Darling Divas, darlings, darling! It's your favourite Derbyshire girl, Emma, here, back with another scintillating time travel tale, this time waltzing our way back to February 2nd, 1994, all thanks to the magic of my shimmering pink tutu!
I've always been a bit obsessed with this era, with its sassy looks and vibrant drag scene. Picture this: oversized feather boas, crimped hair defying gravity, and bold eyeshadow that could stop a speeding bus. Imagine the glamour! But that wasn't all. Drag was becoming increasingly diverse, breaking away from traditional norms, experimenting with different styles and expressing even bolder ideas! And let me tell you, my darling dears, this is one episode I will not forget!
Now, let's hop in the Wayback Machine (oh, what a time it was for vintage cars and a little trip to the arcade!)
My first stop was, naturally, a drag show! What else does a drag queen do with a time travelling pink tutu but catch the latest fabulous show? I ended up in New York City at a hot new spot called “The Club.” The air crackled with excitement, and my tulle skirt swished to the rhythm of pulsating house music. The energy was electric - this was true drag history in the making, darlings!
The highlight of the evening? Divine, in her trademark fiery red hair and a silver lamé gown. Now, I've heard tales of her fabulousness, but to see it firsthand - divine! It was everything I could ever hope for and more! A drag performance so effortlessly playful and daring, a true pioneer of the genre, she stole my heart and reminded me of why I became a drag queen. The applause, my dears, echoed off the walls for a full five minutes. Just wow!
Next morning, after a much-needed coffee and croissant (I may be a time-traveling queen, but I'm not immune to jetlag), it was time to hit the streets of New York City. And what's the quintessential New York shopping experience? Why, vintage clothing stores, darling! The clothes? Heaven on earth! So much velvet, sequins, and feathered hats - it was pure fashion bliss! I managed to nab myself a dazzling silver disco ball hat that practically glowed! Honestly, the best five pounds I ever spent.
But I wasn't just chasing glitz and glamour. I wanted to get a taste of what was really happening in the world of drag outside the big cities. So, I popped over to Los Angeles, California, and landed in the middle of the “L.A. Gay and Lesbian Pride Festival.” The vibe was incredible. There were tons of rainbow flags, the music was fantastic, and I was awash in a sea of happy faces.
A friendly face greeted me with a dazzling rainbow feather boa. “Emma, darling,” the lady exclaimed, “you wouldn’t believe the Drag Olympics! You simply HAVE to check them out! And it wouldn’t be a pride festival without some lip-syncing contests. The energy in the air is just pure electricity!”
The “L.A. Drag Olympics,” darlings, was an amazing event that saw queens battle it out in a variety of talent events, like fashion, makeup, comedy, and lip-syncing.
This is why I love time travel, my darlings! Seeing drag transform from nightclub shows into full-blown community events! Drag becoming a platform for celebrating differences and bringing people together - it made my heart soar! I have a new appreciation for the legacy we carry as drag queens, a legacy of expressing ourselves authentically, fearlessly, and, above all, with fabulous fashion and stunning make-up.
To close out this amazing journey, I had to share a slice of Britain, right? My heart was aching for a cup of tea (Earl Grey, of course) and a bit of Derbyshire gossip. Back home, the drag scene was steadily growing too. I caught a show at "The Queen’s Head", a well-established club in Sheffield that’s a landmark in British Drag History. This club was brimming with iconic performances, hosting legendary queens that have continued to define the drag landscape. My tutu was spinning! I'm sure I spent a whole week there before getting dragged away (by the sheer fun, of course!).
And you know what, my dear drag lovers, I'm now even more determined to get everyone rocking a pink tutu! The spirit of '94 was vibrant, sassy, and oh-so-inspiring, and its message echoes loudly even today. Go out there, shine bright, and never be afraid to embrace your fabulousness! After all, life's a drag, darling. And if you're gonna drag it, do it in a tutu!
And on that delightful note, I’ll be signing off from my travels for now.
Don’t forget to check back next month for another fab adventure in my magical pink tutu! And be sure to check out www.pink-tutu.com for more dazzling blog posts and news on all things drag! Until then, stay fierce and never stop twirling!
Xoxo
Emma x
