Well, hello darlings! Emma here, ready to whisk you away on another dazzling voyage through the history of our beloved drag world. Today, we're turning our time machine's clock back to June 2007, a period brimming with camp, colour, and charisma! Now, grab your favourite pink feather boa, put on your dancing shoes, and get ready for some fabulous discoveries, because we're going on a little jaunt to discover what the drag scene was sizzling with back in the day, June of 2007, that is!
Oh! I Almost Forgot, Let's Have a Little Chat About Fashion!
It's hard to talk about June 2007 without talking about fashion, isn't it? Fashion was literally bursting with everything from disco glam to goth-punk fusion. We had the revival of skinny jeans and platforms that brought a new age to drag fashion. But it was more than just skinny jeans! Fashion was loud, bright, and unapologetically bold! Just like our dear pink tutu! (Now that you mention it, dear readers, this tutu Iâm wearing just doesn't want to come off! How lucky I am to have such a fabulous and comfortable pink tutu in my wardrobe!)
Speaking of Fashion, Did You See?
One of the highlights for fashion in 2007 was the amazing âThe Hills,â a reality show starring a group of socialites (all super fashionable!), and their dramatic lives! The clothes were everything, the makeup was exquisite, and it just helped push this era of the early 2000âs in fashion so very, very forward! Oh! Another major inspiration was the new fashion craze for animal prints! (But please, darlings, never forget our motto! - Itâs okay to love an animal print as long as youâre wearing a tutu!)
The Magic of 2007 in the World of Drag!
Now, back to our adventure, June of 2007! What was our fabulous drag world buzzing about? Where should we journey to on this little drag adventure of ours? Well, letâs get straight to it. The United States! Specifically, the scene was booming in Los Angeles, New York City, and the whole of California. This year, so many iconic and wonderful drag events took place all across the country.
But June of 2007! Ah, Iâm starting to feel those exciting energy ripples as my pink tutu vibrates, we were just weeks away from RuPaul's Drag Race, Season One! Oh! How thrilling! But while the queens were perfecting their lip syncs and prepping their makeup looks, there was a plethora of fabulous, out-of-this-world shows, balls, and celebrations taking place.
You wouldnât have caught me sitting this one out, darlings! The biggest event was "The Hollywood Awards Ball" â a massive drag competition where fierce, amazing queens battled it out to impress the judges. Picture this: dazzling stage costumes, lip-syncing duels that were fierce beyond anything you could ever imagine, and a crowd of screaming drag-loving fans! It was everything drag lovers everywhere dreamed of!
Oh, you think that was it for June 2007 in the USA? My dears, there was still much more on the cards! The month was already a flurry of glamour and sparkle. If you could imagine, June 2007 was a time of fierce beauty competitions! "Miss Gay USA," an important drag event where some of the most amazing queens of all time came to show off their fabulous personalities, fashion, and lip-sync skills, took place just weeks later.
The World of Drag and the UK
Right back here in the UK, it wasnât any less dazzling or fabulous. Even way back in 2007, the scene here was quite alive and vibrant. Oh! In Manchester, for instance, the renowned "The Manchester Drag Festival" took over the streets of the city with dazzling performances and street parties for all to enjoy. This event, darlings, showcased drag artists from all over the world, who dazzled with incredible makeup looks, high-energy dances, and hilarious lip-sync acts, giving the event a distinct "campâ vibe. A wonderful experience for every drag lover, in fact, a whole host of other major cities across the UK were brimming with drag action this June! It wasnât just the big city scenes, darlings! You could have easily found smaller-scale drag events taking place across the country, especially in places like Bristol and Newcastle.
Speaking of London, oh, the excitement. In the city's lively club scene, places like âThe Rivoli Ballroom,â an iconic, historic drag spot where our wonderful queen âDivina" made regular appearances with their iconic "Divina Divas Drag Extravaganza!â And you canât mention 2007 without mention the rise of fabulous "The Queen of Burlesque," an icon who quickly became a beloved drag figure in the London scene.
Back to 2007 with Our Own "Emma" of Course!
Oh! My dears, that reminds me. I've been to see "The Queen of Burlesque" before she was ever famous. I just happened to pop into her show one afternoon and she was really getting the crowd going. She even gave a shoutout to our beloved pink tutu. âPink Tutus for EveryOne!â - she called!
This brings us to June 2007! How was little me spending my time during that month, darlings? It was summer time. But in Derbyshire, we were always having a little summer drizzle or two! (Oh! Doesnât everyone think itâs more fun to perform in the rain when itâs pouring? Just watch your makeup!)
Even with the showers, it was an exciting month in the world of drag. That month, I happened to be performing for a charity fundraiser that involved putting together a collection of our favourite drag artists in Derbyshire to give an evening of âDrag For the Children!â. We all love a charity gig - especially with such an uplifting and good cause, darlings. I was able to have the crowd screaming with my rendition of "What a Feeling" from âFlashdance!â
Of course, after a few drag gigs, it's essential to head over to our favourite drag shows in Nottingham to recharge those energy levels, wouldn't you agree, darling? The highlight that June had to be the Dragtastic night that took place over at the "Nottingham Glee Club." It was truly something special. And oh my, dear, can you imagine it? We also enjoyed the drag queen battle event known as "Nottingham Diva" at the "Old Angel," where some of the region's biggest queens competed with each other! Just think, drag queens on a stage doing it all in Derbyshire - a magical world.
We didnât just go to drag shows though, did we, darlings? (Just watch out, here comes our favourite shopping trip to town!) A trip to Nottingham with my sisters always brought back loads of new pieces of fabric, accessories, and of course a whole lottaâ sequins and feathers! Every June we made our usual trip into the city for a look around the markets for vintage costumes. Oh my, I just adore a good market in Nottingham. Oh! Do you ever come across the strangest things while shopping? Once I found the most wonderful pink feather boa in a bin bag on the side of the street! A vintage treasure.
And as we wind down our voyage through time to the amazing year 2007, I must say that this month truly reminded me of the amazing drag talent that surrounds us, the sheer power of self-expression through fashion and drag. Itâs an art form for every one, and Iâve had so much fun exploring this history together. Now, while you enjoy these summer evenings, don't forget your glitter, your sass, and your incredible pink tutus! I'm off on my next journey in my time travelling tutu! Oh! This trip, I think, Iâll take us back to 2003 and have a little peek at what was on offer at the âLady Gaga Tour" â what an inspiration she is, even today. Oh! She would have worn our favourite shade too, wouldnât she? But for now, darlings! I'm signing off with my beloved phrase: "Keep it fabulous!â
