Pasties are adhesive coverings applied to cover a woman's nipple

Nipple

In its most general form, a nipple is a structure from which a fluid emanates. More specifically, it is the projection on the breasts or udder of a mammal by which breast milk is delivered to a mother's young. In this sense, it is often called a teat, especially when referring to non-humans, and...

s and areolae. Though pasties are commonly associated with burlesque and erotic entertainment, they are also at times worn as an undergarment and occasionally as beachwear.

Some women wear pasties when wearing a strapless or backless dress

Backless dress

A backless dress is a dress designed to expose the wearer's back. A backless dress is most commonly worn on formal occasions or as evening wear or as wedding dresses and can be of any length, from a haltertop to a miniskirt-length to floor-length....

. Some women who choose to be braless may at times wear pasties. They may wear pasties so that their nipples and areolae are not visible through sheer clothing  or lingerie

Lingerie

Lingerie are fashionable and possibly alluring undergarments.Lingerie usually incorporates one or more flexible, stretchy materials like Lycra, nylon , polyester, satin, lace, silk and sheer fabric which are not typically used in more functional, basic cotton undergarments.The term in the French...

, or in case they experience a nipple erection. Some women wear pasties to avoid irritation of the nipples by rubbing against the fabric of the outer garment. When worn under clothing pasties are sometimes called breast petals.

Pasties come in a variety of colors, diameters, and shapes. Though pasties come in a variety of sizes, they usually are not much larger than the areola

Areola

This article is about the breast tissue. For the entomology term, see the glossary of Lepidopteran terms. For an artistic cloud motif, see aureola. For the cactus feature, see Areole....

. Pasties are usually applied with a special tape or glue fixative, often gum arabic

Gum arabic

220px|thumb|right|Acacia gumGum arabic, also known as acacia gum, chaar gund, char goond, or meska, is a natural gum made of hardened sap taken from two species of the acacia tree; Acacia senegal and Acacia seyal...

. However, in some situations keeping pasties from falling off can be an issue, as can be their removal. Some women are allergic to some adhesives. Some pasties are for single-use, while others are washable and can be reused.

Pasties are occasionally worn on beaches to maximize a sun tan, short of being topless or nude, and avoid the strap lines which bikinis produce. http://i.ebayimg.com/24/!B8Og0lQCWk~$(KGrHqUOKj8EzYVfgwz-BM2bgjL,Ww~~0_35.JPG When worn on a beach they are sometimes called "strapless stick on bikinis."

A sideless bikini bottom is sometimes worn to complement a pasties top outfit, however naturally there are variations.

Entertainment

Pasties emerged in burlesque

Burlesque

Burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects...

 and striptease

Striptease

A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner...

 in the 1920s as a way to avoid breaking the law by performing topless. Pasties came to be regarded by some as more aesthetic and erotic. They were worn in cabarets such as the Folies Bergère and Le Lido

Le Lido

Le Lido is a cabaret and burlesque house on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, France, famous for its exotic shows, which rival those of Las Vegas and where Elvis Presley gave an impromptu concert...

. Burlesque performer Carrie Finnell is attributed with adding tassels which hang from the center and incorporating tassel twirling as part of a performance.

In parts of the United States, erotic dancers wear pasties in strip clubs to avoid prosecution under local public indecency

Public indecency

Public indecency refers to conduct undertaken in a non-private or publicly-viewable location, which are deemed indecent in nature, such as indecent exposure and sexual intercourse or masturbation in public view. Such activity is often illegal...

 laws. In extreme cases, liquid latex pasties are used to comply with local laws, raising criticism by strippers that lawmakers are engaging in cruelty by requiring use of adhesive material on the nipple. Pasties are worn by many neo-burlesque

Neo-Burlesque

Neo-Burlesque is the revival and updating of the traditional burlesque performance. Though based on the traditional Burlesque art, the new form encompasses a wider range of performance styles; Neo-burlesque acts can be anything from classic striptease to modern dance to theatrical mini-dramas to...

 performers and are also found in night clubs, fetish parties and parades, such as Pride Parades.