Darlings, itâs Emma here, your favourite pink tutu-clad, time-travelling drag queen, and Iâm buzzing to share with you my fabulous foray into the glorious decade of the 1950s! Now, I know what youâre thinking â the 50s? Wasnât that like, pre-Stonewall? Absolutely! And thatâs exactly why we need to celebrate the trailblazers who dared to dream in pink long before it became the universally loved colour it is today!
I recently jetted back in my magic pink tutu (because, letâs be honest, nothing says âfabulous journey through timeâ quite like a good tulle skirt!), and I found myself right smack-dab in the middle of October 10th, 1959!
First, let me paint you a picture â 1959 was a time of bobby socks, poodle skirts, and the birth of rock nâ roll. Now, picture this â imagine the kind of fabulous drag youâd see in this environment!
I found myself, to my absolute delight, in the heart of London's Soho district! Soho was a haven for bohemians, artists, and even, to our absolute delight, some fabulous drag queens! This area, though, was still shrouded in a certain sense of hush-hush. Itâs almost as though everyone knew, but didn't quite want to let it be known - like that one friend who canât hold their drink! Drag was already happening, it was thriving - and people like me were making our fabulous, feather-strewn mark!
I did a quick pit stop at a lovely little cafe for some Earl Grey and a scone, you know how I love to get into the culture and soak it all in. It was in this charming cafe that I met the loveliest gentleman named Edward. I had never been called âMissâ before and felt like a proper fancy, refined dame! After a lively chat about the local goings-on and the hottest ballet shows in town - think "Giselle" and "Swan Lake" (who knew tutu fashion back then was just as chic!) - he was very interested in hearing about my travel experiences. I simply had to tell him about my glorious pink tutu that carried me through the eras.
I felt like a queen in waiting, and honestly? Thatâs how everyone felt back then - a subtle sort of âitâs about to get glam, honeyâ. My lovely Edward then spilled the beans on what all the fabulous locals would be getting up to that night!
Oh darling! Apparently there was this incredible cabaret club on the scene called the âFlaming Youth.â Now, I couldnât be more delighted by the name - honestly, just pure drag queen magic! This club was actually pretty renowned, but it wasnât the kind of drag that we might see today. It was still quite clandestine and held its secrets close!
Picture it - dimly lit spaces, a hush hush air about the place, and the excitement buzzing through the atmosphere. Youâd need a secret knock, and a whispered âPasswordâ just to be let inside, like the exclusive Drag Race Viewing Party we all dream of!
This wasnât just drag. It was the performance art of it all - the theatricality! The âFlamming Youthâ really had it all! Drag Queens singing and dancing on the tables, in lavish and outrageous outfits (think sequins, feathers, and probably the best hats this side of the Channel!). You could see why they needed all those secrets and passwords, they were serving the ultimate in drag, you just had to experience it.
You'd never find me wearing just any outfit for a trip to Soho â think floor-length sequin gowns with delicate netting accents and feathers that whispered âdramaâ. It was like every piece of couture dreamt up from a fabulous night in!
I'll never forget that night! Soho had an energy you could feel. You knew this era of drag queens were the ones paving the way for us all, creating the foundation for this glittering and glittery, spectacular world of drag.
You know what else made me super proud to be part of this history? It wasnât just drag being an underground scene - these incredible women (and a few incredible fellas too!) were all performing for the community. They were giving themselves, and they were bringing a world of entertainment that no one had experienced before. This kind of daring drag was a bold statement at the time and those who dared to be different needed all the support they could get!
But, if you really think about it - this is the same reason why we celebrate and love drag today! That same daring, that sense of taking the plunge and shining as brightly as your soul lets you - these are the hallmarks of Drag.
Of course, I had to experience a little bit of the magic myself. And believe me when I say â this wasnât just the club. It was life back then! Imagine yourself in the same building, dressed to the nines, having tea, having an intense debate on politics (or even a juicy fashion gossip), all the while keeping it fabulous! There was attitude in everything - how they talked, what they wore, and their desire for the extra was what kept it all running! I simply adore the sheer audacity of it all!
Now, darling, the trip to 1959 taught me one important thing: Weâve all got to live our truth! You might feel like itâs impossible in certain eras, but itâs the same everywhere: a love of your fellow drag queens, supporting those daring to be themselves - thatâs the only secret you need to unlock. Itâs how our drag history became as glorious as it is today, and it's how it continues to inspire all of us.
So, if youâre dreaming big, or just dreaming in pink, and youâve got the pinkest of tutus to match, get out there and rock the world! This, darlings, is what drag is all about. Weâre making history with each dazzling performance.
Iâll see you next month for another incredible journey into the glorious world of drag!
Keep twirling and keep those tutus fabulous!
And donât forget, keep it pink, Emma x
Donât forget to check out Emmaâs fabulous new video for her latest drag performance: [insert video link]
Emma is still looking for performers and volunteers for her upcoming pink tutu parade! Contact her at: [insert email or social media handle]
Don't forget to subscribe to Emmaâs monthly blog here on www.pink-tutu.com, where you can discover Emma's journeys through the history of drag and meet some of the most influential drag queens in the world!
