Hello darlings! Emma here, back from another thrilling trip through the fabulous time vortex. This month I've gone all the way back to April 2009, which is likeā¦ stepping back into an entirely different era. Now, before I start gabbing on like a fish out of water, let's get a little something clear: my pink tutu did not let me down. It's true, a decade ago, things were just a bitā¦ moreā¦ ābefore our timeā shall we say? Not the most outrageous makeup, not the fierce contouring we see now. But darlings, even the most fabulous journeys start somewhere, right?
This month, I popped over toā¦ oh, I don't know, about twenty different cities actually! My time-travelling tutu doesn't hold me back, bless it's little sequined heart! But even with the pink power behind me, my little trips to NYC, Paris, Sydney and London were still quite the trip down memory lane!
It really got me thinking about the evolution of drag and the fact that everyone loves to get in on the act! Even back in 2009, drag was thriving in these cities, but oh my darling, it wasn't quite what it is today! I was in my element! So let's step back and take a look at what was going on in the fabulous world of drag in April 2009.
Drag in the CityIām a bit of a creature of comfort, so I kicked off my adventures in my hometown ā yes, Derbyshire, home of the peaks and theā¦ well, thatās about it. Still, our little corner of the world has a drag scene! I popped into a fantastically flamboyant cabaret bar, where the air was thick with cigarette smoke and excitement. The talent was electric! There were queens who brought the glam with those big poufy wigs, and those queens with more avant-garde looks. Everyone was truly fabulous. And darling, we even had a young lad dressing in drag to bring out the old songs for our pleasure. So sweet, didn't he look absolutely divine!
From Derbyshire I sashayed over to London. I had a smashing time taking in all of the West End. Oh darling, you have to imagine the utter spectacle, the costumes were amazing. I had a particularly great time at The Box at the Soho Theatre. What was this place doing with the burlesque stars of that time! Itās true! The theatre had a bit of a dark and risque reputation which I adore! All the glitter, the costumes and the theatre just made my day, what a stunning combination. You should see this one!
Oh So Glam!But it wasnāt all glitz and glam in London, there was a wonderful sense of community too. I hopped along to a bunch of different Drag Queen Nights at local pubs. This felt like the true essence of what drag is all about ā local talent performing for a small audience who are really up for some laughs and great fun. In the days gone by this kind of drag didnāt even need the glitz and glamour! There were so many drag queen icons coming through back in 2009 who werenāt about big shows and lots of money, their priority was their fans, their family! The locals were thrilled and weāre living their best lives!
Of course, you canāt have a conversation about Drag in April 2009, without talking about RuPaul's Drag Race! My darlings, the first series was about to conclude! That iconic final show. It was the biggest event for drag culture, everyone was tuning in! Oh how those times have changed, imagine just one season to savour for an entire year!
From the US to Down Under, Pink Tutu and Drag Rule the World!Next, it was over to New York City ā my American honey, oh, how I adore that city! What a city, absolutely buzzing! This was before it was the home to Drag Race, before Bianca Del Rio had even dreamed up a joke about Alaska! Thatās a wild thought isn't it? The place was alive with queens like a beehive. Oh my darlings, New York really embraced drag at the heart of everything from fashion and theatre to TV.
Drag Queens were being embraced in an artistic way too! Oh my darlings, the shows were mind blowing. But I was a little upset, there was a bit of a rift between queens, as though there were two sides in the drag world and a big argument between them. It seems as if the more camp queen, well lets just say she was living her best life, sheād be labelled a āCamp Drag Queenā. Whilst those with a more traditional drag aesthetic were given a label tooā¦ I think it was a āTraditional Drag Queenā? Theyād go head to head with each other about everything from the shows they loved to how they felt about those that dressed in that style of drag! But at the end of the day, it was all about the art! I think these two types of drag are meant for each other!
I finished my travels in a wonderful, exciting city: Sydney! This fabulous city welcomed me with open arms. The drag scene was bursting, just brimming with energy! I enjoyed catching shows and events, and darling, they knew how to do theatre right. And those Aussies love a drag night, they really did! This was where my travels brought me to this month - I wanted to experience a culture completely removed from my own and discover how drag made itself a home across the world, this amazing city is definitely somewhere I want to revisit!
So there you have it, my dears! This was my whirlwind adventure back to the magical month of April 2009. I hope you all enjoyed learning more about how drag has evolved throughout the years. But remember my lovelies, a little sparkle never hurts and the future of drag will be full of endless pink tutus for all of us!
Keep those sequins shimmery, and never be afraid to express your own inner diva! Stay safe and keep shining, darlings. I'll see you all next month! Donāt forget to check back in next month when I head toā¦. oh, I canāt tell you yet!
Yours truly,
Emma www.pink-tutu.com
