Helloooo my darlings! Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood pink-tutu wearing time-travelling queen, ready to take you on another sparkly journey! This month, I'm whisking you back to the dawn of a brand new year, January 1st, 1941, for a whirlwind adventure into the past! Remember that fabulous pink tulle I've been dying to wear? Well, darling, let's just say the universe aligned itself and, boom, time travel! This time, I'm sporting it like a ballerina on speed!
The year 1941, darling, was just brewing with all sorts of possibilities, right before things, as they say, went 'bang' – literally, for many! This date saw Britain smack bang in the middle of World War Two. Yes, the whole wartime glamour situation was in full swing. It's hard to imagine all that was going on in the world and thinking about how drag could possibly have played a role in all of it! You know how it is – even in the midst of chaos, fabulousness finds a way to flourish!
As usual, before diving into this year's adventures, I need to be transparent – getting ready in the Tardis, I mean, this pink tulle tutu, can take its time, alright?! After the whole time travel, we've had a few minor technical difficulties. This particular tutu – which has a lovely frilly bow by the way, the craftsmanship was superb – seemed to be taking all the time-travel magic from me, and sending me to a specific spot – I'm guessing it was all a bit too flashy! But no worries – my favourite boutique was open until 2 am so I managed to grab an emerald green crinoline for my bottom layer and I think I just had the most elegant blend of fabulous that I've ever done. Honestly, darling, you've got to know your tulle, alright?! And, you know what they say, green is a lucky color, and I just know we are gonna have an absolute ball!
The first thing I did upon arrival? Grabbed a spot in a crowded theatre - naturally - I always get the best shows. Even if they weren't about drag! After a good long journey, you deserve the good life, and darling, they knew how to throw a good night at the theatre in 1941, in spite of the situation going on outside the theater. You see, the shows just weren’t going to let the bombs or wartime politics stop them – a true inspiration! They really knew how to make it work – fabulous!
Now, I have to say that being a little drag queen from Derbyshire in a war-torn country where many of the boys are away fighting, isn’t exactly the kind of story you hear everyday. But, darling, it's a story nonetheless! There's nothing like witnessing that indomitable spirit - of making the best of a tough situation – through theatrical performances. I mean, in the world of wartime glamour and limited resources – drag became quite the powerful artistic outlet for many. It's a powerful tool. Especially in places like this where it’s about resilience. It’s about using all your creativity. I mean, imagine taking materials you were able to salvage and using them to express your best you – even in those times, the spirit of drag shines, showing just how strong you really can be in challenging situations.
And what did I discover in this world, you ask? It seems, drag was, of course, thriving in many secret places. I mean, how else could those fabulous costumes exist?! It was practically all about the '40s fashions. Think pin-ups and flapper dresses mixed with glam – and in the case of the boys in drag, well, all of that and a dash of sheer audacity! This era is basically an endless source of drag inspo! It's all about those fabulous hats, those cinched-waists and beautiful satin. Think, all the classic looks! You can find so much beauty in the unexpected and the resourceful! They weren't just doing drag. They were making it happen with some true creative brilliance. That's something to applaud. They did all of that before Youtube tutorials or online shopping were a thing, so the real drag heroes - or rather, the real drag queens, are always the ones with the heart and a true desire for glamour! And there it was: drag blooming amidst war and strife.
Just to be sure I didn't miss a single magical moment, I just had to find a good, old fashioned drag club – you can always find a drag show, no matter where you go – in any decade! I just knew there would be one with an incredible backstory to boot!
Now, in a place as unusual as 1941, the ‘usual’ club experience had some interesting twists and turns. The venues themselves? They were full of historical significance, places steeped in a different type of wartime atmosphere. What made the atmosphere unique was just how many performers were forced into doing different shows. I mean, a good night of drag involved many boys in drag playing different characters or putting on some theatrical production in addition to doing their normal drag acts. A truly multi-faceted experience – in an era full of “how to be clever” ideas!
The show was just brimming with glamour and an unforgettable energy. Imagine dancing girls with fantastic feather boas - those glamorous gowns – just magnificent! - all sparkling. The dance floors were just as hot as in my own time! You could feel that the desire for escape, for laughter, for the embrace of the stage, was palpable – in every twirl and every flamboyant move! The whole atmosphere was pure glamour in its most rarefied form - wartime era or not!
There were also the performances I wouldn’t have imagined were happening at that time, darling, that showcased the versatility of drag - in the face of adversity, the queens always come up trumps. It was sensational, if I'm honest. These queens really made history.
Now, there were some drag queens doing something quite spectacular! One particular set that really struck me - and the audience - was a burlesque performance. In fact, this amazing group - a team of really sharp-witted performers with fantastic style - they weren’t just taking their costumes off, they were taking the stage off. It was a real tour-de-force! A true glimpse of the world’s drag heart, at a time when everyone was so worried. In other words, a reminder that life goes on - and drag queens are still fabulous.
Now darling, as much as I'd love to share more about those drag performances and how I got away with it - I'm saving some secrets for my fabulous drag queens. Let's just say I learnt about how we should treasure drag’s impact, in the face of things like, well, the world falling apart. What is more glamorous than the fact that they found ways to keep singing and dancing through all of this? Just fab! And you know I had to try some of the drinks - you simply can’t turn down the special cocktails made with the war-time- rationed ingredients when in 1941! A delicious new-found passion - the best kind of war-time glam!
It really is fascinating, how even back then drag was there, evolving, expressing, celebrating – doing it all, as we know drag always has!
Right now, as I look out on my own pink tutu, darling, all I want to do is get on that stage and remind everyone, yes even the most modern queen, how we started in the earliest forms of this great art, how even in the face of some of the hardest times, that beauty, that glamour, that heart was still there. Don’t worry my little queens, we are keeping the drag fire alive in the tutu-tastic spirit we have in every one of us.
So, there you have it. Another whirl in the world of pink tutu, 1941 – a real historical journey. I’m always finding more adventures – the more I explore this amazing history, the more it all fascinates me. My dear, we have so much more to discover, so many tales to tell - and in those stories, the message is simple, darling. Love drag! Love yourselves! And remember - we’re never too old to rock a pink tutu. In fact, why wait for the new year to grab yours, darlings? Time for everyone to be the pinkest queen in your town!
Ciao for now and Happy New Year – for the next trip to another era is only a tutu-tiful moment away!
Always be pink, Emma.
www.pink-tutu.com
