Something sexy about a woman in rhinestones, don’t you agree? Even if she isn’t a performer, some kind of dancer or singer, simply by wearing them on her outfits she suggests that kind of stuff — music, even burlesque. After all, what are the most popular associations of rhinestones but Dolly Parton and Elvis Presley? They’re sexy, but in a rather low-to-middle brow sort of way.
Another thing: belly dancing. A lot of the ladies who practice this beautiful art form wear a lot of shimmying material, for obvious reasons. They tend to wear strategically placed rhinestones to great effect! So it’s easy to see how even an ordinary lady just wearing them could create, even if only subconsciously, a certain type of arousal in some minds….
Amazing, isn’t it, what such a simple little thing can do! Originally created to be viable substitutes for real diamonds, they are now ubiquitous as semi-precious stones in their own right, almost. In fact, the best examples can cost almost as much as a real diamond! Most, however, a fairly inexpensive plastic affairs, manufactured in mass quantities for crafts and hobbies, that sort of thing. They’re very popular for use with scrapbooks as well as on apparel, from bags and footwear to just about anything else imaginable.
But back to burlesque: along with sequins, rhinestones are a staple of the stripper’s art. There is something about all that dazzling light, isn’t there; something about all those small points of light, each sparkling as if a world in itself. Actually, another funny thing about rhinestones is their use by that most macho of American men: cowboys! No in the field, of course, but in rodeos and other similar entertainment venues. Just something really arresting, visually arresting, about all that shimmering and sparkling.