Today I'm going on a sartorial Journey with the beast from
dagenham East, better known as hell of a day, an English drag
queen actor and Dancer who competed on the third series of
RuPaul's Drag Race. You came I am in or of what I
see in front of doing. Welcome.
Oh my God, thanks. Q.
I'm absolutely transfixed by the hair.
The makeup the body? Yeah.
The everything is just, it's a lot, isn't it?
It's a little but it's amazing. And it's really you're just
really drawn into it. It's very magnetic.
It takes, you know, takes me a hot hour to get into it.
And, you know, it used to take me ages actually.
Yeah. Like, I'm so quick now because I
know how to do my face so I literally just pound it in the
makeup, shove it on my face. And then Always ends up fine.
But people always think how long's that take you in like,
half an hour babe? Oh my God, I know a lot of women
who would be very jealous of all of that, but I'm going to just
track back to start with and then we're going to get on to
the full hair makeup, body everything.
But what was your earliest sartorial memory?
Gosh, you know, I don't know, as a, as a kid, there was so many
different Trends growing up. So I'm 34 now and there's the
skater boy. I mean, I'm talking like me.
Me as a boy. Yeah, because I've done it on
drag for three years. Yeah, me as a boy, there was a
skater boy bit where you had to wear a baggy jeans and your to
have chain from pocket to pocket and huge shoes.
And I can't, I can't skate. I was going to ignore.
No, not at all. I just wanted to fit in.
So like I would go to. I couldn't afford the expensive
shoes, everyone had like the proper skate boys shoes.
So I got the cheap shoes from shoes own and just bought them a
couple of sizes bigger. So they were bigger.
Just to fit in because as a kid, I didn't really fit into any any
groups of friends at school because I always dance and stuff
and I wasn't a gay kid, but like the girls were really boring.
The boys are either really geeky or sporty or boring.
So I just sort of sat in the middle just like fleeting around
everyone and this was in Essex. No.
So I grew up in Suffolk. Yes.
I was born in Essex, grew up in the countryside in a stick.
It's like in between it's which our knowledge so it's kind of
like there's not much to do there so you kind of just have
to fit in where you can and then do you remember when you felt
the clothes that the whole feeling of wanting to dress up
further than that? Do you remember when that
started early when there is, you know, in my twenties like when I
worked in the West End always had to dress up nicely.
I mean I must say, I spend most of my time just in trackies and
vest. Because I've been a dancer most
of my life, my whole life is mainly just Comfort, but then in
terms of drag, you know, I got into drag when I was about 30.
What was the moment that you thought?
I'll just try drag. It was when I was in The Book of
Mormon. And we did there was like a
charity show that they did every year called mad, drag night and
they're like, do you want to come and do it?
I was like, yes, because I'd seen it that the week.
They had seen it the year before, and I really wanted to
do it. But no one has asked me to do
it. So when I got asked to do, I
jumped at it and I was like, yeah, I want to try it.
And so, did you create your own outfit for that?
I think I just wore something from like a sauce or boohoo.
Just something stretchy that would fit me because it's really
hard to buy clothes in the right size but we have to talk about
the creation of the body. Yeah.
Because I'm looking at you now and you've got these amazing
buzzes tiny waist the beautiful curvaceous.
Oops, can you just talk me through the whole process?
Well, because I out of drag, like, I go to the gym and I've
got, you know, I've got like big arms and stuff.
I had to like, in drag terms, it's called proportion eyes
where you like literally, you know, I needed to have a bigger
hit, a bigger boob to kind of make everything make sense.
I've bigger hair. Yeah, because otherwise if I
will flat hair and had no hips, I just look a bit odd.
So it kind of it took me a while to kind of develop my style and
to find the right course Sit like this is just my socks in my
bra. No, yeah, but I still have my
socks in my bra, and yeah, it just takes a while to develop it
and I always wanted to be like this curvaceous, you know,
sensual woman, which is completely different to me out
of drag inspired by a particular woman.
Not really just just like curvaceous, gorgeous women like
thinking of, you know, Marilyn Monroe and like more of the
modern People that just Embrace their bodies.
Like, I'm not a skinny boy, so I could never be one of these.
Hmm. You know, wafer-thin drag
queens, that was not gonna happen.
What's your mother looked like, Mike?
What? Here's a funny story.
My sister. Tried on my drag stuff and she
has this body. So I yeah, I basically.
So, without all the course at the course, it onto my sister.
Yeah. She has the hips.
She has the boobs. She looked like me in drag so I
basically pad and change my body.
ADI to be like my sister. But she's such fascinating,
though, that really is and but your mother doesn't look
anything like my mom looks like me facially and she's always
been a slightly curved Ebert. Yeah.
Notnot like this obviously this is a heightened version.
And is this a specific corset that you you know is it a drag
corset? No, no.
This is of course anyone can buy.
