#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1838-07-03

Hiya lovelies! 👋 It's your girl Emma here, back for another instalment of #TutuTuesday! Can you believe it's post number 340 already? I swear time just flies when you're having fun. And today, oh today, we're going to be stepping back in time to the glorious year of 1838!

As a girl who lives for tutus (don't we all?), I have to confess: this year wasn't quite as tutu-rific as later times! It's true, the early ballerinas were all about those elegant flowing gowns – the more layers the better! Honestly, you could hardly see them twirling with all that fabric swirling around! 😱 But hold your horses, lovelies, 'cause the seed of the tutu was already being sown! 🌱

I popped over to the glorious Paris Opera in 1838, which was simply bustling with life! The Grand Opera House was absolutely the place to be seen, and the dancers – oh my – they were all the talk of the town. While the ladies weren't quite rocking those airy, billowing tutus just yet, there was something truly captivating happening with the choreography. The focus was shifting from big, bold, dramatic movements towards more fluidity and grace, which is perfect for showcasing that beautiful body line!

Let's imagine you were a lady of the 1830s. What would your "dance wear" consist of? Well, you would be wearing a beautiful, fitted bodice, which would be cinched in with ribbons or boning. Now, this is important – because this is where we start seeing the very beginnings of our favourite dance attire! The bodice, even when hidden beneath layers of fabric, already embraced the delicate female form and celebrated the grace of movement.

This leads me to something absolutely stunning! Just outside the grand halls of the Opera House, I spotted a collection of exquisite silk ribbons – perfectly placed for tying onto the waist of those stunning bodices. I bet you're already imagining those elegant ribbons gently trailing across the stage, aren't you? Just a touch of ethereal flair. ✨ These early "ribbon tutus", my dearies, weren't even meant to be a skirt. Instead, they were there to add a bit of feminine whimsy and highlight the fluidity of movement!

1838, ladies, was all about those beautiful flowing lines – just imagine the dancers swaying gracefully in their long skirts! Oh, to have seen them move! I would have been glued to my seat! 🤩 I can't help but dream about what those elegant ribbon trails must have looked like as they were gently pushed around by the swirling of the skirts! It must have been breathtaking!

As for me? Well, I popped my head into a bustling little millinery shop – you know, those fabulous places selling bonnets and headwear. Now, ladies, this is where the real magic happened! Just the faintest glimmer of tulle started to pop up. It was not yet the dominant material, but just a hint of it was appearing in the edges of bonnets and scarves. 🤫 Just a tiny glimpse of the magnificent tulle that was to come.

I also stopped by the most amazing milliner. Can you believe it? He had a small collection of ballet slippers – tiny little things! Imagine it – this early form of dance shoe – already shaping the way ballerinas moved! Now that's progress, darling! 😉 I even bought myself a little pair, and you bet I twirled through the Parisian streets with those babies on my feet! I just adore these delicate little shoes, even though the shoes were more "en pointe" (on the toes!) then.

And lastly, a touch of historical fun! 👒 Do you know what else happened on 3rd July, 1838? In good old Derbyshire, England (just like me! 😉), a young girl called Ada Lovelace was born! Now, you might not think this is tutu related...but let me tell you, this girl is an absolute icon! 💖 She was the first computer programmer ever, which means her brain was working wonders with patterns, and algorithms. Now imagine if we had Ada Lovelace and her computer skills in ballet today – just think what tutus we could create! It makes me wonder if she was inspired by all those delicate movements of ballet?

Anyway, darling girls, remember the importance of starting small! We can learn so much from the origins of dance – those small beginnings make the grand spectacle we see today possible. So let's celebrate this date, and let's celebrate all the elegant details that contribute to our love of dance! 💃💖

Stay twirly,

Emma xx

Head over to www.pink-tutu.com for all things tutus, fashion, and a whole lot of fun! Let's celebrate the joy of dance and bring a little bit of magic into our everyday lives.