Hello my darlings, Emma here, and welcome to another journey through the glorious, glittery, and downright fabulous history of drag! 💅 I'm just back from a truly spectacular trip to the future, the year 2061 to be exact. Now, I know what you're thinking, '2061?! What was the drag scene like?' Honestly, let me tell you, it was everything I could ever imagine and more! The energy, the artistry, the utter audacity, it was mind blowing! As ever, I made a beeline for the nearest drag show in my trusty magical time-travelling pink tutu – my ultimate fashion statement and portal to drag history, wouldn’t you agree?
Right, before we dive into the fabulousness, let's get a little context, shall we? It’s not just the year that makes it so exciting, but that very date - July! Yes, 2061.07 - that means July, baby, and you know what that means! It’s Drag History Month, a month-long celebration of all things drag, worldwide! 🎊 Now, even in Derbyshire, we all love to mark the occasion, but you can only imagine the fabulous festivities that unfold in, let's say, a futuristic London, for example.
My travels this time took me to the fabulous neon city of Dragtopia, New London, a breathtaking metropolis buzzing with drag and fashion. Now, London has always been a drag queen’s playground, but this was something else! 🌃 They have taken street style and urban chic and absolutely run with it. Think gravity-defying drag outfits lit up by holographic projections, floating stages in mid-air with DJs suspended in futuristic pods... yes, my dears, it's beyond bonkers. And I loved every minute of it.
So, where to begin? I first landed smack bang in the heart of Dragtopia, New London, where the biggest drag show in the entire solar system was about to begin - 'Out Of This World' at the newly-opened, multidimensional theatre, 'The Orbit'! 🤩 You can imagine how quickly I grabbed a ticket – a sparkly silver, holographic one, by the way. They even have automated rainbow hair extensions stations just by the entrance! Who needs hairdressers? Not these futuristic drag queens, that’s for sure!
I tell you, darlings, the show was out of this world. Think of the most outlandish concepts, costumes made with materials you could barely even imagine, dancers floating mid-air like feathered angels – it truly felt like they had unlocked the future of performance art.
There were even these drag queens with multiple personalities, switching their costumes instantly during a number – and yes, it did involve a sparkly robotic wardrobe assistant on a holographic platform that zoomed around the stage! ✨ My, oh, my!
But you know what truly took me back?
One queen - she had this massive pink wig that glowed like the sky in the desert, and you just knew, without any other visual cues, she was born and bred from the drag tradition! There was this element of vintage charm about her show, a respect for the history and roots of drag, but done in this incredibly future-forward way. I practically screamed and leapt from my seat – they played an oldie but goodie from my youth that we still play back in Derbyshire! 🤩 ‘This Is How We Do It’ - the drag queen had adapted it into a super sassy and sleek contemporary pop performance with this gorgeous laser light show.
The next day, I hit up Dragopolis’ famous drag department stores! It was like entering a candy shop designed by a fashion deity! Now, I do love to shop in Derbyshire, but trust me when I say, Dragopolis blew my mind. 🤯 The shops were completely interactive with holographic projections showing you different looks, the changing rooms had robot make-up assistants (so you could try out new drag looks in a matter of minutes!) and the entire store pulsated with light and music! The air actually smelled like a perfume bottle, for goodness sake! It was amazing!
Let me tell you, you just cannot go to Dragopolis without visiting the world’s most fabulous fashion museum! You literally felt transported through the evolution of drag from its humble beginnings to this dazzling and revolutionary future. 🤩 They had everything – original drag dresses from the 20th Century, a whole section dedicated to the glorious history of the ‘tutu’ (you know I am here for that, and they did not disappoint!) and then the most stunning displays of cutting-edge drag looks from the last few decades – it was absolutely breathtaking!
This brings us to the fabulous ‘Tutu Time’, a legendary section at the fashion museum. Just imagine! An entire room dedicated to tutus - you’ve got ballet tutus, classical tutus, modern tutus, punk-rock tutus – I mean, everything, my darlings. Even tutus that would blow your mind (literally!).
It's so fabulous! The sheer creativity of drag queens, their dedication to the artform - that’s something that just cannot be matched! 👑 You see, my darlings, drag is more than just a show. It’s about expressing yourself, pushing boundaries, making people laugh, and finding beauty in unexpected places. That's why I travel, that’s why I share my adventures in drag history, and that’s why I want to inspire everyone to put on a tutu and embrace their fabulous inner drag queen.
So what can we learn from our drag history? What does the drag world have in store for us in the future? Honestly, my darlings, we are just beginning! I know the future holds so much more, so many more creative moments, more amazing shows, and I will be right there, my magical pink tutu by my side, to document every dazzling second. 😉
Love you all. Remember, there is a little drag queen inside all of us. So grab your tutu, unleash your inner star, and embrace your true, glamorous self! ✨
Stay fabulous, Emma xxx
*Don't forget to check out my pink-tutu.com website for my blog, my Drag Queen history YouTube videos, and my weekly 'Pink Tutu Showtimes' drag calendar – updated monthly! I am also taking drag queen history bookings for weddings, events, and corporate performances. Keep your eyes peeled for exciting news about the ‘Drag-tastic Drag Awards’ in November – get your nominations in, darlings!’ *
