Bonjour, mes chéries! It's Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood tutu enthusiast, back with another peek into the fabulous history of our beloved tutus! This week, we're travelling back to January 29th, 1833 - grab your dancing shoes, darlings, because we're taking a trip to Paris!
Ooh la la, the City of Lights, where the romance of ballet blossomed! This is the era when tutus began their reign, so we'll be hopping back in time to see what this captivating city was doing to set the fashion scene alight.
This Tuesday takes us to the glorious Theatre de l'Opéra de Paris, a grand edifice that, even back then, oozed Parisian chic! Can you imagine, girls? Our ballerina stars performing in their long, flowing tutus on a grand stage, with the twinkling lights of the chandelier above and the excited hush of the audience.
This era, in fact, is considered the Golden Age of Ballet, and while there wasn't a specific, standardized 'tutu' back in 1833, we're already seeing those iconic bell-shaped tutus in full bloom, perfect for the nimble footwork and pirouettes these lovely dancers were already performing. You can imagine the gorgeous silk fabrics swirling around, catching the stage lights. Dreamy, isn't it?
The Starry Performances of 1833
Now, don't you want to know about what was on stage on this very day in history? I found out from my old ballet tomes that a show entitled "La Tentation" was gracing the Paris opera that day. "La Tentation", which translates as "The Temptation", is a charming little piece, quite risqué for its time, telling the story of a man's encounter with an enchanting, alluring "Tentation" in the form of a lovely ballet dancer.
Think shimmering, swirling tutus, playful glances across the stage, and the intoxicating beauty of balletic performance – it's a little sneak peek into the history of a captivating art form, don't you think?
Now, even if we haven't found our iconic pink tutus in this timeline just yet, that doesn't mean they weren't blossoming. They just weren't as ubiquitous as they are today, thank goodness! Let's remember, darlings, we're making tutu history every single day with our love for them, from rocking a twirl on the dance floor to strutting our stuff in our pink tutu dresses, wherever we may be!
But what else was going on in 1833, you might be asking?
Hold onto your hats, darlings, because while Paris was abuzz with ballet, across the Channel in good ol' Blighty, there was plenty going on.
The Great Reform Act - a significant piece of legislation that gave more people the right to vote in Britain. Now, while that sounds a bit serious, imagine the effect it had on theatre attendance! It meant more people could experience the joy of ballet and buy beautiful tutus to wear!
The founding of the London and Birmingham Railway. Imagine that, travelling to see a ballet by train! My goodness, it's enough to make a time traveler want to don her pink tutu and hop on a vintage train. I'm thinking a vintage tutu with an emerald green, plush fabric train skirt! (Must add this to my inspiration board.)
In our fashionable world, the "Biedermeier" style was a hit with its elegant simplicity. Picture long, flowing gowns with high necklines and puffed sleeves, and delicate colours that made women look as graceful as a ballerina. And I think, in this way, it really influenced the elegance of early tutus. Think about how long it took to get from that Biedermeier style to those bell-shaped, ethereal tutus we love so much! A true triumph of fashion and the beauty of graceful movement.
Now, remember, every Tuesday I'm taking us back in time for a sartorial tour de force. I promise a blend of fashion, history, and perhaps just a pinch of cheeky whimsy to bring you the most enchanting tales of the tutu, and hopefully inspire you to make your own tutu dreams a reality. And just remember, every day, we have the chance to create our own story in our fabulous tutus!
See you next week, my pink-loving cherubs!
Until then, keep twirling,
Emma xo
www.pink-tutu.com
