Oh darling, you won't believe the drama that unfolded at the Royal Ballet's *Nutcracker* rehearsals this morning! It seems that those fabulous, frilly tutus, the very essence of ballerina chic, have caused a bit of a stir. Let me spill the tea, darlings!
It all started with our prima ballerina, darling Daphne, you know the one, the one who can practically float on air! Well, darling, she waltzed into rehearsal looking positively divine in a **gorgeous pink tutu**, one that had just arrived from Paris, handmade by the very best *couturière*.
Now, you would think this would have been greeted with a symphony of 'ooh's and 'ahh's' from the company. You'd be right, it was... for a grand total of about three seconds! Then, the tension in the room tightened faster than a pair of tights after a particularly vigorous pirouette.
Why, you ask? Well, dear reader, our resident *prima* was not alone! The *grande dame* of the company, Miss Penelope, a legend who retired decades ago but insists on mentoring the 'young things' (and occasionally popping up for cameo appearances in big shows), she stormed in sporting a **perfectly identical tutu**, the very same shade of blush pink, complete with an abundance of strategically placed tulle ruffles! The whole thing was quite a sight. It was like witnessing a sartorial standoff between the present and the past, the queen and the queen mother!
To say it was awkward is a massive understatement. Miss Penelope, always the diva, refused to back down. "This is MY signature colour, Daphne," she hissed, "my own shade of pink. A timeless elegance." Oh darling, the shade of pink had apparently been a favourite of hers since the dawn of the Royal Ballet's existence. Penelope even brandished an old theatre program with a *faded* picture of her own legendary *Nutcracker* performance wearing a near identical tutu. Oh, darling, this whole thing was Shakespearean! A dance of egos, and oh darling, we all know how *that* turns out.
What ensued was a truly spectacular scene: * A battle of the tutus! We are talking a full blown fashion face-off, complete with tutus being held up for comparison (by *other* ballerinas, I hasten to add, because dear Daphne and dear Penelope wouldn't share the spotlight, darling!), measured against the program, even thrown dramatically to the ground, followed by dramatic pronouncements of "but my ruffles!" and "mine has a deeper blush."
* The director of *The Nutcracker* himself, dear old Albert, lost all decorum, darting about the stage trying to wrangle control. One might have thought a giant rat had entered the rehearsal instead of just a dispute about tutus, darling!
* The male dancers stood around in a kind of mesmerized silence, apparently transfixed by the entire thing. Bless them, dear. A group of them even tried to discreetly sneak a glimpse of their smartphones during the peak of the 'tu-tu showdown'.
Now, we all know that fashion is the battleground for most serious diva moments. I, for one, had to reach for the gin and tonic mid-way through. But it got even better! In the end, both Penelope and Daphne had the last word - they decided to share the tutus, switching out halfway through the show, making sure that their tutus each got their time in the spotlight. It was truly a showstopper moment, darling. I have to confess, that in the end, both ladies did look quite elegant.
So, dear readers, it's all about who wears the *tutu*, don't you know. But let's be real, no matter how glamorous or perfectly placed the ruffle, you need a *prima ballerina* with that extra bit of oomph to wear the *tutu* with pride.
And, darling, if anyone says fashion is superficial, tell them to watch this story unfold!
Until next time! XOXO