Hiya darlings! It’s Emma, your pink tutu-clad time travelling drag queen blogger, and it's a right royal pleasure to welcome you to another month of fabulous historical shenanigans on the www.pink-tutu.com website! I've been so busy swishing and twirling through the centuries that my little fingers have been tapping away on my keyboard to bring you another dose of dazzling drag history. And guess what, darlings? We're gonna take a little trip to the 1950s this month – with a little side helping of a mischievous April Fool’s Day, of course!
It's hard to believe that 1950s drag, at least in the UK, was quite different to what we see on the dazzling scene today. We’re talking more vaudeville and cross-dressing comedy – a very different scene to the polished theatrical production drag shows we enjoy now! And believe me, darlings, the pink tutu, whilst absolutely glorious, wouldn't have been cutting it on the stage back then! However, back in those days, I'd be a pretty good distraction with all this vibrant colour and fluff!
So, grab your biggest mug of tea and settle in, babes. It's time to dig into this historical adventure – let's get those pink tutus twirling, shall we?!
My Time Travel Diary
Right, off I popped in my fabulous, sparkly, and totally magic pink tutu, whizzing back in time to that iconic April Fool's Day of 1950! Let's be honest, I knew it would be a riot – a colourful explosion of hilarious hijinks and surprising events. The energy was practically popping with laughter!
As I flitted around the streets, it was a real mishmash of 50s charm and cheeky naughtiness! The boys had their hair slicked back, all suits and ciggies, the ladies were sporting gorgeous full skirts and cinched-in waistlines, and all that wonderful post-war optimism was swirling in the air, like the glorious smell of a fresh cuppa tea!
And, of course, as usual, my vibrant pink tutu certainly got some curious looks! Now, this era wasn't necessarily known for its flamboyant dress, so my bright pink attire must have been quite a sight to behold. I’d imagine people wondering if I was heading to the local panto or if I had a wedding to go to, darlings! Either way, I was attracting a few curious gazes, which only spurred me on to be a total glam-tastic exhibition!
Drag Diaries - What’s Going On In the Drag World
To tell the truth, the drag scene in 1950 was still finding its feet. Not really in the mainstream sense. I couldn’t spot any massive drag shows – the grand productions we all love! The drag queens were much more about small-time gigs at pubs, music halls, and some little theatre gigs too. This wasn’t always about glitz and glamour. The performances were often centred around light-hearted impersonations and cheeky jokes, trying to draw laughs from the audience. I must admit though, this did still make my draggy little heart tick over with delight.
Now, I heard through the grapevine that some real trailblazers were causing a stir across the Atlantic in New York! You had Kiki and Herb, these divine characters with their off-kilter, slightly twisted act - a proper bit of a giggle that had a whole town laughing and wanting more! You had your Crystal LaBeija rocking the ballroom scene. But here’s the real scoop, babes - this year in 1950, the one and only The Cockettes - that gloriously outlandish San Francisco performance art troupe - were actually taking their first steps onto the stage! The energy, darlings, was simply wild - flamboyant, chaotic, and a big celebration of everything fabulous!
You just can't deny the pioneering spirit of these drag queens, paving the way for all of us! Imagine, starting from nothing and creating something so groundbreaking! Those ladies had balls – both the physical kind and the mental kind! These pioneers didn’t let their backgrounds stop them - they fought against stereotypes and paved the way for drag as we know it. And how fabulously camp is that, babes!
A Whimsical Trip to the Shops
What's a fabulous time travelling queen to do, when exploring the glorious 1950s? You're right! Hit the shops, darlings, hit the shops! This period, believe me, was like a visual feast – you couldn’t tell what was better – the hats, the skirts, the dresses! You really were getting a whole other vibe of vintage, stylish chic! The fabric was a riot of colour and textures, too!
You just had to love the styles – cinched waists, full skirts, big hats – this wasn’t just fashion, it was art! But you know what? It all was such a great contrast to the glam gowns I love today! My little drag heart really yearned to mix and match these two amazing eras, so there was definitely a moment where I tried to do just that! Well, babes, can’t we all just have a little bit of fun with this?
