Hi all! 

As mentioned in last week’s post, I wanted to do something extra special to celebrate the release of Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins. As somebody that dedicates multiple social media platforms to the art of drag, I thought it was high-time I attempted a Drag King transformation. I ended up choosing to impersonate Haymitch Abernathy from The Hunger Games film series. Did I do an amazing job? Absolutely not. Did I enjoy myself in the process? Hell yes! Without further ado, let’s get into it! 

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THE WIG

For a first attempt, I didn’t want to spend too much on materials, so I sourced the wig from Temu. It’s a synthetic straight hair wig, so I wet it in parts to give that greasy Haymitch vibe. It looks crazy but trust me, it was worse before it was dampened. 

THE MAKEUP 

If you read my Dyspraxia Diagnosis post, you would know I was born with a coordination disability. This means I find simple things like applying makeup and doing hair quite difficult. Nothing ever looks even or polished. Therefore, I ask that you go easy on me. I followed a tutorial I found online, using a brown eye-shadow palette and Brillo pad to smudge the beard. Unfortunately, it came out a lot lighter and less pronounced than I hoped. Having said that, given my physical limitations, I was happy with the end result. 

THE ESSENCE OF HAYMITCH 

I completed the look with a vest and shirt similar to the one he wears in The Hunger Games. I also poured myself a glass of actual gin to give realness. We all know Haymitch is a tortured alcoholic, so I hope I was able to achieve that in the images provided. 

WHAT I LEARNED FROM THE EXPERIENCE 

I definitely need to familiarise myself with my face shape more; bringing out the angles/cheekbones using darker shades. It’s really all about practice and finding what works. I received some valuable advice from my Drag King friend, Faux Moe. He told me suck in my cheeks in order to find the grooves, go darker if necessary and to not paint too high or low. 

WOULD I TRY IT AGAIN? 

Definitely! I would never be a drag artist myself, due to my disability and real-life commitments, but I would love to dabble here and there. I have even more respect for Drag Kings than I already had before. It’s not easy and it takes a lot of work. Kings are so criminally underrated and under-represented. Please support them however you can. 

Thank you so much for reading. Have you ever done drag? 

Peace & Love xoxo