no photos of the girls
Skimpies – women who work as bartenders while wearing bikinis or lingerie – have been a big part of big part of pub culture in Western Australia since the 1970s. Catering to a clientele of locals and itinerant mining industry workers, skimpies serve up entertainment, human connection, and drinks in some of the most geographically isolated communities in Australia.
Taken between 2021 and 2023 in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, these photos portray these women both on and off duty, with candid images of skimpies at work paired with personal portraits and interviews. By collecting images with their full consent and creating space for them to speak about their own experiences, this project provides a glimpse of a world rarely visible to outsiders.
