Hiya lovelies! It's your girl Emma here, fresh from a whirlwind trip to December 12th, 1991, and let me tell you, the drama was truly off the charts! My pink tutu positively shimmered in the London smog (they haven't got air filters for all that pollution back then, honey!), and my time machine, a shimmering pink tutu with built-in chrono-technological abilities (long story!), didn't even hiccup once!
Oh, the wonders of this wondrous time machine. It all started with my trusty, ever-so-fashionable pink tutu. After all, a pink tutu can never be just a tutu - itâs a symbol, a gateway, a shimmering emblem of hope for all of us! With every little twirl, I feel the power, and oh darlings, trust me, you wonât believe where Iâve been.
And you know what? This month, I felt the irresistible pull to that pivotal year â 1991. Christmas was coming, a time for wonder, excitement, and letâs face it, sparkly, twinkly dresses â and even a few tutus!
Now, you all know how I absolutely love seeing history through the lens of drag. Itâs just so much more fabulous! And December 12th, 1991, had a truly âit-happened-in-the-drag-world-and-no-one-could-believe-it-until-it-was-on-MTVâ moment! It's like all of us were born a little bit more dramatic after this day⌠just a teensy bit!
We're going to focus on one very special queen - a drag queen so legendary she needs a whole post dedicated to her, let alone an entire history book â Divine, my dears! I know, I know, itâs not your regular âhow-many-Tutus-can-I-squeeze-onto-one-stage-for-the-New-York-Drag-Festivalâ kind of history post, but it had me gagging. And who can deny the power of Divine? Even a non-drag-fan would recognise those big, bright eyes, that booming, operatic voice, and that⌠shall we say... voluminous hairstyle!
See, I happened to be at this magical, pink-tutu-laden party in London, where I overheard this juicy tidbit: Divine, yes, Divine the icon of the legendary "Pink Flamingos," the divine queen, had actually starred in this Christmas film with a really cheesy, fun name: "Return to Oz." Did anyone else actually see this back in the day? Let me know in the comments! Anyway, it had nothing to do with drag or the Wizard of Oz, but apparently, it featured some iconic and wonderfully flamboyant outfits, including some absolutely smashing tutus (and letâs not forget about her amazing voice â they had her singing in that one, and let me tell you, itâs all sorts of amazing.)
My girl Divine is such a big deal, you can actually spot her in John Watersâ other work like âPolyesterâ and "Hairspray". And not only was she a great actress, but a singer too, giving the world hits like "Pink Flamingos" and "The Divine Miss M." (I mean, talk about iconic!). Sadly, our Divine Miss M passed away on 7th March 1988, which meant she never got to perform on stage, but she totally paved the way for us, honey. That, my loves, is a drag history moment!
If you ever have the chance, get yourself to your local DVD shop â they're still around somewhere â and watch some of John Watersâ amazing movies, they're just pure joy!
It was so incredibly interesting being back in London in 1991, as Christmas was definitely just around the corner, but the mood was a bit⌠letâs just say, different from what Iâm used to. My trip actually started in London, which was abuzz with Christmas festivities, but not the kind we experience in Derby! It was almost a bit chaotic - people scurried through crowded streets in that famous British rain, shopping like there was no tomorrow. There were actual Christmas trees - not a faux Christmas tree anywhere in sight, bless 'em! The Christmas markets were packed with colourful decorations, trinkets, and edible delights, with those classic, traditional Christmas carol singers all dolled up, and that nostalgic scent of mulled wine that makes your tummy do a little happy jig! I tried to find a pair of pink-tutu tights to keep my legs toasty but even back then, everyone was wearing fishnets with skirts and boots... sigh.
Honestly, the whole experience reminded me of that sweet Christmas charm from the 80s and 90s. They used real decorations and those beautifully frosted, sugary cakes at the markets looked amazing â and, my God, those Christmas cookies. Back then, everything seemed more real, somehow more tangible. Not as âvirtualâ as today.
But Londonâs drag scene was something else, a total contrast to this kind of nostalgic Christmas cheer. The scene back then was vibrant and wild! I managed to sneak into the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, a historical place that remains to this day. Can you believe it? That night, the performances were all about the grit, the drama, and some fabulous music â we're talking glam-rock, punk, and plenty of disco!
Imagine, honey, an entire room pulsing with rhythm and energy â and then a drag queen hits the stage with a massive wig that almost reaches the ceiling, sequins so shiny they make the room sparkle! I am just itching to find a sparkly pink tutu that shines that much. These queens weren't shy! They weren't playing for nice â they had to prove something, show off their strength. It felt powerful, inspiring⌠a bit intimidating! I'd almost feel out of place in a plain tutu but then I realized that what makes drag special is that anyone can do it â anyone, even a drag-loving ballet-fan from Derbyshire.
So thatâs a little sneak peek into December 12th, 1991, my dears. The world was changing, but what didn't change is that drag, with its powerful voices and beautiful theatrics, always knew how to capture the essence of what we are feeling, the joy, the sorrow, and every nuance in-between.
And who knows, maybe one day, everyone will wear pink tutus as their gateway to time travel. Maybe a few more Drag Queens just might change the world!
Until next month, stay fabulous and remember⌠it's always a good time to be wearing a pink tutu!
Emma x
