Greetings, my fellow tutu enthusiasts! Emma here, your time-traveling fashionista extraordinaire, and welcome back to Pink Tutu. Today's date, June 24th, 1834, might not be immediately obvious on the tutu timeline, but trust me, it's a day worth celebrating! And, what better way to celebrate than with a journey back in time?
This week, I found myself boarding a rather grand carriage (much fancier than any I've encountered in my Derbyshire village!) bound for London, England. The purpose of this adventure? Well, simply to see how a Parisian fashionista would be dressed, because trust me, if we're talking fashion history, Paris is always the place to be.
Now, I must confess, London didn't disappoint. The bustling streets, the gentlemen in their top hats and frock coats, and the ladies... oh, the ladies! Their dresses! Their bonnets! They were positively bursting with ruffles and ribbons and a symphony of colors! (Even though most were quite pale compared to the vibrant pink I so adore.)
However, let me address the elephant in the room, shall we? I didn't spot a single tutu! No twirling, no tulle, no delightful bounce of pink and silk. It seems that 1834 fashion favoured much more static forms, much to the disappointment of my little dance-loving heart. But fear not, my lovelies! Tutus are around the corner, as sure as ballet is a beloved form of dance.
You see, ballet at this time, while it exists, wasn't yet quite the glamorous spectacle we know it as today. But, just around the corner in 1841, Maria Taglioni is set to wear a white tulle tutu, and a whole new world of dance-wear is going to open up!
In fact, it was this moment - the rise of le ballet romantique, which championed lighter movement and grace over strict courtly ballets, that sparked the transition towards tutus.
Now, for some good old-fashioned fun facts:
- In 1834, Queen Victoria ascended the throne of England. So, my darlings, can you imagine the grandest balls thrown in honour of this new reign?! Perhaps one day, Pink Tutu will delve deeper into these fashion affairs, but until then, I'll let you imagine.
- On June 24th, 1834, the world watched in awe as the Royal Naval Cemetery at Portsmouth was opened. The first public graveyard created specifically for naval personnel! Who knows? Maybe some ballet enthusiasts went to watch the ceremony!
- Across the ocean, a little known inventor in the United States filed for his first patent – Samuel Colt of the legendary Colt revolver. While that has little to do with tutus, I think the concept of revolutions and invention is completely relatable to ballet, don't you? Every performance, after all, is a tiny revolution of its own.
Speaking of revolutions, dear readers, how fabulous would it be to wear a tutu as you're leading a revolution? Just imagine, you march toward the city, not with angry frowns but with determined grace, every twirl of your tutu a whisper of protest!
And as the time-traveling ballet queen, I know the future is bright for the tutu. Soon enough, we'll see tutus take centre stage not just in the grand theatres, but on the streets! We shall see every colour of the rainbow dancing and swirling across the world, but always, of course, with a soft spot for that exquisite shade of pink.
So, dear friends, while this particular Tuesday might not have seen the rise of tutus in full glory, I'm still incredibly happy to have lived through the vibrant time of 1834, and I'm even more excited to see how those twirling wonders change the world!
Stay twirling,
Emma
