Pasties are the last thing an audience is likely to see during your act but they shouldn’t be the last thing you think about. If cost is prohibitive, consider investing in one pair of good quality neutral pasties that coordinate with several costumes. Alternately, you can debut with something simple and gradually upgrade for future performances. Either way, walk right past those peel and stick pasties you can get at adult shops — they aren’t form-fit and that adhesive is not stage ready! Instead, ask around your community to find out who the pastie-makers are or, if you’re up to the task, where to get supplies to make your own!
I have way more pasties than acts but the best ones in my collection are those that were custom made by Delilah D’lish and Showgirl Sparkle (who is also our local rhinestone and pastie supply seller!). I don’t have any made by Mal Compliance but I’ve seen and would also recommend their work. I’ve also bought basic pasties made by the Cheesecake Burlesque Review at their shows and the Garden of Eden adult store which usually has ready-made pasties (and booty shorts!) in stock. I currently do not have any “assles” — pasties you stick on your buttcheeks — but those should be made a little less peaked and may need a different adhesive.
When it comes to custom pasties, you are really only limited by imagination. I’ve seen everything from electrical tape Xs, to 3D-printed designs, to double layer reveal pasties (using magnets), to LED lit designs! There are also “illusion” pasties that incorporate mesh to extend the edges of the pasties. I’ve also seen pasties rhinestoned to look like nipples (fuck censorship!). There’s many different ways to make pasties, too, with different materials for the base as well as the decorations. Really the only rule is to cover the nipple!
What I look for in a pastie:
- Colour — I want the pasties to be colour coordinated in some way with the rest of my costume. I still lack a “generic” pair that I can use with anything, but my Safety Orange set get a LOT of use — in four of my acts! (Safety Dance, Rebel Scum, Greasy the Clown, and They’re Roommates) because all of the costumes are anchored in orange.
- Readability — if the pasties are supposed to represent something, like my Typewriter Key pasties for “Carry that Paperback”, I need to know that people who are ten or twenty feet away, or further, can still understand what they are. Tiny details are great but not always visible.
- Durability — when things start spinning, I need to know they are going to hold together. If rhinestones or sequins shed too easily, they aren’t going to last through multiple performances. Also, a good spinner mechanism makes a huge difference to the movement on stage if tassels are involved.
- Sparkle — this is where you really get what you pay for. If you are making your own, I highly recommend researching your rhinestones. Don’t buy Dollar Store plastic gems (while these are OK for infill on large projects they simply don’t pick up much light and you will be disappointed). Sequins are also OK but again, make sure you get some that shine. Matte sequins are only going to disappoint under stage lighting.
- Fit — every boob is a little different. I have piercings to cover so I like a more “roomy” pastie and I also have very large areolae so I often look for 2.5″ or larger pasties (average is 2″) but some people prefer smaller sizes — when ordering custom, be sure to ask your maker about sizing.
Here’s some of my pasties:
Cheesecake burlesque basic red sequins 
My rehearsal pasties that came with my Rosie Bitts beginners class 
Where I really got started – Safety Orange by Delilah D’Lish 
Off the shelf sequins from Garden of Eden for Gold 
Typewriter Keys for Carry that Paperback by Showgirl Sparkle 
Sequin-rhinestone combo for the Fly by Showgirl Sparkle 
Bullseyes! No clue how these came into my life. 
Snowflake design, no spinner, by Delilah D’Lish 
Cheap single use self stick pasties – just say no.
Once you have your pasties, you need to stick em on so they won’t come off. Most performers use double sided fashion tape which you can often buy in lingerie stores or at drug stores. Some folks swear by carpet tape (especially for assles) but this can be harsh on skin — test first! I use a combo of eyelash glue and 3M mounting strips (double sided foam stickies) and so far I’ve only popped a pastie once! Other options include stage adhesives like liquid latex or spirit gum, but again, please test before show day!
I hope you found this helpful and that it made your day just a little more sparkly!
