Hiya my lovelies! Emma here, your fabulous pink tutu wearing drag queen time traveler, back for another blast from the past! August 1949 is calling, and you know what that means? Time to dust off my magic time-traveling tutu (you know, the one with the little sequined pockets I keep all my important notes and lipstick in!) and set off on another fabulous journey through history. Buckle up, my dears, because we’re headed back to the late forties – the era of glamour, the era of fabulous, the era of, well, everything in a delicious shade of pastel pink.
You know, when you’re a time-traveling drag queen, life is full of surprises, but you can never forget about the basics. Every fabulous time traveler knows you need a few essential items for any journey. We’re talking pink lipstick, my good-luck lucky charm charm bracelet (I call it “Queen B’s Charm,” see, she once told me I was a queen!), my ever-trusty hand fan (for all the hot flushes you get during time travel, you know), and, naturally, the star of the show – a big, fabulous, absolutely perfect pink tutu! (It’s the time traveling kind, don’t worry, it can even go into orbit, and double as a picnic blanket.)
Today’s time travel is gonna be all about celebrating a golden age of entertainment. Why? Well, imagine this, darlings: it’s August 1949, and we’re taking in the best of burlesque in a fabulous speakeasy. The music is playing, the lights are low, and there's this electrifying air about the whole thing. This era had it all, it really did – it was a time when drag truly captured the spirit of glamour and entertainment, and, you know what? There’s just something so absolutely joyous about the fact that it always has, isn't it? Drag is for every decade, for every era, it’s a universal language of self-expression. We celebrate every bit of history, that’s the drag queen spirit!
But enough of me blabbering about time-travel paraphernalia, let’s dive into the actual action of August 1949, shall we? As a self-proclaimed history buff (and, let’s face it, self-proclaimed expert in the art of pink), it’s only natural that I do my homework, and boy oh boy, was 1949 bubbling with excitement in the world of drag! Let's talk some facts:
Firstly, did you know that the legendary Julie London was gracing stages nationwide? She was even performing with Bing Crosby and the rest of the cool cats! Julie London is a true drag inspiration, a beautiful songstress with such style! My goodness, imagine strutting your stuff with an artist like Bing Crosby… and rocking that microphone like Julie London did! If you’ve never heard her sing, darling, well, it’s time for a YouTube session. Let's just say, you'll be swept away!
Speaking of legendary divas, remember our gorgeous Tallulah Bankhead? Oh, she was living the life, starring on the Broadway stage in "The Cocktail Party" and sending her fans into a frenzy. Now, my dears, there is no one who rocked the avant-garde quite like Tallulah did, it was a sight to behold. She could be considered one of the founding mothers of “being different,” darling! The audacity, the power, she was a truly fierce performer and inspiration.
But it wasn’t all glamour and Broadway back in ‘49! Across the Atlantic, our drag scene was booming too. Remember those gorgeous 1940s London club scenes with their outrageous costumes and captivating performances? You just can’t get enough of it, and this was the time when they were really taking flight! Can you imagine, those incredible theatrical productions, all decked out in vibrant fabrics and theatrical makeup? Now that's a true spectacle, the whole package of drama and magic. It reminds me, my dears, we need more of that dramatic flair in our lives! Just let me know when we're ready to set up that time machine and check it out, eh? We need to do some serious research for my next Drag School course! I can already picture it: "How To Drag Like A Drag Queen in 1940s London." (Note to self: patent that phrase! Someone’s going to rip it off if I don’t get a wiggle on!)
Okay, so what else were we doing in this magical year? Well, it's the late forties – we're talking Hollywood's Golden Era, of course! The fashion was fabulous – just think of those sharp looks, the structured tailoring, those high-waisted trousers that always had just a hint of masculinity! I adore the styles of that era. They were so classic and, you know, they always had this understated chic look - imagine that perfectly sharp, yet fluid tailoring, those iconic hairstyles with those beautiful hats. Those 1940s ensembles? Pure perfection, every single one!
Oh my, darling, there was a touch of rebellion in those stylish outfits that reminded me of why drag is a beautiful thing! It was a whole different way of expressing yourself - with the confidence that, I mean, hey, there’s nothing wrong with rocking a masculine suit! (Even with that beautifully exaggerated feminine flair in your walk!) And remember how the iconic Hollywood leading men rocked all those fabulous outfits, you can see the spark of drag shining through their performances! I just love it. I have so much fun picking out details that bring these glamorous looks to life - you just can’t get enough of it, it's inspiring.
Oh, before we finish up this post (the best for last, of course!), let’s have some serious fun and imagine we're throwing a 1940s drag night club, okay? We're rocking the glitter and feather boas in our fabulous vintage costumes. You just can't deny the glamorous magic, now can you?
That era was a playground of entertainment – everyone just wanting to celebrate, to party and let loose! Oh darling, wouldn’t it be absolutely amazing to live back in that era? Oh, and if there were ever to be a fabulous time travel opportunity (just say the word!), imagine yourself at the most exclusive drag nightspots! They're overflowing with charisma and excitement, every performance absolutely electric with those catchy songs and stunning costumes!
My dearest drag enthusiasts! Life’s a stage and it's time to take our center position! August 1949 was a whirlwind of drag history, just imagine the sheer number of incredible artists making their way around the globe! As I journey through these amazing decades of drag, you can see so many parallels, the spirit of expression that shines through - the beautiful art form of drag transcends time.
And speaking of transcending time… have I told you about my latest dream? You see, darlings, I'm working on this big dream – I’m aiming for a worldwide pink tutu trend for you guys to be totally excited about! Can you picture it, my dears? A world in a soft, fabulous, utterly delightful shade of pink! Who doesn't love the sweetness, the femininity of a beautiful pink tutu! I've been designing some epic designs – just imagine, we could even have Pink Tutu Fashion Week! Maybe we could create a "Pink Tutu Time Travel Guide"? (If anyone is making bank from a travel website right now… let me know – the world wants to know! Just a suggestion.)
Let me know what you think – because you know, the magic of this pink tutu life – it’s all about expressing ourselves, it's about our love for beauty, for fashion, and let’s face it, for drag!
Join me for a chat on the forum (links below, I can't believe you haven't checked it out!) - tell me about the time periods you love most. (Or the designs you think would look fabulous on a pink time-traveling tutu! I’m sure you’ve got some fantastic ideas! I might even offer a Pink Tutu Design Contest! – Who knew 1949 was going to kickstart the most amazing things?)
Till next month my darlings, and remember to let your inner drag queen shine. Don't be shy to experiment with fabulous fashion - remember, there’s a pink tutu waiting for everyone!. (Maybe I need a whole new blog post on just tutu trends. – I wonder how many tutus could possibly fit in a time-traveling one? – maybe that’s next month’s topic.)
Remember, my dears: Keep shining! Keep glittering! Keep wearing a pink tutu!
With all my love,
Emma x
www.pink-tutu.com
