Hello my lovely tutu-loving darlings!
It's Emma here, your pink-tutu-wearing, time-travelling ballerina, and I'm thrilled to welcome you to this week's edition of #TutuTuesday: Ballet Tutu History! I'm just back from a lovely trip to Paris, where, believe me, the tutu was already starting to be all the rage! Today, however, we're whisking back in time, to 10th September 1833, where we're going to be taking a peek at how fashion and ballet were getting ready for their next grand, elegant leap!
As a Derbyshire lass, you can imagine how excited I was to hop aboard a steam train, the cutting-edge of travel technology, to take me from London straight into the heart of France. You can be sure my travelling wardrobe was stuffed with the prettiest dresses – and, of course, several perfectly pink tutus!
What did they wear in the 1830s, I hear you ask? Well, the ladies' fashions of the period were all about a flowing, romantic look - just like a ballet performance, don’t you think? Imagine frilly dresses, with billowing skirts, enchanting laces, and an abundance of dainty bows. Pretty pastel colours were big, especially pale blue and delicate pink – just like the tutu, my lovely darlings, that was just finding its feet! (pun definitely intended! 😉).
The hairstyle was, dare I say, rather elaborate, with lots of intricate curls, often worn with elaborate headbands and bonnets – perfect for the ladies taking their first ballet steps. Remember, ladies of this era dressed up to dance even if they weren't in a theatre! And this fashion craze? Completely influenced how we now imagine the ballerina.
In the ballet world, 1833 saw some real change in how movements started to shift. Instead of the rigid, courtly ballet styles of the past, we were seeing much more flowing, elegant dance. Think romantic, light-on-your-toes choreography! Think* ‘Giselle' * and the romantic tutus that would come later… oh my darlings! And imagine that the ballet tutu, at this point, was only starting to become the garment it would be known for! It was much shorter, and didn’t yet have the form-fitting layers of the iconic full length, bell-shaped tutus of later years; think ’Swan Lake’ tututotality fabulous! This, my lovelies, is what the magic of time travel allows us to see.
Oh, what a wonderful time for fashion! And to think that my *Pink Tutu blog has got you to appreciate the journey of these styles – so you, like me, are going to make the next move towards bringing back this amazing era in fashion!
This week, though, we must appreciate that it wasn't the tutus but the style, the flow, the delicate dance movements of this time that are reflected in those early, charming, almost romantic little garments! What was going on on this date? It wasn’t all just pretty dresses! On September 10th 1833, Britain’s great hero Admiral Lord Nelson, whose death in the battle of Trafalgar in 1805, the great naval triumph, was laid to rest in St Paul's Cathedral alongside Kings, Queens, and Prime Ministers - what an honour! It is one of history’s greatest triumphs!
There was lots of political debate, too – always a good topic for conversation with your fellow tutu-enthusiasts – don't you agree? This is why we need style and beauty!
I've got all sorts of plans for next week's #TutuTuesday post - the era that brought in Giselle, Swan Lake and so many amazing tutus and dancers... Don’t miss it! But, remember, you can always make sure you take the time to read more about what you love - the dance, the style, the history – *even if its in a 19th-century train station on your way to see a show! Just like me! 😉
So, my lovelies, remember to follow me on @pinktutu across all platforms. Tutu goodbye! And have a fabulous pink week! 💕
Love, Emma x
