Hiya darlings, Emma here, your resident pink-tutu-loving, drag-obsessed time traveler. You know the drill: once a month, I dust off this magical tutu, strap on my sparkly tap shoes, and teleport myself back in time to explore the wonderful world of drag. This month? Oh darling, we're going way back to 1995! I mean, can you believe it's been over 20 years? I've already lost count of how many years have passed since I graduated from the Royal Ballet Academy at Derby (I do miss the scones, let me tell you!), but I think this whole time traveling thing is my new calling. I just need everyone to understand: the only way to go forward is to go backwards!
But let's get down to business! Now, 1995, as you probably already know, was the dawn of a whole new era. A time when grunge was taking the world by storm, Britney was in the early days of her pop reign, and boy bands were the absolute craze (RIP Backstreet Boys, you'll never be forgotten!). Now, my darlings, let me tell you - this era of drag was absolutely fierce.
This particular month was just a bubbling pot of fabulous, and I had the absolute time of my life flitting around the world, soaking it all in! My journey started, of course, right here in the good old UK. Oh darling, I do love my British drag queens - theyāre so witty, charming, and just so absolutely down-to-earth! And I even caught the hottest new act in the West End! Remember "The Bodyguard," with Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner? Well, honey, drag queens were out there serving LOOKS for days as tributes! Honestly, the amount of sequins and the sheer glam that graced that stage could only have been a dream come true for any fabulous drag queen - especially someone who enjoys a bit of pink, naturally. I was a right fan!
But you know me, my love of drag isnāt restricted by borders. My magical tutu whizzed me off to the United States, specifically the East Coast! This was a drag Mecca, you know. I'm talking iconic nightclubs in New York City, filled to the brim with every kind of drag talent imaginable! Think: Miss Gay America pageants (don't get me started on the hair), fierce lip sync battles in sweaty underground dives, and glamorous shows at some of the most prestigious venues. You wouldnāt believe some of the legendary names I bumped into at the back of a Manhattan club, or at a fabulous dinner for drag queens at an even more fabulous restaurant (it was actually on Fifth Avenue, can you believe?). The world of New York drag in the 90s was truly a whirlwind of camp, glamour, and pure unfiltered talent, and Iād be remiss not to say that this city, alongside London, became the breeding ground for dragās renaissance! Iāve seen drag artists in many cities in all of my travels, but there is something just magical about the East Coast.
Now, letās not forget about California, where the world of drag was just starting to make its mark on pop culture! And not just with the drag queens ā it was the time of the music video, where people started to take inspiration from what they saw in these fabulous art forms, which they brought to real life, of course!
Oh darling, Iāve gotta confess. While Iām certainly an admirer of every facet of this fabulous form of expression, itās all those little drag-inspired fashion moments, even those you wouldnāt normally think of as drag, that truly capture my attention! The entire era just had this glamorous, sassy feel, especially when it came to those supermodels strutting their stuff for those top designers like Chanel, Prada, and Dolce and Gabbana! They were practically recreating their favourite drag looks for the worldās eyes to see. You know what, my dears, drag isn't just a show - it's a movement. We're influencing fashion, beauty, and pop culture! What more could a drag queen ask for?
One day I popped over to Amsterdam - this city had a distinct style all of its own in 1995! A really fantastic vibe to the scene there, and something really exciting to be experienced at the bars, which werenāt your average places. And you just knew the drag queen performances werenāt your average either. Some of those sets! Wow! The performances that evening were beyond anything I've ever witnessed in all of my travels. My oh my, we really are talking high camp here, honey, you wouldn't believe the show. So much beauty, glamour, and high energy, especially in Amsterdam's most flamboyant bars, oh darling! These are some memories I will never, ever, forget!
Then I flew down to the sunny shores of Sydney! I mean, have you seen the harbour in 1995? It really was something to behold! Australiaās drag scene at the time was also buzzing with excitement, particularly around the exciting performances and new bars. In Sydney, for instance, the underground club scene in the late 1990s was, how can I put it nicely, the IT PLACE! These bars and nightclubs, as a space, felt much more organic and felt less curated, if you know what I mean? There was always a very "off-the-cuff" sense to it all! Plus, it was very hard to deny the sense of "cool" you got in these venues. And don't even get me started on the amazing makeup - fierce! I mean, every shade of pink you could possibly imagine, and with that quintessential Aussie accent - how could you not fall in love with that charm! And honey, trust me, I love to see the girls get involved! I am, of course, all about encouraging our drag sisters from across the world! You know what, this little adventure down under gave me another one of those "a-ha!" moments where I thought, "Oh, yes, drag is truly an international language."
Now, there was this small thing happening back in the States in the form of āDrag Raceā for the first time - and honey, donāt even get me started! A small drag competition show featuring queens of the highest order! Who would have thought it was the precursor to one of the biggest phenomena in modern drag history! So, 1995 was a massive year, but as always I was excited to take it all in and Iāll see you back here next month for another historical journey! Until then, honey, don't be a stranger and visit my website at www.pink-tutu.com! Love ya!