It's a cupped course it because I sing live normally, my sets,
it kind of Curves under my ribs so I can still free your
diaphragm. Yeah.
In dresses for performers in the park.
Yes, I can actually breathe. Yes, that's why, it's, it's
reasonably comfortable. And so, you've got a bra on.
I've got a bra, which is padded, and then some socks.
Okay, so, on all the pictures of drag artist, I see everyone has
the most beautiful cleavage, okay, so that's how dress play.
Okay, yeah, so that's like a silicon.
I don't wear them anymore. So sweaty and gross and to they
literally stick onto Yes, so you put it on like a vest and it
kind of either cuts at your kind of neck or like high neck.
Yeah. Then you have C have to cover up
with a choker and stuff. So that's how you get the
illusion of female breasts. Yeah.
If they are so sweaty because you can't breathe through it.
So like latex, literally. So I've kind of cut that from my
so hence the long sleeves and the high neck.
Yes. I'll even when I like a low cut
with no, you know, breastplate and just padded bra, just it's
comfier. You're an Uber fit man.
She said, try to be try to calm down a bit.
Yeah, well you've been on the road for God knows how long.
But then so you've got a great chest and then you enhance that
just fascinated anatomically, how this gets put together
sometimes if it is like a lower car, you can actually sort of
stuff, something in there, and then pull out your right Peck to
make it look like, you've got the lifts and separates not got
much tissue there to play with become sort of show.
Chuckling yeah, cheers. You can shove it in directions
where it's not meant to be. So then you've got the corset
but then we've got to talk about the hip.
Yeah, the bits. And yeah so the hips you're in,
you've got this beautiful hourglass body but I'm looking
at is it pads which I make myself out of high density foam,
and he basically kind of goes from my sort of waste right down
to like my I knee almost and it shapes like Africa like this
that goes around my bum and a leg and I carve it to the right
shape. So you you're sculpting your own
body? Yeah.
They always have and people go. Why don't just buy them and like
because they won't be exactly my size.
I love that. I love that.
I mean, you really, I take charge of everything.
I'm too much of a control freak to let someone, you know, do it.
But also everyone's I know, I can't imagine that an off the
peg. Bit of padding, you're going to
be as good. Exactly someone.
And and as a very physical person who works there body, you
know, your body back to front, exactly.
I'm still tweaking them, I'm still making them, right?
And sometimes people are like, can you make me some hip pads?
I'm like, no. Just because it's so boring.
I hate doing it but at the same time I can't let someone else do
it. Have you studied?
Kim Kardashian's body. No but I mean if I could get my
waist a bit smaller I think I wouldn't be far off I think
having Seen her in the flesh, I'd say you're pretty.
Yeah. I mean, her body is insane,
isn't it like that's, you know, very drag actually to have a
body that is like Jessica Rabbit.
It really is. Yes, I remember seeing her at an
event and finding very difficult to take my eyes off about him.
Yeah. Because she was in quite a sheer
dress and that bottom, there's an incredible extraordinary.
Yes. Okay.
Can I ask about the bits? Yes, you can.
You gonna make me ask, aren't you?
What happens? Well, lots of people don't like
speaking about what they do their bits, but basically, just
have to put it up where it came from and jam it in.
That's as much as needs to be said, fine.
OK, we'll, we'll leave it at that and then you've got these
incredible tights on. Yeah, so it's it depends.
What the outfit is. I think right now, I've probably
got about four or five pairs of dance tights, you're joking.
So sometimes my feet gets so bound up in my shoes that I
literally have to, like, pull out the tights joke.
Have you ever had that sense? Yes, I've had that say, yeah.
So like talking to a woman. Yeah, I never know if women
where multiple pairs like seven pairs of tights.
Probably isn't normal. Well, do you know what?
Back in the 80s, we used to layer our tights.
And so I remember that. Well and then all the funny.
So this, you know, drag is such an uncomfortable thing to
actually do when you've got a wig on, sometimes the wigs are
so heavy your heads. Pulled back got cool stunts, you
almost like forced forward your feet at a bound up in your shoes
which are high and yeah it's it's something else sometimes I
was going to say what's the longest time you're actually in
costume. There was one time I was in an
outfit which was a shoe inside of the outfit.
So I can actually take my shoes up for.
I think it must have been about 13 hours so I was when I took my
shoes off, I could not. I couldn't walk.
Yeah. It depends what the event is.
Sometimes if you're at an award ceremony or just sat around in
it and almost that's more uncomfortable, because you're
just, yes, stationary or if you're in a taxi, it's
uncomfortable when you're moving, it's fine.
What does your partner think of you in drag?
Does he look at you and go? I I'm in love with a man, not a
woman. He I know I've asked you this
before and he's just not bothered, you know, I think over
the years we've been together like 11 and a half years.
I've done every job under the sun.
Like I've walked dressed as a pig through Central London.
