Dispatches from the fashion front:
A packed house of enthusiastic spectators and I got a fashion
history lesson and a strip show at Berbati's Pan
on Sunday, thanks to lovely lady Lucy Fur and friends, many
of whom are dancers at Portland gentlemen's clubs such as
Mary's and Magic Gardens. Called the 20th-Century Underwear
Revue, this fund-raiser for the Portland Area Privacy Alliance
(a group trying to protect sex workers' rights) featured
lingerie-clad models, each representing a decade of the
20th century. There wasn't a zombie walk or ambivalent gaze
in the bunch, just swaggers, sass and sex, not to mention
an adorable Cupid in sparkly tights hovering sweetly on
the side of the stage and shooting occasional arrows into
the drooling crowd.
Fetching numbers inspired by Jean Harlow and Betty Page
(including those lovable pasties on the latter) ruled the
runway for the '30s and '40s segments. The voluptuous Tabitha
made the 1950s actually seem exciting with her flirtatious,
Marilyn-esque performance in satin bullet bra and big white
panties. Dancer extraordinaire Viva Las Vegas got the 1960s
going as she paraded around in a short, loud dress and white
go-go boots, then revealed vibrant, psychedelic panties
underneath. Her plain white bra seemed dispensable, and
Viva must have agreed--she took it off, doused it with lighter
fluid and set it aflame! Burn, baby, burn!
Miss Mona Lot was the definitive '70s disco diva in a bun-brushing
silver lamé dress, giant hoop earrings, tall sandals
with wooden heels and a glorious 'fro. She shook her thing
all over the runway with "Le Freak" blasting, then ditched
the dress to reveal the burgundy and black-trimmed bra and
panties set underneath. Long live the spirit of Studio 54.
The '80s scene was all about aerobics; "Let's Get Physical"
played as Natasha worked a Thighmaster in a zebra-striped
leotard and purple legwarmers. The leggy Felony revived
the '90s with the help of animal prints, vinyl, Marilyn
Manson, tattoos and piercings. Somehow I doubt, however,
that anyone (even strippers) will actually wear circuit
boards on their underwear, as the future segment suggested.
Most of the clothes came from Lucy's own collection, including
the fur-trimmed, pink, ultra-suede bikini with matching
fur boots. Way to go, ladies.
Kudos also to Tace Chalfa and her cohorts for hosting an
ambitious, free Valentine's Day party with musical guests
Rick Bain and the Genius Position, Radio Thieves, Astroglide
and the Helio Sequence at her Southeast Hawthorne vintage
emporium Red Light Clothing Exchange. Guests were given
raffle tickets for prizes, and those of legal age were invited
to swill free beer upstairs. Hip kids witnessed the rock
from the lower level of the cleared-out space, while the
lushes peered over the balcony. Black attire with splashes
of red reigned supreme, of course, but a few festive ensembles
on the dance floor were noteworthy (supporting the theory
that people who dress crazy love to dance). One flamboyant
dread-head sported a long coat reinvented with silver paint,
glitter, blue feathers and tiny white lights nestled in
a huge, furry collar. Radio Thieves bass player Carl
Radavich flaunted a black-and-white feather boa he'd picked
up at Red Light just before the show with his trademark
leather pants and a sheer black top while the band unleashed
an energetic set of fresh, long-awaited rock. (The rest
of the band didn't look too shabby, either.)
I heart rock 'n' roll.
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Willamette Week | originally
published February 23,
2000
|
