This post is part of Outward, Slate’s home for coverage of LGBTQ life, thought, and culture.

When you think about drag, many elements come to mind: the makeup, the wigs, the dancing, the lip sync, the jokes. But even a seasoned spectator might not realize how carefully each queenly skill is used to delight your eyes and brain. In this series, Miz Cracker, a Slate contributor and fan favorite on Season 10 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, offers an insider’s guide to the art and science behind the glitter of a great drag performance. In this episode: fashion, and the story a queen is telling you before she even says a word.

See all of How to Watch Drag here.