Hello darlings! It’s Emma here, your resident pink tutu-clad time traveller, and welcome back to another exciting instalment of Pink Tutu Travels! This month, my magical tutu whisked me back to the vibrant, flapper-filled, jazz-infused world of the roaring twenties. Honestly, the glitz and glamour was just divine!
Now, if you've been following my adventures, you know that I'm all about a bit of history, especially when it comes to the fascinating evolution of drag! And darling, let me tell you, the 1920s were absolutely brimming with drag queens, though maybe not under that specific label. Back then, it was all about gender bending through fashion, music and performance, and oh my, were those ladies pushing boundaries!
Firstly, let's talk fashion! We're talking droopy, feather-trimmed boas, shimmering sequined dresses that practically hugged the floor, and headpieces that could rival a peacock’s tail! My darling, this was the golden era of the flapper! And while this era is usually associated with women's fashion, let me tell you, drag queens were right at the heart of it, rocking these styles and amplifying the subversive message of challenging societal norms. Think about it – imagine the look on those good old Victorian faces, as these fabulous creatures strutted around in trousers and with bobbed hair! Oh, it was a scandalous delight!
Imagine my joy, dear readers, when I discovered that my very own magical pink tutu seemed to be a hit with the ladies of the 1920s! This was back before the era of extravagant drag makeup, and yet, it was in this decade that drag queens were utilising every bit of creativity to accentuate and showcase their beauty and express themselves. I decided to go for a slightly simpler tutu design, you know, like a ballerina tutu with a splash of pink, to blend in, but trust me, I made a statement!
Now, this time, I wasn’t just about sightseeing and fashion. My mission, dear readers, was to get involved in the drag scene! And, what a scene it was! I landed myself right smack bang in the heart of a glamorous speakeasy in New York, surrounded by men dressed in glamorous dresses, with glittery faces and feathers galore, all singing and dancing away in a flurry of sequins! There were female impersonators – a term which actually refers to men pretending to be women, a point which took me a moment to figure out given the gender fluid attitudes back then – in a room full of cheering and equally-dressed men! It was absolutely wild!
What really blew me away was the variety! We had men dressed as women, men dressed as women dressed as men – think tuxedo, with a touch of feathers – all having the best time, singing along to a jazzy orchestra! Now, the songs back then may not have had lyrics directly about drag, but, like today, they were packed with subtle hints, references, and symbolism – think, "Putting on the Ritz" with its lavish and flamboyant persona!
And speaking of singing, let’s not forget the incredible singers of the time! There was Josephine Baker, that woman was dynamite in her costumes! We had blues legends, like Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey, whose music was rife with sass and sass and some serious gender bending attitude! Let’s not forget about the gorgeous, incredible, show-stopping Fanny Brice who absolutely ruled Broadway!
My mission to make everyone wear a pink tutu went well too! Everyone loved it, even those ladies dressed in their most decadent attire – “I just don't feel like going out tonight, darling, I just want to put on a simple pink tutu!” was the typical reaction, followed by the sound of glamorous champagne bottles being popped.
While I'm off galavanting through time, make sure to check out my new post, a compilation of photos from my journey to 1920s New York!
Oh, and, remember darling, keep on being fierce, keep on rocking that pink tutu and most importantly, keep those sequins sparkling!
Love,
Emma x
