Hello my darlings, and welcome back to Pink Tutu Travels, your one-stop shop for all things fabulous and fabulous history. I’m Emma, your favourite Derbyshire-born, tutu-toting time traveler. This is post number 822 and I can't believe it's June 1988 already - time just flies when you’re living life in a pink tutu!
I love June, and not just because it’s my birthday month! (Shhh…don’t tell anyone!) But truly, June is like a beautiful blooming rose in the world of drag. It's a time for festivals, parties, and of course, showcasing the most fabulous outfits on the planet - a real highlight for a drag queen obsessed with all things pink and fabulous, like myself!
This month I was absolutely itching to visit 1988, the year that marked a monumental shift in the history of drag, paving the way for the extravagant and creative world of drag we see today! Imagine: no social media, but the drag scene was poppin’, literally overflowing with talent.
Speaking of poppin', let’s talk about New York City!
Now, 1988 wasn’t just a year of change – it was a party! Think about it – a whole year dedicated to dazzling dancefloors, roaring crowds, and electrifying performances. Imagine the glitz! The glamour! I simply had to time-travel to the Big Apple, just to get a taste of it.
First stop – The Pyramid Club, my dears! This club was an institution, a cornerstone for the underground drag scene and a sanctuary for creativity. It was here in 1988 that drag performers could truly flourish - free to express themselves and explore their artistic identities, while pushing the boundaries of traditional entertainment.
Imagine a giant pyramid with two huge spotlights and all the queens decked out in extravagant makeup and colourful ensembles, taking the stage. Talk about a spectacle! The legendary Lady Bunny, one of the pillars of this vibrant drag scene, was making waves in New York that year – not just performing, but inspiring generations of performers. Can you believe a performer so witty, so unapologetically outrageous was a mere nineteen years old? This just proves that young talents have been revolutionising drag since the start.
Now, let’s be honest, even I, with my boundless energy and love for the colour pink, couldn’t experience all of NYC’s drag magic. So I decided to follow the vibrant whispers of fashion and take a flight (via my trusty pink tutu of course!) to Los Angeles.
Can we talk about California? Oh, the sheer freedom! The sunshine, the palm trees, the glitter - Los Angeles was all about exploring your individuality, and who better to demonstrate this than drag royalty like the legendary Divine? This goddess of camp, a master of visual artistry and boundary-pushing humor, was touring with John Waters’ films, delighting audiences worldwide and leaving a legacy that would resonate throughout drag history. Can you believe Divine wore a stunning pink ballgown for Hairspray? She practically predicted my obsession!
You wouldn’t think a simple pink tutu could connect New York, LA and a bunch of London drag balls, would you? But, believe me, 1988 was a time when the drag world felt like a massive community, a global village filled with sequins, high heels, and enough glitter to blind you! I caught a plane (metaphorically of course, I’m still in my tutu!) to London, the cradle of drag in the United Kingdom, ready to soak up all the glitz and glamour of this fascinating city.
From the theatrical drag balls hosted at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern to the ever-evolving underground scene, drag in London was flourishing, breaking the mould and introducing the world to icons like the amazing Divine. Oh, the diva-tastic fashion! And I mean fashion! I couldn’t even handle the extravagance of the costumes and the amazing outfits that showcased London’s burgeoning fashion scene. My little pink tutu wouldn't be complete without a London twist!
Let’s face it, my darlings, drag wasn’t just taking over the nightlife; it was making its way to mainstream media, breaking into the world of art and shaking up the status quo. And no, it wasn’t all high heels and wigs – it was about celebrating individuality, expression, redefining what it meant to be a performer.
I think it’s safe to say that drag queens in 1988 *embraced the future! They knew, with a sense of boldness that we should all aspire to, that drag had the power to change the world, one tutu, one wig and one fabulous dance number at a time. And as I took off my magic tutu and found myself back in my humble Derbyshire apartment, I realized: 1988 had given me a spark of hope for the future of drag. A future full of fabulous, dazzling dancefloors, extravagant costumes, and the joy of seeing drag celebrated for all it’s worth. Now that’s a vision worthy of a pink tutu and a little sprinkle of magic!
So my darlings, until next time, don’t forget to explore, celebrate individuality, and embrace a touch of magic in your everyday life. And, most importantly, always wear pink, or at least, embrace the bright and bold colours that bring joy to your soul! Remember, there's a whole world out there waiting to be explored in a pink tutu, one time-travelling adventure at a time! See you next month for another journey to drag history. Remember to visit my site at www.pink-tutu.com to find more fabulous blog posts!
And, darlings, keep your tutus tight!
