Darling, September is upon us, and with it comes the season for bold, beautiful dancewear! While the other girls are stuck in predictable pastels, we, my dears, know the key to crafting the most divine and covetable tutu this season: **Elegance and Edge**. Let's take our inspiration from the vibrant hues of autumn leaves and the daring glamour of a September evening.
Our palette, my lovelies, is an array of luscious crimson, shimmering gold, and velvety deep green. We will begin with the foundation, a tutu made from luxurious tulle in a shimmering gold. You can find this treasure at the illustrious **Liberty Fabrics**, nestled in the heart of London. It's the perfect blend of sparkle and structure for a show-stopping impact.
- **Materials:**
- 5 metres of gold shimmer tulle from **Liberty Fabrics** (Liberty.co.uk)
- 1 metre of crimson satin for a dramatic sash from **The Fabric Shop**, Marylebone (TheFabricShop.co.uk)
- 1 metre of deep green velvet for the bodice from **The Village Haberdashery**, Notting Hill (TheVillageHaberdashery.co.uk)
- Metallic gold thread for embellishment from **John Lewis & Partners**, Oxford Street (JohnLewis.com)
- Sequins and beads in gold, crimson and green (a personal favourite, darling, is the stunning collection at **Sew & So**, Chelsea - SewAndSo.co.uk)
- Needle and thread in matching colours
For our bodice, we'll choose a classic basque style. Now, here's where we inject that modern edge: we will trim it with the most fabulous deep green velvet. Think velvet that evokes a stormy, dramatic sky. This we will find at **The Village Haberdashery** – the fabric has such incredible depth, don’t you think? And imagine the sensation of the soft velvet against your skin. Simply divine! Now, to finish the look, let’s create a stunning sash from crimson satin. Just a sliver, draping elegantly across the gold tulle and ending with a subtle, hand-tied bow. Imagine the elegance, my darlings. Think Sophia Loren in all her golden glory!
But this isn't simply a case of ‘stitch and sew,’ my lovelies! We must enhance our creation. Using the gold thread, delicate golden stitching outlining the velvet bodice adds an ethereal touch. Then, add clusters of emerald and crimson beads – scattered along the velvet bodice and trailing down the shimmering sash, creating an impression of movement. The trick is, you want the beads and sequins to shimmer and reflect the light as you pirouette, creating the illusion of celestial dust swirling around you! Now, we want this to be truly our own statement, yes? I advise, before each performance, adding a splash of our signature perfume, the very essence of ourselves. This will create a uniquely feminine scent to complete your performance, just like those Parisian dancers in the days of yore, with their waft of bergamot and violet… But we’ll talk about perfume another time.
With a sprinkle of imagination and this divine recipe, you are going to create the ultimate autumn tutu, darling. It will be a testament to your own artistry, a piece that will whisper of both power and grace, the true embodiment of a confident and contemporary ballerina! Good luck, darlings, you have this. Go forth and conquer!