You know, he's not a phase, my family and not face when I said
I'm going to do track and honestly I don't think he cares.
He came to Australia. I did like a headlined a tour in
Australia and he came and was my assistant.
Like he got to come to Australia with me.
Dressed like this for a couple hours because that's all it is.
I don't live like this. Yeah.
I put it on my go to work and I can come home and take it off.
Yeah. IMA when you're transforming
yourself from Nick to Ellen. Do you start with the body or
the makeup or the hair? But I'll shave my hair.
First, I've shaved my beard shave.
My pits shave my chest. Yes.
Because your skin looks just like a woman's skin.
It does it beautiful. It's good.
Absolutely, lovely. So you give a good shave have to
have a close, like razor shave my eyebrows eyebrows, I have to
cover. Yes, glue.
And then, you know, carry on beards color.
Correct. So, always the face.
First that takes the longest to try and cover up the man and who
taught you? This taught myself and then from
like YouTube and was it just trial and error?
Yeah. Very much.
So and do you use like stage makeup, or did you?
Yeah. Yes, it's stage maker like, you
know, like the pan sticks but yeah, thick makeup and blend it
all in. Obviously got your highlighter,
your Contour, your blush. Like there's so much goes on the
amount of products have got. And I've actually learned over
the years when I started I looked awful I look rotten and
then even watching myself back on drag race, that taught me a
lot as well to change things up to make my eyes darker.
Because when I went on Drag Race, For example, I'd only been
doing drag for like two years. One of those years was a
lockdown so I was very new to it.
I think it really steep learning curve going on.
Yes, drag race. Because I mean you had to learn
how to sew. Hmm.
Yeah. I mean, taught me through the
drag race experience. I mean that's, that's a long
story, but the sewing bit of it. Like, I asked, I wanted to land
so anyway, because I'm one of those people I like to learn how
to do everything myself, you might have guessed that.
Well yes, I'm guessing that because it's an incredibly the
even the makeup is an incredibly creative.
Yo, sir, Yeah. And I to be honest, the reason I
kind of got into drag, I'd been doing West End, you know,
theater shows for probably about 10 12 years.
I was getting a bit bored so I wanted something new creative to
do so like learning make up with something where I could just do
it on myself and I was always good at art as a kid.
So I asked for a sewing machine for Christmas.
Yeah. From my brother and sister
because you know, at Christmas, I never know what to ask for.
And so I got this so machine. I bought some patterns tried to
make stuff and it didn't go well.
But then I I tried something really simple and it worked.
I was like, yeah, I made this to watch a few gigs.
So by the time like drag race happened, I knew how to sew.
I knew how to do a machine and you good with applying your
Swarovski Crystals. That's that's quite easy.
Just dot, dot dot stamp. Amount of yeah, more is more.
Exactly always of drag. So when you're creating a
Persona like, you're famous Nigella Verde, I'd love that.
You know, from the, the snatch game, do you have a picture of
Nigella in front of you? How does that?
Because to go from you to a specific Persona, that's a real
art. Yeah, I mean on the show I was
going to do Mystic Meg and then I changed last minute so I had
no not very similar makeup. I don't think I just, I went
from what I could remember if Nigella which was a bit more of
a simple eye, I like just eyeliner just slightly darker
smaller eyebrows and had to quickly style that wig as well,
for that. It was it was manic.
I didn't know what was going to do.
See. Yeah, I do.
Did you have a picture of her in front of no picture?
I just said in your brain? Yeah, just doing my makeup but I
tried to do it how a natural woman might do it rather than
what my drag look would be. Wow.
Yeah. Tips for pulling off an
impression. No, just go for it.
I mean that with my I had to do it for my audition tape.
So I'd already kind of thought about it and obviously with
Nigella just put on quotas seductive deeper, but quite Posh
voice. Yes, she's that is lovely.
I love that. Wonderful.
So yeah, I'm driving of such as celebratory art form.
It's really a no Maj to women. What was there?
A specific woman that inspired you to create Ella?
No. No, I think it's funny in life.
I never have like specific people.
I mean my mum is an incredible woman I would don't think
Ella's. Maybe she is maybe Ella is like
my mum, my mom's like so outgoing and and we'll talk to
anyone in his funny and beautiful.
So maybe this is me being a bit of my mum.
Yeah, because she's amazing. How did you come up with the
name? Well, I used to call myself a
love a Nash because my big bum but then people thought I was
saying l. An ass but that's it would be
nine is elephant ass. So I just thought Elevate day is
a bit more British and a bit more me because I only I'm so
dry as a person. I'm so sarcastic.
So like if if I'd go into the into the fit and be like, how
you doing? You're right and I'll be like a
telephoto donít talk about it or like, you know, when someone
asks you what you had for lunch, I'd be like any business so that
just kind of it just kind of came and it stuck would you say
you have a drag type? I mean, I'm definitely within
like the Glamorous MILF genre. I mean I sing live so I'm kind
of I sit with him the Cabaret theater e bit of drag rather
than the lip syncing, you know throwing myself around a club
because I'm too old for that. So yeah, I don't know I kind of
but that must be lovely because actually you're layering another
skill. Yeah onto Quite a multitude of
skills. Anyhow.
