Hiya darlings, Emma here! It’s the 6th of June, and if you haven’t clocked the date, I’m about to whisk you back to 1954 with a sprinkle of fabulous! Grab your pinkest tulle and a cuppa because we’re off to the Fifties, and let me tell you, the tea is hotter than a drag queen’s wig!
This month, my magical, pink, time-travelling tutu took me all the way back to the roaring, (but secretly rather beige) 50s! Oh my goodness, darlings, it was just breathtaking! Imagine, a whole decade where the biggest fashion statement was wearing your husband’s shirts! Now that’s what I call sartorial rebellion! But even though they weren’t rocking the tulle and sequins like we do today, it’s a vital chapter in Drag history!
Now, before we go on this epic adventure, darling, remember, you can always hop onto www.pink-tutu.com for my monthly time-travel posts, because honey, I ain’t letting those teacups go cold just yet!
This month, I thought I’d do things a little differently and share what’s hot in the world of drag... back then! Trust me, it was much less Instagram-able than my outfits, but hey, every era has its own special brand of glitter!
A Dash of Decadence at The Stonewall
Alright, darlings, settle in for some truly juicy history! Remember when we were reminiscing about that beige fashion? Well, get this - this is before the Stonewall riots! It’s still ages away from the explosive queer liberation of the 60s, which means, cue the sad trombone music, things were, to put it mildly, tough for LGBTQ+ folks back then.
I hopped onto the 7 Train, the OG subway to The Stonewall Inn (and the only time a train station ever became a nightclub) – which was just opening! It was already bustling with New Yorkers craving a bit of liberation from their beige world! Now, it wasn’t exactly a drag palace... no dazzling stage shows or glittering costumes. But for LGBTQ+ New Yorkers in the 50s, a little slice of clandestine community was enough to be a lifeline, to make them feel a little less alone!
Can you believe there were only two bars in all of New York that dared to welcome queer folks back then? Honestly, it makes me wonder if their pink tulle was strong enough to endure those times! And it wasn’t just about escaping, the Stonewall Inn was about creating a safe space for a marginalized community that had so little! So next time you walk past the Stonewall Inn, remember those fearless, pioneering folks who were fighting to just exist, let alone sparkle!
* Drag & The World of Vaudeville*
In the UK, we were living the good life, or at least a very, very British good life. My time-travelling tutu twirled me all the way to Derbyshire, my lovely home county, and a town where the world of drag was just starting to emerge. It wasn't the kind of "glamorous, high-fashion drag" you might see today. Instead, it was a quieter, more hidden world! This wasn't "celebrity" drag - there was no "Drag Race" just a little corner of Vaudeville theatre where our heroes weren't celebrities, but neighborhood Legends.
Picture this, a tiny little theatre, tucked away in a backstreet, buzzing with laughter, a little bit of magic, and perhaps a tiny drop of scandalous charm! This was where those first Drag pioneers started. Imagine being so brave, putting on a frock in a time when your sexuality might lead to public shame, or worse! It was their passion and sheer tenacity that helped forge the path for Drag's ultimate victory!
Think about the drag shows that started happening in backstage or hidden locations! That kind of commitment? Hats (or Tiaras) *off to them, darlings! * They were laying the foundations for the dazzling drag world that we have today!
The Beauty of Drag, Then and Now
Even though we were wearing a lot more foundation (hello, contouring wasn’t invented yet, darling!), and the drag culture of 1954 wasn't the world-wide phenomenon that it is today, the heart of Drag is the same! From those pioneering acts to the biggest names in Drag today, every Drag queen has had one thing in common: a passion for the art of performance, for celebrating difference, for just being themselves!
So next time you’re dancing your cares away at a drag show, remember all those amazing Drag Queens who paved the way before us. From their bravery, their resilience, their dedication to artistry… all of it laid the groundwork for a vibrant, global Drag world, filled with a rainbow of possibilities, where a girl (or a boy, or anything in between) could take centre stage!
The Pink Tutu Chronicles... Continue
Remember, darlings, it’s my mission to inspire everyone to put on a pink tutu, and my blog is about celebrating the extraordinary stories of Drag and showing the world the dazzling creativity of this truly incredible artform. Keep your eyes peeled for my next Drag Queen time-travel adventure, because there's always something magical waiting to be uncovered!
And don’t forget to subscribe to www.pink-tutu.com for the latest drag adventures in your inbox!
Love and Glitter, Emma xoxo
