Hello, dearies! It's Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood tutu-wearing time traveller! 🙋♀️ Today, I'm taking you on a little trip back in time to June 2000, and let me tell you, it's a whole different world!
Now, I'm sure you all know my favourite colour, right? Pink, obviously! 💕 And it's pretty much the same in this time period too, but, in 2000, it's the vibrant, almost shocking, kind of pink that they used in Barbie packaging. Remember? Those bubblegum-bright pink plastic wonders, absolutely full of glamour! 💖🌸
Anyway, my amazing pink tutu was the perfect shade for the scene I was about to be swept into! This June 2000, darling, it was all about big, bright, and a little bit brash. 💫 We're talking huge platforms, sparkly dresses, and more glitter than you can shake a feather boa at! 💃 The Drag scene was exploding, bursting with excitement and energy!
London, Calling!
First up, I headed to London. And trust me, babes, the Drag scene here is booming! You had this club, The "Roxy," which was basically the epicentre of drag, where the likes of Bianca Del Rio, who you all know from RuPaul's Drag Race, was killing it! 🔥 Oh, and this show, the "London Homo Hop," it was wild! It wasn't just Drag queens in drag; they had men dressed up in full drag, it was pure theatrical brilliance! 🙌
I remember thinking, 'Why didn't someone think of dressing in a drag suit back in the Victorian Era? I'd love to see Queen Victoria in a big pink tulle gown!' 👸
Of course, in this time period, drag was a world away from the mainstream. It was a subculture, a rebellious art form, full of passion and untamed creativity! 🔥
But, even in London, you felt the start of change, a glimpse into the future of Drag as we know it. There was a sense of openness, of progress. Drag was starting to make its way into the mainstream. 💖
New York, New York!
Across the pond, in New York City, Drag was equally buzzing. You had the iconic "Drag Race" itself! Yes, "RuPaul's Drag Race" had just begun, and it was a big deal, like, HUGE! 💅 They were really starting to show Drag on television and, honey, people were obsessed! 💖
One thing that struck me was that even though they were going for something bolder in 2000, drag, especially the fashion, still drew from ballet and the dance world, you know? This was especially true for New York Drag.
Think about the looks in 'Moulin Rouge'! Feathers, sequined bustiers, big hair, it all felt like a direct descendant of drag in 2000, where dancers and performers created their own personal versions of a grand ballroom spectacle! 🤩
I felt very much at home here with my pink tutu, all sparkly, airy, and completely extravagant! 🌸
Onwards to Europe!
But, we mustn't forget the rest of the world! 🌎 In the Netherlands, drag was slowly starting to break out, with performances taking place in a mix of nightclubs, gay bars and even, dare I say it, the occasional straight bar. I bet, just a few years down the line, we'll be seeing Drag on the mainstream stage over there! 😏
In Italy, I found drag shows happening in small, underground clubs and discos, mainly for an audience of LGBT+ individuals and their allies, but the spark was there. Just imagine the amazing shows they must have put on for their audience, packed in tight and dancing the night away! 🎉
Drag wasn't as huge in 2000 in mainland Europe, it was still quite a niche thing. You'd have some bigger clubs and discos where you'd find Drag, but they were generally scattered across the bigger cities. I really think it would become so much more popular a decade or so later!
*But Darling, It's All About the Tutu! *
I've seen all sorts of Drag around the world: fierce, campy, hilarious, moving. I love the way each drag queen creates their own world and story through their performance! 👠
The greatest part is that you can find Drag anywhere - from small clubs and pubs to the stage. You can experience the glamour, the energy, the outrageous beauty! 😍
This month, dearies, I hope I've inspired you to step out of your comfort zone and rock your own style. 💫
If I can do it with a pink tutu, you can too!💖 And don't forget to keep a tutu ready, you never know when a magical, pink-hued opportunity might come knocking!
*See you all next month! 💖💫 *
