Dita Von Teese, Feminist Icon
“I’ve been called anti-feminist before and it makes me really mad. I don’t do my job for men; I do it because I love the make-up, the costumes and the history of showgirls.” God bless you, style purist icon Dita Von Teese xxx
Dear Dita Von Teese,
You are a goddess! With your porcelain skin, jet black hair and perfectly groomed pout, you inspire all of us to be who we truly are. You are the embodiment of poise and sophistication with or without your clothes on!
Thanks to your efforts, we are now also obsessed with the cheeky, sexiness that is burlesque. You’ve helped revitalize our love for corsets and the allure of a bold red lip.
You inspire us to embrace our femininity and sensuality and have helped bring glamour back into our lives. You’ve told us that we are beautiful and that our bodies are something to be celebrated and we agree.
Love Mookychick xxx
Dita Von Teese quotes:
“When sexuality, style, humor and playfulness all come together, along with a bit of innocence, well, that’s when a burlesque show becomes great.”
“I’ve been called anti-feminist before and it makes me really mad. I don’t do my job for men; I do it because I love the make-up, the costumes and the history of showgirls.”
“Some people say what I do isn’t very liberating. I say it’s pretty liberating to get $20,000 for 10 minutes work!”
“Some days there’s nothing for it but to go back to bed, but mostly I try to put a face on and turn the day around. I try to remember we all have those moments – even people you admire.”
“I advocate glamour. Every day. Every minute.”
Best known for:
Bringing burlesque back into mainstream media with her innovative strip tease shows, amazing costumes and feisty attitude.
Least known for:
Being a natural blonde and dying her hair jet black.
Mooky factor:
Dita is nothing but herself. When denim jeans and sneakers became the norm, she refused to conform and continued to walk out her door with her face impeccably painted on and always wearing silk stockings and garters under her 50s style outfits.
Her burlesque acts are both raunchy and mischievous, pure Mookychick style! She recently did a special routine as part of MAC’s Viva Glam campaign in which she straddled a giant lipstick dressed in pink sparkly boots, a cowboy hat, nipple tassels and not much else. Meow!
A short history of Dita Von Teese:
Dita Von Teese was born Heather Renee Sweet on 28th September 1972; the middle child of two sisters. As a young girl, Dita became fascinated with 1940s Hollywood film and the glamour associated with the era which was encouraged by her mother. As a teenager she developed a passion for elaborate lingerie while she was working in a lingerie store.
At 18 years old she began dancing at a local strip club. She was disappointed at the lack of originality in the other strippers’ acts and begun dancing in vintage inspired outfits and lingerie. Around this time she begun glamour modeling, when then evolved into alternative modeling. She would frequently emulate pin up legend Bettie Page which set her apart from other models at the time.
Dita begun performing burlesque routines in 1993 and helped bring burlesque back into public favor with her elaborate routines and stunning vintage costumes. Some of her more famous dances include props such as a giant carousel horse, a claw foot bath tub and a giant feather fan. Her signature show features a giant martini glass.
As her burlesque career rose so did her role as fashion icon with her retro, polished appearance. She has appeared in several ad campaigns including that of Vivienne Westwood and Wheels and Dollbaby and has walked the catwalk for various designers such as Heatherette. She is often seen seated in the front row at fashion shows such as Christian Dior and Marc Jacobs and has appeared in international editions of glossy mags such as Vanity Fair, Harpers Baazar, Vogue and Playboy.
In 2001 Dita became one half a high profiled relationship when she begun dating rocker Marilyn Manson. They were married in 2005 in a non-denominational ceremony at Gerteen Castle in Ireland. Von Teese wore a purple gown, designed by close friend Vivienne Westwood and a custom made corset by the renowned Mr Pearl. Sadly, the couple divorced in 2006 citing ‘irreconcilable differences.”
Dita is currently working with Wonder bra on her lingerie line. She is a spokesperson for MAC cosmetics and actively involved with promoting AIDS awareness. She is currently booked to perform in Paris during September, with talks of a possible Los Angeles show later in the year.