Greetings, lovelies! Emma here, your pink tutu-clad time-travelling guide to all things tulle and twirling! It's #TutuTuesday, and this week, we're taking a trip back to 12th June, 1832, for a glimpse into the world of tutus.
This is post number 24 for my Ballet Tutu History blog, so buckle up and get ready for some seriously stylish insights, all brought to you fresh from my latest time-hopping adventure. This week, my time-travelling took me right to the heart of Parisian fashion! And boy oh boy, it was an absolute delight!
Firstly, let's talk about how I funded this whole trip back in time, darling. Ballet! Nothing quite fills my pockets and feeds my adventurous spirit like a thrilling performance, whether it’s the electrifying thrill of the Paris Opera Ballet or a sweet performance by young, hopeful ballerinas.
Oh, but Paris is SO full of vibrant history, so I didn't want to waste a minute.
On the 12th of June, 1832, fashion was ablaze with Romanticism, and it felt so good to soak it all up! Just imagine delicate silk fabrics, flowy silhouettes, and romantic motifs - oh my, so much inspiration to fill a little ballerina’s head with dreams.
As for tutus? Well, this was a bit before their grand arrival on the ballet scene. You see, while there were whimsical dresses with layers of ruffles and plenty of floating fabrics on the stage back then, those dramatic, fluffy tutus we know and adore today weren't quite around yet. Imagine how different that time must have been, without those beautiful mounds of tulle, and that magical swish as they spun and pirouetted.
But even then, we were on the cusp of a revolutionary movement in dance. The Italian ballerina Carlotta Grisi was the talk of Paris at this time, and her mesmerizing performances were already beginning to influence how the ballet world thought about dancers’ attire. She was one of the first dancers to adopt these longer, flowing “romanticist dresses”, often with layered tulle to give that wispy, ethereal feel. Just picture a ballerina gliding gracefully across the stage in a soft, flowing, barely-there gown! Honestly, the romance and delicacy were just beginning to be explored in a new light.
Now, don’t get me wrong, there’s definitely an allure to this earlier style of dress! It embodied a very different elegance and grace, one that celebrated the femininity and ethereal qualities of the dance. We may adore tutus, but there’s also something magical about those floating silhouettes that almost seemed to melt into the movements.
While tutus hadn’t quite taken the world by storm yet, this is a period brimming with creativity and excitement in ballet and in fashion. You could practically feel the thrill in the air! They were just beginning to explore those dramatic layers and graceful shapes – the essence of what would soon become the tutu. It was a time for dreamy designs and, let’s be honest, the more the tulle, the merrier.
In fact, imagine those airy dresses in your favourite pink, darlings! Talk about dreamy, right? Just wait until I find my way back to that decade again. I might just have to have one of those magnificent romancist gowns made! Now, imagine dancing with a train trailing behind you!
Don’t forget, it’s #TutuTuesday, so I need to share some fun insights for you. This day, June 12th, 1832, marks the birth of a Parisian icon, and darling, he loved his tutus! He's none other than the famous and flamboyant composer * Giacomo Meyerbeer, * creator of the spectacular opera Robert le Diable. This piece, featuring tutu-like skirts for the ballerinas, was quite the sensation! It gave audiences a real peek into the future of costume design.
I love delving into the history of dance, especially when I can imagine a lovely pink tutu gracing the stage alongside it!
Of course, my own mission is still ongoing! Getting the whole world to don a pink tutu is just as exciting a goal in the past as it is in the present! Every #TutuTuesday, we inch closer to achieving this dream. I promise you, there's magic in a well-placed swirl of tulle. It's all about embracing our inner ballerinas, channeling our dreams and showing off our sparkle!
Speaking of sparkle, I need to be off now! It’s a whirlwind journey here through time! I’ve got an incredible ballet show coming up tomorrow, and a shop full of adorable, sparkly accessories to browse, right here in this time-period. So keep those #TutuTuesday dreams spinning, my dear darlings! I'll see you again next Tuesday!
Remember, Tutus are magic, and the world is your stage.
Yours always in pink,
Emma x
