Dare to Bare; the story of my ‘Bare Bottom Dress’
30 years ago, I designed a dress that would completely change my life: the ‘Bare Bottom Dress’. (‘Blotebillenjurk’ in Dutch) The dress does exactly what it says; it shows your bottom. It does so dramatically though, with a startling contrast between the long flowy front and the revealing back. Wearing it, I felt strong and sexy, because the design didn’t aim to please in a traditional way. It was a pure expression of my sexual confidence. But would it come across that way? Would men see it as a celebration of female sexuality, or just another piece of ass? There was only one place to find out: Amsterdam’s Red Light District..
Nobody hissed at me, nobody offered me money. The prowling men would even shrink away when I tried to make eye contact. Here I was, walking alone and half-naked through these sexual hunting grounds, and I was untouchable! Slowly coming down from the adrenaline rush, I walked back to my car. It was a balmy summer night, and crossing the busy Leidseplein, I was unaware of the crowds on the pavement terraces till I heard clapping. When I looked up, I realized people were applauding. Me and my ‘blotebillenjurk’ got a standing ovation!
When Wim Pijbes became the Rijksmuseum’s director in 2008, the first acquisition he made was my ‘Bare Bottom Dress’. A few years later, ‘blotebillenjurk’ became an official word and was included in the Dutch dictionary. My dress had become a symbol of a new expression of female sexuality. But it was years earlier, crossing that busy square, that I realized in order to make changes, you have to take risks and bare your soul. (in my particular case, also my behind!) The rewards are great. In the coming weeks, I invite you to journey with me out of your comfort zones. Dare to be.
Model: Marlies Dekkers in Playboy
Photocredit: Inez van Lamsweerde
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The fact that I feel bikini-confident all year round is, of course, a nice bonus. But for me, the biggest payoff of following the keto diet is the way it optimizes my health and gives me tons of energy.
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‘If you can’t eat it, why put it on your skin?’. I pretty much live by this beauty adage. After all, with your skin being one of your body’s largest organs, anything – and I mean anything! – you put onto your skin will end up in your bloodstream.
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Maison Marlies blog
The marlies|dekkers brand offers a wide variety of lingerie that can be worn by anyone and caters to every woman’s individual needs. Within our Maison Marlies blog you can read all about the life behind and surrounding the company. Whether you are eager to know where Marlies gets her inspiration for designing new lingerie collections, her lifestyle, healthy cooking ideas, or simply to share her taste in amazing art - you will find it in the blog. Our fearless creative director manages to find time to write about her business trips and even her shopping sprees and vacations for the times she can let her hair down for a while. And even while she is on holiday she will not leave you hanging.
Giving style advice
When you are feeling lost in finding the right fit or determine your bra size, Maison Marlies offers a set of guidelines so that you can continue shaking your bon bons without them falling out. You'll get style tips on how to wear and style your bras, and bikinis. You would not want a wardrobe malfunction which can actually be prevented when you are wearing high quality luxury lingerie. And when your breasts are kept in place in marlies|dekkers bras or bikinis, you can fully celebrate your femininity in all its glory and full potential. The blog offers advise on how to mix and match womens lingerie to boost, inspire your own fashion sense and keeps you updated on the latest fashion trends.
Marlies and friends
Her celebrity friends are also very pleased with that perfect fit a marlies|dekkers bra can offer you. These women proudly show off their marlies|dekkers lingerie sets in photoshoots for magazines, on stage when they're performing, during a cameo on tv or on the big screen in movies. Maison Marlies dedicates a special section of the blog to all gender equality related news so you are always updated about the latest developments around this special mission that embodies Marlies’ vision for the future.
