© BBC
Darlings! We made the BBC news website!
Yesterday was THE BIG DAY in our Social Calendar, Gay Pride in London - and it was, after all the weeks and months of anticipation, utterly fantabulosa (searing heat or no searing heat; we suffer for our art!).
Our "official" theme was a sort-of-Ruritanian, sort-of-Steampunk dress uniform look - but a look that pivoted on extravagant hats, inspired by designs from some of the more outré music festivals such as Burning Man. Given that we start planning our theme while we are at the "Season-closing" event Proms in the Park in September - and our little committee originally voted for a look as simple as "hats" and "pink" - it was truly amazing how it evolved into the splendid display we eventually put on...
We had the hassle this year of having to traipse all the way to the top of Portland Place (a significant way from our meeting-place of Our Sal's pub The Shaston Arms near Carnaby Street) to collect our "individuals' wristbands", then traipse all the way back down to Regent Street to try and get a space along the parade route. [The organisers' game plan was for everyone who had registered for a wristband to go through a one-way gate, stand in a "corral", behave themselves like good children, and wait for hours for the whole shebang to move off while gazing longingly at the back of everyone else's floats - ha, ha, not bloody likely! We choose what we do on our day, not them!]
So of course, rebels that we are, we managed to get ourselves a good spot to watch a couple of hours of the multi-cultural, multi-coloured, multi-everything, thousands-strong spectacular that is Pride - and we got through the barriers to join the parade, at a time of our choosing! Speaking of which...
We were once again amazed at the amount of interest our outfits garnered, from the official photographers and marchers alike. And yes, we were immensely proud that, even before the parade had ended, the British Broadcasting Corporation had published our photo.
Gay Xmas is over for another year, dear reader, but this was one of our best ever!
Glad you didn't collapse in the heat!
ReplyDeleteWe're made of tough stuff, my dear! Jx
DeleteI just had to stop in and check to see you ...as always...wonderful and fabulous pride post!!!!! You didn't let down darling you all look campy and stunning! And what a nice package you cute friend has in those pink trunks! But you hats are masterpieces dear.
ReplyDeleteI friend of mine was over in the parade, I had no idea tell I saw her Instagram a queen named Alyssa Edwards. I adored her wig
And I am dying to wear that outfit your dear friend in the big pink outfit has on with you in the picture with the men of color. Or one of them will be fine too!!!!!
Now rest dear, you must be exhausted.
Our hats took months - but they were worth every hour of gluing and primping... Our Sal's outfit was impressive - very "Gainsborough Picture Studios", we thought. The "gentlemen of colour" [how polite] are I believe "gentlemen of porno"; they were certainly with the float of that fine purveyor of homosexual requisites, Clone Zone, anyhow! Jx
DeletePS I'll tell Baby Steve that his "ball-of-socks-down-the-trousers look" caught your attention :-)
BBC, huh? Let me adjust my antenna and see if I can tune in from Ohio. Looks like some great (and a bit lascivious) television!
ReplyDeleteIt was an epic - it even starred Serena McKellen! Jx
DeleteYour costumes are amazing!! Yours in particular, Jon (I think it's the pink sunglasses that really give you the edge).
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of giving: who's the Hottie with the beard behind you in the BBC photo?!?
The sunglasses cost £1.50. The hat cost hours of blood, sweat, toil and tears. I'm so pleased it's the glasses that made it :-)
DeleteHeaven only knows who the hottie was, but he was in front of us when we arrived, and then, thanks to one of our many paparazzi, he and his friend moved out of the way so he remained behind us for the rest of it. I don't mind. In front or behind; I have always been very versatile.
Jx