Oh, and it's got to be mentioned – I saw the most magnificent brooches in every shape and colour you could imagine – and the shoe shops, darling, absolutely breathtaking. All those lace-up heels and platform soles – ah! They were really something else, babes! And yes, it’s absolutely true, all I had in mind was twirling and dancing in those fabulous shoes!
Drag Shows Are The Best
You wouldn’t be wrong, babes, for thinking I'd just pop over to London, straight to one of the famous theatres! Even back then, darlings, the city's theatrical scene was truly legendary – a real must-visit for any self-respecting, pink-tutu-clad drag queen! You know me – a good, old-fashioned, show-stopping drag show with all the sequins and feathers, it really tickles my fancy! But for 1950, those days had still to come!
But hey, I still had a fantastic time – some old-school vaudeville acts made me shriek with laughter – a lot of tap dancing and cheeky jokes, with more of a theatrical twist – and for a bit of a treat, the music was an incredible blast from the past, like nothing we've heard in the present. You’d think that with all the dancing and all the laughter, that this drag history lesson was about as lively and exciting as could be – well, just wait for you to hear what else was on the menu for the day, babes.
It’s Time To Go Wild!
That evening, darlings, was a real treat! I stumbled upon this totally amazing event. Remember how I was telling you about drag and how it was all about smaller clubs and music halls back then? Well, you have to remember, it was still pretty daring back then for some drag performers to go out into the public – you really had to be brave, babes!
But, in one particular city, I heard all the locals whispering – ‘This one’s a wild one.’ Now, just think about that - in a period when people didn’t want to make too much of a fuss, all the chat about ‘going wild’ and getting yourself noticed – well, darling, it really sent a tingle of excitement down my spine!
So off I went to investigate – and here’s what I discovered! The event was an incredible masquerade ball. I am talking serious dress-up - people from all walks of life with some out-of-this-world costumes! There were men dressing up as women – ladies, dressed up to the nines in their most exquisite dresses – and it was here where I got a proper taste of 1950’s nightlife!
People were laughing, dancing and drinking. The atmosphere, darlings, was truly sensational! So, you can understand my little excitement when I saw it all, the incredible costumes and all those bold faces… This was where I got the real buzz, the magic of time travelling in a fabulous, glitzy pink tutu! I may not have seen the grand spectacles that grace today's stages, but my drag heart was thrilled by the creativity and freedom on display!
April Fools Day Laughs
But you know what? With April Fools Day hanging in the air, everyone was on the lookout for the next crazy thing. And I wouldn’t let the day go by without having a little bit of fun too, now would I! Well, in a little sneaky moment, as I wandered about the streets, I realised I had the power to really add to this whole April Fool’s Day mayhem!
You see, here’s where I did the little draggy dance. My lovely, sparkling, time travelling, magical pink tutu came into its own – now, just picture it – in this sea of typical, understated 1950s dress, all in neutral colours, black, grey, and navy – in fact, nothing bright at all. I sashayed down the street with my big tutu. The locals all just gasped – “Why is that crazy woman in such a ridiculous tutu walking down our street?" – And just picture those words coming out of their mouths in the perfect little 1950s accents! And let me tell you, my darling friends, they were delighted!
I knew I was a drag queen, after all! So, that evening, I took my place amongst the merriment and added a little twist to the revelry – you see, my vibrant, bright, sparkling tutu did a little more than shimmer. It sparkled. It dazzled. It added a touch of whimsy and outlandish fun, which made people really take a step back. Now, how about a spot of glitter and laughter, babes!
Now, it’s always a good day, right? It’s true, the magic never fades! You have to keep moving, keep on believing, that the next best, fabulously sparkling drag moment is just waiting for us. It’s coming along to the next great pink tutu time travel adventure! See you in a month’s time, and don’t forget - pink tutus are the future!
Stay Fabulous!
Emma
