Hello darlings! Emma here, your resident pink tutu-wearing time traveller, back with another dazzling post for the www.pink-tutu.com archives. Today's trip takes us all the way back to April 2013 - a glorious time in drag history that had us all twirling and shimmying!
Before we begin our journey, I must confess I'm in a bit of a bind. You see, dear readers, I've been on an absolute bender for the most delicious pastel-pink, candy floss pink, flamingo-pink, cotton-candy pink everything, and I have quite a bit of it here at the Pink Palace (it's my apartment, you see) - a fabulous wardrobe explosion, if you will! It's a bit of a logistical nightmare, I confess. But one I'm happily working on. Anyway, darling, I am getting sidetracked, it is so lovely catching up with you all. Now back to the pink business of time travellingā¦
To embark on this time travelling escapade, I donned my specially designed pink glitter-infused, magical, time-traveling tutu. As soon as I stepped into the magic twirl, the familiar tingly feeling surged through my pink-clad body. Off we went, straight to April 2013. What adventures awaited us, my lovelies? Well, keep on reading!
The first thing I noticed as soon as I popped out of the time travel portal was the abundance of RuPaul's Drag Race. Oh, those fabulous, daring ladies! And boy did we all watch in absolute rapture and delight - who could forget that fierce season 5, my lovelies! Bianca del Rio had just graced the stage with her incredible performance and I have to say, it was so worth it. Not just for her sharp wit and fantastic costumes but for the legendary "Snatch Game" - such glorious memories! The ladies were going wild about Bianca's impression of Little Edie, and trust me, the iconic cackle alone was worthy of the whole season! The energy was positively electric and that whole atmosphere of camaraderie and joy was really something to experience, if you ever have the chance. It felt like everyone in the world had been united by Drag Race, and it felt, for a little while, like the whole planet was a big, glittery drag ball!
Oh darling, you really couldn't have gone anywhere without encountering that pink, glitter-filled RuPaul's Drag Race craze back then! And speaking of craziness, what about Jinkx Monsoon's reign?! Such an incredible and hilarious queen! Jinkx really embodied that camp queen that we adore. Her "can't help but be funny" style took the stage by storm! Those lip-syncs, oh my, how do those girls just stay on those killer heels?! We're lucky, because right here and right now I have the very Jinkx wig she wore in her Spooktacular challenge from the show - it's been an absolute highlight of my career and my whole existence, really! I still cannot believe it is a part of my Pink Palace collection!
That said, while RuPaul was certainly the top queen at the time, you really could feel Drag Race's infectious energy spreading all across the globe. We even saw a resurgence of legendary drag ball culture back then. A few of the balls that stood out were the ones organized by the amazing house of Extinction. Those girls took the concept of āvoguingā to an entirely new level - weāre talking extreme high fashion artistry with fierce expressions, that was an amazing spectacle. If you didnāt have time for that iconic dramatic ballroom walk and lip-sync, my lovelies, what did you even do with your free time?!
Remember, you cannot talk about the world of drag back in April 2013 without mentioning the fantastic nightlife scene. It really was a drag megazine in its prime! Oh honey, my love, you had anything you wanted at the time, and donāt let anybody tell you otherwise! I know I sure wasn't wasting a single second on that journey through time!
I landed on a gorgeous rooftop in Manchester to check out this fantastic club, The Canal. We're talking a fully decorated venue, complete with stage shows and all sorts of other fun shenanigans going on. That night, the place was just absolutely packed, brimming with life! I think I ended up doing a whole little āI love RuPaul's Drag Raceā speech after having about 5 glasses of Moet - let's just say that we were all having a marvelous time, singing along with Cher, throwing a few sassy hand gestures - thatās the way to enjoy drag, you see! You just have to own the space!
From that dazzling rooftop in Manchester, I jetted over to a cozy London nightclub named G-A-Y, the ultimate hub for everything drag back then. It had become one of the absolute go-to's for a truly legendary, high-quality, theatrical night out. As I strutted in, I just felt this surge of pure drag joy. Every corner seemed to burst with an explosive mixture of energy, music, makeup, and fashion - and everything in fabulous shades of pink! (We know where my tastebuds are at!)
G-A-Y just radiated this brilliant blend of creativity, passion and, dare I say it, even a touch of class - very high society. I spotted these amazing queens who were strutting their stuff on the main stage. That performance felt like a whirlwind of costumes, lights, and infectious music, you just felt utterly sucked in to the whole energy of the place. Oh and the performances? Pure magic, my darling! Think soaring high notes, fabulous routines, and a lot of heart and soul ā a pure explosion of true drag talent!
The crowd? Absolute euphoria! It's that joy, my dears, that infectious sense of freedom, that really got me thinking about the true purpose of drag: to celebrate self-expression and celebrate life! As you can tell, a certain pink tutued person here was all about celebrating dragās message of love, individuality, and fun back then. So as much as it was a pleasure seeing how amazing all those queens looked, I must confess - you already know how it is, darling - I was daydreaming of having a pink tutu moment, maybe on that very stage! Imagine it! Me in a glorious pink tutu, a dazzling crown and a bejeweled bodiceā¦ the crowd erupts in cheers!
This journey back to 2013 brought to mind how much the world of drag was expanding. With social media blooming and Drag Race's growing popularity, the global impact was undeniable, it really became more than a performance; it became a force of culture and individuality, influencing people's fashion, their attitudes, even their music! This powerful blend of inclusivity, diversity and pure escapism just resonated with so many people back then, and the world seemed to be catching on to the magic of drag.
I am pretty certain, darling, if I could send you all back in time, you would just be completely blown away with this explosion of fabulousness that was April 2013! There was really so much going on back then, it felt like every corner of the globe had its own unique little bit of drag history being made! I mean, the world had just been introduced to this new wave of queer identity and celebration through television with shows like Drag Race, and it truly felt like something wonderful was blossoming in our global community.
As the magical feeling started to tug me back to the present, it was time to bid adieu to those sparkling memories of 2013. Back to the Pink Palace I travelled. I just knew I had to record those dazzling, wonderful experiences for all my dearest readers. And of course, now that I've seen the future, and the way the drag scene blossomed - it just reinforces that powerful, undeniable energy. This energy reminds us, dear reader, that we can keep twirling and twirling! After all, we are all just so unique, so special, and full of love - especially in our magical pink tutus! Now that is what I call fabulous!
If you are looking for your own pink tutu moment, you can catch me doing a show at The Derby Drag in a few days, the very same location of my drag performances throughout my teenage years, the most iconic place in Derbyshire for our community to share this magnificent love of drag. Oh darling, it truly is magic, and if there's a place that is sure to deliver the ultimate, pure, pink-tastic energy, it's The Derby Drag. So get ready to join the excitement! And if you see me, why not say hello? I'm Emma, your resident pink tutu time traveller and I'll be waiting for you, darling!
Oh darling, if there is something that truly makes this all worthwhile, itās knowing that, if you feel like it, you too can wear a magical pink tutu! Just wear what you like, and just be yourself - thatās all the magic you need. Remember, drag is for everybody - if you wanna join this magical pink tutu ride, you are so very welcome.
Keep shining, darlings. Iāll see you all next month for another dazzling adventure into the annals of drag queen history!
