Hello, darlings! It's your favourite pink-tutu-clad time traveler, Emma, here! This month, we're dipping our toes into the glamorous world of March 3rd, 1955! Buckle up, kittens, because it's a trip back to a time where pink tutus were practically forbidden (how dare they!), and the only "drag" was the glamorous "drag" of pulling a whole load of teacups! But even back then, the sparkle and shine of fabulousness was simmering under the surface, and we're gonna unearth it!
This time travel adventure started, as it always does, with a twirl and a puff of pink glitter in my dressing room. As you know, dear readers, my magical pink tutu whisks me away through the annals of history! This month, I popped on my fanciest pair of sparkly shoes (pink, of course!) and stepped through the time portal... And what a treat awaited me!
It's true what they say, honey, times they were a-changin'! I landed smack dab in the middle of... 1955, a whole different era for sure. Think crinoline skirts, slicked back hair, and a whole lotta "keeping it real," though not in the drag-licious way we know it, of course! Back then, things were a bit more... subtle.
But even if they hadn't embraced the full-on glory of drag yet, there was a glimmer of fabulousness waiting to be unleashed! I started my exploration by checking out what was happening in the world of performance, naturally! I popped by a local cinema, and can you imagine my delight! I got to see "Sabrina," starring the fabulous Audrey Hepburn! Now that was true fashion inspiration - the elegance, the poise, the effortless charm, pure Audrey magic. The pink in her wardrobe might not have been a screaming fuchsia like mine, but I reckon with a few modifications and some serious sparkle, it could totally work!
Then, because you know how much I adore a good ol' fashioned theatrical extravaganza, I journeyed to the heart of Broadway! While they weren't doing a "Pink Tutu Cabaret" just for me (boo-hoo!), there was something on offer that set my imagination ablaze - a glorious musical called "Guys and Dolls." It featured fabulous sets, catchy tunes and dancing that made my heart soar.
Oh, to be whisked back to a time where music and drama were so intertwined, when even just the act of entertaining, no matter how slightly suggestive, was considered risqué! It gave me such an appreciation for the power of performance, how it can make you dream, feel alive, and transported to another world - and even that, you guys, that was a drag show for me, just waiting for its pink tutu moment to blossom!
And while the official drag world in 1955 wasn't exactly teeming with balls and makeup tutorials, it did whisper about its existence through the back channels! I snuck a peek into a private gathering - a slightly clandestine drag party in New York, I'm told. (Think clandestine, like the kind where everyone dresses in black and speaks in whispers! But trust me, it was full of fabulousness.)
The queens I encountered (yes, even then, darlings!) weren't quite wearing the bright pink and glamorous feather boas we see today, but they were all about using their clothes and performance to express themselves and tap into another persona - and that is the heart and soul of drag. So you can't tell me that some of those queens weren't imagining that dazzling pink tutu. And believe me, honey, it was on point for that era. Think those long, elegant gloves and shimmering fabrics that defined the 50s but with a splash of oomph! Imagine that in a full, fluffy pink tutu! I'm picturing it right now...
However, back to the 1955 shenanigans: I even caught a glimpse of the "Village Vanguard," a place known for its bohemian jazz vibes! They even featured the legendary Judy Holliday! Now, darling, while we're not talking "pink tutu" per se, this is where the history of drag, in its true "hiding in plain sight" fashion, begins! These cabaret shows were the ground upon which our drag traditions were built. Even if they weren't donning feather boas and glitter bombs, it was through their courage to be themselves and be seen that allowed for a space where individuality could truly thrive, paving the way for the flamboyant queens we know and love today!
The real star of my time-travel escapades? I found an old dance studio hidden in a corner of Manhattan! (Not sure if it was for ballet, but it's practically identical!) While it may have seemed out of place in that era's more conservative world, the way these young hopefuls pirouetted and twirled with such joyous abandon was like a sneak peek into a drag queen's fierce beauty and powerful presence. Can you imagine the pink tutu they could wear! So you see, darlings, it wasn't a full-blown drag explosion, but you're definitely seeing the spark, the flicker, the potential of an enormous amount of fabulousness waiting in the wings!
Now, dear readers, we might not have seen all the drag back in the 1950s that we do today. It wasn't called drag. It was cabaret. It was nightclub performance. It was burlesque. But it was the bedrock, the very beginning of something spectacularly outrageous. The potential for pink tutus was right there under the surface, and this time traveler knows... they are waiting to burst out!
But hold your glitter and prepare your feather boas, because that's just one chapter in my exciting time travel adventure! Remember, I will keep this blog fabulous, keep those tutus flowing, and you will all be wearing a pink tutu by the end of it!
And darlings, while you wait for my next extravaganza, feel free to pop over to www.pink-tutu.com! Don't forget, my dear readers, I support my adventures in this truly fabulous fashion! Join me for one of my glamorous drag performances to support this extraordinary journey!
Love, Emma
