Hello darlings, and welcome back to Pink-Tutu! September the 9th is always a special date for me – it's the anniversary of the day I discovered the wonderful world of time travel! Remember the old adage – it's all about the right kind of magic. In my case, it’s the magical, sparkling shire horse, Meg, who whisks me away on time-bending adventures! And today's destination is a whirl of crinoline, a dance of delight, and the start of a revolutionary dance era: September 9th, 1834.
Now, you know how much I love ballet fashion. The frills, the feathers, the glorious, flowing tulle… my, oh, my! It's all about the ultimate expression of beauty and movement, and this date was particularly buzzing in the world of dance. Let's set the scene!
Fancying a trip to the theatre? Then 1834 London was your haven! The King's Theatre, in Covent Garden, was hosting the grand ballet, La Sylphide, and the anticipation was palpable. Carlotta Grisi was the star of the show, a dancer of exquisite elegance and ethereal beauty. Just imagine the exquisite swirling tulle as she danced across the stage! Imagine the whispers of admiration, the flutter of fans, the gasps of astonishment! It must have been a magical experience. I was lucky to grab a front row seat – thank goodness my time travel bag holds enough pink tulle to pass me off as a genuine 19th Century theatre-goer!
The world of ballet was all agog that September as, in Paris, the Théâtre de la Renaissance played host to a completely different style of ballet. Forget delicate Sylphides - the Théophile Gautier, that wonderfully creative playwright, and Jean Coralli, that talented choreographer, brought us Giselle, a ballet that spoke of sorrow and tragedy. It must have been an intensely emotional spectacle, captivating audiences with its powerful themes of love and loss, the untamed passion of a village girl and her haunting encounters with the ghostly wilis! I just know this show would have blown me away – there’s something about the haunting romance that truly captivates my heart!
As for the stage-wear, well, 1834 was a year of significant development! Those iconic pink tutus (you know how much I adore them!), that we still see in contemporary ballets, had their beginnings during this time period. The costumes were starting to become much lighter and shorter than those stiff, floor-length garments from the previous century. The emphasis was on graceful, swirling movements, the elegance of which I just find irresistible!
After an exciting afternoon at the theatre, I strolled through the bustling streets of London. Paris was also full of fashion inspiration as well as the bustle of daily life, the excitement around the premiere of "Giselle." This period marked the birth of the Romantic ballet, that wonderfully romantic era that brought in this delightful airy beauty of costumes and graceful dance styles that just leave me wanting to twirl and twirl and twirl until my feet are tired! Can you imagine, all these revolutionary dancers inspiring my own dancing? You'd never be able to tear me off the dance floor! I even popped into a milliner's, picking up the most exquisite pink feather hat (it will look divine with my tutu!).
You can't talk about ballet fashion without thinking of its influence on everyday clothing. Remember that romantic look – soft, flowing silhouettes, feminine ruffles and delicate laces, and the use of colour! These elegant details took centre stage not only in the dance halls but in women's fashion all over the world. Even the pink colour, darling, it just goes hand in hand with ballet! Can you imagine how absolutely stylish every woman in 1834 would have looked! The world just felt lighter, happier.
And oh! Have you seen those beautifully detailed designs from this period? From the lace, embroidery, and velvet, the elaborate detailing of shoes, and the exquisite headwear – everything seemed so exquisite! Even the simple movement of the women of that period - they seemed to just sway with so much elegant beauty, even walking down the street. Just a touch of feminine loveliness in everything!
I took some time out in the local parks, admiring the beautiful flower displays (just imagine them all as delicate decorations around the stage!). I noticed that those beautiful delicate flower designs of the Victorian era even popped up in dance dresses as decorations – oh, the perfect touch for a truly exquisite tutu!
It’s so intriguing how much dance inspires every aspect of our lives! But we cannot talk about ballet history without a little about myself. It’s one of the things I really cherish - the privilege to dance and time travel. I feel it's a fantastic opportunity to see how our passion for dance evolved over the decades. Ballet is a language shared by people all around the world, transcending time and culture!
My dancing days and travels continue to be funded by my dancing! The crowds are always mesmerised by my pink tutus and fabulous routines from various eras – just like what we have on offer today at The Pink Tutu! Remember, all of the costumes are made using fabrics I bring back from my time travels. I'm sure you'd be most happy to take your own piece of history home! It’s a way for me to pay tribute to the incredible world of ballet, all while inspiring everyone to wear pink tutus – a goal I feel will change the world!
Today I had an unforgettable adventure, and I simply adore 19th-century ballet! Now that you’ve read all about it, are you feeling the urge to join in with this vibrant world? As always, thank you for being a part of this amazing journey through the past. I simply can't wait to see where Meg takes us next month – I’ll keep you all in the loop! See you in the future, darlings!
Until then, don’t forget to check out www.pink-tutu.com for more about my latest designs, dancing shows and special offers!
