Stripper Must Haves

When I first started stripping, I didn't have any friends in the industry that I could ask directly about what needed to be in my bag. I searched the internet and found several great tips, thankfully. However, nothing quite prepares you like actually being at the club and not having something you desperately need in that moment. So, through the last couple months, I've been compiling a list of things I think should definitely be a staple in your dancer duffle and money bag! Links will be included after the description for some of these items!

• Baby wipes & witch hazel wipes - Witch hazel wipes are fantastic for a quick clean that neutralizes unwanted smells, can be used on sensitive areas, and helps with the dreaded butt acne many of us experience! My esthetician was the one who recommended them to me for the acne on my lower back and booty, and I cannot tell you how helpful they've been! Girls at my club thank me every time I turn one of them onto these babies! Witch Hazel Wipe Link.
• Extra shoes and socks - It goes without saying, that any number of things can happen at work from heels breaking or feeling uncomfortable, to a drink getting spilled all over your legs, socks and shoes. Make sure you've always got an extra pair (or two!) on deck!
• Portable Charging Power Bank - These are a life saver! Not only for you, but anyone else at the club who may need to charge a phone, vape, light up heels, etc. I keep my portable charger in my purse at all times and it has been one of the best things I've ever been gifted by a regular. Especially on long nights when my phone is draining quickly, I never have to worry about it dying unexpectedly! Link here.
• Mini sewing kit - Pretty self-explanatory, these can be used for a variety of quick outfit fixes! Link here.
• 2-4 outfits - Similar to shoes & socks, sometimes things happen to our first choice fit during a shift. Maybe it gets damaged and can't be quickly repaired. Something gets spilled on it or you're just flat out not feeling yourself in it anymore. Whatever the reason is, make sure you've got a couple backup options to choose from!
• Mini First Aid kit - Also, goes without saying that we can see and experience a variety of injuries at the club. Should you or anyone else get hurt at work, a first aid kit is invaluable. Link here.
• CPR Mask - I have kept one in my bag or locker since I started dancing. Hopefully nobody ever needs to use it when you're at the club, but as a medical professional, I think this is something everyone should carry, period. Better to have it and not need it vs. the alternative. They're relatively inexpensive and can, quite literally, save a life while keeping you safe from bodily fluids of others. Link here.
• Tiger Balm - Such an amazing product for sore joints, muscles and bruises! It contains camphor and menthol which help with alleviation pains that we often experience due to the wear and tear dancing can put on our bodies. Has come in handy for myself and for sharing with other achy dancers a multitude of times and its already in a little travel-friendly container! Link here.
• Healthy snacks - Some things I enjoy bringing are Larabar Protein bars, Blue Diamond almonds, fresh fruits or veggies (only if you have an accessible fridge at your club), dried fruits like apricots, think! brand protein bars, mac or potato salad, crackers and cheese. Pack whatever you like but try to stay with foods that don't make you feel extremely full, sluggish or that trigger bloating. Goes without saying that we need food to stay focused and energized, but some foods that taste good are not the best for staying energized and healthy while working.
• Water Bottle - As you spend the day dancing and essentially working out over and over, you're going to want to stay very hydrated! Having your own water bottle ensures that you can! Pick whatever is easy for you to carry and keep track of at work. I'm linking one that has a customizable LED screen so you could include your stage name on it for easy ID in case its lost. Link here.
• Roll on Perfume Oil - Oils tend to stick longer on skin than regular perfume does and with a roll-on bottle, you're able to easily direct where the product is going, so you're not covering your whole body in oil and causing a safety hazard for yourself and the other dancers on stage! This one is really a personal preference on what scent you decide to pick, but I've found great money oils and other amazing scents at my local metaphysical stores! One in particular that I love and has done wonders for keeping men entranced is the "Forget Me Not" pheromone oil! Link here.
• Kneepads - I know, you're probably thinking, "kneepads?! Those aren't sexy! I'm going to look silly wearing those onto the floor!" Trust me, they make NO difference in my money-making ability. In fact, since I've started wearing kneepads, I've gotten myriad compliments about how sexy they look, how they make me look like a serious dancer who goes hard, and often people compliment how smart it is to be protecting my body at work. We're doing floor work and using our knees a LOT at this job, the last thing you want is to damage them. From sliding to hitting them on stage, our knees see quite a bit of action during our time at the club. Do yourself a favor, just try them. I really like the Walmart brand because they are thin, lightweight, and have great all-around coverage of my knee. Link here.
• Something to protect yourself with - Whether its pepper spray, a stun gun, a knife or something else, you NEED to have a way to protect yourself when you're leaving the club. There are several types of self-defense items you can choose to carry, so I'd recommend going to your local Army Surplus store or browsing Amazon for some ideas of what you'll feel most comfortable carrying every day.
