Hello, darlings! Your favourite time-travelling, pink-tutu-wearing blogger, Emma, is back for another blast from the past! Today, I'm swirling back to June 2009 - and oh my god, are we in for a treat! Let me tell you, the drag scene in 2009 was sizzling like a freshly baked éclair.
The month began with me jetting off to the fabulous New York City, in my brand new pink tulle time-travelling tutu - sparkly and voluminous, of course! New York, in 2009, was a melting pot of drag brilliance, a veritable kaleidoscope of theatrical fabulousness! My, oh my, what a delight!
We started with the "The Big Gay Drag Spectacular" at the Stonewall Inn. It was simply bursting with energy! A drag icon, Miss Fame, who you might know as the legendary Queen from the season 6 of Drag Race, was hosting the event - and it was absolute mayhem! I must say, she was serving the absolute tea, darling.
Right next door, the iconic Wigstock Festival, now considered the epicentre of NYC drag for decades, was attracting a massive crowd. This year's theme? "Pink is the New Black", a total win for my soul and my wardrobe. It felt like everyone had caught the Pink Tutu Bug - we were practically swimming in tutus! Imagine a dazzling sea of pink, from tulle to feathers, sequins to silk - it was enough to give even the most cynical fashion critic a twirl.
After all this excitement, we headed to the historic Pyramid Club, a drag club with a real "Downtown" vibe, tucked away in the back streets of New York's West Village. The performers there, were, let's just say, a true representation of everything that was beautiful and eccentric in drag, at that time. A melting pot of personalities and styles, pushing boundaries, serving lewks! The energy was so contagious; it felt like the world was coming alive around us.
While in New York, I couldn't leave without visiting The House of Xtravaganza. The House had become a significant force in the drag community, influencing not just fashion, but the way performers carried themselves, their attitude. These Queens knew how to dominate, how to make a statement with just one glance. The influence of these ladies was visible everywhere I looked.
I travelled back from New York absolutely buzzing, the pink tutu twirling with excitement! The whole city had been an inspirational whirlwind - a complete visual treat. Every street corner, every bar, was teeming with drag excellence. The sheer variety of talent on display was just intoxicating.
From there, my magical pink tulle tutu whisked me across the pond, back to my own Derbyshire, in merry old England! In 2009, England was thriving in its own right, with a buzzing and eclectic drag scene.
At The Royal Vauxhall Tavern in London, which was truly the heart of UK Drag in the late 00's, a vibrant night titled "All Star Drag" was underway. It felt like a big, bold drag family gathering, with all of the iconic names in the UK scene: Divine, The Vivienne, and the truly glamorous Cherry Valentine were making their mark. The show featured high energy, witty, satirical humor - that signature British humour, we know and love.
My trip wouldn't be complete without a stop at the legendary Manchester drag scene, at the Velvet club, the home of Lady Loco and the infamous Gay Village. It was a complete experience – think flamboyant, larger than life performers, and some seriously sharp fashion statements, mixed with camp humor and crowd-interaction!
As the month ended, my magical tutu spun me back to my Derbyshire cottage, where I would continue to blog, to document, to share this fascinating and glorious journey through the world of drag. June 2009, a pivotal year in drag history, showed us just how influential, exciting, and ultimately beautiful drag really is! It wasn’t just about makeup and gowns; it was about attitude, performance, and expressing yourself on your own terms.
And so, my dearest readers, I've spoken, and my words of wisdom today are - put on your own pink tutu, grab a sparkly feather boa and get ready to celebrate life. Because at the end of the day, isn’t drag all about celebrating ourselves, our differences and the sheer joyous audacity of being uniquely and wonderfully you?
Til next time darlings! And remember, stay fabulous!
