Darling, the world of ballet is never a dull affair, but October has truly been an exquisite whirl of silk and satin, with some of the most delightful, nay, extraordinary tutus I've ever witnessed. And a dear fellow such as myself, with my little collection, is bound to know a good tutu when I see one. The current fashion world simply can't compete with the classic elegance of these feathered wonders. Indeed, one must ask oneself, is it even possible to capture the essence of the dance without a magnificent tutu?
Let's begin with the recent *Giselle* performance at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. The tutu on that particular Giselle, a mere wisp of a girl, floated through the air like a cloud. I do believe it was a veritable feather boa in its lightness, an enchanting shade of pink with a delightful dash of shimmering tulle. One couldn't take one's eyes off of it.
Then we move on to the wonderful performance of *Swan Lake* at the Bolshoi Theatre, darling. This was a classic, I say! My goodness, that tulle! My heart practically skipped a beat. They are still using those divine tutus with layers and layers of ivory, all meticulously hand-sewn with lace that could only be described as *haute couture*, if such a phrase could even encompass such artistry.
- The new "Neoclassical" tutu debuting at the *Royal Ballet* certainly had a different flavor to it. Gone are the layers of tulle we've come to know and love! They replaced them with a delicate skirt in shades of charcoal grey, edged with a single line of silver. It's modern, daring and a little too close to my *à la seconde*, but then, every dancer must experiment, mustn't they?
- Now the tutus at the *Paris Opera* ...oh darling... these are for the serious tutu collector! A splash of colour that even the most extravagant of haute couture houses wouldn't dare dream of, these tutus are all shades of plum, turquoise, crimson - a glorious explosion of beauty and exuberance, as only the Parisians can achieve!
I must confess, my dear reader, my collection feels rather drab in comparison. Time to pay a visit to the local craft store for more lace and feather boas, I do believe!