Hello my darlings! It's Pink Tutu Sparkles here, coming to you live from the glittering metropolis of Wembley, London, which is where my sparkly heels are planted this very moment. Oh, you know how much I love travelling!
It's a chilly December morning, a beautiful frosty crisp kind of day with a blue sky that sparkles like my sequins, just perfect for a day in London! But first, a little story, because I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself!
This trip is a long-time dream coming true. It all began way back in the glorious month of May when I stumbled across an advert on a rather drab-looking noticeboard at the local church hall. (And yes, my darlings, I do still attend church on occasion, after all, every diva needs a little divine intervention). The noticeboard announced a dazzling dance competition – a grand competition where, and this was the magic part, they needed a tutu queen. My heart leapt, my head swirled and for the very first time, I heard my drag name whisper through my thoughts – Pink Tutu Sparkles!
I've been saving for this trip, every sequin I've stitched onto a costume, every glittery eyebrow pencil I've bought, every performance at the village hall and the local fair, has gone into this London extravaganza! I can hardly believe it, but after all that saving and all that shimmering practice in my little attic bedroom, I managed to secure a place! You can imagine my excitement!
Trains are my friend
And of course, my travels took me by train! The best mode of transport for a true queen! I got myself all glammed up (pink sparkly lipstick, a dash of lavender eye shadow and my newest sequined hat with matching feathered boa, it took an hour, don't you know, it takes time to get it perfect!) and sat back, comfy as a fluffy tutu, to admire the world whizzing by. I can tell you, there was not one single passenger on that train that wasn't mesmerized by my amazing pink feathered boa, it had to have been an early Christmas present from the angels in the heavens, it's that divine. I'm certain I saw at least six jaws drop and an old lady started to tap her feet and even got up to do a tiny jig in the middle of the aisle! Oh my god, how could I possibly deny her?!
But before all that glamour, there was some serious business to attend to – getting my sparkly act all sorted out! I had to make sure all my sparkly outfits and costumes fitted right and all the sequins and feathers were ready to go! After all, no good drag queen can perform without their sparkly finery, and of course, I would be using pink as my base colour and a tutu – naturally! The big show wasn't just a dance competition; it was all about "the most fabulous tutu queen in Britain." They even had a prize, a huge sparkling tiara, all the more dazzling if I do say so myself.
Let's be honest, competition's a bit like my other work – the fabric testing. I spend all day looking for faults, looking for imperfections and checking those numbers. And just like with the science lab, you have to bring your A-game! You can't be a drag queen with a fear of failure, it just doesn't work. But the fear, and the competition, well, it brings the adrenaline rushing, the excitement surges, and you push your own personal limits, don't you? That's when I shine my brightest, that's when the inner drag queen gets all fiery. That's what makes my fabulous, twirling world go round!
A Queen's First Stop - Buckingham Palace!
Now, as a proper queen should, my journey to the big show had to start at Buckingham Palace, the seat of British Royalty! That's my ultimate place, the Queen of Queens! Yes, a little touristy maybe, but you know me, darling, always pushing those fashion boundaries. But hey, that tutu has been the ultimate conversation starter with all the tourists and the lovely policemen guarding the Palace gates. And after an hour posing for photos and giving impromptu fashion advice to those willing to listen, I headed into central London, my sequined pink slippers barely hitting the pavement. And what a trip!
Just imagine, my loves – me in my bright pink sparkly attire amidst the hustle and bustle of London! It was all so bright, so vibrant, so thrilling and oh my, it was like the city itself wanted me to shine! All I had to do was simply walk and turn heads. You know, my loves, I think we should have a week devoted to Pink Tutu Days. Everyone could join in, be fabulous and have some fun.
London is full of things that take my breath away:
The bright red double-decker buses, oh my God, they could be out of a ballet scene, that vibrant scarlet really does add a dash of class and flamboyance!
