Hello, darlings! Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood pink tutu-clad time traveller! It’s a gloriously sunny day in Derbyshire, but as you all know, with my trusty pink tutu, I’m whisked away to any point in history!
Today's journey takes us all the way back to July 7th, 1937, the height of Parisian glamour. Can you believe it? A mere 86 years ago, Paris was buzzing with drag queens!
But first, let's grab a cuppa, gather around my fabulous pink velvet chaise lounge and dive into what's happening now on the drag scene!
I was absolutely smitten at the local cabaret in Chesterfield last night! Darlings, let me tell you, Betty Glitterbomb’s performance was everything! A dazzling mix of burlesque and clown-inspired comedy, with more sequins than you could shake a feather boa at. Her finale? A confetti shower with pink feather boas floating down - truly a sight to behold!
Let's Fast Forward to 1937 - Time to Twirl into History!
Right then, off I go! Swoosh! My magical pink tutu whirs and I'm poof - transported to a glamorous Parisian café in the heart of the Montmartre district. Oh darling, can you just imagine? Cobblestone streets, cobbled by the sheer weight of all the drag queen glamour!
The year 1937 was very different, but drag was definitely in the air! Paris, you see, was a playground for the avant-garde and the daring - think Coco Chanel and Salvador Dali - and that included a strong sense of theatrical, rebellious spirit, making it a hotbed of drag history!
It's fascinating how even without drag balls like the one at the Stonewall Inn in New York, or the infamous 'ball' hosted by the Black and White Minstrels in 1942, there was this flourishing drag scene all over the world - it's really all connected.
Right then, Let's step inside one of these fascinating Parisian cabarets!
Imagine! The air is thick with smoke and perfume - not quite as cloying as you find today in drag ballrooms, with less floral scented oils, mind you. It’s a darker, more sultry scent, with a dash of Parisian je ne sais quoi! The music? A blend of jazz, tango, and something they called musette. The performers are adorned in velvet and feathers.
They dance, they sing, they entertain. But be warned, darling, not all Parisian cabarets are fully embracing our glorious sisterhood of drag!
Think faux pas, Think secretly flamboyant, Think not fully accepted yet. There is so much to do for a future pink tutu clad girl. There's still so much progress to be made, darlings!
One of the more popular establishments - and thankfully quite drag positive! - was Le Boeuf sur le Toit which, in English, translates to "The Ox on the Roof"! A whimsical, bohemian theatre and dance hall frequented by both drag queens and cross-dressing actresses - in their day, darlings, those were just separate terms!
What’s in Fashion:
From what I’ve observed, Parisians were a little less over-the-top in their style choices - which shock, horror! we’d now consider quite understated. A touch of rouge on the cheeks, maybe a single feather in their hair, a pair of satin gloves - fabulous but less glitzy than our drag queens today.
That doesn't mean they weren't stylish! Think sharp lines, classic black, and an air of effortless sophistication - that classic Parisian chic you see on all the chic bloggers in all the magazines. There's an underlying rebelliousness in this quiet sense of fashion. It says, “I’m not here to shout, I'm here to steal the show. I’m subtle. But still powerful." It makes sense to me, because in 1937, a woman wearing men’s clothing or clothing styled to defy expected gender roles was rebellion.
But the one thing that stuck with me? Hats! My darling, imagine, every dame, even those Parisian ladies, had some fabulous hats! Think fascinators with dramatic feathers and veils! Think wide-brimmed hats trimmed with silk and velvet. They really knew how to create an aura of mystery, and with all this glamour they definitely knew how to command a room, but without being quite as outrageous and glitzy as modern day drag queens!
Think drag queen elegance, darlings! So much to be inspired by.
And finally, before I zip back home
Let's keep spreading the gospel of the pink tutu, darlings. In all our travels, in every century we visit, and every performance we give - whether in our drag queen drag shows, in my historical blogs, or in our every day life - we all can play a part in a world that's more colourful and inclusive - we all can show a little love and accept all styles.
That’s what ‘pink-tutu’ is all about - accepting and appreciating the history and variety of drag styles across time and space!
Thanks for tuning in and remember, darlings: Keep the faith, keep it fierce, and keep your fabulous pink tutus dusted off. ‘Til next month, my lovelies!
