Welcome back to my #TutuTuesday blog, dear readers! Today we're stepping back into the time machine, skipping ahead a bit from last week's historical journey. Our destination? The 19th February 1833, a date that's all about waltzes and waltzing, if you'll pardon the pun!
Now, imagine yourself in a world where the dance of choice was the waltz, a slow, elegant dance full of swirling skirts and fluttering ribbons. Picture the romantic ballroom, gaslight shimmering, and a cloud of delicate fragrance hanging in the air, as ladies glide in dresses of shimmering satin and tulle, the whispers of their silken skirts like a secret melody against the soft, soaring notes of a grand piano. It was a time when the very shape of clothing evolved to match the movement of the dance.
Yes, that's right! You heard me! Even then, the fashion world was inspired by dance. This is before the iconic tutus that we know and love, but we're getting closer!
Now, I’ve mentioned that we are focusing on the waltz. So you might be wondering: what does all this have to do with ballet tutus? Well, a certain type of tutu (which didn't yet exist as a stand alone garment) is actually playing a big part in the history of fashion. That’s because, in the 1830s, ladies were getting super excited about wearing "tutu-like" garments under their dancing dresses.
Why? Because a simple, flowing petticoat - and here we start to glimpse our future ballet tutus! - made it so much easier to float and glide in all those fancy ballroom dresses. Ladies loved to spin and twirl to the dreamy, lilting melodies of the waltz, and they found the tulle underskirts made it all so much more elegant and easier to do. I’m sure they weren't wearing a traditional, professional tutu yet, but those graceful swirling skirts with layers of tulle were a definite ancestor to our beautiful tutu designs!
Isn't that amazing? Fashion and dance, always entwined! This period - I have a whole chapter on it in my upcoming book about ballet tutu history - is like a delicate ballet in its own right, a story of fashion, dance, and the constant invention and adaptation that drives the evolution of fashion.
A Dash of Derbyshire
As a good old Derbyshire girl, let me take you back home with me, to Derbyshire in the 1830s! We’re talking elegant country estates, elegant ladies, and - what do you know? - a whole load of dances! There’s plenty of opportunity for waltzing in this lovely, lush, green countryside, in elegant mansions with large drawing rooms, and dance halls. Our lovely English country women (who might well have travelled by train, imagine that!) loved to embrace the latest trends, and you can bet your top dollar that they would have been amongst the first to embrace this swirling new dance craze and adopt the "tutu-like" undergarment craze. They’re dancing with a new style of freedom, the perfect prelude to the grand dance that was about to emerge.
Speaking of our gorgeous county! This Tuesday's post takes us back to the grand manor houses of Derbyshire. Imagine it, a day at Chatsworth House or Haddon Hall, with elegant parties in their spacious ballrooms, where the graceful waltzes took center stage, each twirl of the dance reflecting the soft, feminine spirit of the ladies within.
The Evolution of Fashion, Just Like Ballet
But, you know, this evolution of the "tutu" didn't happen overnight. It was all part of a larger dance - quite literally! - between art and fashion. We are going back in time, but every new stage in fashion tells a new story of the artistry of dress. Just like the artistry of dance!
Every little shift in style, every subtle movement of fabric, and the influence of new forms of movement - even waltzing - changed the course of fashion and dance, and we can see the tutu in the making. We might not be seeing a professional-looking tutu in all its glory just yet, but we are looking at a new type of skirt, the precursors to the beautiful and graceful tutu forms of the future.
What’s particularly fascinating for me - it's about how a dance changed the shape of the dress, and that's how fashion moves forward. It's a powerful influence that echoes through time. The new styles of waltzing demanded more movement and agility. We saw fashion evolve to accommodate the graceful turns, the beautiful swaying of the body, the light, floating feel. Just as it will again in the future when the ballet emerges fully and brings its own demands on the dancer's costume.
Let’s Stay Connected!
This is just the start of our exciting #TutuTuesday journey. Each week, we'll be diving deeper into the magical world of the ballet tutu, learning its history and celebrating its fascinating transformation over the ages. And while you’re here, don’t forget to take a look at www.pink-tutu.com, where I'll be sharing more stories about the tutu in dance, theatre, and fashion, along with all my own latest ballet and shopping adventures! I'm currently having a splendid time browsing in Paris, but more about that later. Let me know your favorite dance, what’s got your pink tutu swishing, in the comments below! We all know it’s the tutu’s day to shine every day, so #SpreadThePinkTutuLove every day!
Until next time, keep those tutus twirling,
Emma.
