IF YOU WANT TO GET AHEAD, GET A HAT!

When chatting about all the projects I have happening at the moment (getting ready for Hebden Bridge Burlesque Festival; programming and running Bang Tidy Burlesque; child-rearing; freelance Marketing and PR contracts; general "life" stuff and so on...) someone said to me  "ooh! you wear a lot of hats. don't you?" and it got me thinking. Actually, yes. Yes, I do!

A NAKED HEAD IS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY

I am a BIG fan of hats, headpieces and wigs. A naked head is a missed opportunity in my opinion. I often build my burlesque costumes from the head down and I don't have a single act that doesn't have a wig or a hat as an essential part of the costume.

Heidi Bang Tidy as Brenda
Copyright Darkstar Imaging 

Brenda the Lollipop Lady wouldn't be complete without her traffic warden hat (and matching hi vis trim) I love that Brenda's hat presents an opportunity for a full on "Timotei moment" hair reveal, with a massive shake of the hair. It's such fun and always gets a great reaction from the audience. 

The hat is also a vital part of my pre-performance preparations - somehow as soon as I put the hat on, I feel like Brenda. And yes, I know how poncey that sounds ;)

Heidi Bang Tidy as Gertie
Copyright Fiona's Boots

Gertie the Lion Tamer just HAD to have a top hat. As soon as I walk on stage, I know that the hat and the music places me firmly in a circus in the audiences' mind.

Cheap ebay buys like this top hat can be simply customised/ pimped  with some sequin trim. You don't have to spend a fortune on head gear but a little bit of customising can make all the difference. 

Marjorie and Maureen - also known as "Marjoreen"
Copyright Darkstar Imaging 

When I perform "Morris" with Crystal Tips, we wear matching straw hats and ginger wear wigs to make us more believable as "twins" (!)

Our new act, "Sisters" (which we are debuting at Joe Black's House of Burlesque in Southsea on 1 Feb), features yet more matching ginger wig action.

Heidi Bang Tidy
Backstage as "Budgie"
Copyright Heidi Bang Tidy

I love my Budgie mask (made for me by True Flower Creations) . 

I was worried that wearing a mask might inhibit my performance, as I rely so heavily on my facial  expressions. However, I found wearing a mask strangely liberating. Budgie is my most naked act - but somehow I feel more "dressed" with the mask on. Which means that I can prance about in a fluffy G-String to the Birdie Song without blushing. 

The mask was moulded to my face in Mod Rock, built onto in layers and then decorated with feathers and rhinestones. Hours of work for the True Flower ladies but totally worth the effort in my opinion.

Heidi Bang Tidy as Dolly
Copyright Heidi Bang Tidy

Dolly the loo brush cover wouldn't be complete without her big pink wig. Sometimes it pays to be imaginative with your shopping search. I found this one by searching for drag artiste supplies! 

Some things I have discovered during my hear gear love affair.....

THE POUND SHOP IS YOUR FRIEND

When MCing, I like anything and everything on my head. I would LOVE to have a collection of custom-made headdresses and I do treat myself to something special from time to time but I have also discovered that you can do fabulous head gear on a budget. 

I have rocked everything from bearskin hats to showgirl headdresses, to rubber spiders and ridiculous hats. I even have a crown made from loo rolls and sparkly tampons made by fellow burlesquer Kinky Crayola. However, I do have a particularly fondness for cheap Christmas decorations.

Heidi Bang Tidy MCing Bang Tidy Burlesque
Copyright  Darkstar Imaging 

<I found these fabulously sparkly christmas decorations in my local pound shop. Trimmed off the stems, clipped 'em in and bingo! Instant fabulous hair adornment. Other great places to look out for interesting things you can pop on your bonce are garden centres, supermarkets and market stalls.  

IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY IT OR MAKE IT 

....HIRE IT!

For special one-off events, check out your local professional or amateur theatre - it's fabulous fun riffling through the rails and you can hire things you could probably never afford to own, like the amazing feathered showgirl headdress and backpiece - worth hundreds of pounds, I hired for a fraction of that from West Yorkshire Playhouse Costume Hire.

For Bang Tidy Burlesque's Best Of British show in September 2012, I hired a swiss bearskin hat and military jacket from West Yorkshire Playhouse Costume Hire. Somehow it made the post-jubilee bargain string bikini from Asda look okay!

Heidi Bang Tidy
Copyright: Darkstar Imaging 

Heidi Bang Tidy
Copyright StageZero.co.uk

YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOOK FAR FOR INSPIRATION

On my burlesque travels I have seen some amazing and truly inspired headpieces on the heads of other folks. Here are some of my favourites:

Canadian Burlesque Performer, Velma Candyass
Headpiece by Empress of Squee
Copyright Algaive

<I spent four days with Velma Candyass in Vegas and I don't think I saw her in the same wig twice! In fact, I think she changed her head gear at least twice a day. Velma is famed in her native Montreal for her amazing head dresses. Here she is rocking her Bird of Doom headpiece. Totes amazeballs!

Eliza Delite
Headdress by Eliza Delite
Copyright: Tigz Rice Studios

Eliza Delite created this stunning handmade headdress to reflect the portrayal of the virgin Mary in religious artwork for her award-winning "Like a Prayer" routine. The act saw her crowned as "Best British Female" at the World Burlesque Games 2012. >

Em Brulee
Copyright Fiona's Boots

<Em Brulee's head dresses are to die for! And they are ALL hand crafted by the lady herself. It was Em who first inspired me to try my hand at making my own head gear. 

Check out her fantabulous head wear (and her marvellous voice) in this youtube video of Em performing at The Martini Lounge in Liverpool. 

Atheria Hart's Ice Temptress
Copyright - BluPlanet Photo

Atheria Hart's Ice Temptress Head dress is probably one of my favourites. I nearly fell off my high heels when she explained she had made it with a couple of headbands, some Christmas icicle decorations, her glue gun and a blow torch! >


















And finally.... check out this beauty! British actress, dancer, and singer Jessie Matthews OBE. I suspect this might have been a little more than a few christmas decs glue-gunned onto an alice band, don't you?!

Thanks to Diva Hollywood, who recently shared this belter in her daily inspirational images on Facebook.

Trying on one of Zsa Zsa Lahore's head dresses
(while she was in the loo)
Copyright Sandra Lemons

If this has inspired you to think about making your own head gear, look out for the next blog post in this series where Em Brulee, Atheria Hart and Zsa Zsa Lahore will share some tops tips and insider secrets on how to make your own head dresses...... 

Until next time - keep your hair on ;) 

Heidi Bang Tidy

www.bangtidyburlesque.co.uk