Yeah, it's taking what I've always done and just moving it
into this new kind of putting it on steroids.
Yeah. But no steroids in a wig.
Do you have a dog? I do.
Yeah. Is your dog react to you being
in drag hates it? It's so interesting because I
was staying years ago, I was staying with some friends in the
country and had my dog with me. I was single at the time and,
you know, lovely friends. And he had two of them came
downstairs at dinner? Yeah.
In full drag. Yeah.
My dog. Who had been with them all day
went completely Bonkers. Yeah.
I mean, really did not find it funny.
You know, she was smelling them. She knew who they were but she's
got it was really not funny. He finds it so real, I took him
to the people's pet Awards and he couldn't stand to be with me
like he honesty and what I think sometimes when I'm getting into
drag ice cream and I throw things around, I'm too hot, all
that kick. And I think your socio is that
with elephant day. So, whenever I come downstairs,
he's like looking at me. Like, who the hell are you keep
away from me? She's gonna be moody and then I
tried to take you on a red carpet and all the pictures.
He's like trying to get away. I'm picking him up.
He's like, now it was a bit of a nightmare bless him.
I'm do you feel that having an alter ego helps you express
yourself better? I would have said no, but I
think yes, I think it does. Make you it.
People look at you and react you so much differently to like,
when I'm out of drag and I kind of love the fact that that
happens as well. I think it definitely makes I
think L of a day is definitely more confident because I would
never as Nick go to a bar and sing a couple of songs and get
people, you know, despite being a performer.
Yeah, I hate karaoke, but I know that L of a day would run a
karaoke and sing every song you could because I hate it.
She's such a great woman. Yeah.
Like Nick would have to be drunk to do karaoke because I hate
that. I hate the attention.
So is your drag a form of armor? Oh, definitely I think for a lot
of people drag is their armor. Just like, you know, fashion is
just like makeup is drag is literally a whole coating of
armor, isn't it? Yeah, head to toe.
Yeah, don't look like the same person and you really don't know
because I've seen pictures of you.
Out of drag and now meeting you today in drag.
Yeah, I've say, you are extraordinarily beautiful,
really beautiful, turning to drag race.
What was the selection process? Like, because that happen quite
quickly for you, didn't it? Yeah.
So obviously have to do an audition tape, which you submit.
They kind of tell you what you need to do for it.
You send it off. I'd actually they kind of chased
me for season 2 to do a video and I didn't do it because I've
got hair spray. In town, I was like, I've got
the job, I want to do. So I kind of I sent off for
season 3 thinking, hey, maybe they're interested.
So I'll get it in really quickly.
I was really happy with what I did to my video.
What did you do? You just have to, like,
literally do lip sync and you have to do to snatch games, and
show off your different looks. And I was very basic still, but
I knew I'd put together a good video.
We're in lockdown. And, as I said, you know what,
nothing to lose. Yeah, I'll do what I want.
Yeah. So I submitted it and I thought,
right? I'm going to get together all
the designers. I would use all the wig people
just in case, just kind of had a feeling.
Yes, of Modell's, I've Got a Feeling do you.
You must have quite a hell of a wardrobe now mmm-hmm.
Yeah. And the Wardrobe of weeks.
How many weeks do you have any money at the moment?
I've got like, one section of wigs that are just so rubbish
that they're just kind of shoved in and we need to get rid of
them and then just like this is a new one.
Other new ones because there is there is a pressure to keep up
looking good, you know. But I knew the new yeah.
So like every red carpet I've done in the last couple of weeks
has been like a new wig, a new outfit.
So you do build up a lot of server.
Rent, can you rent? I can't really rank because of,
because of the proportion. Yeah, interest and it's hard to
buy from shops as well. So I find it particularly
difficult because my measurements are not normal.
Thank goodness for that. That sewing machine.
What's been your favorite drag? Look to date for you.
I've had loads. I really loved.
I think my most recent one that I wore to the pride of Britain
was this like gorgeous light metallic gown sort of that
gathered. And I think that just look
really nice on me. That was Classic Hollywood.
Yeah, to me felt like I felt like a million dollars.
And then on the show, I wore an outfit which was like a
watermelon sort of themed out. It and it's ready camp.
And it's really like Ella, it's like, shut the big boobs and
like cut outs on her legs and stuff.
And that was really my car. My guilty secret is I loved you
as a Mel C. I just thought that was genius.
Yeah. Well, that was great because it
was embracing my masculinity and like, having muscles and stuff
whilst having this skinny waist, and because you're being able to
dance and sing and do it all in the costume.
It was great. I loved doing that look.
