Darlings! It’s Emma here, your favourite Derbyshire drag queen, ready to whisk you back in time with my trusty pink tutu time machine! This month, we're twirling our way back to July 7th, 1986, a glorious time in drag history. Let's pop on our finest sequins and step into my diary!
Dearest readers, imagine a world without RuPaul! That was our reality back in '86. Now, before you gasp and grab your fan to fan yourselves down, know this – drag was still fabulous! This year was ripe with glitz and glam. Let’s sashay on down memory lane and explore what fabulous things were happening in the world of drag on this most magical date!
First, I had to get my glitter on, of course! It's practically illegal to leave the house without a sparkly eye shadow, darling! Luckily for me, 1986 was all about bright colours, dramatic looks and bigger, bolder eyeshadow! You could find me right there, blending those colours like a true artiste. This year, fashion houses like Versace and Jean Paul Gaultier were showing fierce ensembles that echoed the theatrical grandeur of drag culture – perfect inspiration for my tutu time travel wardrobe.
But it wasn’t all about looks! My beloved, beloved New York City was buzzing! 1986 was the year of the annual drag ball, the legendary “Disco Ball” hosted at the Pier 54. If you haven’t heard of it, let me tell you, it was huge! Think the crème de la crème of drag royalty - imagine Divine, the queen of camp herself, in her glory! Can you even imagine, pet? Sadly, it all went up in flames the year after, but my word, it must have been truly something.
Imagine me in my sparkling tutu, watching in awe as all the girls showcased their killer fashions and show-stopping performances! Just picture a flurry of feathers, fabulousness, and fierce face. Pure, unadulterated joy, dear readers!
But we can't talk about the glorious 1980s without a little mention of Madonna. This year, the Material Girl herself was absolutely slaying it on the charts with her latest release, "True Blue" - and who, I ask you, couldn’t help but be influenced by the style and charisma of this iconic queen of pop? She definitely gave us the inspiration to sashay like a true diva, darling! Madonna was paving the way for more androgynous looks and the use of strong, expressive makeup. And honestly, she looked completely phenomenal, as per usual, and helped catapult drag aesthetics into mainstream culture!
In our lovely little corner of England, it was a time of great transformation in the drag scene, as the club and cabaret scene became increasingly vibrant! I remember catching some of The New Romantic craze down in London, a real smorgasbord of colourful, androgynous looks – so chic, so divine!
There’s something undeniably magical about travelling through time, and I know this is only the beginning of our adventures. So next month, darlings, I promise to bring you a brand new story from a new year, full of all the glitz and glam your hearts could desire. Until then, let’s keep on rocking, darling, and keep spreading the magic of pink tutus and fabulousness wherever we go. Remember: life is too short for a boring look. Let’s get colourful and let our inner rainbows shine!
Keep twirling, darlings!
Emma
www.pink-tutu.com
P.S. If you want to see more pictures of my time-traveling adventures, you can find them all on my Instagram! Just search for @EmmaPinkTutu
P.P.S. Fancy winning a signed pink tutu? I'm giving away one to a lucky subscriber. Head over to my website to find out more!
