Dearest darlings,
Itās October! The air is crisper, the light is a little more golden and weāre all feeling that autumnal urge to embrace the changing season, even here at the ballet barre. We need something dramatic. Something daring!
And whatās more daring, darling, than a tutu?
So for this Octoberās performance we need to create an ensemble thatās both classic, with a dash of the latest on-trend flourishes. Think āAudrey Hepburn on pointeā.
For my October must-have we're going for a tulle skirt thatās both full and structured, a nod to classic ballet yet a little, shall we say, āavant-gardeā - because who can resist a bit of drama?
Here's what you'll need:
- 2 metres of delicate, blush pink tulle (from my favourite - Liberty Fabrics in London)
- 1 metre of stiff white net for a structured base layer
- 15 cm stretch lace in a muted colour (my favourite, you guessed it - Liberty again!).
- An ivory satin ribbon, about 30cm long.
- A packet of fine pearl beads (for that touch of decadence - mineās from Liberty!)
- Elastic (find this at any decent fabric shop).
- Safety pins and needles for construction
You'll need to get out your sewing machine! But darling, this isnāt a terribly complicated affair.
First, gather the tulle and cut it into 12 sections, making each slightly wider than your hips and as long as you need your tutu to be - we don't want a skimpy affair. A metre is always a good start.
Now we get dramatic! We are creating a multilayered tutu so grab that white net and use it to construct a circular, stiff base with a diameter big enough to fit over your hips. Then gather all of your tulle sections together, make the middle a tight bunch, and sew the tulle to the net at intervals - this way we are keeping the bulk down in the middle, leaving the tutu airy, light, and incredibly flattering around your hips and waist.
But darling we are going for elegant extravagance, so make the most of that stretch lace and attach it to the bottom, using it to create layers that gradually fan outwards, ending in an exquisite flare of lace and movement as your toes dance upon the stage.
The rest is easy! Simply fashion your lace ribbon into a tie, attach a beautiful bow at your waist (pearl-adorned, naturally) and voila - your stage costume is born. It may be a simple process, my dears, but a little careful construction - the art of handcrafting, as they used to call it, can give you an impact, and oh my darling, isn't it just the most delightful thing in all the world?