And then there’s the big London Eye, a majestic marvel of modern engineering. Did you know that in my first visit to London years ago, when I was still in the lab and just trying on tutus for a charity fundraiser, I'd imagined getting all glammed up in full drag and getting a photoshoot there? I can't say I didn't almost do it today! Oh, but this is Wembley for my competition!
And lastly, the Theatre District, with the fabulous red velvet theatre doors, those gleaming neon lights and the promise of so much glitz, glam and, most importantly, drama! Yes, theatre is another one of my loves. Nothing gets my creative juices flowing better than a trip to the theatre! It’s pure inspiration, it’s passion and, my darlings, it's a chance to explore all sorts of fabulous personas! That's how I get some of my fabulous drag ideas. I try to see every ballet and theatre show, anything and everything! From those old classic ballets like "The Nutcracker" to more modern plays like "Chicago" and “West Side Story," every time I see one of those shows, I come out feeling all kinds of wonderful.
Of course, I was very tempted to hop over to see "Wicked," but that's one for next time, after I've conquered Wembley, after I have shown them all the Queen of Tutus!
London's best – shops galore!
But let's not forget about the fabulous shopping! From Harrods to the trendy boutiques of Covent Garden, I've seen it all! And what a joy it is to witness those dazzling window displays! Honestly, you could spend weeks shopping here in London. There are places for every occasion and every style, my love, and they make for such fun photographs!
I’ll never forget when I visited the Harrods beauty department. You know, I really did consider trying to buy a lipstick, oh just the thought! The pink sparkly counters are a queen's paradise and I nearly had to call the taxi to help carry me out! But alas, it was time to think about the real prize – that glittery tiara. So with a flick of my boa and a toss of my sequined feather, I marched out of the department store. The perfect pink shade? The best sparkly lipstick? Maybe next time, darling!
Wembley and the Big Show
Today, however, the excitement centred around the most prestigious competition of the year – the Queen of the Tutus competition. You know I like to think of it as my calling. The competition itself? Let's just say it was quite an experience, darling! A stage packed with sparkly contestants in all sorts of flamboyant outfits. All these dazzling girls with all those twirling tutus. I admit, the pressure was immense!
Of course, I never imagined I could be a true queen! When I first saw that advert, all those years ago in Derbyshire, it all felt a bit surreal, almost a joke! Then again, how do we ever dream big without thinking of the possible consequences, that first terrifying step, of going for it? Now I know: you simply just have to try. You must step out in your best sparkling, twirling outfit. You must follow your dreams.
So here it is - my confession, a revelation to share with the whole world
And I must admit, the pressure of that sparkly spotlight brought me to tears, almost literally drowned me in sequin tears. I felt overwhelmed by all the sparkling and the thrilling tension! And then it happened – I simply remembered what my TutuQueen journey has really taught me. There’s no magic to becoming a queen, there's no magical moment when it all becomes perfect.
What it really takes is to make that small decision. Be kind to yourself. Don’t be afraid of your own joy, darling! That was the secret to my success, and the reason I didn’t win but actually came in a brilliant second!
The real prize for me was making those dreams happen and being amongst all those fabulous tutu-wearing beauties! And just like the magic of theatre, those backstage moments at the competition were magical too – that's when the glitter really happens, when you really become a sisterhood.
Yes, my darlings, after the glitter settles down, you simply keep dancing! You keep on shining bright. That’s what I intend to do! And now you must all promise me: Go get yourselves a pink tutu, throw it on and spin your way into fabulousness! We are all tutu queens!
Now, with those pink Tutu thoughts, I'll head off to find the best cafe in Wembley for a well-deserved afternoon tea and to enjoy the most divine Pink Lemonade in a sparkly, glittering cup!
But darling, before you go, do leave me a message here on www.pink-tutu.com! Tell me your dream story. What's your pink dream, darling? Do tell.
See you all soon. Lots of sparkly love, Pink Tutu Sparkles xx xx
