In burlesque, we remove our clothes but never go fully nude—our chests remain covered by something known as “pasties” or “tassels.”
Why is that?
Where did these little covers come from, and why do we still wear them?
What is a pastie?
In simplest terms, pasties are the small covers that shield a performer’s nipples—often decorative or sparkly—while tassels are nipple cover that have a the playful dangling embellishments (tassel) attached to the center. Pasties come in all kinds of shapes in sizes, circular cones being the most classical style.
Why do we wear these?
Burlesque performers started using pasties in the early 20th century, partly as a workaround for strict “lewdness” laws falling under the "blue law" umbrella term in the USA that defined how much skin could be shown on stage. This loopholed — covering the nipples with pasties — allowed dancers to keep the sensual drama of derobing without risking trouble with the authorities.
Some say that this is also why the tassel was added to the pastie - in case law enforcement would arrive, they could see from the back of the room that the nipples were indeed covered.
Ignoring these laws wasn’t taken lightly. In some places, simply exposing too much skin could lead to hefty fines or even arrests. But for many dancers, that risk came with a reward: a reputation for daring shows that attracted curious crowds. Some venues thrived on this balance between pushing boundaries and respecting local ordinances.
Who Was the First?
We do not have solid evidence of who was the very first one to wear pasties to the stage. Some historians credit Carrie Finnell in the early 1900s with being one of the first to add tassels to her pasties — and creating tricks to make them spin. Finnell developed muscle-based techniques to make her nipple tassels twirl at varying speeds and even in opposite directions, which earned her the title of "Educated Breasts". Her obituary said that "the accent was on comedy, not on smut".[1]
Tassel twirling became a massive trend in burlesque and remains still a very popular culmination for acts.
The Rise of Skills & Tricks
As tassels grew more popular, performers started inventing new skills and leveling up the possibilities. There have been many legendary tassel twirlers in burlesque history like Sally Keith
"Queen of the Tassels" famous for twirling her extra long tassels in all possible directions, the little-documented Doreen “The Tassel Queen” and of course, the iconic Jennie Lee, “The Bazoom Girl”. To our luck, there are several videos of Jennie's performances online which lay proof to the fact that burlesque was not as modest and innocent as sometimes the Golden Era is pictured to be.
The creativity and fun knew no boundaries!
One notable example is Satan’s Ange “Mother of Fire Tassels”, who famously invented how to blaze up her tassels after an older burlesque performer made a comment backstage about her being "Oh brother, not another tassel twirler!". Satan was already twirling 5 tassels (two on her chest, one on her navel, and two on her butt cheeks) at the time, but that gimmick was no longer unique - so she ran with the idea and became an icon.
Buttox tassels are known as assels. Assels are slightly different in construction than nipple tassels as they need to be a bit flatter to have better adhesion to the skin. It is not known who was the first assel or 5-tassel twirler. Assels have had a surge in popularity in the last 15 years, as we see the rise of using pop music in shows and twerk becoming globally popularized.
But why do we still wear them?
Today, burlesque has very few rules, but wearing pasties is one. We wear pasties for three reasons:
Censorship: Some countries, states, and/or venues are still restrictive about the amount of skin that can be shown.
To Flirt: "Save the tease" is one of the principles of classical burlesque. In the words of Lottie the Body — it's not about “look-at-what-I’ve-got-that-you-can-have” it's about “look at what I’ve got that you can’t have,” saying that’s what made it striptease.
For Fun: We pay homage to the legends before us, who paved the path for this fantastic art form representing a playful rebellion against rigid norms and adding an extra fun moment to shows.
Not Just for Burlesque
While tassels and pasties are an iconic part of burlesque, their appeal and popularity extend beyond the singular art form. Popstars, drag queens, fashion designers, raves, and glamour connoisseurs have surged the popularity of wearing pasties to various events.
Perhaps your next party could use a touch of mischievous fun? The spirit of tease, after all, can be enjoyed anywhere you want a bit of sparkle and bold self-expression.
Fun Facts
Did you know that in burlesque, instead of "Break a leg!" we say "Pop a pastie!" as a good luck wish to our co-performers right before they hit the stage?
Looking for Your Own Pair?
If you’re feeling inspired by the backstory and allure of tassels and pasties, exploring a carefully curated collection can be the perfect way to step into the spotlight—literally. Browse our selection here.
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References
Baldwin, M. (2004). Burlesque and the New Bump-n-Grind. Speck Press.
Briggeman, J. (2009). Burlesque: Legendary Stars of the Stage, Past and Present. Schiffer Publishing.
Manning, D. (2013). Legends of the Striptease. Vintage Press
"Burlesque Undressed" 2010 documentary starring Immodesty Blaze, Satan's Angel, Dirty Martiny and many more.
https://gahoney.wordpress.com/2014/05/15/evolution-of-the-twirl/
Card for burlesque dancer Candy Barr: https://x.com/JD31614/status/1352121703233695744
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