| Frequently Asked Questions |
Lots more on the way!
If you have a particular
question you want answered,
contact Ruby by clicking here
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General questions about Burlesque |
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What is Burlesque?
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Burlesque is a performance artform that revolves around comedy and is said to originate back in the 19th century or earlier. It has seen many periods of revival, including the current surge in popularity. I won't reinvent the wheel here... many others have written interesting and insightful articles on the subject. Here are a just few...
» Wikipedia article
» History of Burlesque: Part I
» History of Burlesque: Part II
» From Queens of Vintage
» From PoleStars
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Is "Burlesque" not just another word for "stripping"?
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Definitely not! Although most Burlesque shows will also feature some amount of striptease, Burlesque is firmly rooted in comedy and parody. A Burlesque, cabaret or vaudeville show is like a variety show with lots of short sketches and acts - some singing, some dancing, some more like a circus act, some simply stand-up comedy and so on. A burlesque act will often have an underlying - or an overt - political or social message.
The striptease element of Burlesque is more about the "tease" than the "strip". It's intended to titilate and entertain the audience but the performer is always in control. For me personally, this is a hugely important part of a Burlesque performance (striptease and everything else)... the person on stage is in control, not the audience. The audience takes what it gets and loves it! Throwing money at a performer won't get you anywhere! Another vital aspect is the performers themselves. Burlesque attracts all sorts of performers and audiences. All tastes, all sizes and shapes and ages. There's no perfect shape for a Burlesque performer. Everyone is fabulous!
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General questions about Ruby deMure |
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Who is Ruby deMure?
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You can read about Ruby here
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Where is Ruby deMure based?
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Ruby (both the person and the company) is based in Dublin, Ireland.
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Is Ruby deMure a legitimate company?
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Yes. Ruby deMure is a company registered in Dublin, Ireland. Company Number: 339723B
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Using/wearing the items I buy |
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How do I attach my tassels?
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The easiest way to attach your tassels is using double-sided sticky tape (good old Blue Peter). When you buy tassels or pasties from Ruby deMure, they come with some tape for you to use. This is simple lingerie tape or "tit-tape" - the stuff you can buy to keep that low-cut top in place on a night out!
Simply cut this into little pieces (I usually use 3 per pastie), stick one side to the back of the pastie and the other side to yourself. Press firmly for a few seconds and away you go! Some people recommend rubbing alcohol on the area first (which sounds like fun) and letting it dry completely before applying the pasties. This should help reduce sweating (particularly if you're on stage) and therefore help the pasties stay on tight.
When you're finished, just pull the pasties off, take off the tape (this is important or your pasties can get manky very quickly) and throw away. Use new pieces of tape the next time.
A lot of the "professionals" use glue. You can use the same kind of glue you use for applying false eyelashes, or you can use theatrical glue or Spirit Gum (the stuff they use in theatres for applying fake beards, prosthetics etc.). This is usually very effective, but be warned: some people are allergic to these types of glue, so do a patch test before you use it on your sensitive parts! Also, some glues need a special liquid to remove them, so read the instructions first.
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How do I twirl my tassels?
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It's really easy to get some basic twirling going. The easiest way to start is by standing up tall and straight. Look in a mirror so that you don't have to keep looking down to see if they're twirling... or do it for someone else and they can let you know ;-)
Put your hands either over your head or slightly behind you so that your chest is sticking out a bit. Now bounce a little (no need to go mad) on the balls of your feet. The tassels should start swinging after a couple of tries. Once they start, you just have to keep bouncing to keep them going. They'll have good momentum.
You can also just shake your shoulders from side to side (again, no need to go mad) and they'll probably start twirling of their own accord. The key is to just go for it. Don't be shy. Once you get it once, you'll be flying!
As you practise, you'll be able to get more finesse and do more tricky moves. The experts can twirl just one at a time, twirl them in opposite directions, in the air while leaning backwards etc. Just keep practising and you'll have so much fun you won't want to stop!
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I have small boobs - will I be able to twirl tassels?
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Absolutely! It doesn't matter what size your breasts are. If there's anything there at all, they'll work! You only need the slightest jiggle to get tassels twirling. You just might have to bounce or shake you shoulders a little more, but no harm there!
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How do I attach my stocking toppers?
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All stocking toppers come packaged with illustrated instructions. Stocking toppers can be used for hold-ups and for stockings (with a garter belt). Each topper comes with a rubber and metal grip at the back, just like the ones you see on garter belts (suspenders).
To wear with hold-ups, simply attach the topper to the front of the hold-up as you would attach your suspenders. Slip the rubber grip out of the metal frame, place the edge of the hold-up between the two, and slip the rubber part back inside the metal frame. Pull tight for a firm grip.
To attach to stockings, there's an extra step. First, attach the grip on your garter belt to the stocking topper by using the elastic attached to the topper (slip the elastic in between the rubber and metal of your suspender belt as if it were a stocking). Then attach the topper to the stocking as above.
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Will stocking toppers damage my stockings?
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The grips on the backs of your stocking toppers work exactly like the grips on a garter (suspender) belt. If you treat your stockings with care, the grips won't do any harm to your stockings at all. Because of the nature of the silicone on hold-ups (the sticky stuff that holds them up), garter grips can leave a dent in the silicone so that it's slightly net or raised. However, this does not stop the hold-ups from staying up or permanently damage them.
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Payment |
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How do I pay for my purchases?
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| CREDIT CARD: | At the moment, I don't accept credit card payments on this website. It is coming soon. | | PAYPAL: | I accept payments directly to PayPal. When you place an order, just tell me you want to pay by PayPal.
I'll send a PayPal invoice to your email address and you can pay directly from there.
Below are my PayPal details, for your information:
Account Type: Business
Business Name: Ruby deMure
Account Registered To: admin@rubydemure.com
Account Status: Verified - shop with confidence! | | CHEQUE: | You can send a cheque made payable to "Ruby deMure" to:
Ruby deMure
4A Richmond Avenue
Monkstown
Co. Dublin
Ireland | | CASH: | If you are based in Dublin, Ireland, I can meet you in person and you can pay in cash. Or if you buy directly at a show or fair, you can of course pay in cash. |
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Do you accept payment in different currencies?
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I only accept payment in Euros
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Shipping |
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Where do you ship to?
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I ship to anywhere in the world.
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How much does shipping cost?
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I am gathering info on shipping costs to all locations. I will post it on the site as soon as possible.
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Do you have free shipping?
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No, I'm afraid not. But most items purchased from Ruby deMure are very small and light, so postage is not expensive.
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Do you combine shipping?
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Yes. If you buy more than one item from me at the same time, I can ship them together so you can save on shipping costs. When ordering, make sure that you let me know you're ordering more than one item. I will let you know the total for all items and combined shipping.
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