Pasties (sing. 'pastie') are adhesive coverings applied to cover a person's nipples. They vary in size and are usually not much larger than the person's areola.
The concept of 'pasties' is to reveal as much of the breast as possible without being entirely topless. Many erotic dancers wear them in strip clubs as required by law. Pasties are usually applied with a special glue or tape. This is the origin of their name, as they are quite literally "pasted" onto the nipple.
Pasties are worn by many neo-burlesque performers. Burlesque pasties may also feature tassels which hang from the center, performer will sometimes twirl these as part of a performance.
Some women who choose not to wear a bra wear pasties to prevent their nipples from protruding visibly through their shirt.
