My old friend Trent aka The Bronze Buckaroo gave me this photo when he authored the wonderful but now-defunct blog, The Wandering Caravan. It was probably one of his many wonderful Ebay finds because he couldn't tell me anything in particular about it. Like all of us, he was probably wondering where this old- school queen was going all dolled up?
Perhaps he's going to see Della Reese carry on as only she could at the Apollo Theater? Maybe he'll stay to watch the Jewel Box Revue? He could be in the Jewel Box Revue for all I know! But who dresses up like this to go out anymore? An old-school sissy - that's who! Alot of us can probably do without the eyeliner and rouge today (or is it that it's just more expertly applied) but now it's all about jeans, expensive sneakers that only last for a season and "designer" T-shirts. Yesterday, it was all about ELEGANCE!
And who better to serve elegance? Yep, an old-school sissy!
He looks like the type who stood in front of the mirror beating his face for hours while listening to Dinah Washington or Dakota Staton on the stereo. Of course, he had a glass of Seagrams or rum and coke but when it came time for showtime the mood changed! Brotha fell out the front door doing the Cissy Strut!
He probably ended up at the club for few drinks with friends to let his hair down ..... well, so to speak! He eventually took off that hot sport coat and came up out of that silk tie and did the Sophisticated Sissy with the best of them! And why not? After a whole week of being both gay and black in 1963, wouldn't you?
We miss you, Trent! Come back to us!
Where do you find these gem?
Posted by: Donny | December 10, 2011 at 03:01 AM
As always, THANK YOU, Corey. You give the kind of history lessons that I love.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | December 12, 2011 at 12:56 PM
Yes we do miss you Trent!!!!!
Posted by: Dushuma | December 13, 2011 at 05:32 AM
Fierce!
Posted by: Gary | December 14, 2011 at 01:06 PM
I'm diggin' the music
Posted by: Bama | December 20, 2011 at 09:15 PM
enjoyable read. I love the old skool kids they had reputations for having nice houses and being well dressed and a good job. Nowadays its diffrent
Posted by: jahlaune | January 20, 2012 at 03:15 PM