Hello, darlings! Emma here, your resident time-travelling pink tutu queen, and welcome back to the www.pink-tutu.com blog! This month, my darling friends, we’re taking a trip to the sparkly, sequin-studded heart of Paris! Now, put on your best feathered fascinator, grab a glass of something bubbly, and let’s step into the magical world of the Moulin Rouge…
December 2003 – Oh la la! I absolutely adore this time in history for so many reasons! First of all, December brings the glitziest of festive cheer, and as everyone knows, glitter and sequins are like peanut butter and jelly – a magical, magnificent, must-have combination. And the Moulin Rouge? Sigh What a glorious haven for glamorous performance!
So, this month I sashayed right back to Paris, slipped into my trusty pink tutu (which, as always, looked utterly fab, by the way!), and made a beeline for the iconic windmill that is the Moulin Rouge! The excitement bubbled within me like a pot of bubbling Champagne.
The red velvet, the swirling chandeliers, the laughter and music – the Moulin Rouge really was a feast for the senses! I felt like a proper fairytale princess – all flouncy tulle and twinkling lights. But let’s talk about the show itself! My dears, it was absolutely divine!
Imagine this: Spectacular costuming fit for a queen, daring acrobats defying gravity, dazzling dances filled with passion and grace, and enough feather boas to cover all of Derbyshire. There was laughter, there were tears, and of course, soooooo many laughs! I couldn't help myself, darling! I even had a little giggle during a daring feat, right at the peak of a beautiful contortionist routine. There is something just utterly joyous about good, proper laughter – it's like a tonic for the soul!
Now, to set the scene even more accurately, let me paint a picture with words, my darlings. As I took a seat amongst the elegantly dressed clientele, a wave of Parisian je ne sais quoi washed over me. Everyone around me was so stylish, effortlessly elegant. We’re talking beautifully tailored suits, stunningly chic dresses, and a whole lot of beautiful women dressed like they were fresh from the front cover of Vogue. I just had to soak it all up, every beautiful, glamorous detail. This was what the Moulin Rouge was all about, my dears: the glamour, the excitement, and the exquisite joy of celebrating performance.
And guess what? Even back then, there were so many brilliant drag performers on the scene. Now, this was before the golden age of mainstream reality tv drag shows we have now, but honey, you could have found brilliant, exciting drag anywhere you looked – and that’s exactly where I decided to take my little time-travelling tour!
After enjoying the exquisite Moulin Rouge show, I made my way backstage, following the whispered gossip of glittering gossip trails like a shimmering pixie in a tutu! I got a chance to meet a few incredible queens backstage – let’s just say there were more feathers than you could ever shake a stick at, and so much hairspray, darling!
One particular queen, a darling by the name of Kiki, had an incredible stage presence and just the most fabulous sense of fashion! We chatted for hours, sharing stories of our experiences in the drag world and our ultimate love for all things pink (particularly, darling, if you’re talking tutus!).
Kiki told me all about her early career, performing in some fantastic clubs in the area. Her dream, like mine, was to share her love for drag with the world! I really believe that drag has the power to inspire people – it brings communities together, celebrates uniqueness and above all, honey it simply reminds us all that joy is so very powerful!
Kiki explained that there wasn't a whole lot of support for drag queens back then, certainly not in mainstream society anyway. She was definitely a pioneer of her own time! You see, dear readers, being a drag queen wasn’t quite as widely embraced as it is now, but that just goes to show how important pioneers like Kiki really are! It takes guts, darling, it takes talent, it takes courage, and above all, it takes a love for the art of drag. I have so much admiration for the bravery and creativity that shines through every queen – they're the real changemakers, darling!
Leaving Kiki behind (we will be seeing her again – we have plans for a collaboration, oh yes we do!) I set off back to my present-day Derbyshire with a spring in my step and glitter still twinkling on my eyelashes.
So, darlings, that’s the tale of my December time-travel adventure – full of dazzling spectacle and incredible encounters. Now, don’t be shy, darling, I want to hear your stories, your favourite drag memories! Remember, to leave your comments on www.pink-tutu.com, share this post with all your fellow drag lovers, and let's keep the pink tutu spirit alive!
See you all next month! Lots of love and sequins, Emma xxx
