Pasties
They originated as part of burlesque shows, allowing dancers to perform fully topless without exposing the nipples in order to provide a commercial form of bare-breasted entertainment.
Pasties are also, at times, used while sunbathing, worn by strippers[2] and showgirls,[1] or as a form of protest during women's rights events such as Go Topless Day.
[6] Pasties are sometimes worn by bikini baristas, staff hired to serve coffee from roadside huts while wearing lingerie, thongs, or skimpy swimwear.
[15] The burlesque dancer Lili St. Cyr found that her nipples often hurt when she removed her pasties at the end of the night, and in consequence she watered down the glue that she used.
[14] To reduce the chances of an allergic reaction, modern pasties are mostly attached with glue designed for cosmetic use or are held in place using double-sided fashion tape.
[17] The modern form of the pastie first appeared in burlesque and striptease in the 1920s as a way to avoid breaking the law by performing topless or nude.
[23] The use of pasties in burlesque and striptease declined during the subsequent decades, but they became fashionable again with the appearance of neo-burlesque in the 1990s and 2000s, worn by performers such as Jo Weldon and Dita Von Teese.
[25] The punk rock singer Wendy O. Williams who performed during the 1970s and 1980s often wore electrical tape on stage to cover her nipples.
[12] In other parts new laws against nude dancing were introduced in the late 20th century, requiring dancers to wear pasties and a G-string.
[29] In Nevada, where public nudity is illegal, entertainers working on the Las Vegas Strip and Fremont Street wear pasties to remain within the law.
In some parts of the US transparent or liquid latex pasties are worn by strippers instead of conventional ones[8] or electrical tape is used to cover the nipples.
[32] In some parts of the country, such as New York State, alcohol laws require that performers in strip clubs must wear at least pasties and a G-string if liquor is served.
In Japan, for instance, pasties (or nipple guards) are widely sold in general retailers such as grocery stores for this purpose.
[47] Pasties are occasionally worn on beaches to maximize a sun tan by avoiding the strap lines produced by bikinis, without the need for toplessness.
[5] Other celebrities that have worn them include Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Janet Jackson, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Cher, Britney Spears, Lil' Kim[17] and Kendall Jenner.
[48] Runners, surfers, and other outdoor athletes may experience fissure of the nipple, a chafing irritation caused by friction with clothing such as a T-shirt.
