The Mane Attraction

The Movie: “Wigstock: The Movie.”

The Setup: Documentary of New York drag queen festival, filmed in 1993 and 1994, starring RuPaul, Lypsinka and many others.

Faux Hair Day: Color and size-wise, nothing compares to many of the acrylic affairs poised on heads here--not Dolly Parton’s, not Eva Gabor’s, maybe not even anything from the court of Louis XIV. Big --as in wearing four or five wigs, all teased to the max, at once--is the operative word, but big isn’t necessarily beautiful. But then, beauty isn’t the point for all concerned. These are headdresses, not attempts to re-create real women’s tresses--as is made obvious by two human-sized, walking Elvis Presley hairdos in the audience. (Another successful audience look was the cluster of grapes falling like tendrils on a man’s face.) As for the hair colors, they’re not the kinds that Clairol would proffer, including electric blue and green--together on one head.

Noted: “I mean it is a festival of wigs, it’s not like we’re trying to fool anyone. Our founding fathers wore wigs, so we feel we’re carrying on a very rich, all-American tradition. In fact, one of our original political parties was called the ‘Whigs,’ ” said “The Lady Bunny” a performer and Wigstock organizer.

The Look: Without impersonating famous female stars or necessarily attempting to pass themselves off as women, these queens concentrate on creating their own arch personas. That may include the out of date--like upper and lower false eyelashes and stick-to-the-skin sequins--or the campy, like a China-girl costume with swinging red tassels galore (plus fur cuffs), or the stylishly glossy. RuPaul, absolutely the glossiest queen of all, sparkles in a bathing suit-sized ensemble faced with disco ball mirrors that would be the envy of any serious Las Vegas showgirl.

Quoted: “It’s a little bit like Jessica Rabbit,” explained director Barry Shils. “They’re concerned with spectacle, incredible visuals and larger-than-life glamour, and they’re using costumes of the female sex because they’re more interesting than men’s costumes have ever been throughout history.”

Trivia: In the film, performer Mistress Formika extols the virtues of a rolled-up sock as the best bra inflater, but Bunny begs to differ. “Most people wear foam rubber falsies,” he said.

Inspiration: “We all grew up watching Carol Burnett and Cher specials. [Costume designer] Bob Mackie can’t be touched. Every queen loves Bob Mackie,” says Bunny. Other ideas spring from everyone from Barbara Feldon circa “Get Smart,” Busby Berkeley musicals and Joan Crawford. Madonna? “I don’t think so, no,” said Bunny.

Sources: Bright-colored wigs can be purchased at the Patricia Field boutique in Greenwich Village, but “people who know what they’re doing go to 14th Street in the Village where there are a bunch of cheap wig stores,” offered Bunny. Many of the wigs were styled at Perfidia’s Hair World located at Patricia Field (“everyone from Howard Stern to Lady Bunny goes here,” said one inside source) as well as by such hairdressers as Mathu Andersen, Danilo, Bobby Miller and Matthew Kasten. RuPaul’s costumes are by Mathu & Zaldy and Kanae & Onyx. Other designers included Marc Happel, Michael Burrell, Idil Vice, David Dalrymple, all of New York, and Pearl in London.