Oh darlings, what a day! December the 21st, 2002, the Winter Solstice, a day of pure magic, but it was even more magical for us, for you see, darlings, it was the day *Tutu Mania* hit London in a storm of sequins, silk and oh so much tulle!
It all began with a whisper, a rumour in the hushed hallways of the Royal Opera House, then suddenly the whispers turned to gasps and then to shouts, "It's happening, it's happening!" Suddenly the whole of London seemed to be consumed by this, well, *tu-tu-tu-licious* fever, darling! And all this fuss over what? Why, tutus of course, what else?
Apparently it started with a rather "avant-garde" (the French sound so much more chic, don't they?) dance troupe, the *Whimsical Wonders*, doing a performance where, shock horror, *they didn't wear tutus*. They *dared* to expose their bare legs to the world, *gasp*! Honestly, it's outrageous!
You would think London had never seen legs before, the papers went into meltdown. They went on and on about the lack of tulle, how "outrageous" and "unconventional" it all was. People started questioning their lives, their wardrobes, and of course, *the entire history of dance itself*!
But the biggest uproar came from a very unlikely place: The Royal Ballet's Tutu Committee (you know how those stuffy old ballet institutions love their committees, darlings), they called a press conference that you just *had* to be there for (not least for the buffet, it was utterly divine), where they declared, with great drama (and frankly, a touch of melodrama), that this affront to tutus would *not stand*. They *insisted* that the *Whimsical Wonders* must wear a proper tutu. It had to be "regulation", by which I'm guessing they meant knee-length, very structured and heavily layered with layers and layers and layers of tulle.
Well, I couldn't possibly stand for this injustice, darling. Not when the world is in dire need of a little, well, you know... *whimsy*! I couldn't let those poor *Whimsical Wonders* get sucked into the world of stuffy rules and restrictive traditions, and so, with my trusty sequined bag slung over my shoulder, I did what any true devotee of dance and fashion would do. I took to the streets (wearing a simply divine hot pink feathered hat, naturally). It was the best day ever, and trust me darling, I had some *good* days in my life!
I called my friends in the media (always handy to have connections!), whipped up some perfectly delicious, bubbly champagne cocktails for them (no need for cucumber sandwiches, *too* conservative) and told them how absolutely absurd this whole *tutu crisis* was. I made sure they got pictures of me prancing in my own version of a "tutu" - a perfectly fabulous vintage, sequined dress (I swear, you canāt go wrong with a little sparkle!), with just a hint of strategically placed tulle, and I had it worn just above the knee - dare I say it was almost a scandal? (A controlled one, of course!)
And do you know, the press lapped it up, just like a plate of *petit fours*. Suddenly the "tutu crisis" wasn't a *crisis* at all. It became the *tutu-mania* - and darling, it swept the nation! Here's a list of the Top Ten reasons to wear a Tutu:
- It's fun.
- Youāre gonna need something else to wear if the fashion police are in a mood to make life hard for bare legs.
- Thereās just something *dreamy* about a well-made tutu, donāt you agree? I mean the layers, the fabric, the shimmer - it's like something from a fairy tale!
- And remember, the more tulle, the more drama!
- Itās also a great way to add a touch of elegance to your daily life. Think of how perfectly glamorous youāll look on the bus or grabbing your morning latte.
- Youāll feel utterly beautiful - just watch as everyone stares in awe!
- There are some things that even the stiffest upper lip canāt resist. Itās all in the air darling - this *tu-tu-tu-licious* fever, and frankly, itās hard to fight!
- So what are you waiting for? Join in and have a little *tu-tu* fun! It's so much more elegant than trying to look āavant-gardeā.
- If all else fails, you've always got your ballet slippers (and maybe those perfectly pointed shoes you picked up at your favorite little shoe shop)
- Remember darlings, every day should be a little bit of tutu mania!
As for those *Whimsical Wonders*, well, they ended up wearing some lovely tutus too - we all had to compromise a bit. As I like to say, there's always room for a little compromiseā¦ and a whole lot of tulle. But I did let them know that my tutu was on permanent loan, they canāt handle the full sequined vintage experience all on their own - darling! And trust me, it's for their own good.
Well, there you have it, the tale of the *tutu-mania*. Remember, sometimes the best way to rebel is to look fantastic, wear an outrageous hat and always, always keep your sense of style. Iām going off now for a little spin, but Iāll leave you with this, darlings, keep your spirits high, always trust your instinct and letās all hope that the tutu-mania never fades!