Hello darlings! It’s Emma here, back again from my fabulous, time-travelling adventures. Today's journey took me to July 7th, 1950! Now, imagine this, pet, it was the era of the flapper, the gin joint, the bobby soxers, and just before all the fabulous "Rock and Roll" started shaking up the world. Oh, how I long to have seen Elvis perform live. I just know I’d have lost my sequins over his gyrating hips and smoldering looks!
My sparkly, pink time-travelling tutu took me back to the roaring era and oh darling, what a day! The sun was shining, the air was humming with excitement, and ... a whole load of fabulous things were going down!
A Tutus-tastic Blast From The Past!
Let’s dive into some drag history!
My darling readers, the world of drag in the early 50s was just beginning to bloom into a whole scene of its own! Imagine a time where only the boldest souls, the true drag pioneers dared to break the barriers and live authentically! In my time travelling, I discovered drag was a way of expressing freedom and rebelling against the "norms" and, oh my dear, it was positively bursting with glamour and fabulousness.
Imagine: nightclubs bursting with smoky haze, glamorous dresses swaying with the rhythm of a sizzling big band soundtrack. This was the heart of it all, where fabulous, daring queens, were setting the scene, with their outlandish, captivating performances. Remember my darlings, that back then it wasn’t all “Miss Congeniality,” oh no, they lived and breathed the role and it was all about bringing a whole heap of dazzling joy and freedom!
The queens of the day would be working alongside a host of entertainers - cabaret performers, comedians, musicians and singers. It was a truly exhilarating time to be a drag performer and a true time where queens would push the boundaries and defy the status quo.
In 1950, the Drag Queens weren't necessarily focused on 'gender reveal' - but on pushing the boundaries, expressing themselves, and serving up fabulous performances.
They were trailblazers for the fabulous LGBTQIA+ world that exists today! It was time to fight for equality, for acceptance, and most importantly, to just be fabulous! And oh my darling readers, were they! They weren't shy, those queens. They brought their sparkle, their glitz and their sass, to the most fabulous nightclubs across the land, where they were embraced by audiences as glamorous icons.
In my time travelling through July 7th, I did, of course, discover that drag was still not universally accepted in this era. There were definitely battles to be fought, but even in those times of oppression, there was this sheer determination to embrace freedom and embrace their authentic selves. These pioneers were trailblazers!
It really emphasises the incredible journeys we have taken as a community - a remarkable journey of resilience and liberation. Let's give a big cheer to all those trailblazing drag queens of 1950 for showing us the way.
Tutus in 1950? Let's dive into fashion...
In the 1950s, women’s fashion was so heavily inspired by ballerina's outfits - with all its lovely elegance, and flowing elegance. And believe me darlings, we owe the amazing designers of those times a whole load of thanks for those stunning and sophisticated styles! They had me swooning in the pink-tutu shop and practically drooling at the chic window displays. Oh darling! This is my era, as a ballerina, the era for Tutus, where even fashionistas were loving their ballerinas' grace.
Speaking of my tutu, darlings. It got a bit of a whirl while I was dancing about during a 1950’s ballet, and what I noticed is that some designs in my time travelling had to have the frills strategically placed to cover up just that teeny weeny bit, to pass muster for polite society that wasn't quite ready for the fabulousness we know and love.
Remember darling, just think, even during these more conservative times - even in that era, those designers, they embraced the silhouette, those elegant dresses, and the iconic little ballet skirts with its flowing shapes. Just think, we could go out with such confidence!
My darling, how I long to go to a fabulous drag show in the 1950s - with all those sparkling costumes, and fantastically big personalities, and those show-stopping singers! That's definitely something I have to organise, and add to the “time travel to-do list"!
Time Travelling Tutus
And that, my darlings, brings us to the end of another fabulous blog post! Now, tell me all your 1950s memories. Were you alive then? What was the scene like back then? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to follow me on all my social media pages. If you fancy joining me on a fabulous tutus-tastic time travel adventure – I will happily help with the planning. Just make sure you’ve got a fabulous pink tutu, and an appetite for history.
This isn’t the end of the time travel! Join me next time for another amazing adventure! I shall be picking a date at random to head back in time for an inspiring voyage into the wonderful world of Drag!
