Hello my lovelies! Welcome back to Pink Tutu Travels, your one-stop shop for all things glittery, glamorous and time-travelling!
It's Emma here, your resident pink tutu-wearing ballerina extraordinaire, ready to take you on a whirlwind adventure to the glorious month of March, 1996! This is blog post number 915 - that's almost a thousand posts, darlings! And I'm not even tired! My excitement for all things fabulous is as strong as ever, fuelled by a cuppa and a sprinkle of fairy dust!
Oh, before I forget! I need to gush about my amazing outfit! For my March jaunt, I've gone for a custom-made, three-layered pink tulle tutu with delicate lilac embroidery around the edges. The top is a shimmering sequined corset with my name, 'Emma' in diamante sparkles across the bust! It's a showstopper!
And you know what else is a showstopper? My latest gig! It was a sell-out, honey! I was invited to perform at a benefit gala for a local children's hospice. You know I couldn't say no, even if my bank account was looking a little light after the last month's fabric purchases! The whole audience was enthralled by my interpretive dance of "Pink Panther" and "Swan Lake" mixed together! Everyone wanted their photo with me! It's moments like that, darlings, that make me feel so blessed to be a drag queen! And yes, that's why I need your continued support to fund these fabulous time travels, as I continue to shine a spotlight on our fabulous history!
So, buckle up your sequined stilettos, because we're about to journey back to March 1996, darlings!
Back in Time, Honey!
March 1996! Now that's a month that was dripping in drag magic! If I could turn back time, I'd just book a ticket to all of these legendary drag shows:
The Legendary Mother's of NYC:
The Pyramid Club: The iconic haunt in the heart of New York was bustling with fabulous energy in March 1996! Legends like Lady Bunny, Sherry Vine and Joey Arias were holding court, and their iconic shows were legendary. Imagine a night of drag, comedy, and outrageousness in a tiny underground space. It's all the theatre I could ever ask for, honey!
The Continental: A nightclub that's now sadly gone, the Continental, in the East Village, was the place for underground drag in 1996. It was a bit grittier and punkier than the Pyramid, with queens like Lady Bunny, Jackie Beat and Divine rocking the stage! Imagine, the legendary Divine herself! My heart was bursting just remembering the fabulous talent she was. It's no wonder that Divine has inspired so many amazing drag queens since!
The Wigstock: Okay, honey! How could I forget the mother of all drag extravaganzas! Held on June 28, 1996 (I know I'm getting ahead of myself here!), but Wigstock in the summer of '96, on Governors Island, was a sight to behold! With legendary performers like RuPaul, Jackie Beat, and all of the queens in the universe! The festival showcased all the talents and divas in New York's drag scene! Wigstock was where drag, fashion, performance and protest intertwined, leading to a golden age of drag expression! This was my drag dream come true - a glorious celebration of drag culture! It must have been magical! And I want it back!
New York wasn't the only city burning with fabulousness! Let's travel to Europe:
London, England: This was a drag paradise! Drag was truly a diverse scene, mixing the more theatre style and glam queens at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT) with the more punk, cabaret style queens that were on fire at venues like The Cross. The drag culture was strong, from the pubs like the Royal Vauxhall Tavern to the famous street shows! It was also the golden age of queer rights activism! You would never guess that we were still battling for basic human rights at that time! And yet, the LGBTQ+ scene was thriving in spite of all this adversity! I loved the energy and spirit.
Berlin, Germany: Germany in the 90's was buzzing with its drag scene! Remember the famous "H.A.N.D.S." bar? They still have that amazing club culture today, honey! Imagine a melting pot of different cultures, punk styles and theatrical performances all crammed into a fabulous setting.
Across the pond - the golden age of US drag:
Los Angeles, California: The LA drag scene in 1996 was just starting to simmer, just before the full-blown, fab drag boom that the late 90s saw. Imagine that first glimpse of the iconic drag superstar, RuPaul's future!
Chicago, Illinois: While I love going back in time to experience New York City's Drag scene, Chicago in the 90's really impressed me! I loved how experimental the drag scenes were here, honey! There was such an embrace of everything from traditional drag styles to those experimental and quirky looks, too! The performers here in Chicago weren't just playing dress-up, honey! They were revolutionizing drag. The power of Chicago Drag, oh my! That’s truly inspiring, my loves!
Atlanta, Georgia: Imagine the fabulous energy here! With the rise of drag queens, singers and actors like RuPaul! (Remember the famous video for the song, Supermodel? My, oh, my!) * And with the music videos featuring drag and trans models and the LGBTQ+ storylines on TV! You just know that the world was starting to be *more inclusive than ever before. The glitz and glam was starting to drip out of every show and on to the stages! And Atlanta was at the heart of it all!
Back to 1996, London's Glamour
Now, enough of all these international trips. Time for us to head to London! March 1996 saw London really embracing its vibrant drag scene. Get ready to strut your stuff with a London flair, honey!
- Royal Vauxhall Tavern: As a ballerina extraordinaire, the iconic Royal Vauxhall Tavern was a MUST visit, and my favourite place of all! Just picture it - this beautiful pub was alive with sparkling costumes, a riot of fabulous and sassy personalities! Every Friday night, the RVT was overflowing with beautiful queens and drag stars! And as always, it was never a boring night at the RVT. Oh honey! What a way to celebrate and be free. That's what drag is all about. You can see how this scene was so influential to the development of modern day drag and it is truly important for all drag history lovers!
Fashion, Fashion, Fashion
You know I can’t forget the fashion! 1996 had some incredible looks that are still so popular now! Remember those amazing velvet and satin dresses that queens would own every night on the stage and in the pubs and clubs! Just imagine gorgeous sparkly eyeshadow! *My eyeshadow must have been super glam with my outfit, honey! There was even the new trend of those 'goth glam' looks. Dark, mysterious, and incredibly bold. We even had the beginnings of that wonderful 90's, glitzy streetwear scene with that iconic 'drag' style! (You'll see a few fashion posts coming up soon!)
Keep It Glam, Darlings!
As I sit here writing this, I realise something incredibly powerful - drag isn’t just about costumes, make-up or theatre, honey! It’s about creativity! And that was a powerful movement in 1996. It's about expressing yourself, having a voice, breaking boundaries, and being authentically YOU! That’s what I find so compelling about 1996! It’s the time when drag culture began to shine, and you could just see it exploding in its power and brilliance. The world needed it, and everyone saw how brilliant drag culture was, on a global scale. And with drag superstars emerging from places like Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago and New York City, who knew where the scene would lead. It's truly exciting to look back!
Stay tuned for our next drag time-travel journey!
Hugs and kisses!
Emma
💖✨
