Tip #1. First aid is most important when starting out. Here is a small list of things you’ll want to have on hand..

Band aids- get the stretch fabric kind as the clear one’s actually glow in the black light.

Super Glue – As you wear down the sole,  you’ll need to glue the bottom rubber back on your shoe.  Note: If the body of the shoe breaks never try to glue it back together and continue dancing! Its an accident waiting to happen.  If there isn’t a girl there who is willing to let you borrow shoes for the remainder of your shift, go home.  No amount of money is worth twisting your ankle or falling and getting hurt.  Cut your losses and get another pair ASAP.

Spray Deodorant – Whether open toe or closed, your shoes will begin to smell as your  feet sweat.  Spray your feet lightly with Arid Extra Dry Regular/Unscented before your shift to keep away the funk.  Make sure to put band-aids in place before spraying or they wont stick.

Gel Inserts - these have the ability to save your night. Less than $10, slip these into your shoes for added comfort as you build your calluses.

Tip #2. When first starting to dance, you’ll want to get 5 – 6 inch heels. Going for the 7 and 8 inch heels is a very bad idea if you’ve never walked in them. Wobbly ankles is not attractive. Starting low and working your way up builds stability. The muscles on your shins will need to strengthen also so be prepared to feel pain when simply standing as you use them to balance.

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Tip #3. Recognize that your feet will be molding into your shoe. My first recommendation is the solid sole with 2 clear plastic straps. As your feet sweat, the straps stick and keep the shoe on. This has been the most comfortable shoe for me right out of the box, however, I still got a few small blisters. This is where band-aids come in handy.

Tip #4. When I first started dancing I learned in 5 inch stilettos and I ended up pinching the nerve in my feet. I couldn’t feel my toes until I started wearing 6 inch platforms.  I recommend platforms 10 out of 10 times.

Tip #5. When getting a pedicure, ask them to not remove your precious calluses. Expect your feet to get somewhat beat up as this job is hard on them but you need the calluses for protection. If you remove them, your feet will hurt forever. Keep them and your feet adapt.  Expect them to hurt for the first 3-4 months of dancing until they adjust.

Tip #6. Practice walking around in your work shoes at home. Start out walking in the kitchen and graduate to carpet. Some clubs have carpet in the VIP rooms so be prepared.  Stages are usually vinyl but don’t always have an even surface.  Walking around at home will also help break in the shoes.

Tip #7. Now that you have been dancing for a while you’ll notice the quickest part of a stripper shoe to wear out is the sole – the second being plastic strap.  After inspection, if you have determined that the shoe is still good (ie., straps intact, cracks in plastic, etc),  have them re-soled by by a local shoe shop. This usually costs around $20 and takes about a day to repair.  You can also re-sole brand new shoes to make them last months if not a year longer.

Hope this helps and, as always, if you have questions regarding this article, feel free to leave a comment.

~Perelandra

So tonight, I witnessed a train wreck on stage. I have never in all my years dancing ever see someone fall so…complete. Usually there is an occasional stumble. Acceptable considering the stilts we strap onto our feet and call shoes. And sometimes there is an actual fall where you step on something as benign as a piece of ice on the floor.
But this girl…oh man.
I was sitting with a gent in between stages 2 and 3. Stage 3 happened to be in the background while I was chatting. I see this itty bitty girl with great big 8 inch heels standing on the rack, when suddenly her shoe rolls out from under her. She lands on her thigh/butt on the rail, bounces into a chair, and tumbles onto her ass on the floor. As I jumped out of my chair, hiding my smile, I could almost hear the little birdies flying in a circle above her head! She sat there on the floor stunned in wonderment. I tried to help her up but, being embarrassed, she refused. She got back on the stage, took her other shoe off and ‘danced’ the rest of the set. @_@
I went back to the table and my guy asked what had happened. “Gravity kicked her ass!”, I replied this time not hiding my smile and a chuckle.

Moral of the story?
Being sexy while drunk is impossible and gaining height via stripper shoes should be obtained by gradual progression.

Way to keep up the stereotype girlfriend!

How to Become a Stripper

Warnings

• Don’t give your phone number or real name to customers, or other dancers. They could give away your phone number to clients. It just isn’t safe. Be your persona and *if* you must, have a cell phone that you ONLY use for stripping.
• If you accept a customer’s offer to do a private show in their home, ask if you can bring a friend over, just in case. I don’t believe in this ’service’. It’s never worth the risk.
• Make sure to follow the laws for dancing.
• When first starting on the pole, don’t put your heels on. I disagree with this statement completely! The plastic sticks to the pole making it easier to climb and hold on. I will, however, caution that if you are wearing slip-on shoes this could be dangerous. Wear shoes with buckles or boots to do pole tricks.
• Always clean the pole with alcohol before you start your set – you don’t know where your coworkers have been. You can ask for a towel and disinfectant spray (usually in a bottle) if one isn’t provided.
• Don’t get drunk at work. Sure, it will help loosen you up but if something goes wrong in the back room or on stage you won’t be able to defend or protect yourself. Make sure you only drink an amount that you can handle, or better yet don’t drink anything at all… you are there for a job, not to party. If someone offers to buy you a drink order soda or water. Even one drink can be dangerous.
• Never do “extras” (acts for the customer not allowed by your club rules). You can make money without them and you never know who is an undercover cop, if the manager is watching, etc. If you can’t make money by working clean, find a better club.
• Never use baby oil on your body and don’t put on lotion before you go to work. It will make you slip and fall on stage, as well as making those that follow you do the same. You could get seriously injured. So no baby oil and moisturize the night before or a good many hours before working.
• Hand sanitizer and baby wipes are your friend. After you get off stage or out of the bathroom, and ESPECIALLY after private dances, use this allover. It also makes you taste bad, so if a customer tries something stupid, like licking you, before you can push them off, they’ll be less likely to do it again. And use baby wipes instead of toilet paper (which has lint, which may be a problem)
• For some stupid reason beyond any logic, some club designers think it’s an amazing idea to have black lights. This brings out a lot, like tan lines, plaque, cum stains, and lint (hence the baby wipes). Make sure you stay clean if this is the case (though you should anyway).

Things You’ll Need

• 4″ or more heels
• 3 outfits at least
• Babywipes
• Mints
• Hairspray/gel
• Somewhere to keep money
• Self-confidence
• Fake persona
• Mixed music CD
• Garter
• Rubber band

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Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world’s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Become a Stripper. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.