Hello lovelies! Your favourite Derbyshire dame, Emma, is back with another fabulous voyage through drag history! Now, I'm a little late with this one, what with the new "Drag on Broadway" series launching this month. It was like a dazzling vortex, sucking me into the magic of the Big Apple, but that’s another story for another post. Anyway, we're whisking ourselves back to February 2025 this time, a date I remember for many a reason! Buckle up my darlings, this is one for the history books!
Remember when I told you about that fabulous pink tutu I found in a dusty antique shop in Leicester? Well, darling, this one's got a real magic to it! Not the sparkly kind of magic, oh no, this one's more about teleporting than glittering. It seems a little dance step too close to the mirror, a certain twirl under the moonlight, and poof - you’re off! And believe me, when you're wearing this particular creation, you want to twirl. It's positively divine! So, this is what happened: I was doing my monthly costume clean, admiring the craftsmanship of this vintage gem (it’s truly werk) when I bumped into my dressing table… And there I was. February 2025. Just like that!
Right then, back to that date, February 2025! The first thing I noticed was how the air buzzed with a delightful sense of excitement. There was a big festival of international drag on the horizon, and everyone was buzzing about it! They were calling it "Drag Globe" – what a catchy name! Imagine drag performances from all over the world, gathered in one massive celebration! This, darling, was the kind of spectacle that really gets me going. It seems Drag Globe was celebrating 10 years of bringing international drag together, creating a truly inclusive event. How splendid! This meant some serious catwalk fashion, some lip-syncing like nobody's business, and oh, the outfits! The air crackled with the delicious anticipation of what lay ahead.
My favourite drag performer ever, Divine (not the other Divine!), was set to headline. Remember Divine, the drag performer that practically invented the pink tutu back in the 60s? It turns out, in 2025, they've finally released a biography called “More Than Just a Tutu”! I must get a copy next time I travel! But here's the funny part – even after decades of seeing some pretty magnificent costumes, this divine creature, they were sporting a new tutu. It was made from shimmering feathers and hundreds of tiny mirrored sequins. My jaw literally dropped!
Now, imagine this. On the one hand, we had traditional, high-impact lip-syncing – think Beyonce meets Lady Gaga – you know, big dance numbers, the whole works! And then on the other, we had vaudeville style shows, storytelling, mime, spoken word poetry, drag kings with incredible makeup. There were even these drag creatures they called 'Cyber Queens' using projections and VR! Honestly, I felt like a giddy schoolgirl watching it all. This whole event was revolutionising how we thought about drag. Just think, the entire globe, celebrating a movement that started so long ago. And the beautiful thing was that the world had embraced it, welcomed it with open arms. You know, as a good-hearted Brit, it just made me so happy to see something that came from us, become something truly worldwide. Magnificent!
But there were still some controversies, darling. Of course, in every movement, there's always those who don't quite get it, those who see the movement's evolution as a sign of trouble. You know what I'm talking about, darling, the "good old days" arguments. And a group called "Tutus 'n Tradition" started getting quite vocal. It's funny, even back in the day, they didn't think we should move beyond that glamorous, extravagant high camp performance style that everyone was known for. But their voices seemed to get smaller and smaller with each year, because for everyone that complained, there were another ten people excited by the world of drag, dancing with joyful abandon. This is how you evolve!
Speaking of dancing, it just happened that Drag Globe’s performance in February 2025 featured a huge ball. And me, I mean what would a drag queen like myself do in this time-traveling tutu if I wasn't on the dance floor? The sheer delight of a dazzling ball filled with feathers and glitter is truly unparalleled, it’s pure bliss! And the costumes were something else! I saw these gorgeous Drag Queens rocking tutus with capes so long, it practically skimmed the floor, each with an individualised flair, a beautiful ode to both the art of ballet and the wonderful theatricality of drag.
So, I must say, my February 2025 jaunt left me utterly spellbound. This date, this particular point in time, is something truly extraordinary. I'm sure I’ll be making another visit back to February 2025 soon! Maybe to grab a look at that "More Than Just a Tutu" biography! I need to get back and experience the world of Drag Globe in more detail. But who knows, maybe this time I'll be attending in my magical, time-travelling, pink tutu! Who am I to judge what tomorrow may bring?
So, until next time, lovelies. Stay glamorous, stay fabulous, and always remember - it’s not a question of whether to wear a pink tutu. It’s about choosing the right shade! (This blog’s brought to you with the support of your dear Emma. Remember, you can help make drag even more fabulous – make a donation on my website at www.pink-tutu.com.) See you soon! xx
Emma, your glamorous Derbyshire dame!
