Hello darlings! Emma here, your time travelling, pink tutu-wearing, drag-obsessed friend from Derbyshire! Welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com!
It's time to grab your tiaras, put on your best pink lipstick and step right up to my blog! This month, we're whisking you away on a sparkly journey back to 2nd February 1920! I've donned my fanciest, most iridescent, time-travelling tutu (it's got sequins that could rival a disco ball!) and we're off!
Now, I know what you're thinking - 1920! That sounds so very far away. Like, beyond the time when The Great Gatsby happened faraway. But honestly, darlings, even a century ago, drag queens were killing it! They were shaking their sequins, showing off their fierce makeup and reminding the world that glamour and self-expression are truly timeless.
Now, before we start, let's rewind to January when I shared my inaugural Pink-Tutu.com blog post (in case you missed it - check it out here!) and talked about drag's magical, glittery history. I touched upon how far back we can track it! We are, quite frankly, ancient in our glorious, sassy heritage! But in that post, we left 1914 as a landmark.
Fast forward to 1920! Thereās so much to discuss.
First things first: The world, it seems, had completely gone mad with excitement about something called the āCharlestonā! Apparently, it was a wild dance with loads of stomps, flailing limbs and a touch of ... well, let's just say it was quite revolutionary. And, naturally, drag queens were already killing it on the dancefloor, adding their own glamorous twist to it! Imagine: swirling feather boas, sequined dresses and impossibly tall headdresses all shimmying and swaying to the beat of the Charleston! Now, that is a scene I would love to time travel to! I've seen so many amazing Charleston drag shows in modern day, and it must have been mind blowing back in 1920!
Second: Even though society could be a tad "stiff upper lip" about certain things back then, you would be surprised to learn that in London, the āPalace Theatreā hosted the *āRevueā, an annual show filled with cabaret and *stunning variety performances. Can you picture it? Glittering costumes, singing and dancing all under one fabulous roof. You wouldnāt find many other places where this level of show-stopping spectacle took place. I imagine it was pure theatre magic, with plenty of sassy queens rocking the stage! And it makes me wonderā¦ Were those fabulous Queens inspiring the famous "Drag Balls" that we celebrate today?! Maybeā¦ maybe the roots of our legendary balls actually started back in this decade!
Third ā this is where the money really starts flowing in! By 1920, the glamorous āMoulin Rouge" in Paris, a true haven for show-stopping acts and extravagant costumes, became known for one thing: its incredible drag queens! They would take the stage performing some of the *most outrageous shows you could ever imagine! I'm talking about feathered headdresses the size of your average double decker bus! Imagine the backstage, all those drag queens backstage, with their glitter and laughter. Thatās truly a drag sisterhood!
I think that back in 1920, the world needed a good bit of sassy sparkle and fabulous energy. You could say the Moulin Rouge gave them just that - and whatās more fabulous is that it kept on giving in the following decades! So much inspiration and power comes from those fearless early drag queens. You gotta give them kudos!
And finally ā donāt forget the āFlappersā. Think glitz, glam and a dash of mischief! The fashion back then - divine! All those sparkly flapper dresses with their fringes and feathers! Can you imagine a queen dancing in that fabulous, and completely outrageous, getup?! My dear darlings, the glamour is intense! Now that's what I call some fierce fashion and what I hope to bring back into fashion (as a tutu wearing ballerina of course!). Think feather boas galore and bejeweled headdresses!
So, in conclusion, even back in 1920, drag queens were lighting up the stage with their sheer charisma, exquisite glamour and captivating performances!
Now I know you might be thinking: āEmma, darling, you canāt wear a tutu in 1920 - itās too pinkā! But have a little faith in the Pink-Tutu power! My time-travelling tutu works magically. Youāll be seeing me in pink! So remember - drag has been rocking for decades, captivating hearts, and celebrating self-expression through every generation! If those fabulous 1920 queens were able to pull off those iconic looks, just imagine the stunning things that you can create today. Now, darlings, go on and express yourself in a fabulous tutu (pink, of course) and be as glamorous and magnificent as you can be! We all deserve to sparkle, from the vintage fashion and glitter of 1920s Paris to the vibrant dance floors of present day London and beyond!
Join me next month as we embark on another Pink-Tutu adventure!
See you on www.pink-tutu.com then! And remember, if you want to support my drag time travel antics, head on over to see me strutting my stuff on the stage at your local drag show!
Until next time, keep it fabulous and always remember, darling: pink is ALWAYS in fashion.
Emma x
