Hello darlings! It’s your favourite tutu-loving blogger, Emma, back with another thrilling Pink Tutu Milan adventure! Can you believe this is my 100th blog post? I'm absolutely ecstatic, and so are my fabulous pink tutus, all twirling in celebratory joy! This milestone feels like a true testament to our collective love for the art of dance, fashion, and fabulous pinkness!
This week I’ve arrived in the magical metropolis of Milan! I love travelling to Milan! Its buzzing, exciting, and absolutely bursting with style and culture, everything a tutu-wearing fashionista could dream of! This week my blog post is filled with fabulous things including a sneak peak at Milan fashion week.
Milan is the epitome of fashion and design. And let's be honest, this Pink Tutu traveller isn't here just for the gorgeous buildings - the shops are calling! It's like a fairy-tale land, only with shoes instead of pumpkins, and designers instead of evil stepmothers. And trust me, darling, these shoe designers are not about to lose a glass slipper.
Before I start on this weeks fun in Milan let me just tell you, as a fashion blogger I was ecstatic to hear that it was Milan Fashion Week! Now you know I'm a huge fashion fan and I knew that meant an extra chance to soak up the sartorial spectacle, from catwalk queens to street-style heroes. And guess what? Pink was totally rocking the scene this season! Not that I needed to tell you, dear readers, pink is the ultimate colour, just like your favourite blogger. But this year the shades were more intense, bold, and sassy. We're talking fuchsia flames and cherry blossom hues, not your typical ballerina pink! And that made it even more exciting, as I saw the streets exploding with hot pinks, from heads to toes. It really proves that pink can be everything: fierce, playful, elegant, edgy…
Oh! Let’s start with how I got to Milan, this pink tutu travelling adventure! To travel I just couldn't resist hopping on the magical pink express, or should I say, a charming train. These little train compartments in Europe, they’re like little dollhouses on wheels! All chintzy, vintage patterns and plush upholstery. I don’t mind confessing that it almost had me doing a little impromptu pirouette. Luckily I managed to contain my ballet joy. The best part of it? The journey from Derbyshire to Milano was so enchanting! Rolling through the English countryside before venturing into the continent, with the beautiful view and comfy train seat, it’s a wonderful way to kick off a new travel adventure. I love it when you’ve been sitting for a long time, on trains especially, to have those glimpses of the world outside! Seeing the world just from the carriage window, a few seconds here and there, is an interesting experience in itself. You really appreciate it! And then it is great to step out on the platform and feel the fresh air. And I love looking at the different architecture as you approach different towns. It really puts things into perspective for me as I feel it allows me to be really present in that moment and in that time. So peaceful and quiet on that carriage journey.
So, now you’ve all seen how I got here and the fabulous fashion in Milan. How do I finance my travels? Of course you can tell that this isn't my typical London routine! Well, the reason I’m here? The money that allows me to fund my adventures is from ballet performances, and it was a beautiful opportunity! I’ve had a couple of fabulous opportunities that really paid off – a series of summer ballet workshops and even a chance to dance in a charming Parisian cafe! And I have to confess, it's the absolute most wonderful feeling. Ballet makes my soul happy and my legs even happier! What could be better? You guys always want to know about how I make this blog work and my passion for dance helps with that!
And yes of course, it allows me to shop! Every time I’m in a new place, whether it be Italy, England or France, I just have to go and explore the shops. From the most elegant Parisian boudoirs to the quirky charm of Derbyshire high street stores, I am always searching for new things to dress up in, especially pink ones!
I had my trusty camera ready, just as always! But with so much beautiful fashion and amazing architectural designs all around, I could not take my eyes off all these incredible Milan sights. Even my love of a pink tutu has been slightly suppressed!
You see, when you are in a city like this it feels that you have to stop, stand and look around to make the most of every moment. Even just to feel like I am present in that moment, a moment in this city! This is when you have to just try to absorb everything; it’s when you realize it’s not just about the things you do on this blog - like ballet classes, shows and shopping - but also appreciating where you are and what is around you, in your daily life and especially on a little break! And on that note…I actually think I am now going to explore and soak it all up in this most incredible of cities!
Ciao ciao!
Emma xoxo
(Stay tuned next week for a roundup of Emma’s top 5 pink tutu picks in Milan!)
*(Blog posts appear weekly, on Monday on www.pink-tutu.com) *
The Beauty of Milan, 1997 Edition A Dancer's Perspective
Well darling, today is my day! After exploring this gorgeous city of Milan, today is the perfect day for a real Italian ballet extravaganza. You’ll never guess where it is. It’s one of the biggest, grandest and most beautiful opera houses, Teatro alla Scala. This fabulous, exquisite, opera house has the perfect setting to enjoy my beloved ballet! Now you guys all know what I love the most - Ballet - I simply have to make sure that when I am on the other side of Europe, and with such a fantastic ballet heritage and history, I had to go to Teatro alla Scala! It was such a thrilling evening. I managed to get the last tickets available. As I said this iconic Opera house just felt magical! A beautiful building, a magnificent performance. You couldn’t get any better. Now, I know that when I go on trips it’s the excitement of exploring a new place - that really helps with finding some fabulous performance, such as a new ballet company, a new venue and a new type of ballet production - it keeps the passion going, even on holiday!
After this fabulous evening of ballet, it just got even more exciting because I then enjoyed my delicious pasta in a small family restaurant nearby! You’re never that far from wonderful food. And a great Italian evening - I had an espresso, and, you won’t believe, an Italian sorbet, delicious! All washed down with sparkling water, and of course, a glass of wine! I do love these kind of evenings.
