Hello my darling tutu-loving darlings! Welcome back to my #TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History, coming to you live from the heart of the fashion and ballet scene - Paris, France! As you know, I'm Emma, your friendly neighbourhood ballerina blogger, and it's my absolute mission in life to make the world a more sparkly and tutu-fied place. And that means diving into history, learning all about how these fabulous frocks have evolved!
Today, we're travelling back in time to 1st September, 1835. You know I love travelling by train, don't you? It's such a romantic way to journey to a bygone era! We're smack-bang in the middle of the Romantic period in ballet. Just picture the beautiful music, the captivating storylines, and, of course, those floaty, billowing tutus!
The tutu - still evolving
Now, remember that tutus weren't always as they are now! Back then, they were quite different. In fact, imagine a long, flowy skirt reaching almost to the floor, adorned with layers of lace and flounces. Absolutely dreamy! It was almost like a fancy ballgown but lighter and more airy. The focus was on graceful movement, a swirling beauty as the ballerinas moved like delicate flower petals in the breeze. Imagine a whole stage bursting with beautiful, swirling skirts and I am just utterly transported!
But get this! This whole tutu transformation was actually partly due to a gentleman called Jules Perrot, who just happened to be a really talented dancer and choreographer, by the way. He decided to cut the skirts way shorter to show off the dancers' incredible movements! He knew a bit of leg wouldn't hurt, right? So, those early short tutus weren't about the flamboyant flair we see today, but more about showcasing elegance and flowing grace.
And don't even get me started on the fabric! Think light as a feather silk, flowing chiffons, the sort that makes you want to twirl just from looking at it. We're talking fabrics that swirled and danced with the slightest breeze, making the dancers look utterly magical!
On this very day, history whispers…
...that our beloved tutu darling was doing its own form of graceful pirouette in the history books! Can you believe that in 1835, just four years before Queen Victoria was crowned, we were starting to see a little bit of a ballet revival.
The romantic spirit of this era just permeated everything - art, music, fashion, and of course, the dance! There was this beautiful obsession with emotion, feeling, and creating something incredibly beautiful, graceful, and elegant.
But don’t get it twisted, my dears! While the Romantic period is beautiful, it’s also a time when we’re seeing the start of things we wouldn’t accept now – things like female ballerinas being paid a whole lot less than male ballerinas, even if they were incredible dancers! Honestly, some things really do seem to be timeless when it comes to how society treats the female dancer, and this is something I’ll be writing about a little bit more in future posts!
What am I wearing today?
Well, it's obvious I've had to dig deep in the style archives for my outfit inspiration today. As we're back in a romantic era, think flowy silks, delicate tulle, and lots of beautiful, lacey details! I'm sporting a vibrant shade of pink tulle, because a ballerina can never have enough pink! It’s soft, but with a beautiful, dreamy sweep. I’ve paired it with a long, white silk underskirt that cascades beautifully, and I've even got a few delicate lace ruffles around the neckline and hem! And, to top it off? My favourite ballerina pink hat! This outfit will definitely help me step back in time for a little while, even though the Eiffel Tower wasn't even built until 1887, imagine that, it wasn't around when we're discussing today! I've definitely added my signature pink bow on the top though – just for a bit of 21st-century glam, haha!
Today's ballet pick!
Since we're celebrating the beauty of Romantic era ballet, I've booked tickets to the beautiful "La Sylphide." Can you imagine, I’m in the actual ballet capital of the world – what could be more magical than to see a performance in Paris?! If you ever get the chance, be sure to grab yourself some tickets and experience it. You’ll get lost in a world of ethereal dancing, delicate beauty, and it’ll have you falling in love with the whole Romantic spirit.
Now, darlings, I've got to be off - I've got some last-minute fashion preparations to do. You know what they say, you can never have too many pink tutus!
Until next Tuesday!
Yours in sparkles and tutus, Emma
