Supplies

Posing coach Michelle recom-mended that I start ordering some of the things I'll need for the competition, so I took care of that a few days ago with one-click shopping on Amazon. Both orders arrived yesterday. The first item is Bikini Bite which has a roll on applicator and is essentially an adhesive that is applied to your butt so that the posing suit sticks to your posterior, preventing improper placement. In other words, ya won't need to deal with a wedgy on stage. The other order is a pair of posing shoes, a category of product that appears on stripper supply websites, something I've concluded because they're sometimes referred to as stripper shoes. They come in several styles of platform and heel height. Mega platforms are considered inappropriate thankfully (it's a tacky look, in my opinion). I narrowed it down to a 4 1/2 inch heel and a 5 inch heel. After surveying the height of my own heels, I decided that I had the best chance at achieving the elusive combination of comfort and ability to walk with the 4 1/2 inchers. I slipped them on and, despite the 1 inch platform, they're still steep. They have a fabric liner, so that should help prevent my foot from sliding. I'll need to practice walking in them, but I won't do that during any of my errand runs. I'll save it for home. Almost all of the competitors wear this style shoe for the simple reason that it offers a great look without being distracting. This isn't a fashion show, folks. That being said, everyone wears a bit of bling, so I went up to the mall and purchased a bling bracelet and matching earrings. The idea there is to add a touch of glamour (we're figure girls, not barefoot body builders!) and under stage lights, they look great. The bracelet, which is about an inch wide, features solid rows of crystals (the cheap kind, not Swarovski) with no space between them and the earrings have three dangling strands of crystals, all about 3 inches long. I can't really imagine wearing either of these accessories anywhere but in a show. One element of strategy I'll use - placement of the bracelet on my left arm, the steady one, to draw attention away from the shaky right one. Of course, it won't hide the problem, but I would be foolish to wear the bracelet on my right arm.