#DragQueenHistory during 1954 05 May

Hello my darling drag darlings! Emma here, your fabulous pink tutu wearing time travelling friend! It's the 5th of May 1954 - a date that’s definitely worth twirling about, so settle in with a cuppa and a sparkling cookie, let's get our fabulous on! This is post number 413 on www.pink-tutu.com – you can find me there every month as I whisk you away to fabulous drag destinations through the annals of time.

Now, you might be wondering, “How on earth does a drag queen time travel? And in a pink tutu?!” Well, it all started in a quaint little village in Derbyshire, you see, I was practicing some fancy footwork on stage in my gorgeous new pink tulle creation (it had feathers, darling!), and... poof, the stage lights dimmed, the crowd gasped and – I was gone. It took a moment, but I realised I wasn’t at the pub any more. I was in...the past. It was bonkers! And you know me, I just had to find out where and when! My fabulous pink tutu appears to have a bit of a magic touch, so, in I went - straight to the centre of it all!

So, to set the scene, imagine a time when skirts were still full-circle (but no crinoline, because 1950’s very tight fitting – no space for our flamboyant silhouettes!), men’s suits were sharp, and everyone was enjoying a ‘Rock & Roll' era…that was just about to start! Rock and Roll – oh my God, talk about a life changing musical era. Did I mention that I’m obsessed with all the glamorous drag queens from back then, those girls with their beehive hairstyles and gorgeous red lipstick. Oh my gosh! It’s such a drag moment – it makes me want to whip up my makeup bag right now and get to it! They were definitely making history.

It’s amazing how that period - when those gorgeous gowns with all that fabric just swept through time - turned out to be the catalyst for everything we have today in the world of drag! It all felt so natural, so beautiful and so liberating. Just think – no restrictions. It felt a bit like my own drag scene – just in the past. But we’ll get onto that! You might not be surprised to know that I whizzed through my little time travel to go check out the scene, so let's get to it:

What’s in the world of drag? Well, there weren’t a whole lot of drag performances to be seen… at least, none that were happening “above board”. This was back when gay rights were just being dreamt of - although of course, a fabulous person like myself wasn’t about to let that stop me – even back in those very buttoned-up times! There’s nothing that can stand in the way of a fabulous drag queen in her tutu – it just wasn’t possible to stop my inner sass from wanting to show up in all its glory!

• Hidden Gem Nightclubs: But… I discovered some amazing secret places - I have to say! I always say there’s something about finding that place, the hidden spot – that just takes your breath away.

You can just imagine those underground, almost hidden, clubs - hidden away from prying eyes and full of glamour - all ready for their midnight debut when all of those glittering outfits came into view. It just makes me want to get on the bus, head back to the city and join the party! It all looked so natural…like being there just happened in that magical world of drag that was totally out there in all its glorious beauty!

There was this incredible place called ‘The Village Gate‘ (it had such fabulous vibe! The most fantastic little bohemian basement venue - in a small downtown area. You just have to see it, my loves. The look of this place? The perfect space to get dressed and put on your face in full '50's style, with your pals and get ready to party! This was before drag balls were actually named and in the limelight but there was an air of this in the place, so many amazing looking girls – and some incredible 'boyish' figures, too - it just had to be in place – and on the edge of that glorious scene - ready to erupt into the future.

There were more secrets in that day and time. If you wanted a dress – and this was no mean feat – because the fashion was so formal, it took quite a while to find the perfect, flowing ‘skirt’. They were so glamorous, it’s hard to imagine a time without that long skirt, all flowing out, and so many ‘pouffy’ styles.

Fashion back then wasn't always as 'free' as it is now! The main thing you could buy was silk and then, of course, all of those wonderful long flowing outfits. Think 'Belle de Jour' style, my darlings…and yes, of course there was all of that glorious ‘noir’ vibe about it – think all of those killer long dresses - they’d been wearing since the ‘30s – which just had me, ahem, 'all about that skirt' from start to finish! I spent hours shopping, you see, there were so many amazing shops to visit! What a fab day to shop until I dropped!

Of course I managed to bag myself a whole new gorgeous costume from a local boutique – everything from headbands and shawls – but oh my God my new 'feather' trimmed pink dress (all thanks to a bargain with a local couturier - how I adore those fab dress designers - it was truly fabulous - I really had to resist buying half the boutique. The sales assistant told me it was “a bit too 'out there’,” (she wasn't exactly my target market…) but of course, you know I had the final say. I was the star after all! And don’t forget my feather-boa – so vital to making the most of my ‘out-of-time’ look.

### May 5th 1954: It’s All About the Details.

Oh the tiny details – they all matter so much when you think about creating your ‘look.’ If you don’t take time to add all the details, your outfit – well, it’ll lack something! Think – a perfectly manicured fingernail – or the way the makeup was done – they just took forever. If I had to create my look from back then – I would start with the ‘smoky eyes’ in all their ‘sultry’ glamour. Oh my God – my eyes are always in demand – and for this time travel – the black winged eye, it was all so gorgeous! Oh, I’m not a massive fan of eyeliner (it gets a little bit on the face when you have the big dramatic look, you know? But – oh darling, back in the '50s…I was a total pro at it. It’s all about knowing what to do to make it work.

But… there are so many great tips from those bygone times that would really help out any aspiring drag performer of today.

Here are some top tips:

• You can always use your hair as your starting point – for those classic '50s’ styles you have to start with your roots - get that perfect curl! Think ‘glamour' * - all day and night. You have to *own that look!
  • Use bright lip colors! – think the amazing red lips - so vibrant! It gives an awesome lift to a glamorous night-out and creates that 'perfect’ evening time look!
  • Find a way to do something really great with the eyelashes ( I always thought this era, this period in drag…was a total eye – and lash era – that’s all about those amazing, beautiful eyes that can make anything happen on the catwalk!)

There’s always something special that you can pick up from these trips. If I get really excited I spend a couple of nights there – with a full 'pink’ tutu performance, the whole nine yards! I always love finding new looks! You’d never guess how many drag outfits, make-up trends and moves we are borrowing and twisting – to make this amazing art of drag, that’s something we are constantly building on. I try to create a special place for myself in these time trips so I can gather all those ideas – all those details that bring drag to life.

I like to think of my trip to May 1954 as an inspiration – for everything I can be. These historical trips always get me thinking – ‘how can I use these moments to bring them into a whole new way to play with all my costumes’. It’s all so vital – to never forget the origins of our glorious drag. But don’t take my word for it. If you ever get the chance to go, let me know and we can always catch up about it - maybe over a fab, fizzy, afternoon tea with scones in that amazing place, or some amazing pink cake. Oh yes – if I can get my hands on that kind of confectionery - it just helps add to all of that vintage feel…that kind of glamorous vibe I get when I put on that amazing, superstar look!

Now you can find my drag posts all month long at www.pink-tutu.com And I just want you to have all the ‘pink' in the world, my darlings! That's all for this month. Keep on twirling and stay fabulous!

xx Emma

P.S. Follow me on all my socials – there’s going to be a giveaway this month for some fabulous ‘pink’ items so you can really up your own fabulousness to eleven (sorry, eleven, darling it’s an important number!) and bring a bit of that glam and magic from my travels to May 1954 straight to your door!

See you next time, darlings.

xx