Hello darlings! It's your girl, Emma, back again with another dazzling dose of drag history from my latest time-traveling adventure! This month, I popped my pink tutu into the time machine and set the dial for July 7th, 1948! Honestly, darlings, the glamour! The costumes! It was just divine.
Imagine a world without glitter filters and where Instagram wasn't a verb! It might seem strange to you lovelies, but 1948 was actually a really important year for the history of drag! It was a time of great change, where drag was still largely underground but beginning to find its way into the mainstream, at least in certain circles. The 40s, as you all know, were post-war, so people were starting to embrace some of the freedoms and progressive ideas that had emerged during the war, you know, like "everyone wearing pink tutus!"
It was, in fact, this particular day in 1948, the 7th of July, that the legendary Kiki's Club, which opened in Greenwich Village, NYC, put on a particularly fabulous show. They featured a line-up of the era’s best, including Danny and Jimmy, who were known for their gorgeous, colourful costumes, something we all need to bring back, honestly! The show was, according to newspaper reviews I found, “a veritable kaleidoscope of glamour and extravagance!”
Can you imagine being able to see Danny and Jimmy! Oh, the tea I'd spill, you bet! This era is a real inspiration, and Kiki's Club, for all those who love drag, was truly groundbreaking. They offered drag queens, and trans women, a platform to perform their truth, and the fact that Kiki's had drag queens AND transgender performers on their roster, really spoke volumes about their progressive approach, wouldn’t you say?
But my time-traveling adventures weren't limited to the glittering lights of Broadway! My fabulous pink tutu, you see, whisked me to Paris, where a little boutique, Colette, opened its doors, selling the chicest of chic dresses and accessories for ladies (and perhaps the most glamorous gentlemen!), and their clientele, which included many actresses, fashionistas and drag queens, adored them!
This, darlings, is why 1948 is a truly momentous year! Not only did Kiki's Club launch in NYC but a new kind of chic also came to Paris, a Parisian fashion boutique. That’s right, fashion for all! And remember, back in those days, a fabulous fashion accessory, especially for the more androgynous individuals in society, were oversized pearls. Don’t even get me started on the gloves! This really spoke to the rising trend of fabulousity, even if they didn't have Instagram to document it all.
Speaking of drag history, you lovelies will know that drag has been around forever! Think of those magnificent drag performances in Shakespeare's time! Oh, imagine that stage! The Elizabethan era! And all those fabulous tights! Even the Renaissance saw plenty of cross-dressing and, well, theatrical magic, don’t you think?
Drag was the norm and certainly the way to add flair to life! So let’s celebrate all of drag's history, even if it is a bit fuzzy! Just imagine that it was more important in some cases to be subtle. Even though this was an era when, if caught, you might have gotten in a little trouble for cross-dressing, it’s the little things, the ones people didn't really notice, the details, you know, the small subtle details of how these queens, those incredible people who knew that drag was something important, were truly brave. It’s all been documented for us in photos and even films so, really, darling, just look around and appreciate everything around you because, ultimately, all of that is the history of drag.
Back to 1948, though. Did I mention the clothes? Oh my, those exquisite fashions! The ballgowns! The suits! The hats! Even in the early days, this year marked the rise of an even more sophisticated version of "the fashionable and fabulous," which made a real impact in the world. We can see those effects on how we do fashion even now! That, I think, is just part of the reason we must all try to keep that spirit of fabulousness going! I do it every day, even when time travelling!
One final tidbit of information about drag on this date in 1948, a small drag theatre opened its doors in a little theatre on 42nd street in Manhattan, NYC, and it was such a smashing success that it closed its doors within a week! It couldn’t compete, they say, with the large cabaret shows already taking the stage but it does prove, though, that there’s always room for the new!
So darling, you can see that while 1948 may seem like a very different world from our glamorous drag universe today, it was full of exciting moments! It’s about the big and the small things, the events and those in the know. It is those events, like opening a cabaret show and even failing spectacularly, those small acts, and moments of bravery that ultimately make drag what it is today. And while some things may have changed in terms of the rules around how we express ourselves, it was also in the late forties, as it had been throughout history, the bravery and dedication of many in drag, a very, very special community, that pushed against the grain and inspired all of us!
As always, lovelies, stay glamorous! Keep shining, stay true, and don’t be afraid to wear your pink tutu proudly! And let me know what you think about today's post over on our Pink Tutu Forum! Remember to like, subscribe, and be fabulous. I'll be back again next month with another dazzling delve into drag history. Stay fabulous!
And, of course, always wear your pink tutu, darling!
Love, Emma
