Hey lovelies! Emma here, your very own pink tutu-wearing time-travelling blogger! I’m back, just back, in fact, from a whirlwind trip to 1838 Paris, and let me tell you, it’s a tutu-tiful place! 🩰
Today, my dear tutu enthusiasts, we’re going all the way back to 1838, just over a century and a half before the advent of the iconic tutus that are my raison d'être (that's French for 'reason for being', you know! We do love to dip our toes in the Gallic spirit in my little corner of Derbyshire!).
On this date, August 14th, 1838, something incredible happened - and it had nothing to do with fluffy, twirly skirts! You see, darling readers, 1838 was a year of big, BIG changes, changes that, whilst not as flashy as a perfectly poised pas de deux, laid the foundations for our glorious ballet history!
Picture this: the world is buzzing with industrial innovation! Steam trains are chugging across the continent (did I mention I love train journeys?!) and factories are humming with the excitement of new inventions. It's an exciting time, much like when the first glimpse of a new collection hits the shops! (Those couture gowns in 1838 were fabulous, but we'll chat more about that in a future #TutuTuesday!)
But wait, what's this...? On this very date, in the year of big change, the Opéra Garnier is actually being constructed!! That's right, the very stage upon which countless legendary ballerinas would one day pirouette! I almost took a detour to witness this momentous occasion. But my heart is just a tiny bit too attached to a little place called the Royal Opera House in London, for the time being, at least. Who knows, perhaps I'll time travel to that first stone laying ceremony of the Opera Garnier next time... but today is about tutus! It would simply not be correct.
And whilst 1838 wasn't exactly overflowing with fluffy tutu skirts in the way I, well, you know, live and breathe, this date marks the start of a journey towards those beloved tutus. And, what was a little ballet going on around this time you may ask?
Well, on August 14, 1838, Marie Taglioni, (the woman considered by many to be the "Queen of Ballet" and my absolute inspiration - I adore her! More on this divine ballerina later...) was absolutely slaying the audiences at the Theatre du Vaudeville in Paris! She was performing "La Sylphide" – and here's where the real tutu-related drama unfolds! Think delicate, gauzy, whisper-light fabric. It was light, almost ethereal, giving the impression of flight! Cue the iconic, romantic, beautiful ballerina image that has enthralled us for centuries.
See, darlings, 1838 might not have seen the explosion of fluffy, tulle tutus as we know them today, but it was a period of ballet's transition. It's where ballet became more delicate and fluid, moving away from the strict and pompous style. Those 'Sylphide' costumes? The beginning of our tutus! They are a direct ancestor.
But I have to warn you, dear readers: you wouldn't find the ballerina twirling like the ones in "Swan Lake" back in 1838! Those types of tutus were yet to bloom! Back then, it was more about the romantic elegance, all floating, whispering layers that reminded you of dancing air, of ethereal beauty, a bit like the first soft whisper of wind through autumn leaves. Ahhhh, those early tutus really do know how to whisk us away to a magical land.
Oh, how I wish I could pop back to 1838! To witness this amazing ballet in its full glory. What I'd give for a minute to peek behind the curtain at Marie Taglioni, see that delicate dance and imagine those first glimpses of tutu evolution in full flower! Well, maybe another time! (And let's face it, you'd rather read my blog, right?! 😉)
My dears, until next #TutuTuesday, remember – every day can be #TutuTuesday, embrace the tutu-titude! And if you're feeling inspired, whip out your favourite shade of pink and try that "Sylphide" float, channeling that delicate, romantic, beautiful spirit. You never know what magical tutu moments await you!
Until next time, don't forget to dance, dream, and sparkle!
XOXO, Emma, your Tutu-tiful Time-Travelling Blogger. 💖
P.S. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for more tutu-tiful insights into our Ballet Tutu History, fashion fun and time travel adventures. (Just a few little hints of my favourite things: a tutu-infused afternoon tea with macarons and champagne; a ballet show followed by a swirly evening on the town; and yes, I do indulge in the occasional ballet class at the studio. There is absolutely nothing I love more than a great stretch and a bit of arabesque in the morning! 😉)
