Feathers and Sequins

Abstract This chapter examines the use of sequins and feathers in the fabrication of glamor for the dance entertainer. With a focus on Josephine Baker, it considers the colonial surrealism of the banana skirt before examining the fashionable style of her postwar career in Europe and the United States. It considers the history of sequins and feathers in the theater industry and the roles they play in constructing a shiny skin by reflecting the play of light or composing a playful, soft exterior. These partial objects produce a sparkling star status that offers both protection and allure. Sequined sheath dresses established a costume template for singers and dancers in the late twentieth century, from the cabaret concerts of Baker and Line Renaud, to the black singing trio, the Supremes, and the drag performances of Divine. The excess multiplicity of Baker’s frocks fashioned her identity, and these dialectical costumes are talismanic for many queer artists, such as RuPaul.