Author: Sophie Gonzalez
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Photo Credits: MTV’s- RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18
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As the end of the year approaches, it’s everyone’s, or at least my, favorite time of year. And I’m not just talking about the Christmas season, but also the announcement of another glamorous season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Meet the Queensmarks the beginning of a new era of Drag Race, introducing fresh energy for the year and, more importantly, giving us our first impressions of the contestants. This season’s cast is shaping up to be especially fashion-forward. Standouts in elegant fashion, in my opinion, include Briar Blush and Juicy Love Dion. The season also features a strong presence of camp and alternative queens, which is incredibly exciting. It’s refreshing to see more than perfectly poised elegance on the runway; fun, camp, and alternative looks are also essential and key parts of drag. We get a taste of this (based on first impressions) from queens like Discord Adams, Cirra Mist, and, of course, Seattle’s own Jane Don’t!
While it’s completely normal to form early favorites from the Meet the Queens, predictions usually stay on pause until we see more of the cast as individuals.
The Meet the Queens gives viewers a short snippet of the queens and their fashion look they will bring to the runway. As already mentioned, we have quite the diversity this season with a couple of standouts. This season is shaping up to be full of high-polished glamor and fun alternative looks. As much as we see the queens’ personalities shine during the promo, we don’t get to see them interact with each other; they are completely isolated, giving each queen their time to shine. Personality-wise, a lot of the queens felt genuine and authentic on the screen, with their confidence and authenticity shining through without coming off as performing or one-note. We see them shining through individuals. Stylistically, a lot of the looks felt the same, with very drapey looks. My biggest outfit that stands out has to go to Nini Coco.
Nini Coco brought a different silhouette that was very stark and different from the looks we saw during the promo. Her outfit featured a very tight and spikey silhouette. Clashing and setting her apart from her counterpart queens. Another outfit stand out was Juicy Love Dion with her outfit featuring a fully rhinestone corset and an ethereal and regal headpiece that looks like a halo, reflecting the golden theme of the runway.
Some queens that I am definitely keeping my eye on are Jane Don’t, Ciara Myst, and Juicy Love Dion.
Ciara Myst is featured to have a different signature mug (mug meaning a drag queens makeup look) than the rest of her season 18 sisters. I have really high hopes for Ciara Myst, and I want an alternative queen to go far. The last alternative queen of season 17 was Lucky Starzzz, and I am really hoping Ciara Myst does not pull a Lucky Starzzz and that she sticks to her style. I am hoping she goes more than the first couple of episodes.
Jane Don’t is representing Seattle on the season! She is sisters (meaning drag friends or even family) with two queens who have already been on the season, Bosco and Irene the Alien. Seattle’s drag on the main stage has only been represented as ‘alternative’, with the most recent representation being Arrietty from season 17. While alternative drag definitely does flourish in Seattle, Jane Don’t is going to the front lines and showcasing what else Seattle has to offer. Seattle can do the glitz and glamor and be camp at the same time! I am so excited to see what Jane doesn’t do in the season, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of her.
I have already mentioned Juicy Love Dion several times so far because she is my number one standout. I can tell she is going to give some fierce runways this season, and her outfits are going to be incredible. In fact, in Entertainment Weekly’s video, “RuPaul’s Drag Race S18 Queens Reveal the Villain, Trade & Shadiest Queen of the Season,” where they interviewed the cast, the queens rated her as the Fashion Diva of the season. Myki Meeks even said Juicy flew to Italy to get her outfits for the show. I am so excited to see these looks, and I know the judges and Ru are going to live for Juicy Love Dion this season.
As this season starts to unfold and we get to know the queens. I am so excited to see how the queens will grow, clash, and surprise both the judges and the audience this season. For the time being, Meet the Queens has done exactly what it is supposed to do: spark excitement, curiosity, and a little bit of early favoritism amongst the viewers. When January second rolls around, you can expect to find me fan girling over the first episode of season 18 and watching closely to how the queens hold up with the runway lights on.
Sophie Gonzalez | Music and Arts Reporter