why I love it.

 

And just how cute is this image of the Boardwalk Empire girls, shot by Ellen Von Unwerth for Vanity Fair! Perfect for Summer inspiration!

Burlesque Past and Present: The sad story of Faith Bacon

The art of the tease is on everyone's lips; with a rising interest in burlesque, cabaret clubs are in full swing and new acts are cropping up every week. At Playful Promises we just adore a bit of cheek, and would love to introduce you to our favourite burly girls, past and present! Keep your eyes firmly peeled, as each week we feature inspiring performers guaranteed to set pulses racing!

Said to be the most beautiful woman in the world, at least according to Florenz Ziegfeld, Faith Bacon was a starlet turned burlesque dancer who suffered a sad demise.

At 20 years old, Faith appeared on Broadway in Earl Carroll's 'Fioretta' and the Ziegfeld Follies. Carroll was a hit Broadway producer, earning the name "the picker of pulchritude". At the time, it was only legal to have nude women on stage if they acted as unmoving statues, which often resulted in shows of grand artistic tableaux.

This just wasn't enough for Carroll, who pushed the censorship laws in 1924 by putting on a show, titled "Vanities", in which the majority of the female acts cavorted nude around the stage. Enough was enough for the New York District Attorney, who demanded Carroll clothe his performers. He refused and continued on with the show, resulting in a hilarious instance of a police officer tasked with the purpose of stopping any displays of nudity using a blanket. The officer raced onto the stage attempting to capture a naked star, who broke free and dashed off - to the audience it was like a scene from the Keystone Kops.

Carroll battled with censorship throughout his career, serving jail time for some of his debaucheries (including throwing lavish parties with nude women bathing in illegal alcohol), and was always on the lookout for new ways to flash some flesh.

Faith had an idea; "Mr Carroll... Why can't we do a number where I'm covered when I move, and undraped when I stop? For example -- let's say the orchestra plays a waltz. I dance around, but on every third note, the music stops and I stand still and uncover!" Clearly impressed, he asked her what she could use to cover herself during the movement, to which she suggested ostrich feathers. And so, according to Faith, the fan dance was born.

Faith took her fan dance across America, causing a stir both among the public and the police. The fan dance took off, and in 1933 she competed with Sally Rand (who is remembered as the more popular, and even the inventor of the fan dance) at The World's Fair.

From there her life went downhill. In 1936 she took part in a performance at Chicago's State-Lake theater, in which she was told to stand on a glass box for the finale. "Well, the curtains parted and I crashed through the box. All the girls started screaming for a doctor and running around the stage, but somehow I climbed out of all the broken glass and danced." Her role was to portray the temptation of beauty, which must have been quite a shock as she danced covered in blood.

Faith was taken to the hospital for a month, and left with deep scars on both legs. It was two months before she could dance again, and even had to learn to walk all over again.

Her star faded; the only jobs she could get were in less wholesome venues, eventually ending up in small town bars and carnivals. In 1938 she had a small role in a tacky low-budget movie, "Prison Train", as a dancer called Maxine. Ten years later she sued a carnival boss for throwing tacks on the stage as she danced barefoot, supposedly trying to force her to break her contract.

On the 26th September 1956, after a particularly long search for work and distraught by her lack of success, she argued with her roommate about her decision to go back to her family in Pennsylvania. Faith ran from the room, and suddenly opened a window in the stairwell. Her roommate attempted to grab at her skirt, but Faith tore free and jumped. Her body landed on the roof of a one-story saloon next door, resulting in her death at 46 years old.

Her friend later told reporters that Bacon "wanted the spotlight again. She would have taken any kind of work in show business."

Faith's effects reportedly comprised of clothing, one ring, a train ticket home, 85 cents and a pair of rented fans.

Titanic Fever

The S.S Titanic collided with an iceberg and sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic ocean one hundred years ago.

As the media looks back at this tragic event Playful Promises takes a peak at some of the more notable passengers, we take a cheeky glimpse at some of the fine lougewear first class passengers would have been wearing and we admire some of the tantalising artefacts recovered over recent expeditions to the sea floor!



These remarkable perfume vials is one of the best examples of recovered artefacts to date. Originally from British perfumery Adolphe Saalfeld, Adolphe was a German perfume maker who survived the sinking of the ship. These beautiful vials of perfume oil were being exported, bound to ladies boudoirs in the United States.

One can imagine the stunning array of perfume bottles, dresser bottles and make-up artefacts some of the first class passengers would have had on-board with them. Adolphe carried 65 vials onto the ship, and to this date 62 vials have been recovered all intact. In the year 2000, plans were made to recreate these perfumes but no further information has been published.

Other found objects include decorative hair accessories, jewelled brooches, necklaces including this personal necklace bearing the name Amy. Some believe it was Amy Jacobsohn, a 2nd Class passenger, while others believe it was Amy Stanley's, despite her sailing in Third Class. Some say the bracelet was found in a leather bag that contained items from the 2nd Class Purser's safe, while others say it was found with other steerage items in the debris.

Intricate bottles from dressers have been found as well as mesh hand bags, combs,  boxed jewels and this sparkling gem of a diamond ring and a flurry of clothing.

