Are you getting ready for your first drag show? Among opening day performance jitters, comes the age old dilemma of what to wear. When considering what kind of outfit to wear, you must first consider some basic questions.
Image Portrayal
Exactly what kind of image do you want to portray to the crowd? Are you a boy band wanna be? A gangster from the south side? Or a 1920’s barker in a pin striped suit? The choice is yours, but make sure you have an outfit to match. It also helps if you consider what kind of song you are singing. If you plan on singing a love song, dressing up as Eminem may not be the best bet.
To Bind or Not to Bind: That Is the Question
As a drag king, dressing in drag brings with it an important question: Should you bind your chest? The easy answer is yes, you should. Binding makes for a far more believable persona and to be honest, helps make the clothes fit. If, however, you are just doing this for fun binding might not be a way to go. It is uncomfortable and can inhibit your breathing.
For those of you drag kings who choose to bind, start out with an ace bandage. Push the girls towards the opposing sides of your chest and wrap the ace bandage around and around to bind your chest. The tighter it is, the more believable it will be, but the less you will be able to breath. How tightly you bind your chest is your choice.
Now that you are done binding your chest, put a tight sports bra over the top and a wife beater. These extra layers will help to smooth out the line of your chest and make it appear like what people are seeing is just pecs. Last, put a loose shirt over the top and your chest is complete!
Facial Hair
So ladies, you have reached the next dilemma in your path towards drag king stardom: you possess no facial hair. This is not a problem. Most costume stores carry facial make up that will help to make you look like you have a beard from a distance. If you want to make it believable from close up, find an old mascara. Using the mascara, gently stroke all of the tiny hairs on your face to make them seem darker. Then, lightly rub the mascara against your face where a 5 o’clock shadow normally would be. Put enough on to give the appearance, but not so much that people realize it is mascara. While you are at it, grab an eyebrow pencil and thicken up your eyebrows. How many guys do you see who pluck their eyebrows?
Walking the Walk
Before the day of the drag show approaches, try mimicking a guys motions. Find a friend and copy the hand motions and body language you see. What you will most likely find is that guys tend to not use their body nearly as much as a girl. Hand motions are slowed down and there are far fewer of them. They also tend to sway less when they are walking and stand much farther apart from people when talking. Get used to this kind of body language before your performance.
Time to Break a Leg!
Now that you have prepared for your drag show, it is time to perform. Practice your song as much as possible prior to the day of rehearsal. Break a leg!
