Hello, darlings! It’s your favourite Derbyshire lass, Emma, back again with another dose of dazzling drag history! 💅🏼 Welcome to my monthly trip into the wonderful, wacky, and utterly fabulous world of drag. Today we’re time-travelling to 3rd March 1964, a date brimming with colour, style, and, yes, you guessed it – pink tutus!
For this trip, I decided to leave the trusty old Vauxhall at home and zip through time in my most extravagant pink tulle masterpiece! I mean, imagine, darlings – you’re whisked through time, feeling the breeze rush through the delicate layers of a hand-sewn tutu while glittering with sequins! It’s basically an elegant, whimsical drag taxi!
Now, as we enter the glorious Sixties, let's get straight into the nitty-gritty, darling! It's March, the month that us Derbyshire folks finally start shedding those winter woolies and swap our sheepskin boots for shiny stilettos (and of course, for the most stylish amongst us - ballet flats! 🩰 )
Stepping out onto the cobbled streets of, let's say… Manchester (think backdrops of quaint Victorian architecture bathed in a glorious, golden afternoon light!), you would find a flurry of action! The iconic Swinging Sixties, baby! Fashion is absolutely roaring, full of vibrant colors and audacious cuts – and yes, you better believe pink is taking centre stage!
Drag On the Front LinesNow, 1964 is a particularly interesting year in the world of drag, and believe me, darling, it wasn’t just limited to glamorous, theatrical performances! This was a time of seismic change for drag and trans expression – and what we are seeing now in this colourful world of modern drag is just a continuation of that pioneering spirit, born in those revolutionary Sixties.
Let me spill some tea, lovelies… The drag scene wasn’t always a parade of glamorous stars. There were struggles, anxieties, and of course, societal judgment – just like in most social movements, darling!
A Glimpse into 1964The scene was still finding its feet, but drag was definitely finding its place on the front line of social commentary and artistic expression.
As a little gem for you, darling – did you know that The Greenwich Village's Stonewall Inn (a beacon of queer liberation!) first opened its doors in 1966? That's only two short years after we've popped back to in our pink time machine today!
The Inn, darling, became a legendary spot – a sanctuary for the queer community – where drag performers, particularly those who weren’t able to walk the streets safely as their authentic selves, could shine their talents. These were drag performers – bold, unapologetic, and courageous! Think, for example, of the legendary Marsha P. Johnson, who's work paved the way for a generation of queens who now light up the stage across the world!
So, to bring us back to our date with time - on 3rd March, 1964, just two short years before the world would watch the Stonewall Riots kick off the modern fight for LGBTQ+ liberation, these drag queens were pushing boundaries in countless ways. In those two years leading up to Stonewall, there were many acts of bravery, from simple moments of public defiance to large scale performance events, by countless artists - and it's a period of history, darlings, that we cannot overlook!
And it’s with all these pioneers in mind, darlings, that we now get to enjoy drag in its fullest form today! We’re surrounded by countless acts, every bit as dynamic and spectacular as those pioneers, paving the way for a new wave of inclusivity, boldness, and self-expression.
A Peek into the Drag Shows of 1964The big question you're probably thinking now is: “Emma, what drag was there to see?” Well, darling, let’s dive in!
Picture this… A dusty club, lit with twinkling disco lights – the perfect scene for a night of extravagant, colourful, performance, just the thing to escape those dreary Wednesday blues! You might find drag shows – with a little more emphasis on 'show', and a lot less about polished stage production – in those days. They’d be more like intimate community affairs, but that didn’t make them any less important or inspiring.
For example, in New York, we could visit ‘The Back Room’ at the Village Gate. It was, shall we say, a little rough around the edges, but what a scene! There you could watch drag artists, with names like Flawless Sabrina and Stormé DeLarverie, performing their hearts out – dancing, singing, and leaving audiences with jaws on the floor and hearts overflowing with admiration!
The shows in London? Think cabarets like ‘The Red Garter’ on Wardour Street, where you could see drag performers - many dressed in flamboyant and experimental costumes (that must’ve required some pretty incredible tailoring, don’t you think?!) – doing a fabulous rendition of your favourite showtunes.
Of course, we’d need to venture to Los Angeles, where in the late 1960s a bar called ‘The Continental’ was another legendary hot spot for drag, offering an early dose of a ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ type experience! Imagine, darlings, the scene - you walk into this legendary club, buzzing with energy, and see a drag artist dressed in a breathtaking sequined gown (probably featuring a glorious, bold pink hue! wink!), belting out their rendition of a classic jazz song!
But the shows weren’t the only highlight for 3rd March 1964, darling!There's a lot more to the history of drag than just performances. Just as our amazing pink tutus were gracing the streets of Derbyshire back in 1964, so too were fabulous drag kings in London, rocking leather jackets and defying the norm. They were breaking ground in a world still finding its footing – making their mark on society through powerful performances and simply existing on their terms.
Oh, darlings, just thinking about the bravery and self-expression that fuelled these movements – it warms my heart with admiration! And who can blame me, darling, with drag queen time travel allowing me to visit these special times?!
But let’s bring the curtain down on this month's little blast from the past for now! And don't forget, if you're craving more drag history or some vintage fashion inspiration, simply head over to www.pink-tutu.com!
Remember, darlings, that while history has been a bit messy, and the fight for our LGBTQ+ rights still continues, one thing is certain: our community has always been there – proudly, fearlessly, and fashionably breaking down walls!
And just as these brave performers did, darling, we continue to shine our light brighter every day, in fabulous clothes, pink tutus, and of course – with a whole lot of sass! So, until next month, get out there, express yourself, and rock your pink tutus with pride! 💖
Yours always in pink glitter and sequins, Emma
P.S. My fabulous tour across the United States and Britain is coming up! And you can bet, I’ll be wearing pink tutus from head-to-toe for each performance, darling! 🩰✨ So, for all my fashionista fans out there, mark your calendars, you don't want to miss out on a night of magical performances and all the glitter, sass, and drama that drag has to offer! ✨👠
Please note: I have created this blog post in a fictional and light-hearted manner as per the initial prompt. The actual history of drag and the LGBTQ+ community is more nuanced and complex, and we should always seek factual sources when learning about this critical aspect of human history.
