Re: Should I take a chance?
spend as little as possible. buy a pair of 40 dollar pleasers, if there is no dress code then work with what you have and throw together a sexy outfit and maybe buy some thigh highs..if there is a dress code, buy an outfit or two..cheap! you're a newbie right? there's a steep learning curve, you may not earn anything when you first start out, you just don't know. i see girls wearing the same outfit every shift and nobody cares. give yourself a mani. you don't need all that shit when you're starting out and for heaven's sake don't spend it on the money you should pay rent with!
when i began i had nothing, not even a pair of real stripper heels. i wore a short little plaid skirt and comfy heels i already had..the housemom gave me some other outfits and the girls loaned me some. don't go crazy til you have your immediate bills paid and you have extra money. there's NO need to go all out when you are first starting
Re: Should I take a chance?
If you don't have any assets or a cosigner, you're not going to get a decent loan, or maybe any sort of loan at all. I would not recommend taking one out anyway, or bothering to apply. You do not need to get your nails done to try stripping out, nor do you need multiple nice outfits. There is likely something in your closet you can wear. Do not use your rent money, particularly for things you don't even need.
Re: Should I take a chance?
I chose stripping because I had thought about it for a while and thought it would be good $$. I had a few thousand dollars saved up and me and my boyfriend of about 4 years had just broken up plus I wasnt working and I needed an apartment asap and couldnt wait around to be hired so I was like fuck it, dance! And no dont take out a loan or any of the other stuff, idk how far u live but Why not just go to Columbia SC to begin with? I have danced there about 4 months ago and the $$ is good! If your at least decent looking you will do well also, you will definately make your rent $$ there, np. Also, you dont have to go up on the stage working at Platinum plus or heartbreakers, so all I did was sell couch dances and vips all night. I wouldnt recoment heart breakers, I worked there two nights and NEVER did well.
Re: Should I take a chance?
Thanks for all the advice yall. I think I'll try to audition Monday if my daughters father is able to watch her. @ava$..I live about a hour and a half from Columbia. I would like to start at platinum or a club like that but I don't think my confidence is high enough. Plus im an AA and I still have a little bit of toning up to do in the tummy area from having the lil one and I from the reviews I've seen, in order for a black girl to get hired you have to be on top of your game and i'm far from it.
Re: Should I take a chance?
Yes, I think your right, you at least have to be pretty decent. there was about 4 black girls there when I was there and they were pretty & on top of there game body wise and only you know how you look so you may be right. Your boob size doesnt matter and if your stomach isnt that bad i think youd still be fine as long as you look well but together.
Re: Should I take a chance?
Yeah. I think Ill do a local club for maybe 2 weeks or so just to get a feel for it and then I'll go to Columbia and audition at a club. And 4 is way more than I expected to be there. I expected maybe 2 at a time so that makes me extremely hopeful. If yall don't mind I'll post back Monday on how my audition goes.
Re: Should I take a chance?
^^Yes, please do! BTW I got hired at the platinum plus there just by walking in, they didnt make me audition or anything. I was working 30 minuts after I walked in. I started on amateur night which is thursday and won 2nd place which was 300$$, first place wins 600 I think so you could do that also, just fyi
Re: Should I take a chance?
Dancing will definitely get you back on your feet finically and it's flexible. Why not visit a near by club and check it out first before you decide. If you can see yourself working there, then arrange an audition. Just wear any reasonably comfy heels you have and a matching bra and G-string set with any suitable baby doll, chemise or mini dress you have at home for your audition. If you get hired, just make sure you were something that meets the dress code until you are more finically stable, then you can invest in some stripper heels and clothes etc (ebay might be your cheapest option to begin with). And make sure you read up on Hustle Hut, Body Biz' and the Newbie board ;) x
Re: Should I take a chance?
It's not half-assing it to not buy an entire stripper wardrobe before even setting foot in the club and auditioning - I'd say it's much wiser to NOT do that, so you don't end up in the same situation as you did with camming, starting out well in the red. Any old pair of heels will do, along with some lingerie from your wardrobe for the audition/first shift. If it works, great, use some of your money to first buy platforms, and then a couple of outfits as you go. Your taste and sense of what works will change as you work more, so it's silly to buy a ton of stuff as a newbie anyway.
Re: Should I take a chance?
I agree with you Shanna. As a matter of fact, it was weeks before I started buying my stripper wear. Maybe every week I would buy a new thong or a little trinket for my outfit. I refuse to spend all my money on damn lingerie! Lol
Re: Should I take a chance?
I agree with everyone else. Stripping does not have to be expensive going into it. When I first started, I just brought a cute bra and pantie set I already owned, along with a few other random lingerie outfits I could find and a pair of heels that were like an inch tall. Lol. Once you start saving up your money, then it's a good time to buy new outfits, etc. but I would recommend waiting.
Re: Should I take a chance?
Hey yall. I haven't went to the club to audition yet. I basically spent the past couple days making sure this is something I really want to do and studying even more. Tomorrow after my baby daddy gets off of work I'm going to audition. The manager/owner that I spoke on the phone with said all I needed was 50.00, an id, and my outfit and I have the job. Im nervous as hell but super excited. Once again thanks for all of the advice. Wish me luck :)
ETA: Think I'm gonna go with Mya as my stripper name and Melanie as the fake real name
Re: Should I take a chance?
When I first started dancing, I just wore a couple of bikinis and a pair heels I already owned. Once I made a bit of money, I invested in myself and bought more outfits/shoes. Definitely DO NOT over extend yourself by getting a loan or using your rent money to start, because you don't know if you'll even like it two weeks after you start.
The one thing you SHOULD spend money on before auditioning- a pair of Dr Scholl's for Her high heel insoles. I wish I had bought a pair right before I started, because your feet are going to hurt until you get used to being on them in heels all night. And you can still use them even if you decide that stripping isn't for you! Once you get into a pair of "stripper shoes", assuming you like dancing, you'll realize that they're pretty comfy compared to other heels.
Re: Should I take a chance?
I really advise against taking loans out to pay for stripper gear, especially because you're new to the game and it may not work out for you. Stripping has a steep learning curve and you may not make much initially (you have to consider house fees, tip outs, etc), so over-extending your funds right now is a bad idea.
There is something that I would absolutely recommend investing in -- a pair of real stripper shoes. If you stick with stripping, they're essential; if you don't, resell them to a dancer. When you have to wear them for 8+ hours, a trusty pair of Pleasers will be infinitely more comfortable than any civilian heels you'll find. You'll probably want a pair in the 6"-8" heel range, and you'll more than likely want to get accustomed to walking in them before your audition. A basic 7" pair will cost you ~$45.
The second most essential thing is something to hold your money in. You can go with garters (you'll find them in any stripper store, online or brick-and-mortar), or you can just use a small purse you already own.
The rest of your wardrobe you can skimp on, especially if you're starting out in a small local club. Make sure you ask what the dress code is, as different clubs require different things. If you're just expected to wear bikinis/lingerie, you may already have what you need. If you were to invest in dancewear though, get some Bodyzone/Espiral separates -- they're designed for strippers, so you can't go wrong! Two thongs and two matching tops will hold you over just fine. You probably have stuff at home to accessorize with -- costume jewelry, thigh high stockings/socks, etc. Good luck! :D