And also I knew That no one else would do Mel C, because she's
not an obvious drag. Sort of a drag look to do.
So I thought I'm going to do that.
So I stand out because you have to be really careful.
You have to be clever on drag race to pick things that people
won't pick. Yeah.
Because the obvious ones from Spice Girls.
Like I love Mel C by the way for listening and would be like
Scary Spice. Jerry and baby.
Yeah. I think they're the ones that
everyone would go go for. So I thought until they had the
iconic looks really didn't they? I thought I'm not going to do
them and I'm going to Do press-ups on the runway and I'm
gonna do something different. I think sort of as human beings
were little guilty of sizing people up, when we first meet
them, especially by what they're wearing, is this, something
you're conscious of when you're around other drag artist, it's
nothing. I really thought of.
But, you know, I don't consider myself very my style is not very
like fashion-forward. Like I'm not going to Balenciaga
to buy that sort of thing. So it doesn't really suit me.
So I know that I get judged by certain other drag queens that
maybe do wear, that kind of like expensive fashion brands and
stuff, because I don't really like that.
I like to look a bit more classic but classy.
So yeah, I don't really overthink it.
I just always think if I feel good, then I don't care.
It's a lot about how you feel inside.
Yeah, isn't it? Yeah, would you say you have a
style icon? You know who I absolutely love
it. I time you really surprised me
with that one. When I don't know.
I just think if you look at all of her music videos and I think
she wears like for example, I've got the leopard print outfit
that she wore for that, don't impress me much, and like she
just is incredible. I just think they the country
and western singers. Do have that for ya stick,
theatricality, don't they Dolly Parton.
Oh, like her figure as well. It's like tiny way.
Has big boobs. It's quite drag, isn't it?
And I love anyone from like the late 90s early 2000s, all of
that sort of genre, all the Divas like that's totally my my
bag modern music and stuff. I'm not really into like I
always revert back to maybe in a kid we'd like Anastasia and you
know all of these incredible people.
Yeah so I kind of I don't know, I guess I emulate I guess I
really love the late 90s early 2000s.
Do you Remember how old you were when you first when drag first
came into your lair, sort of Consciousness?
Yeah, I think only because of RuPaul's Drag Race.
I kind of discovered drag because I did panto as a kid.
Yeah. Like the Pantone.
So thanks for not drinking. Yeah.
And I guess, I just thought drag was like people in clubs, you
know, being a bit dirty and stuff and then drag race kind of
took it to a different level where it was all about fashion
and it was about Impressions and Dancing and singing and I've
been watching it since it started, but really got into it
kind of in the last six years. I would say.
Yeah, when you realize that actually you can have a career
and do some amazing stuff and it's a real art in it.
It's real up. Yeah.
It really is. Yeah.
Right. I appreciate what you're saying
about panto is just you can't compare panto to drag.
No it's good. It's complete Polar Opposites
but it's great that it is because you know you can't be a
good. Pant a Dame.
Yeah. Yeah.
Would you say you have a drag style icon?
I mean RuPaul. Like the things he wears.
Yeah. Are incredible apart from that?
No, I don't. I don't know.
I'm really bad at having icons, don't know, but I but I sort of
love it because you create your own personas and yeah, you're
very artistic with it and I think takes from different bit
sometimes. I think I want to look like this
this time and I said to the person that made my last dress,
I want it to Be cut and like drapey and edited her and part
of it so that I'm comfortable as well.
So it draped across another person that made your last
dress. Do, do they make for just drag
artist? Or is it a dress maker who makes
for women? So they do a lot of Ballroom
stuff so there's no great with stretch material.
Yes, you know, and any drag queens.
Best friend is a bit of stretch. There's any woman's best friend.
Can I just tell you that? It's actually very true.
So, and though she was making In 44 ballrooms.
So she's great at, you know, at Sparkle and stretch.
And so, yeah, she's been great to me when you're unsure of the
dress code. What's your go-to look?
Is it, is it Ella? Or is it Nick?
I like to mix it up, you know, because I like it was the finale
of drag race last year, and it was a gay times honors Awards.
Everyone was going in Drag and I was like, I'm not going to go in
drag even though it was like finale week.
Week and everyone expected me to.
So what do you wear? I bought a suit jacket and
trousers from, what's his name Daniel Fletcher.
Yeah, like I got something from Daniel Flapjacks.
I wanted to just go be comfortable and just be like
hey, I can also be me out of drag.
Yeah. And like if you're going to like
a gay function, you don't have to go and drag because everyone
there is probably from the lgbtq+ community and they know
you're a drag queen. I kind of thought I'd make, you
know, just a statement be like, yeah, I can be in the finale of
drag race and not going drag. Do you have one item of
clothing? That means the most to you.
Oh my god, right? It doesn't mean the most
everyone hates it. It's actually this for our, I'll
tell you what it's a really good price varies so old.
