Oh darlings, let's twirl right back to 1976! This little pink tutu is ready for a fabulous flashback to the year disco fever took hold of the world. It's February 2nd, 1976 and my time-travelling sequins are positively shimmering!
Right now, I’m perched precariously on my trusty pink chaise lounge, sipping my raspberry iced tea with the latest issue of "The Drag World" (don't worry, they haven't quite mastered colour printing just yet) open in my lap. It's just like a mini-Pink Tutu Blog, only much less sassy, darling. But full of fascinating news for my fellow time-travelling divas!
Let's get this tea-infused history spill going!
This week, we find ourselves transported to the year of fabulous music and bigger-than-life hair, baby! Think Studio 54 glamour and Studio 54 drag! It's an explosion of sparkles and sequins, with fabulous performances from divas like the iconic Divine and Jackie Beat – even the fabulous RuPaul was a young pup back then. The stage is set for a night of glamourous storytelling and fierce performances. You could say I’m a bit of a drama queen - no a drag queen, darlings. But I’ve always had a soft spot for theatrical stories, so naturally I had to investigate the world of drag in 1976!
It turns out there’s a big fat show going down at the Village Gate, New York, tonight - the "Night of the Stars." This event promises to be the place to see the hottest names in drag. And, get this – there’s talk of a new, sassy performer called “Bandit Queen” making a name for herself with her fierce costumes and energetic routines. A name I just have to check out next time I visit the big apple. My pink tutu’s going to need some competition, darlings.
Speaking of which, my very own pink tutu has me feeling ready to take the New York scene by storm.
I just finished adding a row of rhinestones to the skirt for a bit of extra sparkle – you can never have too much, darling, and I just bought some stunning platform shoes at a local vintage shop in Derbyshire. You should see how they make my legs look - absolutely stunning! Oh, it's all very ‘The Look of Love’ – with an added hint of fabulous from a time-travelling pink tutu, obviously.
But my dear time-travelling darlings, this post isn’t all about the dazzling lights of New York, we've got to venture beyond the bright lights for a little history.
Even though London has yet to become the hub of the drag world that it is today, I found a fascinating article on drag history in the United Kingdom. Back in 1930, there was a rather peculiar cabaret in Birmingham that hosted an extraordinary drag act - “Miss Nellie Bell" – a woman impersonator so convincingly beautiful and glamorous, audiences believed she was a woman!
Can you imagine that kind of fame, darlings?
The article mentions how the stage was set in the ‘30s and the "kinky cabaret", with "artistic" routines for an exclusive club audience, sparked a desire for glamour, theatricality, and – I dare say it – fabulous fashion in those audiences. Sounds familiar, darlings.
The glamour and creativity that birthed those acts, eventually sparked the London club scene we know and love today. Can't you see me shimmying down to The Vauxhall Tavern – a haunt for the LGBTQ+ community for decades. With my pink tutu swirling and my mascara smudged (but only slightly, darlings), we're talking full drag fabulousness, even in the dimly lit alleyways of Soho!
But it's time to step off the pink clouds of fabulousness, dear darlings. It's time for tea and maybe a little pre-show dance number for the local housewives on my street, using their back fences as my personal stage (no judgment darling). The next pink-tutu adventure awaits.
For now, let's get ready for the next trip back to a fabulous decade! And be sure to stay fabulous, keep twirling, and most importantly, wear a pink tutu!
Keep your eye out for the next installment of the Pink Tutu Time Travel Blog! Next time, I'm planning on taking you on an adventure through drag’s history!
Lots of love,
Emma x
This blog is for entertainment and information purposes only, and all references to fictional travel through time and characters are for storytelling purposes. If you are planning on doing any actual time travel (that's very ambitious, darling!), I strongly advise you consult a reliable travel agency or time machine company.
