By Jennifer Waronker

Stripping is, more than almost any other job, something you have to experience to understand. I can’t tell you what stripping is really about, or how to be
successful: each woman figures this out on her own terms and in her own way. I can’t communicate the exhilaration of being given $2000 for being beautiful and clever, or the pain of being told there’s something wrong with your body, with you. I can’t explain what it’s like for both of these things to happen, and the way they inform you and the rest of your life.

What I can do is tell you the things I wish I’d known before I started!

1. Invest in your appearance
It is not important to start out with a giant, paid-for rack or loads of long blonde hair; many successful strippers haven either of these things anyway, no matter what you’ve seen on television or heard on Howard Stern. However, looking put-together is important: if you color your hair, get a touch-up before your audition. Make sure your nails are done (filed and polished). Your legs, underarms, and bikini area should be hairless. (If you haven’t heard already, ingrown hairs can be prevented by putting unscented deodorant on your bikini area after you shave.) A ‘complete package’ is important to being hired and earning money.

2. But not too much…
I don’t suggest starting your first day with hair extensions, fake nails, eight dresses, four thongs, and three pairs of shoes.
Stripping may not be right for you; there’s no reason to invest hundreds of dollars up front. Purchasing a pair of Lucite heels (six to eight inches,
unless you’re already very, very tall) and one serviceable outfit (plus a handbag or garter for tips) should suffice for your first few shifts. Later,
you can decide what sort of look you want (Goth, Barbie, and Girl Next Door) and spend insane amounts of money on little strips of spandex—seriously. (Like bathing suits, most clothes marketed to dancers are extremely overpriced. I assume retailers know we make a lot of money, and can afford it.)

3. Ask questions
Some strip club managers are professional, friendly, encouraging, and caring. Others are intimidating or simply not courteous.
Rarely does either type tell you everything you feel you need to know. If you have questions, ask management or the house mom; it’s their job to help you.

Before your first shift, find out if you need to come with your house or stage fees, or if you can pay them at the end of the night. Many clubs allow you to
“work for free” your first night, but some don’t.

4. The stage is scary; it will get easier
Some girls will tell you to have a drink or two before you get on stage the first time. While this may be helpful—and some clubs allow (even encourage) you to drink—I don’t think it’s necessarily the best idea ever. The first time you get on stage is an odd combination of fear, insecurity, power, and exhilaration; it’s an experience most people will never have, and being mentally present for it is, I feel, important.

You may look inexperienced, but you’ll still look beautiful.

A good way to make the first time less frightening is to have the DJ play songs you know really, really well. You might request some slow ones, as they’re
easier to dance to, and all new girls need to slow down—you’re moving much faster than you think you are, trust me. Also, if you already have some
friends, or friendly acquaintances, invite them to the stage for support. A few coworkers came to the stage during my first-ever set, cheering me on and
encouraging me.

It does get much easier (by my second set, I was enjoying myself), and once you feel comfortable, you can start learning pole tricks and floor work—arguably, the most fun parts of dancing.

5. Follow the rules
Most clubs have fines for rule-breakers (girls who are late to stage, girls who smoke in the dressing room, etc.), and they can get pretty steep. You don’t want to end up paying more to the house than you have to. Also, it’s not polite to be consistently late to stage; you’re interfering with another entertainer’s money.

If you’re comfortable with a higher level of contact than what your club allows, maybe you should think about working at a higher-contact club. One sure way to get fired—or at least ostracized—is to go farther or allow more contact than the other dancers. Doing more (“extras”) is not necessarily going to earn more money. Men come to strip bars for a fantasy experience, to have pretty girls pay attention to them. If they wanted more, they could easily get it somewhere else.

6. Tips
Your income comes from tips—the same is true for everyone else at the club. If someone helps you out or provides a service you choose to use, pay
them accordingly. Tip the DJ, any bouncers who are particularly pleasant or helpful, the house mom, the makeup artist, and the waitress or bartender if a
customer doesn’t take care of them. The only people you don’t need to tip are the managers and, often, the costume vendors.

7. You are responsible for your behavior, not the behavior of others
A good work policy is to concentrate on what you’re doing—making money. Don’t try to get other dancers fired, and only go to management with major concerns. Don’t gossip, and don’t get involved with “club drama.” Though many girls end up dating bouncers, DJs, and bartenders from work, I’ve always kept a safe distance between my job and my ‘real life’—school, internship, and romantic relationships.

8. Look out for yourself
Some men or women will want to date you when they find out you’re a dancer, some will stop seeing you because of it; a good partner understands that it’s just a job. Some people will want you to take care of them (don’t.), and some customers will offer you the world—and mean it.
(Dating customers is never encouraged, though many dancers do it at one time or another. I did it, and it was a mistake. Other girls do it and end up falling in love with wonderful men.) It’s important to let new romantic interests know
about your job early on, before real feelings develop; your job can be a deal-breaker, but you have no obligation to apologize for or feel bad about it.

What’s most important is keeping you safe—and happy.

9. Don’t let anyone else define you
It’s normal for your significant other to tell his or her friends, “I’m dating a stripper.” Your desirability is something they’re proud of. However, don’t let anyone think of you as ‘just a stripper.’ You’re other things as well: a student, a mom, an artist, a genius.

10. Do something with your money
If you really want a BMW, treat yourself. But also think about your job realistically: you can’t do this forever. Stripping allows you the time and money to go to school. It can allow you to make investments (real estate, the stock market, retirement funds). Think about these things before you buy another handbag.

Jennifer Waronker has been stripping her way through college since 2003. You can read more about her exploits at stripperpower.blogspot.com.