YAAS QUEEN! Seb's drag of a day

Our beloved former Deputy Editor Sebastian van der Zwan gets a fierce nip/tuck makeover

Spurred on by the cult success of RuPaul’s Drag Race and dance drama Pose, drag queens have broken into the mainstream in a big way, influencing pop culture, celebrity style and even beauty trends.

While not new, men wearing women’s clothing and make-up has never been so accepted or popular as it is now – yet when I’m asked to undergo a gender-bending makeover for Kiwi reality show House of Drag, my initial reaction is, “Hell no!”

Though I donned the odd skirt from the kindergarten dress-up box and I’ve belatedly become a big fan of RuPaul’s series, I’m happiest in jandals and T-shirts, and I struggle to apply anything more than moisturiser to my mug.

However, after some peer pressure from the Woman’s Day team and the realisation I’ll be out of the country when the show airs – I’m now editing our sister mag NW in Sydney – I finally agree to be one of six drag virgins for the TVNZ 2 show’s stars to transform. You have to try everything once, right?

On the big day, the brave volunteers are lined up by House of Drag’s hilarious hosts Kita Mean and Anita Wigl’it, and then matched with our new “drag mothers”.

I’m honoured to be the first choice of fierce queen Spankie Jackzon, the alter ego of Palmerston North performer Blair Macbeth, 34, who looks wild in an OTT zebra-print dress and headpiece, which I take as a positive sign as zebras are my favourite animals.