Glitter Fiend, Student Short Film 2008

Inspired by The Cockettes and John Waters, Glitter Fiend is a short piece about addiction to all things sparkly, starring my burlesque troupe at the time, Kiss Que C'est. Filmed in San Francisco. Watching it fills me with nostalgic bliss for being young, sloppy, dripping in sequins and making movies with my friends just cause. The video:

KISS QUE C'EST BURLESQUE

KISS QUE C'EST BURLESQUE 
2007 / SAN FRANCISCO

When our troupe first formed no one wanted to make their own costumes but me. I had been collecting sparkly thrift store gems for a while, eagerly awaiting a purpose. I gleefully set to work for our first photo shoot, tearing up gaudy prom dresses and old lady's cocktail blouses, reconfiguring them into bustles and bustiers. Our palette was black and gold, and each outfit represented our characters. (L->R) Pin Key Lee was a Marilyn-esque showgirl with a circus twist. She made the lock because she wanted to do a Houdini strip. April was a trained belly dancer with a cha cha influence. (You can't see the skirt in this picture but it turned out very cute.) Becca was our gender-bending acrobat in a tuxedo one-piece. I was a voodoo vamp. Miss Mae Western was a sassy pistol slinger from down Mexico way. I've come a long way. These days I would never put someone in a crinoline or a Frederick's bustier, but we were baby burlesquers and I love looking back on our homespun glamour.