I’ll tell you a secret. The next day I treated myself to one of the prettiest places in the whole world… yes, I know, Milan is full of gorgeous squares… this one, however was… well it was divine. What can be better than exploring this wonderful city of Milan? My favourite thing is the way all these cobbled squares become the scene for fabulous market stalls and it was one of the most incredible ones! I love seeing all the different things to buy: colourful scarves and bags, delicious local breads, pasta, pastries and some fabulous flowers, some bright red, white, pink and green ones – which had to be taken home for a souvenir, just to brighten my Derbyshire living room! And that was before I bought more pink and purple tulips. Then a gorgeous fresh pasta meal, eaten al fresco, on a beautiful warm sunny day - Milan you’re a real treat for a traveller!
My Must-Visit for Fashion and Fun
Now for the exciting part, a sneak peek into some fabulous shops! To find your best style in a city you have to explore the shops, right? I was on the hunt for new and exquisite, pink tutus. Now as soon as you arrive, I do a wander around, as I want to get a feel of where to go! I decided to check out some shops and the ones that caught my eye were a shop on via Montenapoleone. This was the most stylish shopping area of the whole city - for couture and for exquisite handbags. So I indulged in some of the amazing designers. I was in a shopping dreamland and then on Via Spiga and Via della Spiga – yes it was all about designer, vintage stores – all beautiful.
Well as you know I adore vintage so it had to be on my list. You won’t believe it – but guess who I found a very glamorous pink vintage tutu on? That’s right, for me, it was Chanel. The pink Chanel vintage tutu, all adorned with pretty sparkles, will sit pride of place in my collection and just adds another gorgeous item to my vintage tutu family! Then there was a charming boutique. Oh, I was in love! A lovely old shop where a charming and chic gentleman, helped me to choose a vintage 1950s Dior. I could almost hear the whisper of fashion from that era… it’s not every day you can find something from that period… even here in Italy, darling. What can I say – it is absolutely perfect, beautiful and the prettiest colour! So, I had to treat myself! It will be perfect to take out of the collection in a couple of weeks! I had to! So I had to pick this one. I think the last tutu was pink. You know, a girl has to take a trip every so often just to find some exciting vintage clothes.
But for any ballerina or aspiring ballerina, if you love the arts in Milan, a visit to the Museo Teatrale alla Scala is essential! As well as being a great day out - for me, anyway - it offers the most beautiful collection of ballet shoes! I felt like Alice going down the rabbit hole, a place I will never tire of exploring again! Just the idea that they actually store shoes in a museum, is beyond exciting! I don’t think I will ever get bored with going around places and getting lost! A ballet girl is definitely lost in time if you take her to a place that displays and collects vintage items of any kind.
#Getting Around Milan – on a Pink Tram
This time round, instead of the trains, I got around this most amazing city of Milan on the local transport. It’s something a pink-tutu loving traveller just has to do. You know the beauty of Italy… not just in the big cities but even in the countryside, where a simple tram journey, becomes an adventure!
You’re already aware that I am a massive tram and train fanatic – these modes of travel are like my magical carriages – all part of the journey. You always get to see all sorts of wonderful views. And, who can say no to these bright red trams in the glorious sunshine! My top tips - take in the fabulous atmosphere and a real local feel to the area! But more importantly, have a giggle to yourself, like I did! Oh! And I think I might have spotted another pink tutu on one of my adventures, a pretty little girl on the platform… her little tutu twirled gently, as she sat on the seat, but I couldn’t help smiling, she was all excited! A sign for all you Pink Tutu girls!
This is the way you get around the city in a leisurely fashion, just be careful with the local culture - make sure you stamp your tickets on the yellow stamps, which, if you don’t do that… you get fined and don’t forget it. And be aware, not only are you fined – you actually have to pay the full amount for the journey at the kiosk where you have to go and speak Italian - very challenging as I can only speak basic English - I will practice for next time!
## From Fashion Week to Milan’s Heart – and a Tutu for my Beloved
As a ballerina, fashion, beauty and design just makes sense to me. I have to indulge in a fashion-shopping, day-dreaming shopping adventure. My eyes and mind were simply filled with wonderful and breathtaking fashion and amazing buildings all around me. I took a stroll around the city and got my ballet kicks exploring the streets, and to be more precise, on Via Tortona and around this amazing city's street art! But remember that these are always changing. You never know what you might come across!
Of course my wander around was more for exploring some new designs for the Pink Tutu blog and this was such an eclectic and beautiful design spot, full of galleries, street food, boutiques and shops, that it has to be mentioned as a must for those who enjoy that arty vibe! And the beautiful graffiti, especially for someone with an eye for the unusual - what a spectacle and you would be happy, if you just visited. There were several pink things, but I’m sure the next time I’m back, it’ll all have changed! So next time darling, you'll have to make sure you check this area out for yourselves.
But for all of you tutu-lovers out there, I came back to this amazing city just to buy a very special, unique and sparkly tutu – for my darling Mum, just in time for Mother’s Day, as she loves pink, just like her amazing ballerina daughter!
What can I say…
Milan, you just had me at Ciao. Thank you so much. But, ciao for now… darling… because you will see this blogger again. The pink tutu needs more of this fabulous fashion, fabulous art and most fabulous Italian charm! It will soon be back for a next fashion adventure.
Love from,
Emma xoxo
