Anne Boleyn Inspired Drag Look by Guest Blogger and Milliner to the Royals! Chris Garner

Anne Boleyn, a Queen by marriage who was later beheaded after been accused of treason, adultery, incest and apparently been a witch. She gave birth to Queen Elizabeth the first.

The first time I really became aware of Anne Boleyn was whilst watching Ugly Betty and admiring the main character’s, played by America Ferrera, necklace which was the letter “B” with pearls cascading underneath the letter. I recognised it and realised that Anne Boleyn wore the original. I have researched where that necklace is now and people believe it to be lost to history.

This woman inspired my drag look and so the work began.

A couple birthdays ago I was gifted some wigs by my partner. Unfortunately, he was scammed by a seller on Instagram so they aren’t quite up to scratch, however, I love a box full of potential. They are vibrant and rich burgundy red, perfect for a witch or even a Queen. Well, A Queen like me.

Both wigs were dead straight so I unthreaded one to create my halo band hair piece and the other I styled it to disguise the fact it is too small for my head and to cover the hard hair line of the wig.

The halo hair band really is the feature of this look. It took a while to tame the hair and it was incredibly fiddly, especially when the glue started to get involved. I created kiss curls using water soluble glue which had glitter in it and once it was finished embellished it with Zodiac Resin Flat Back Pearls, a nod to the necklace Anne Boleyn wore, and Preciosa SS20 Non Hot Fix Crystals.

The outfit was also made by me which is a body suit with flared bell sleeves and it is paired with a below the knee length, mermaid style, skirt in the same fabric. I wanted the outfit to be worn with or without this hair and hairpiece and my inspiration was a sexy, hence the lace, but cooky witch, hence the length of the skirt match with a black netting mermaid tale. Total eccentricity. The pieces are separate and the body suit is actually to go with another outfit I am making, inspired by the artist Antoine Kruk.

It was a fun look to create and I hope to make more of this halo hair band piece for my own drag act as well as selling them to other Queens of this great land we call the United Kingdom. Watch this space.

For now, I leave you with just my head. I’ve had no complaints.

Write soon…xoxo

Performance costume