Blonde Beauty Icon RuPaul
So I was recently called out for not featuring any "Darlings of Color" on my blog and I felt pretty yucky about it! The most inspirational blonde ebony enchantress for me is drag legend RuPaul! Born in San Diego, RuPaul made a name for herself in the Atlanta drag scene during the 80's. She originally worked a Rocky Horror-esque/Genderfuck look before transitioning to full glaMOUR. When she moved to NYC and started working it in the early 90's Club Kid scene, her career really blew up! She slapped adversity in the face when her debut album, the very gay, house infused Supermodel of the World was released in 1993 (during the height of grunge and hardcore gansta' rap)...and it was a hit! Inspired by the early 90's obsession with supermodels, the lead single Supermodel (You Better Work) reached #2 on the Billboard charts and the video received heavy rotation on MTV. She broke even more ground when she was revealed as the 1st spokesperson for MAC Cosmetics and the Viva Glam/MAC AIDS Fund campaign. Yes, a black man in drag was now a spokesperson for a major cosmetics company!
I've had an affinity towards RuPaul since I was 13, as she was the only drag queen I saw in mainstream media I could relate to. She always seemed approachable, preached a loving and positive message and was by far the most glamorous! Her classic beauty and "realness" transfixed me and when she released her autobiography Lettin' It All Hang Out in 1995 I simply HAD to read it. The first chapter was all about her beauty routine and was where I first discovered MAC Cosmetics. She was so beautiful and glamorous and the idea of a drag queen as a cosmetics spokesperson was so cutting edge, I simply had to use it too! I ended up working for MAC for 8 years and I guess I have RuPaul to thank/blame! Ha!
Just a casual up-do!
Screen Siren!
BEAT DOWN!
"If you don't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?-RuPaul
I have a feeling Sam Fine was involved!
Drag Tulip!
Shwerk!!
"Look at me--a big old black man under all of this makeup, and if I can look beautiful, so can you."-RuPaul
I drove my Dad crazy with this album....but I think he secretly loved it!
"Look at me--a big old black man under all of this makeup, and if I can look beautiful, so can you."-RuPaul
Sashay! Shante'!
Bump it!
"We all came into this world naked. The rest is all drag." -RuPaul
"We all came into this world naked. The rest is all drag." -RuPaul
SHEEEEWWWWW!!!
Tina!
The Eyes have it!
"I've dedicated my career to fighting the mundane. My hope is that my career will be a shining example to children everywhere that life is more meaningful when you are not afraid to see all colors of the rainbow."-RuPaul
VOLUME!
Amazing!
You Betta Werk, bitch!
