Darling, you won’t believe the absolutely divine adventures I had last month! I time-travelled to October 10th, 1988 – the year the shoulder pads were bigger than my dreams, and the hair was more fabulous than a disco ball on a sugar rush.
But let's rewind a bit. For the uninitiated, hello, I'm Emma! Your friendly neighbourhood pink-tutu wearing time-travelling ballerina queen. Now, I get to strut my stuff in a different decade every month, thanks to a totally magical tutu (which we all know was gifted to me by the Drag Fairy – we don’t talk about that part). Anyway, my monthly journey takes me back in time (and across the globe) where I soak up the hottest drag trends and tell you all about it here on www.pink-tutu.com – your ultimate source for fabulous drag history!
And how did I actually afford to buy all this fabulous and get my glittery hands on all this incredible drag memorabilia you ask? It's simple: Drag queen extraordinaire by day (think dazzling, camp performances), time-travelling, history blogger by night (think more glamorous).
So, back to 1988... It was like a sparkly explosion of 80s chic – imagine, big hair, more eyeshadow than a Christmas ornament shop, and dresses that made my eyes pop – you could wear a full-length boa around your neck as a scarf and nobody would bat an eyelid!
My first stop, naturally, was New York City, the home of the glitterati – which, frankly, made a real change from the grey skies and constant drizzle of Derbyshire – darling! Let me tell you, there was nothing subtle about the drag of 1988, which suited me just fine.
Speaking of divine experiences, the one thing you could always guarantee on a Saturday night was a show. On October 10th 1988, at The Pyramid Club in Manhattan, The Cockettes, a collective of drag artists from San Francisco, were back in town with a new show: "The Cockettes Go Hollywood." The Cockettes had a huge influence on drag in the 1960s and 70s, so to see them in 1988? It felt like a divine communion with the history of drag itself! The stage was buzzing with glitter, laughter, outlandish costumes and, frankly, an aura of absolute theatrical chaos which I loved.
The following week, at the Ritz in New York, I saw an up-and-coming star – an act called Lady Chablis, fresh from her performances on the local TV circuit. I loved her big hair, her outrageous red sequins and her captivating stories! This was true performance artistry – that "more is more" kind of flair that only Drag can give. You wouldn't believe the incredible gowns – they were everything you wanted in the 1980s. A truly unforgettable show.
Next up? The City of Angels – that's Los Angeles to you darlings! The hottest club in town was the famous "The Music Box" in West Hollywood. On a night at the Music Box, I saw the legendary Divine and the whole place went crazy! The whole club seemed to hold their breath and their breath was held until Divine left the stage and walked down that ramp in her legendary gold suit – she had this electrifying power, she commanded attention – like nothing else in the room. Honestly, a drag icon indeed!
My journey brought me back across the Atlantic for the next performance. London was my destination – that exciting, pulsing energy that made me feel electric.
A drag show in Soho was not to be missed on this trip – and at "The Stage", a club well known for its vibrant and sometimes outrageous shows, I was ready to get fabulous. On the 10th of October 1988, in that exciting Soho atmosphere, I witnessed drag legend, Divine, doing another show, just as flamboyant and show-stopping, just as camp and funny and I can say I’m sure that audience would have had to be very strong to stay in their seats! This drag icon never stopped surprising!
And what was happening back in Derbyshire, where I called home?
Honestly, 1988 wasn’t as lively on the drag scene in the British midlands. Drag shows weren’t very common but if you knew the right people and where to go, then it was there and a drag queen could do it without getting into too much trouble (because let’s be real – we couldn’t really get away with anything at all, but that was changing!). I'm really hoping my trips inspire some local queens to take to the stage and become the superstars they truly are. And imagine! I totally saw this really neat pink tutu in a shop window. I bought it (of course!), thinking of all the amazing possibilities for pink tutus – I mean in the future (our future, you know). A vision. And so began a plan!
Right, let me just stop for a minute, take a deep breath of my divine perfume and... what's that... clickety, clackety, clack. Well, darling, if you’ll excuse me – time travel beckons again, and next stop is 1964! See you next month on www.pink-tutu.com – when I reveal everything! Don’t forget to wear pink, darlings!
