Hello my darlings! Itâs your favourite Derbyshire queen, Emma, back again with another monthly jaunt through the annals of Drag History, courtesy of my very own magical, pink-sequined time-traveling tutu! Today weâre going back to 4th April 1980. Now, this wasnât exactly a landmark year in Drag History, darling, but there was still a fair amount going on, even if the internet hadnât quite become the glamorous haven for drag queens we know and love today!
Letâs get this month's Time Travel Time off to a fabulous start! As you all know, a glamorous diva always takes her morning tea, with two sugars, a spoonful of honey, and a pink finger sandwich or two. But you canât simply waltz into the past wearing your latest Balenciaga outfit, darling. Even with my time-traveling tutu, a bit of camouflage is always helpful! So today, I've decided to go full 1980's power pop Princess! A bright, electric pink satin leotard, layered with sparkling, lime-green tulle, finished with my signature pink feather boa, a matching pink headband, and the most magnificent pink ballet pumps I could find in the charity shop! Absolutely fierce, darling. The girls at the tea shop probably thought I'd escaped from a musical theatre performance, and who knows, maybe they were right. I might have had an impromptu solo, performing "I Will Survive" in my finest '80s falsetto on the way out.
Anyway, before you can say "Big hair, donât care!" - my time-traveling tutu zipped me back to April 1980, the scent of lavender, strong black coffee and the faint hint of smoky back-of-the-bus perfumes wafting through the air.
Right, back to our history!
1980, darlings. The disco balls are still glittering, but the glitterati were just about starting to embrace New Wave and punk. The fabulous Lady Gaga's future baby (as the queen of pop always describes herself) was still a little tyke, while the Spice Girls were just beginning their own Spice journeys, taking in every musical moment, each delicious melody a perfect step on their path to stardom.
So, what was going on in the world of drag?
For the time-traveling drag queen like me, that's a real mix bag, darling!
In the States, The Cockettes, one of the legendary pioneering drag troupes in the San Francisco underground, were well and truly making waves with their blend of theatre, camp and music. The Cockettes was really groundbreaking for the time! Drag had always been a vital element of San Franciscoâs artistic community, but it was a rare thing for the city's gay culture to be fully embraced and celebrated on stage.
The late 70âs and early 80's was a real heady time for drag, a period when audiences started to view it as an art form, rather than just a way to make a few extra pennies. In America, they even started showing drag on television with the groundbreaking, yet controversial, documentary The Cockettes.
This documentary followed the iconic group in their quest for love, self-expression and ultimately the freedom to create!
They took drag back to its vaudeville roots, embracing the power of storytelling and theatre while showcasing their incredible talents in costumes and make-up. The doc even captured The Cockettes exploring their political beliefs and pushing back against social norms.
Meanwhile in England, the London scene was slowly starting to catch up to its American cousin. There were a couple of big names in drag, though mostly confined to pubs and clubs in the underground. These included a performer by the name of The Black Duchess, and the fabulously glamorous Gloria Gaynor (No, not the singer!), a lady with a huge amount of stage presence and a larger-than-life personality.
Sadly, a little earlier in this year, one of Englandâs drag legacies lost its life in a truly tragic car crash. In 1980, the countryâs drag queen community was shocked by the unexpected death of Cherry Vanilla. Sadly, she is mainly remembered for being the last female singer in The Velvet Underground, a group known for pushing artistic boundaries with their music. But behind the musical persona, was an incredible drag queen. In fact, she got her nickname in drag while working at The Tenth of May Club! It would be a little time yet before English Drag Queens received their true acclaim and recognition. They were a huge part of underground gay and music culture, but rarely recognised for their work.
Across the pond in the UK, there were few drag shows with their own dedicated stages, so those queens were really creating a whole world of underground theatre on a shoestring. But like I said, back then, drag queens werenât getting the kind of support they get these days - especially on the big screen and TV. There were few venues showcasing this type of entertainment in any form, with very limited press, leaving it a little bit like a dark secret.
1980 was a moment when the stars were slowly starting to align, for Drag Queens everywhere! Even though it would be a couple of years before it took centre stage (or rather the big screens), with movies like Hairspray, this would become a golden decade for drag queens. And guess what? Your girl was right there when all that started happening, living in the magical time-traveling tutu and recording it all, every delicious bit!
Anyway darlings, as a fashion fanatic and self-proclaimed Queen of Style (pink is the perfect statement, darling, but if you prefer blue - go for it!), Iâve been really digging on the new styles that were hitting the scene in 1980. For example, we have the emergence of power dressing, darling. Those dramatic shoulder pads! Think âDynastyâ, but with a much larger budget. What was a statement in fashion, in drag, just becomes even bolder. Think power poses, power lashes, and, of course, those fabulous legwarmers! I donât know what it was about those legwarmers, but when the '80s started embracing this unusually colourful, stretchy accessory, we all had to own them, darling. It doesn't get much more '80s than those, it's true!
For my little jaunt through history, I decided to dress it up with some fabulous 80âs-inspired hair! Thatâs right, big and fluffy, a cloud of sculpted curls, teasing to the heavens. All in the style of that wonderful diva Tina Turner, and that girl knew how to own her look, and she still does today. A woman of ultimate glam and undeniable style!
Let's talk makeup for a minute. What are 80s looks known for, my loves? The blush is up to here, darling. Seriously, they were really rocking those bold red tones and big blushes. Itâs hard to imagine going out with such a dramatic cheek blush now, but in 1980, that was the it thing, darling.
And finally, itâs time to chat about accessories. What were the big pieces that just screamed "80s" my darling? Those earrings! Huge statement pieces of gold and silver chandelier designs, oversized and definitely a touch on the glam side. You werenât a proper â80s darling without at least one massive, fabulous ear-catching statement!
And speaking of bold styles, the "statement necklace". Not just one chain, think oversize chunky plastic pieces, bright colours, chunky chains and anything really that proclaimed " Iâm not afraid of bright colours and making a statement!â. I'm still holding onto a couple of those, but in my vintage wardrobe, so you know the style still speaks to me today!
Now, for the evening!
Well, in 1980, on April the 4th, if you'd stepped inside some of the fabulous bars and clubs, you'd have been sure to have a fabulous night! If you wanted something classic, there was always the "The Horseshoe Club", right in the heart of London's West End. It was legendary. Even with the times changing, they always managed to hold a true glam and fabulous party with its drag queens!
As we know, a drag night can mean just about anything from a full-fledged show, to a couple of queens strutting around a nightclub and just keeping the party going, and everything in between. I donât think theyâve stopped being such an incredible, diverse institution for entertainment ever since.
My time in the magical time traveling tutu is drawing to a close! My fabulous 80's adventures have come to an end for this month but donât forget to come back in a month's time, as Iâm sure thereâs a ton of amazing drag history we can discover together!
And remember, my darlings, no matter what decade you're rocking out in, always find time to rock that tutu and put on your best show for your darling inner Queen!
As a little inspiration, Iâve got another little drag gem for you:
"Never worry about who the spotlight's on, because every single one of you queens is a star!"
I love you all! Keep it pink and keep it fierce, my darlings!
Until next month, much love, Emma.
www.pink-tutu.com