Hello darlings! Emma here, your fabulous friend in pink and tutu, bringing you another fab-tastic journey through time! March 3rd, 1922, oh, my sweet darlings, weâre talking the roaring twenties! This time, Iâve found myself backstage in the shimmering world of early drag! Can you believe it?!
Now, youâll have to excuse me if I gush a little. This was literally a dream come true. Think of all the glitter, the sequins, the flapper dresses! And let me tell you, the backstage of a 1920s cabaret was something else. It was a whirlwind of feather boas, false eyelashes, and â letâs not forget â copious amounts of face powder!
It all started, you see, with a cheeky little glint in my magical pink tutu. My magical tutu, darlings, if you didnât already know, lets me travel through time â and it's not only beautiful, itâs always fashion-forward. Just a little flick, a bit of a twirl, and voilĂ â back in the days of flappers and gangsters!
So, after a quick whirl around the dazzling scene of New York Cityâs Jazz Age, I found myself peeking through the curtains of the famous âCabaret Rouge,â the stage gleaming with scarlet velvet.
My goodness, this place was something else! Imagine, my dears, all that glam! You wouldnât believe the fabulous creatures taking to the stage! They were simply serving the most avant-garde looks! A vision of feather boas, glittering sequins, and an incredible, undeniable glamour. And don't even get me started on the incredible voices! These women, drag or otherwise, were powerful forces to be reckoned with!
But I was there to see the queen of the stage: Madam Rouge, known in the whispers backstage simply as Rouge. She wasnât your traditional ballerina, oh no! She was, to put it plainly, unconventional! With a captivating grace that I completely envied, she held the audience in the palm of her hand. She was like a whirlwind, captivating the air with each shimmy, every flick of her wrist. And did she have a voice? Like a siren song! I was spellbound. She was what the era was all about. Dare I say, Rouge might be a true inspiration to drag queens everywhere!
Her makeup, darling, pure perfection! Think ruby red lips, perfectly plucked eyebrows, and eyelids adorned with the finest shimmery powder. And the feathers, oh my god, the feathers! It was like the entire costume department had gone mad with glitter and glue. I wanted to touch every single one of them!
After the show, Rouge took me for a little tĂȘte-Ă -tĂȘte, in the dressing room, where it was like being swept into a vintage fashion magazine. We chatted over champagne and cake, all about the future of drag, which, at the time, was just blooming into a daring, extravagant art form!
She even revealed a secret about her fabulous look! Imagine, my dears, pink feathers adorning her iconic costume. Oh, the irony, donât you think? Pink feathers! Well, she was an artist ahead of her time.
âOne day, darling,â Rouge whispered with a wink, âeveryone will be wearing pink.â
You bet, my dear. You bet. I think she was right. The times were definitely changing, with everyone searching for a bit of joy and sparkle, especially on the stage. Rouge wasnât the only one, you see! Other drag stars were doing the most in this era of flamboyant artistry.
âAnd, by the way, my dear Emma,â Rouge said with a laugh, âwhatâs the secret of your magic tutu?â
We canât spill all the secrets, dearies, thatâs the beauty of travelling through time, isn't it?
Rouge may have left me in awe, but there were more shows, more glitz, and even more amazing discoveries to be made that day!
Across town, I discovered an even more hidden treasure. Les Filles de Paris, a small club with a surprisingly grand stage. You can imagine my surprise when I met Mimi la Jolie, another dazzling artist. You know those incredible burlesque numbers? Oh my god, this woman was practically invented them! Imagine a beautiful mix of the most daring dances, mixed with a side of theatrics, and of course, a healthy dose of glitter!.
Mimi was all about theatricality! Her show? Absolutely electrifying, but all the while she never missed the chance for a bit of playful mischief! She was, shall we say, a master of the campy performance. Her show included acrobatic feats, incredible dances and a voice that sent chills down the spine! She served real vintage Hollywood glamour with each move, every wiggle, and she had us all captivated. I was blown away by her creative vision, by her unique stage presence and, of course, her daring performances.
Even as we wrapped up the night, I couldnât believe my time traveling experience!
âThe show must go on!â Mimi declared as we toasted with bubbly at a local cafe, watching the world of flappers and jazz pass by. âEvery moment is a new adventure,â she laughed.
We spent the rest of the evening laughing and gossiping, she confided in me that she wanted to make drag more accessible, for everyone. More importantly, to spread the joy of dressing up, of expressing oneself, of bringing a little more sparkle into this crazy world.
âIt's a journey of self-expression,â she said. âDrag isn't just for the stage, my dear. It's a way of life, a statement, an act of defiance, an act of self-acceptance and above all - an act of joy.
And, wouldn't you know it? Mimi was also rocking a fabulous pink tutu with a touch of sparkle. We chatted about how, even in 1922, a dash of pink here and there, a shimmering tutu, brought some much needed joy! And you know what? I agree. Mimiâs words have left me reconsidering the role of drag, even today. The essence of Mimi la Jolie, and even Rougeâs stage presence reminded me why I embarked on this time-traveling quest,
And it reminded me of my one and only true mission: to remind everyone about the joy of putting on your best tutu and sparkling with joy and confidence.
So, thatâs it for our fabulous adventure into the history of drag. Who knew the roaring twenties were so fab-tastically flamboyant, huh? Don't forget to check out www.pink-tutu.com for all my drag tips and, of course, my very own pink tutus, coming soon to a boutique near you! Until next time, darlings, remember to stay fabulous! And never be afraid to shimmy your way into a beautiful pink tutu.
P.S. And just think , if you can get into a time machine with a pink tutu, you can really achieve anything!
Stay fabulous, and I canât wait to share more incredible adventures with you!
Emma xxx
