Alright darlings, buckle up your feather boas and hold onto your diamanté headpieces because today we're doing a little time travel! Now, don't think you can escape wearing pink by hiding behind your laptop, you cheeky monkeys. This here post is all about how pink, tutus and drag have all woven together throughout the decades to become the fabulous tapestry we all get to enjoy today.
So grab yourself a pink-tinged martini, a bag of pink haribo (always the pink ones, right?) and get ready to prance back in time!
Today we're celebrating October the 10th, 2008. That's right, ten years ago (how time flies!). We're here in 2018 so if you’re wondering where Emma is going next… cue dramatic dramatic drumroll well, back to 2008 we go! My magical time travelling pink tutu (it's been busy, folks, don't even get me started!) has safely whisked me back to the year of who you might be asking... that’s right darlings, The Pussycat Dolls, the Jonas Brothers and… drumroll… Lady Gaga. A fabulous era to be sure!
Where better to start than by popping down to The Wig Room in New York City. My dears, these wigs were truly, truly fabulous! There’s just something about those long, silky locks of hair, dripping in colours and styled with panache that absolutely screams “extra”! They’re as fabulous as a pair of sequined stilettos and that's something every good drag queen knows!
Now, you know I adore a bit of street-style drag. And darling, where better than to watch drag strutting its stuff in New York City, right on those bustling pavements? Think New York City circa 2008. A blend of fashion-forward looks, quirky, wild and a hint of glam-rock, perfectly intertwined with that iconic New York attitude - it's everything I live for!
And wouldn’t you know it, one of the highlights of this particular time travel journey is catching a fabulous drag performance at a bar in a place called "Boystown". And let me tell you darlings, this was truly a glimpse into drag history. Boystown was the place to be for the biggest drag stars and was packed every night!
Of course, a night at the theatre just isn't complete without a little something extra, so I headed off to Wigstock 2008 in New York. Wigstock is a drag festival celebrating the drag artform and darling, there were some truly epic performers there! Imagine, a rainbow of outrageous costumes and incredible hairstyles - I had my pink tutu out and it was blending right in with all the rest of the fabulously colourful styles, not to mention the music, dancing and fun, fun, fun!
The performance, the theatre, the drag stars, the queens, darling, they were all there - Divine, RuPaul, Lady Bunny and the legends! These incredible ladies gave me the inspiration I needed for this week's post, and if you've yet to experience them then do your own time travel – and check out the iconic legacy these legends left behind!
This era, 2008, darlings, the year Lady Gaga stole the scene with her music, fashion, and drag – was really a perfect blend of fierce, edgy looks mixed with an emphasis on bold, colourful styles, think, heavy makeup!
Oh, and remember when everyone was doing that “hands up, don’t go down, we’re on a roll!” insert a flamboyant wink. This song truly marked the end of one fabulous era and the beginning of another – even more exciting one. The start of an era where more and more queens found their voice, were daring, bold and creative. Think Miss Fame who became the next generation of fierce, innovative and beautiful queens – so beautiful in her drag style that anyone would just stare!
Before I go, I do have to say a little something about my hometown - Derbyshire. Now, darling, we might not have the drag scene of a New York City or Boystown, but in 2008 we did get one of our own fantastic drag queens: Lady Chablis. She absolutely wowed us, captivating us with her stories and witty repartee, and she quickly became a beloved drag star and advocate. She certainly proved that even in a small town like mine, drag could absolutely thrive.
And that brings me to my very own dream of getting the whole world dressed up in pink tutus. The world needs more pink, it's true, because we all need to make that statement. I’ve even heard it said that the colours we choose to wear represent different sides of our personalities – imagine what pink could represent, darling? It could mean the embrace of freedom, the willingness to push boundaries, to challenge social norms, it can mean being confident to be unique and to stand out from the crowd – after all, life in a tutu can be really extra and so fabulous, don’t you think?
So, with all this fabulous history of drag dancing around in my head, darling, I’m off to get glammed up and then catch another fabulous performance. This month it’s “The Best of British Drag in Sheffield” - I wouldn't miss it for the world! You can follow all my latest adventures on www.pink-tutu.com where you can find even more #DragQueenHistory and drag fashion! Now darling, time to grab my fabulous feather boa and hit the stage, darling. Bye for now, remember, “It’s a celebration!”
Ciao, darling.
Emma