And at the back of it, it's like cage like this and someone held
up the other day. And I'm like, what is this?
Is it looks like a fisherman's Contraption for like that.
Finding crabs or something. So this brought it needs
checking out, but this is like something I can't get rid of,
but does the right job. It makes the right shape.
It still goes on. It's got one hook at the back.
It's a mess, but you can't usually see it.
Do you buy things like that online or do you actually go
into a lingerie shop? No, I hate going into shops.
I hate going into shops, I get so embarrassed.
I feel really conscious going into even into women stores and
looking at women's clothes. So you still feels It
everything's bought online. Think I bought this in Primark
about six years ago and that's why I just carry on using it.
Have you ever used a stylist? No, no I haven't.
I wish I could. And why do you wish you could?
Because I would love someone to style me because sometimes, you
know, sometimes you can put together an outfit and you don't
know until the very end if it's going to work and that certainly
happened on drag race. Like I'd be like okay I need a
we're going to do this and you never get to try them on at the
same. Same time and even now I think
I've got a better idea now of what suits me and what doesn't,
but it would be so nice to be that I would you help me?
Yeah. Make either as as a boy or a
girl just have an outfit put together.
I just I just don't even know how to do that.
It's a real Indulgence. If you've been photographed in
something for a specific event and, you know, an award ceremony
or whatever. Do you relegate that piece to to
Archive it? Do you put it somewhere safe?
And say I'll come back to that. What?
Like my outfit? Yeah, well I guess so but also I
probably wear it again a gig. So yeah, I don't usually buy
things that I like so expensive. That I feel like I've got to,
you know, their pressures. They usually stretch material.
So they're fairly affordable. They look expensive.
I hope that your pounds per wear Primark exactly Mark bra from
it. Yeah, exactly.
And I'll probably keep them. I probably went Wear them for a
long time after but I'll try and wear them again because it seems
such a waste to me. Yeah, good.
Yeah, because, otherwise, what we can do that, just have it sat
in her wardrobe. I mean, look after your clothes.
Well, I mean, they're in there in the wardrobe.
That's about it. My boyfriend's, very good.
At putting things away from me, without me asking.
See ya, if it's on the floor, he'll put it away.
Oh, he sounds like a keeper. Yes, he is.
Do you feel like you've had a worst fashion moment?
Oh, oh God, I wasn't in drag? Or was it in in?
I mean, out of drag. I don't think so.
I think on drag race, my finale gown was just horrendous talk us
through. It was the wig, the accessories,
the dress, horrendous, the shoes, everything was bad.
I've got right to episode 10, right in the lead to win and
then aware that and it Custer the outfit.
Okay. So the outfit was a bit of a
nightmare. It was based on another design.
We couldn't get the fabric. Basically, I hadn't even tried
on the gown and I took it to drag race.
Oh, the hair is by someone else. The jewelry didn't really match
the outfit. So when I tried on the dress, it
was too too short. So we didn't hit the ground, The
Joy didn't really go, the hair really didn't go.
My shoes are broken. So I actually had them sellotape
to my feet and it just, it just It's just a nightmare and I had
a back injury as well. So it was just a nightmare
finale and that seeing that outfit just brings me back to
it. Okay?
We'll leave that one fine but I am looking down at these
Exquisite, jewels of shoes. Yeah.
Is there a specific place that you go to for?
Because you must be what a man's size, 14 to size 7.
So I said, so you Please buy women's?
Yeah. Could you best do really well in
the sales? Yeah.
No, I'm really lucky. A lot of a lot of guys have big
old. Yeah.
Well as I've only got a size 7. Little dainty for so little
dainty. But yeah.
They were those little dainties. Are they women's shoes?
Yeah. Well, I think they do drag their
from Baker shoe. They actually sent them to me in
there, they're really comfy. I know they look huge, but I
think because they've got a platform.
They're getting a good plug right now.
Yeah, exactly. And that.
Just they're just great for like heightening, you know, making me
really big and tall and scary and with your stage experience.
Do you think that's helped you in terms of being able to carry
off a heel? Oh definitely.
Yeah. Like a lot of, a lot of people
don't know how to even walk in heels.
I didn't particularly put ice to say, I do not see this, you
know, I was in Wicked. And I used to just sometimes
Nick the girls shoes and just wear them around just for
laughs, you know. And like with all the Dance
Experience, you know, you can't B be good at walking and
dancing. Like I've worn them on, on tour
for like seven weeks, like doing a dance number of the beginning.
I've got to ask you, what's the worst part of being a woman for
you? I mean, being a woman is
fantastic, but for me it's just it's when you need a way for me
in the eight pairs. Okay well those two pairs of
underwear that are underneath the corset and all the pair.
All the pair's tights, trying, every way is awful.
So there's some nice So I just don't we for about 10 hours just
because it's too much you know too much hassle.