• Deodorant - Whether its stick or spray, you shouldn't be caught dead without deodorant! I prefer to bring two types to work so I have a gel roll-on, and a spray deodorant just in case I need something stronger than the gel for whatever reason. Link here for the gel deodorant I use. Link here for the spray deodorant I use. I find the "morning clean" scent of the Arrid deodorant is pretty neutral when it comes to not smelling extremely masculine, but the reason I like this one vs. a women's spray on is because it tends to be a bit stronger, and I've found it helps the sweating more than the women's sprays. 
• Some extra cash - You just really never know when you might need a few extra singles for whatever reason. I like to keep about $10 on me when I start my shift. Also, I always keep some money in my bag to manifest more money for the day, even if it's just a dollar. Decide what amount might be right for you to bring to the club at the beginning of shift so you're prepared in case you need it & so you can already be manifesting a bag for yourself!
• Hand Sanitizer - Do I really even need to explain this one?! The club can be a very icky place filled with a plethora of germs and bacteria. Please do yourself a favor and invest in some travel sized hand sanitizers. Link here.
• Free Entry Cards or Business Cards - Not every club offers these, but if yours does, I highly suggest you take a decent sized stack of them, put your name on them, and do your best to remember to pass a couple off to every customer you talk to or dance with (within reason, obviously don't give them to people you never want to see or interact with again!) This has been an amazing way that I've gotten customers to keep coming in specifically for me. An alternative to this which I also have done, is creating your own business cards with your stage name & stripper Instagram, a sexy photo of yourself at work, the clubs you work at, and a QR code to your spicy site/sites if you have one! Search around through a few websites to see what design style and price point you like best for your cards.
• Anything You need to Style Your Hair - We all have different hair types and preferred styles, so what we bring to work in this department will vary from dancer to dancer. Some common things I've used or seen at work are hairbrushes and combs, hair ties in different sizes from tiny rubber bands all the way up to dread ties, bobby pins, hair spray, dry shampoo, hair gel, decorative scrunchies and clips, hot tools like curlers and straighteners, and styling clips. Think about what you typically use at home and pack an extra for the club! I don't personally use wigs, but I know many dancers do! Whatever you need to install and care for your wig should always be in your bag when you're wearing one.
• Scissors - These, without a doubt, are something I get asked to use more than almost anything else I have at work. They come in handy for various reasons and are always a high demand item at the club. A compact pair for easy storage and travel is a great addition to your dancer necessities. Link here.
• Multipurpose Tool - These are awesome to have on you anywhere you go because you won't be stuck without a tool you might need for any random reason. Link here.
• Oral Hygiene Products - Tooth paste, brush and mouthwash should always be a staple item you carry with you at the club. If you eat or just feel like you need a quick freshening up, head to the bathroom to brush & rinse. The last thing you want is to be breathing nasty smelling breath onto a potential customer. 
• Breath strips, Gum, Mints - Along the same line as the aforementioned products, these can help with keeping your breath smelling fresh and clean throughout the shift!
• Tampons or Period Cups - Whichever you prefer, really. Just make sure you ALWAYS have these on deck. I like to purchase two variety packs of tampons, one with light, regular and super and then the other with super plus and ultra sizes. I do this so I am prepared regardless of how heavy my flow might be, or what another dancer prefers if they ever ask me for one. I've never needed a super plus or ultra myself, but they are the two sizes that most dancers will opt for if I let them know I have them.
• Nail File & Clippers - Self-explanatory here, they come in handy more often than you'd expect!
• Medications - Try to keep some things like a pain relief med (ibuprofen, Advil, acetaminophen), pepto/tums, gas x, antidiarrheal med, and migraine relief med on you at all times. In addition, if you're on prescription medications that are prescribed "as needed" make sure you've got enough to keep yourself covered during your workday. Running out of a needed medication is a quick way to put a real wrench in your shift.
• Something to do - When it's painfully slow at work, I like to make sure I have something to keep me occupied and help me from getting severely bored. Some ideas: a book, a notebook to journal, knit/crochet project, word search/crossword or magazine. Really, anything you enjoy doing that is small and simple enough to bring and keep track of inside the club. Also, preferably something that can easily be stashed in your bag quickly in the event that customers start rolling in. A fidget toy could also be great for keeping your hands/mind busy! You can find tons of different styles and types of fidgets on Amazon or Etsy.

I hope this list has been helpful and given you some ideas of things that you'll really want to keep handy while you're working! If you have any items you're always keeping in your bag, let me know in the comments below! I'd love to expand this list to help more dancers stay prepared for the random situations we often find ourselves in need of something we might not have thought to bring.