Hello my lovely Tutu-lovers!
It's Tuesday again, which means it's time for another peek into the magical world of tutús! This week we're journeying back in time, all the way to April 16th, 1839. Buckle up your pink shoes and hold on tight, we're going on a fashionable adventure!
As always, you'll find me twirling around in a delightfully pink tutu – because what else is a girl to do when time travelling? But even I had to admit, back in 1839, there was a different air in the ballet world, even here in the heart of Parisian fashion. Tutús hadn't quite taken the stage just yet!
Think about it - those elegant, swirling tutús we know and love? Back then, they'd still be tucked away in a designer's imagination. Now, let me tell you a secret – back in those days, ballet dancers didn't get to flaunt their beautiful legs as freely as they do today.
No, back then, a ballerina was pretty much shrouded in a long, full skirt! Imagine – skirts to your ankles! The ultimate challenge for any pirouette, right? It’s hard enough trying to keep those tutus aloft in the air today – let alone something billowing to your ankles! It would've been a delightful (but slightly tragic!) sight to see all that material flapping in the air during a grand jeté!
Thankfully, the times they were a-changin' - in a rather positive and fashionably exciting way. Just a couple of decades later, the Romantic Era came into bloom, and so did the tutu. Now, that was something that set the fashion world – and the world of dance – abuzz with excitement!
Before we leap forward, let's get back to today's date – 16th April, 1839! Did anything truly momentous occur in the world of dance? Hmmm…. well, not as much as I’d have liked for my Tutu Tuesday post. You see, my dear readers, in 1839, tutus hadn’t become quite as popular as the full, sweeping skirts. I did find a curious fact – a Parisian theatre put on a ballet production featuring a female dancer known for wearing something that almost looked like a tutú! But don't get too excited - it wasn't quite the same as we see today. Imagine a longer, lighter version of what you'd consider a full ballet skirt – but maybe just a tad shorter than a gown. You can call this a precursor to our delightful tutús!
Oh, how I wish I could hop on a time-travelling train to that ballet performance – I’d be grabbing some pink tutú ribbons for my skirt and getting myself right into that Parisian theatre! Just imagine – me and the lovely ladies of 1839 enjoying a ballet show and all those swirling skirts! A bit of time-travelling chic if I ever saw it!
Well, even if my Tutu Tuesday trip to 1839 didn't turn out as extravagant as I'd hoped, there’s one thing I can confidently say about that time – there was a stirring, a shift, a tutu-licious change happening! It was like the whole world was ready for those light, airy, gorgeous, pink-tutu-loving movements we adore so much!
And just think – our beautiful tutús are getting ever so much prettier, twirlier, and more sparkly! So grab your pink ballet shoes and keep spinning, ladies! The magic of the tutu – the spirit of dancing and twirling with happiness – will never go out of style. I have no doubt the tutu world is going to get even brighter, more joyful, and absolutely deliciously pink! See you all next Tuesday for more tutú travels!
Emma
P.S. And just so you all know, I'm off to see a ballet performance at the Covent Garden Opera House tonight! It's not a ballet about tutús but it’s a beautifully romantic show called “The Nutcracker.” They are performing it just a stone’s throw from where we’re sat right now in my London hotel, in Covent Garden. It’s the heart of London fashion! I’m quite sure a whole tutu of fun will be had. If only it could have been set back in 1839 – oh, what a scene that would be!
See you soon!