Let's talk about travel. You've been on the road for a
while. Now how is that you've been
living in a tour bus? Yeah, do people stay in
character, do they, you know, are you, are you on the road
with a bunch of She women or are you?
I don't mean to Typecast us. But, or are you on the road with
a whole lot of blokes that or is it in between somewhere between
there? Well, it was, it was a coach,
like a sleeper bus, you know, with the little coffin beds
where you wake up. And then in the night, like
what, like, you've been buried alive?
Did you sleep? I did sleep.
It's actually very calming like the rocking of the bus sometimes
you're like, what the hell is this driver doing?
Because it was like, yeah. Yeah, but no, it's fine.
There were 16 of us on this coach that are for dancers and
then the 12 drag queens, and it was actually really fun.
It was the first time we'd all been together for a long time.
Did you ever have to get into into drag on the bus?
No, no, no, no, no, no. We get would do that in the
venue. Yeah.
Shower. You do your last toilet, and
then you get on the, on the bus for the night, and you travel
sometimes, I seven hours to the next place.
You'd wake up in the Venue because you do find myself sort
of visualizing you all piling off this bus in full, drag the
locals. Yeah, wondering what hit them?
No, no, it was, it was all out of drag on the bus and it was
really fun. You know, be partying till late
and getting up early. And yeah, it's just just, great
fun. Having such a good time.
Have you ever been through an airport in drag?
No, but I know people that have they had to do secure it in
everything. We went on the fairest of been
quite an interesting pattern. It down.
I don't know. I don't know how they let that
happen. Me.
And Kitty's Got Claws. We went to Calais the other day
for a job. So we had to go on a ferry, get
into drag on the ferry. Brilliant, and then work in a
duty-free and then get back. I think we got our makeup off
before we got on the ferry. But yeah, that was an
experience. You got the makeup off.
Did you get the padding off? Yeah, everything's off.
I whip it off Wicked and you can imagine how long does it will
the makeup. Removal takes always like five
minutes, honestly, just so quick.
Just get something like, oily or creamy.
Just smoosh it all in. Wipe it off the brow cover takes
a bit longer. Have you found that you have
been more attentive to your skincare since you've been a
drag queen definitely when sometimes I've done drag, you
know six times in a week in a row sometimes it's long hours
and my face just feel so dry. So I've been especially as I'm
34. My skin is aging.
As well. So, I just make sure I use some
decent products, take it off gently.
So, I had loads of awful kind of breakouts when my eyes are just
swell up. I'm not surprised.
I mean I'm looking at the amount of makeup.
You've got on now, it looks extraordinary.
Yeah, it's like caked on but I would imagine that what a
process is Kate Diamond. It's all powder down.
It's actually really easy to get on and off I think.
But I guess I'm used to it. I wouldn't know how to do your
makeup or like a normal makeup. I'm not sure.
I know how to do. I need some tips later when
you're out of drag. What's your what's your look?
Watch the Knick look, I kind of have like two different default
site. Obviously, I walk my dog and I'm
just in scruffy clothes at home. I don't really care how I look
and what Scrappy clothes, just like joggers and jumper.
Just like, you know, casual. I like to look nice when I'm
going out and I'm quite good at sort of styling up in the commit
nice. I love fear Ruchi like anything
from there is a bit cool but edgy great, you can just put
with some plain jeans. You know I'm kind of good at
putting together an outfit out of drag but usually it's just
kind of do you have a guilty secret brand when you're out of
drag? Not really no but I don't either
I find I've where Uniqlo joggers because they're so soft and
comfy for that's it. So it's all about it, really is
I'm like, honestly out of drag. I never think.
Oh, I must wear a nice outfit today.
It's almost like, this is me dressing up.
Yep. Well like, if I'm going to an
event then I wear I know how to look nice and put together a
good outfit, but he's just like, I like to look kind of like
relax. Like, have not made an effort
because I haven't. So coming on to sort of the
whole sustainability thing that, you know, obviously, we're all
much more, much more aware of the plan.
'Not and overconsumption, what's your approach to that?
Because you're clearly in an industry that is more is more.
Hmm. And you've got to create, do you
do you ever sell any of your outfits?
Do you ever buy any second hand? How what, how do you approach
sustainability? Yes, that's an interesting one
because drag is so it can be so wasteful, all the wigs, so you
know, plastic they're not real hair but then there's something
to be said for real hair wigs. Yes all the time.
Yes, another issue. That's how love is scary isn't
it? But I tend to you know where
things are born what I'm wearing now loads of times like 20 times
you mean it's not special. It was just for today.
Yes. Sorry.
That's what I meant. No, I think you know, I'm still
wearing a wig that I bought a year ago, and I'm just maintain
it. So I try not to be wasteful
mainly because I don't want to keep spending too much money as
well. But I'll just make sure that I
get things that I can wear again.
