The Black Friday and Holiday Shopping List for Pole Dancers!
Thanksgiving week Schedule - Low Key classes added Saturday!
SHOPPING GUIDE FOR DANCE ENTHUSIASTS
I’m gonna be real with ya’ll - I don’t actually like shopping and I especially don’t like shopping online. (My happy shopping place is a well organized thrift store)
HOWEVER. I can tell you from experience that Black Friday deals are the best deals of the year for most Pole dance ‘stuff’ suppliers and the best time of year to snag some otherwise pretty pricey items.
SO I am making a list of my favorite vendors and also posting my Amazon ‘Pole Dancing’ list of items I have purchased on amazon and been relatively happy with.
🦃🦄🦃(See Below for Thanksgiving week Schedule!) 🦃🦄🦃
THE AMAZON LIST
( https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1SPZ5VNHLBC8C )
Caviat: Many (but not all) items on the amazon list are made in China and ‘solidly mid’ (as my kids like to say) - however, for the price point, these are all useable and I’ve been happy with them. Great place for starter gear (like booty shorts and kneepads) You may have luck finding similar items on Shein etc..
NOW FOR THE REAL POLE GEAR
SHOES!!!👠👠👠👠👠
HOT TIP: Unless you have very wide feet, always error on the side of smaller with ‘stripper heels’ - you want them to be snug and you do NOT want the heel to be bigger than you foot. Gravity tends to pull your foot into the toe which has the effect of ‘shortening’ (squishing your toes?) your foot.
THE OG of ‘stripper heels’ : Pleasers - https://pleasershoes.com/
The most iconic style is FLAMINGO (8”) and ADORE (6”), the baby sister of Flamingo is also a great starter shoe. See my youtube for more details https://youtu.be/vwjMckeVvck?si=L1uapbt-QUrl_zWQ
Pleasers has pretty decent year round sales so ‘Black Friday’ Is less of an event
ALSO you can try on and buy Pleasers locally at:
‘The Mistress’
2001 Sheppard Access Rd, Wichita Falls, TX 76306
Phone: (940) 763-1000
Hot new upstart: Hella Heels USA - https://us.hellaheels.com/
see the shoes: https://www.instagram.com/clubhellaheels/
This Australian brand is rapidly gobbling up market share. Why? They are super comfy with lots of padding, have a much smaller peep toe (less toe contact with floor = less pain when dancing) and are specifically designed for dancing (knee pads in thigh highs, matching protectors and other perks). I only have two complaints:
- The soles are pretty rubbery which creates more friction than I like. Pleasers have a harder rubber sole.
- They are just plain expensive, often sold out of my size, customer support is meh, and they rarely have sales. Rude.
IF you want a pair of Hellas - Black friday is a great time to get a pair. Sale starts SUNDAY EVENING
OUTFITS!!! 👙👙👙👙🩲🩲🩲
Favorites in no particular order:
Cleo the Hurricane : Great for basics. Made in USA.
https://www.cleothehurricane.com/
CXIX : High quality and sexy. great for a fancy splurge. Unique and bold styles.
https://us.cxix.com/
Sway : soft and natural feeling. Lots of fun garter options. More delicate/feminine looking on average. ships from Poland so patience is required.
https://www.swaymovewear.com/en-us
Pole Active : sells everything in one place. Ships from US. Great if you like options or want one discount for ALL THE BRANDS.
https://www.poleactive.com/
Afterthought: KNEEPADS
I am still haven’t found what I’m looking for in kneepads.
Currently my Favorite Kneepads are Queen for Dance. You can get them on etsy or straight from Ukraine: https://queenpolewear.com/
Generic Volleyball kneepads (see amazon list) work fine but wear out quickly and are lacking in the sexiness department.
Bees Knees Knee pads are well made but super expensive and not that comfy in my opinion. Maybe next year we will have tested more kneepad options!
🌟🌟🌟POLES🌟🌟🌟
I am an exclusive user of X-pole Poles. https://xpoleus.com/
WHY: High quality, durable, poles that assemble easily and are safe. I’ve even installed mine under some ‘questionable’ ceilings and they stay up sturdy and firm. Parts and extensions are swappable between poles - you can even mix and match pole finish types.
Cons: They are pricey and shipping is crazy high. They almost never have free shipping! Sometimes they do do free shipping for Black Friday - so keep an eye out.
Good news: I have an X-pole commercial account and can help you order for a better discount than most sales. Contact me privately for more info.
(FYI: We could save the most if I did a group order of 10 poles or more. )
TO SPIN OR NOT TO SPIN?
This one is easy - spin. Unless you know you do not like to spin or are an Exotic only dancer, You will feel sad you did not get a spinning pole. (all spinning poles can also be set to static) Also for resale purposes most people want spin.
WHAT FINISH SHOULD I GET?
Chrome - industry standard. The least grippy and smooth - so probably the best finish for static spins. Also grips better in high humidity climates.
Brass - More grippy that Chrome (maybe 10% more grip, subtle but noticable)- better for hot dry climates on average (why I like brass for Wichita falls) Still a pretty smooth finish so you can do static spins and other moves that need some ‘slip’. Does smell like brass.
Powder finish - Dry and grippy but not full-on grip like a silicone pole. Preferred by people who do alot of tricks but still want a little ‘slip’.
Silicone finish - total grip! Great for people who want to pole in clothing and/or are spin pole enthusiasts. Very challenging for static spins.
Competitors: Lupit Pole I hear also makes a good product but if anything they cost even more.
AMAZON - I know some of ya’ll have had good success with cheaper amazon poles - they are not necessarily a bad option. I’ve heard some have had trouble getting them to fit together tightly or find assembly to be non-intuitive. I recommend reading reviews before buying! For the more mechanically inclined this could be a great way to get a less expensive pole. I think some of the problems arise from the fact that these tend to screw together with threads instead of the pressure assembly method used by more expensive brands.
FYI - Most the ‘bloopers’ online come from these poles - so do make sure to get all the pieces together properly!