Fashion Correspondent Edith Russell was one of the many passengers on board the Titanic. She was voyaging towards the United States travelling with trunks full of French couturiere pieces for American clients. Her trunks sank with the ship that tragic night and remain unfound.

Leontine Pauline Aubart was a French traveller who also lost all her possessions; 

“I had in my cabin jewels worth 4,000 (GPB) as well as many trunks of dresses and hats. One does not come from Paris and buy one's clothes in America. That is understood, is it not?”

We like to think that there are some beautiful pieces yet to be found. This stunning silk garment went up for auction just a few weeks ago. The colour is still apparent, but best yet is the beautiful embroidery. The shape, cut and fit are rather inspiring for our boudoir antics!

Dorothy Gibson was one of the survivors on the great tragedy.  Gibson was a famed entertainer of the period. She appeared on stage as a singer and dancer in a number of theatre and vaudeville productions, the most important being on Broadway in Charles Frohman’s The Dairymaids (1907). She was also a regular chorus member in shows produced by the Shubert Brothers at the Hippodrome Theatre. At the time she was the highest paid female entertainer in the world.

 

^{The Titanic is a notable and epic disaster, it took to its grave some treasuredgems, some we are yet to discover.}

Memento Mori: Victorian Mourning Lingerie

Queen Victoria in mourning

Mourning the death of a loved one is certainly a difficult period for all involved. Today death and mourning is very private, however in the Victorian period mourning was a very public affair. Mourning attire was a very important factor in this overt grieving process, and this included the lingerie that the women had to wear.

Queen Victoria reformed the mourning rituals after the loss of her Mother, and nine months later the loss of her beloved husband, Prince Albert. The entire country was propelled into a state of national mourning, and the entire Royal Household lead the way in mourning fashions and trends; men, women and children.

Queen Victoria in mourning attire

This very extreme and public display of mourning revolutionised how the Victorians were to mourn loved ones, and even lingerie was affected by this change of trend.

Women would mourn the death of a family member for at least 4 weeks. The death of a parent would result in mourning for at least a year and the death of a husband required at least two years of mourning.

Black lace fans, mourning accessories

Women were the leaders of a household's mourning drill.  It was the woman who as the social representatives of their husbands showed the world how sorrowed the family was by wearing clothes and following little rules that reflected this.

In 1865 Henry Mayhew the social historian remarked that women;

‘had to put aside all their ordinary clothes and wear nothing but black, in the appropriate materials and with particular accessories, for the first stages of mourning.'

Often this meant that women would dye their clothes black, anything visible would have been black. As much as possible, undergarments that touched the skin were not dyed to avoid the dye wearing off on the skin. However, black ribbon, lace and trims would be added wherever possible.

Black petticoats

Funeral lingerie consisted of petticoats made of silk and stuft. Stockings would also have been made from silk, cashmere or balbriggan. Balbriggan was lightweight knitted cotton, elasticised, so ideal for underwear, but just like nylon stockings today it laddered easily. If possible these were purchased in black or dyed at home.

Black corsets were worn; sometimes this may have been inset with white lace for mourning. Wealthy women with the means to invest in mourning attire and mourning lingerie may well have purchased fine white cambric funeral lingerie threaded with black satin and a matching corset.

Black embroidered stockings

The new trends of extreme mourning attire also meant that all women’s fashionable treasured possessions were tucked away until after a considerable amount of grieving time passed. As much as today, lingerie would have been a small devilish treat for oneself, and ladies who could afford white broderie anglaise would purchase pieces of lingerie in white with black ribbon detailing as a guilty pleasure.

Victorian Funeral fashions

Ladies, and gentleman, would go to considerable expense on the caps, cuffs and collars which were visible but would have also adorned their undergarments. Often women wore muslin or cotton under-vests with collars and cuffs that would show beyond the outer garments.

Caps, cuffs and collars would be made from lawn; the name comes from the town Laon in the North of France. Lawn is a type of linen, often used by the clergy. Cotton and fine muslin were alternatives for the less affluent. Cuffs were required to be nine inches long. The cuff would never overlap, it would meet at the wrist and fasten with buttons on the edges. Cuffs were often referred to as weepers, as these were used to dry tears.

Ladies would match the lace design of their cuffs to their handkerchiefs. Usually made from cambric or cotton, handkerchiefs were another indulgence women in mourning could obtain.

Victorian Mourning Accessories

The wealthier ladies would also have ready, black kidskin gloves and very affluent women were allowed black animal pelts, however it needed to be evenly black. Sealskin, sheared beaver and astrakhan (newborn Persian lamb) were the choice pelt of the era.

Women who could not afford mourning attire were shunned. The writer Puckle reflected that

‘This is a time for display, not for borrowing, and who knows better than a widow that a score of coldly criticising eyes are watching events through broken venetian blinds and dirty Nottingham lace curtains…one is wondering where the money comes from to pay for the luxury of grief…’

Mourning today is short and discreet, something done behind closed doors. It has become a private affair just as sex has become a very public affair. Sex was unmentionable in Victorian society, and yet death held no mystery at all. The more public it was the more impressive you became.