Hello, my darlings! Emma here, your time-travelling tutu enthusiast, ready to take you on a grand pirouette through the history of the ballet tutu!
It’s #TutuTuesday, and I’m so excited to whisk you back to August 21st, 1838. Today's journey is going to be rather special – we're venturing to Paris! Oh, Paris! A city overflowing with style, with elegant avenues and shimmering shops overflowing with beautiful fabric! Imagine silk swirling in every colour under the golden Parisian sunlight – chef's kiss
Why Paris, you ask? Well, darling, Paris in 1838 is where the ballet tutu started to truly blossom!
From Practicality to Poetry:
You see, before 1838, ballerinas were dressed in layers upon layers of undergarments, and it truly did hinder their graceful movements. The ballet dancers in Paris felt the restrictions - no twirls, no grand leaps, no effortless movement. But imagine the agony, darling, with those restrictive layers hindering the elegant poetry of the dance!
The Arrival of the Romantic Ballet:
Then, a magical shift began! The ballet romantique swept across Paris. Romantic ballet sought to portray beauty and emotion, expressing ethereal grace and a more emotional form of dance. To achieve this, they needed a dance costume to match the movement! It's in this Romantic ballet era that our tutus really start to come to life!
Our friend, the illustrious ballerina Marie Taglioni, had a vision, a spark as I like to say, a dazzling idea. With a bit of tailoring magic and an extraordinary understanding of dance, Marie created a new kind of dancewear that freed her movements: The tutu!
Now, this original tutu was very different to our glorious modern versions, but its essence was there. The tutu of 1838 was crafted from fine muslin or cotton, flowing like a waterfall from her waist. Think of a light, airy skirt, perfectly echoing the graceful movements of the dance. Oh, it was a sensation! The audience was breathless, and Marie became the ultimate femme fatale of the ballet!
The Importance of Color and Fabric:
What made these early tutus so incredibly beautiful? Imagine shades of blush pink, heavenly ivory, softest lilac, and the vibrant sky-blue - all so chic! Imagine the gorgeous satin ribbons that held the tutu at the waist – such artistry! The beauty of those colors, darling, made these tutus come alive on stage!
Imagine this elegant image: A stage bathed in moonlight, and the silhouette of a ballerina dancing on tiptoes, her figure beautifully illuminated, swirling and twirling in a symphony of silken movement. What a vision!
A Tutu That Inspires:
Let’s fast forward a little to 1839! On the 23rd of February, you can find a grand performance called 'La Sylphide'. Our star, the ethereal Marie Taglioni, appears in her iconic romantic ballet costume – a flowing, exquisite, cotton tutu – a moment that forever cemented the place of the tutu in the history of ballet. The image, cherished, captured in paintings, photos, engravings! The Sylphide is what took the tutu from beautiful to iconic.
So there we are! A trip to Paris in 1838 showed us how the tutu came into being – how it blossomed into the stunning ballet costume it is today. Remember, every ballet dancer needs to express their own flair, but we all love the grace, beauty and movement that the tutu inspires. And that's how it is that today's tutue has gone beyond its original Parisian origins to reach the world!
My Tutu Tip!
This week, darling, why not go and watch a performance at a theatre or ballet school? The history of ballet has such a magical story, so soak it up.
Now, for those of you looking for something special in pink - head over to the blog, Pink-Tutu.com, for a special giveaway. One lucky reader has a chance to win a very special vintage pink ballet tutu! This tutu was gifted to me by my favourite antique store owner in Derbyshire! A real little gem! Don't miss out, dearie, it's going to be gone in a flash! Just remember to include your favourite ballet style, and a message about what your ideal ballet costume would be!
See you next week!
Lots of love,
Emma
P.S. Don't forget, darling, I’m all about #TutuTuesday! What does it mean for you? Every Tuesday, every Tuesday, pop a gorgeous pink tutu on and post a picture using the hashtag! #TutuTuesday, my darlings, is all about celebrating the magical world of the tutu, from its early beginnings in Paris to its presence on stage today. Show us how you like to wear it! Every colour is magical, of course, but #PinkTutu always steals the show, right, my dearies?
