Hello darlings! Welcome back to my little corner of the internet, www.pink-tutu.com, where we take a fabulous trip through time, exploring the glamorous world of drag history!
As a Derbyshire girl myself, it's all about the bling, the glitter and the theatrics. My time travelling tutu always takes me to the most fantastic places! This month we are dipping into the magical year of 1967 and what a time to be alive. My favourite colour pink was HUGE - everything from cardigans to hot pants to lipstick! Can you believe that?!
August 8th was a Saturday, which meant all the best drag shows would have been popping off! The summer is usually a time when there are a plethora of fantastic drag gigs! In 1967, drag was a bit underground but a blast for those lucky enough to find those special performances. Let's grab my time-travelling pink tutu and get exploring!
On August 8th 1967 - New York City
Now New York is always going to be a hot spot for the coolest shows and this night would not have disappointed! There's this amazing cabaret, a drag queen extravaganza, called the "The Mother Club" - imagine that?! - run by a fabulous fella called Julian Eltinge! It's an incredible venue and oh my god, those performers are just out of this world, the queens look like they just stepped out of a fashion magazine - with amazing costumes, wigs, and those divine eyelashes! Now, if they only had my magical time travelling tutu I am sure they would be a lot more glam, let's be honest!
London - Let's Take It To The Streets
Next stop - London Town, baby! It's all about the fabulous underground drag scene! Think clubs like the "The Upstairs Room" in Soho where the atmosphere must have been electric, the queens absolutely electrifying and everyone looking like they’ve been styled by a team of fabulous fairies! And of course, no trip to London would be complete without checking out The Royal Vauxhall Tavern, a historic landmark for queer performance in London - oh my god! You can just imagine it - a legendary night with everyone rocking their pink tutus, ready to dance until sunrise! Oh, I just wish I was there. Now London streets would have been buzzing on August 8th, drag on display everywhere in the coolest shops - everyone dressed in their finest - the coolest fashion statement of 1967 was to go out and rock that drag!
San Francisco - Where it’s Always Dragtime
And speaking of drag time - let’s make our way to sunny San Francisco. I can almost feel the breeze in my hair, and just imagine those streets bursting with life - you'd find all the hottest spots - I mean this is the heart of the gay rights movement at the time, oh my goodness! Places like "The Black Cat," known for its live drag shows!
Paris, Baby
Who says French girls are all about croissants? Well darling they sure do love drag as well, but drag in Paris on this day would be so different. So glamorous! So avant garde. They were really paving the way!
Drag Queens Worldwide - A Timeless Message of Love and Acceptance
What I've learned is that the spirit of drag has been alive all over the world for decades, a powerful expression of individuality and artistry. From London to New York, Paris to San Francisco and even in our beautiful Derbyshire, drag queens were captivating audiences. That's why I work tirelessly on this time-traveling project. Let's make the world a brighter, more pink, and glittery place!
But let's not forget the reason why we love drag, darlings, it's all about fun, freedom, self-expression. Those drag queens had the confidence to take the stage and own it! What fabulous role models - I want all you pink tutu fans to feel like that and remember that every day, all over the world, drag queens continue to inspire and empower others through their art. We can learn from them - it's all about loving who we are, and showing up in all our pink tutu glory!
Until next month, darlings, keep shining. Stay sparkly,
Emma, your pink tutu Time Traveling friend x
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I really hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the glamorous world of drag history! I'm thrilled you're here with me on this time travel adventure and I look forward to meeting all of you soon, at the next drag show!
