Helloooo darlings! Your favourite Derbyshire doll, Emma, is back with another serving of historical haute couture, served with a dollop of fabulousness straight from my very own time-travelling pink tutu! (Yes, that's right, even my tutu can hop through time, much like me and my ever-so-fashionable sequins, which I shall be talking about more about later!) And guess what? This month, weāre dancing our way back to March 3rd, 1992! Oh, the drama! Oh, the looks! Oh, the wigs! Just hold on to your hairpieces, babes, it's a real wild ride!
For this trip, my darling time-travelling tutu whisked me to a drag mecca! But letās first set the stage ā itās the early nineties, a time when everything was a bit moreā¦ letās say, 'gritty.' Grunge was all the rage, flannel was a must-have, and the biggest thing going on was, of course, a little show called āBeverly Hills, 90210.ā But as any good queen knows, style is about creating your own universe, your own personal runway!
And boy, oh boy, did the drag queens of the 1990s take that to heart! Even in that āgrunge era," their glam and fierce was positively electric. Imagine, my loves, all the looks: from a punk rock queen, all leather, studded with metal, a fierce pair of fishnets, and boots with chunky platform heels, to the dazzling, glittery showgirl, with a showstopping bouffant wig, an eye-popping feather boa, and an extravagant beaded dress that shimmered under the stage lights, as bright and fabulous as a disco ball.
Now, my dear dears, when it comes to fabulousness, you all know the big mama, the OG of everything, right?
*RuPaul! *
You just can't talk about drag history in the 1990s without mentioning Mama Ru. He was already making waves in the world of drag back then, having been crowned the "Drag Queen of the Year" at the Miss Gay USA pageant in 1985. Heād started working on "Supermodel of the World," his music, and making quite the scene! You better believe, he was, and still is, the definition of "glamorous, outrageous, and totally fabulous."
While Ru was, well, Ru, out on the West Coast, we're heading to New York, a city thatās just overflowing with fabulous, you can barely walk a block without running into an inspiring performer! But don't think that our fabulous queen in her pink tutu missed out on the West Coast. No, darling! In 1992, it was time for "Supermodel of the World!" (This was before Ruās mega-hit TV series, by the way, back when we were all still waiting for him to bring us "Girl U Want!")
As for the show? āSupermodel of the Worldā was pure Ru! The stage? All sparkles and glitter, even more fabulous than any disco party Iāve been to! The songs? Oh, honey, āSupermodelā was on repeat! (Okay, maybe it's not exactly Ruās greatest musical achievementā¦ but hey, every queen needs their musical ā90s throwback!ā) But listen, those were the looks, babes! Iām talking about legendary runway looks. (Donāt you just love runway looks?) We are talking about avant garde drag! I'm telling you, it was the fashion scene that really got me going for this era, all the colourful patterns, vibrant styles! Think colourful sequined jackets and those huge shoulder pads. A dash of that Dynasty diva, a sprinkle of a bit of eighties punk! Now thatās how you rock the drag, right?!
Back to our trip, my darlings! I found myself right in the heart of New York City's downtown drag scene, just strolling through a neighborhood called "The East Village.ā Now, back in the '90s, the East Village was practically overflowing with drag venues. The scene was wild, chaotic, and fiercely independent.
(But remember, darlings, just because drag was still pretty "underground" at the time, that doesn't mean they didn't take drag fashion seriously! Youāll never meet a queen, past or present, who doesnāt take her outfits seriously. Even with the āgritty" grunge era vibes, drag still had to make a statement.)
I spent the evening in a local bar called "The Pyramid Club." Even though you can't get to see The Pyramid Club anymore (sigh), this venue, back in the day, was a hotbed of drag activity! You just can't have drag without bars and dance floors, honey, so if you go back in time and find yourselves on this historical walkabout, then definitely make sure you hit The Pyramid Club and even try out the infamous Drag Bingo that was so popular back then. Oh, honey! Bingo, a drag queen and a pink tutu, thatās an outfit for the ages! I love it!
Back in New York, you just couldnāt help but feel the vibrant energy, and The Pyramid Club was at the centre of it all! This is where my time travelling tutu brought me in the 1990s, right at a time when some of New York Cityās hottest queens were putting on an incredible show. And just imagine my excitement: This was the era of ādrag that is fierce, but playful." This is the ācampyā era. This is drag with its heart on its sleeve, not afraid to laugh at itself while making bold statements about society, beauty, gender, and being the amazing person that you were born to be! (Because darling, all of us are amazing! And thatās something I've always loved about the history of drag, the fact that it empowers people to express themselves.