Like I said if it's a red carpet, look I can probably wear
it again. I can get it cut into a shorter
dress or something, you know, it is important to make sure we're
not just chucking things away. And yes, I am going to start
selling stuff. It's taken me ages to get around
to it. But I'm going to start selling
B. I definitely don't want things
from drag race old wigs, but surely now you have such a name
you could actually almost it's almost like selling a brand.
Yeah, exactly. So if I can sell like a whole
look then someone might want to keep You might just want to act
for the for the for being on telly but you also like at when
we're on tour a few of the girls had sold their outfits and
people came to the meet and greets in that outfit.
So, it's quite nice to see that they do use it.
Yeah, so it's a good I know like a lot of drag queens do just
wear something once and then sell it straight away.
So yeah, at least you're not just chucking them away as a
circularity in it and I try not to buy from you know fast
fashion because a it doesn't really fit me anyway.
Yeah, but just because that is so wasteful.
Yeah, because I was going to say Do you ever when you buy
something and you ever conscious of the person that would have
made that garment you ever think about that someone I know said
that in the label of something that I bought from one of these
Brands was like a help me message.
Oh, it's hard for someone that was making it and that is just
scary and horrific. Yeah, see I am conscious like I
buy Jewelry from like a fast Fashion Place because I wear
them a million times. Yes.
And in terms of clothes I try not to.
Yeah, and I have to ask you about the nails.
Well, these are my nails now. Unbelievable.
I've just really actually had acrylics taken off yesterday
because I had them on for seven weeks.
And I have always bitten my nails.
So, this is the first time in 34 years.
I've had at your nails. You have beautiful nails.
That's incredible. So, there we've got another
Positive, do you ever buy vintage or is it difficult?
Because of the I do as me as Nick.
I've got so many vintage jumpers.
Like I love a jumper on drag race.
I wore different jumper, I think every week, but in drag, I think
it's harder because of the body shape.
I think it's easier to get accessories and stuff, but I
need to find out where all the good ones are because maybe I've
not been to the right vintage store and also with vintage.
Sometimes it's so expensive. I almost can't.
Justify a price, you know, it's interesting.
You say that, you know, I've always gone up to Portobello
Market to look pieces for inspiration and sometimes, you
know, you know if something is trending suddenly the pieces
like 300 quid everything. Oh, hang on.
That's just way more than it should be.
I used to find some Bargains in dalston Oxfam, that was the best
place where I used to find so many cool things I used to find
wallpaper. From Ice, find amazing things to
sell on. Basically, make a little profit,
but I shouldn't say that, that's all know.
That's based, if I love those, the entrepreneur entrepreneur,
five rows of Liberty wallpaper in Oxfam poundage amazing.
I seldom you saw them. I was going to say, is it is
your bedroom? Yeah.
Do you have a one piece in your wardrobe that it has just huge
sentimental value to you? It probably be something from,
not, from a drag or Joe, probably.
Yeah. I've got like my old school
jumper, which I still wear. You still have that?
Yes, from high school. Tell me about it.
What's it look like it looks. Okay, it's still got the holes
in there in the sleeve. So I used to put my thumb's
through, would they just like what used to be created by year?
Still wear that now and it still looks good.
That's good. It's blue.
I think it was Heather set high school.
It's got like a little sort of logo here and so I still
Sometimes wear that, and I think it's quite cool at that.
It's been to. Yeah, proper vintage, right?
I've got some quick fire questions for you.
High end of High, Street, High Street, bling or bear.
Bling, more minimalism will maximalism maximum Couture, or
charity shop. Mmm, charity shop one-off or bug
off. One US Crocs Que te puke puke I
hate them. The sneakers are still after
sneakers sneakers for Nick and yeah, one for each please.
Okay body Cano boho. Always bodycon Sports Luxe over
up, rock chick Sports Luxe glamour grunge Glam, red carpet
or relax, red carpet party where our PJs party where color or
monochrome Color pattern or plain pattern experimental or
uniform a uniform vintage or rental vintage, shapewear or
sexy lingerie. Hmm, shape wear tights or
stocking tight. So, the tights.
I'm finally helluva day. Yes, one last question.
At the end of the day, what do you or don't you wear in bed?
Oh, I always have to wear something in beds.
I mean, at the moment I can't work out the weather.
So I'm like, I started in trousers and a T-shirt and ended
up just in boxes in a vest. And I don't even remember taking
off the tee shirt a bit of estan.
So yeah, always something I can't do the note.
You've got to be dressed things stick to other things.
It's not nice, maybe a bit too much information, but I love a
day, what a great privilege to spend this time with you so
much. The whole drag scene fascinates
me and the whole reason for dressing up, but it just love
exploring it. Yeah, you so thankful please
come and see us a show. Sometimes.
I would love to have the amazing at thank you for having me.
Oh thank you. I hope you're enjoying the
podcast. If you are, please leave a
review and hit the Subscribe button, see you next week.