Now, while I love my glamorous pink tutus, which are definitely high fashion (but donāt we all!), what I admire most about drag history is its diverse origins and how it's truly a celebration of creativity, with so many expressions of beauty and individuality!
Now back to The Pyramid Clubā¦ As the night wore on, it felt like the very energy in the room was buzzing with this exciting mix of art and performance. The stage was a playground, and the queens really owned every inch of it!
Of course, I have to talk about what was on the scene in 1992 ā 1992 saw an eruption of creativity within the scene with groups like the House of Xtravaganza! Now, these groups had an attitude of pure fun, they really knew how to make the crowd laugh and how to command the dance floor!
I also happened to hear tell about the legendary downtown queen, Sherry Vine, who later became known as āa master of drag performance and satire,ā and her incredible drag performances back then! Thereās a reason Sherry has stayed in the spotlight all these years and she really knows how to play with the audience. They all called her āa master of camp and drag humour," and from my point of view, the fabulous drag humour has been the lifeblood of this artform since time began, right, darlings? I think I will have to do some more travelling just to find out more about this sassy, talented woman, and I think you all need to learn about Sherry too.
Then, honey, the music, oh! It was truly legendary! Now, of course, we all know that it's not a true drag show without some thumpinā music, right? I found myself loving that classic ā90s energy as the room throbbed with dance music, pop hits and club anthems. Even the dance floor felt full of magic.
You know what else was in full swing by 1992, in the world of drag, darlings? Bingo! This may not seem like such a big deal now but for all those drag performers in New York Cityās East Village back then, it really did give them another venue, to express their artistry. And you know me, my loves. Iām always keen to experience a drag bingo, if you havenāt done drag bingo, you need to put it on your drag bucket list, and try it out, but not in the "get a card" and "read" your fellow queens and patrons kind of bingo. Iām talking drag bingo the old-school way, with full on makeup, high heels and fabulously camp looks. Think "Cabaret" but with drag, bingo, and way more glamorous.
Now, if that sounds too out there for you, perhaps Iām thinking too hard, but, it all makes sense to me! Youāre thinkingā¦ why bingo, darling? Why do it in drag, what was happening back in the '90s that you would think bingo was a good choice? Well, darling, it all adds up if you think about the drag culture back then.
Back in 1992, bingo had the image of ābeing the night for the housewives." This was also about a time when drag culture had become very subversive and very important in representing LGBTQIA+ culture, it was challenging norms and saying, 'This is who we are, love it or lump it!" That was kind of their āf* youā attitude, all mixed with amazing glamour, fab costumes, great performance skills and amazing drag shows, and of course, loads and loads of laughs!
Now honey, we may be decades away from the glorious chaos of 1992, but drag, of course, is still just as thriving and fabulous. And just look at where we are today - it's truly something else! The "undergroundā is now mainstream, it's all in the open, and weāve got the queens like Bianca Del Rio, the hilarious Bob the Drag Queen, Alaska, and even my own favourite ā Shangela.
So when you're dancing the night away with your fellow fabulous queens, whether youāre on a dance floor, in a drag show, in your bedroom, or at a local bingo night, make sure you remember this history lesson. Donāt forget where we all came from ā
A true queen always remembers her roots and her heritage.
Just think: Drag is as glamorous, fabulous, and bold as it ever was, but remember that it's evolved, but, as queens of drag ourselves, we need to respect those amazing trailblazers, from those extraordinary performers, who created this legacy. Itās our history, and we are here now, in this magical space, because of those amazing women. And let's be honest, their style was amazing, too! They have all made our drag lives amazing. I mean, we all remember how the world of drag used to be when the queens would really make a scene at a drag show. The audiences would have their heads spinning and would be enthralled from the opening music. You know what I'm saying? This is true drag culture - letās honour all those fabulous queens, as they are all fabulous and inspirational!
Of course, no matter how far I travel with my magical tutu, one thingās for sure - we've got to keep pushing for equality, celebrate drag and those who inspire us. We must remember what the pioneers did and how they pushed the envelope to give us all the space and power to express ourselves fully, all the time.
My darling dears, until next month, always keep sparkling and remember... wear pink tutus! Oh, and have an amazing month!
Lots of Love!
Your girl,
Emma xox
