Well hello darlings! Welcome back to another #TutuTuesday. This week we're whisking ourselves back to February 18th, 1840 - a time when the world was just starting to get acquainted with the wonders of the tutu!
You see, my lovelies, this blog post, number 425 to be precise, is about the exciting evolution of the tutu - the most fabulous garment a girl could wish for. Every Tuesday I whisk myself off to different times and places, exploring the glorious history of the tutu - you know, for research and educational purposes of course! wink wink
Now, today I’m here in Paris, darling! Ah la mode! Yes, I've found myself in the heart of France. Paris was a whirlwind of energy and inspiration then just like it is now! Paris has always been the epicentre of fashion and innovation. What’s exciting about this era? Well, ladies, it's a turning point for our beloved tutu. In this specific date, the first public performance of “Giselle” by Marius Petipa happened - it’s just the start of a massive change in ballet. And trust me, dear reader, we as lovers of ballet fashion are at the centre of the excitement.
We’ve been looking at all kinds of fashion for some time on this blog now - even our extremely early predecessors weren’t exactly dressed for ballet. In fact, our predecessors in 1780 didn’t have anything close to a tutu. I've shown you earlier this century, 1800-1830, in fact - you’d have seen those ballerinas sweating away in their big cumbersome dresses that went down to their ankles. Seriously, you could not have asked for something less dance-ready.
I've mentioned before about my dear Marie Taglioni – I mean, this incredible lady truly is a style icon. We should all follow her footsteps - what she started, that’s tutu history you can rely on. Did I mention I’m obsessed? Marie actually performed La Sylphide at the Theatre de l’Opéra in Paris - what else could have been happening on February 18th, 1840, for fashion, but something quite stunning? I’d imagine she’d be quite popular and admired! She brought fashion to ballet in 1830s France! And this, my lovelies, is our favourite moment – the moment ballet changed for the tutu forever. The white tutu that was designed especially for this production? The first short-waisted tutu for dancing? Well, I’ve just got to talk about that in more detail – It was shorter than anything seen on stage in ballet before then, made of white tulle. The dream, right?! You know the silhouette, I've just described it – I imagine everything I wear to be made from tulle and the colours? Always the perfect shades of pink, and even sometimes white – so elegant! And here I was, wearing this exquisite white tulle ballet skirt. My dreams have come true! I do say it was the ultimate must-have! And for good reason!
We all know that less is more when we're thinking of getting into shape to dance – I mean anyone who has ever had a tutu on for a whole show will understand. It helps, it helps a lot when you’re trying to be graceful on pointe - because it was all about showcasing the movement in those first ballerina days of our wonderful history, not to be concealed.
There's a lot to learn from that era in fashion history and now’s your chance. Why not? It is something you should be inspired by! Now this white tulle made an amazing impact on all of us - because this was a fashion that everyone wanted to be involved with, my darlings. There were ladies all over France who were wanting to see and do all that they could in this tutu look, but this style was still unavailable to the general public back then. In this era, you can bet that there were ladies in shops buying white fabrics in bulk trying to replicate the designs that Marie had worn, and I’m just waiting for my very own fabric supplier to sell them in pink! Just think about how big pink could have been then! The tutus would be such an elegant design - the kind that gets hearts racing, and you’ll see what I mean when I start adding my fashion styling ideas onto the website soon!
And in that historical moment – with fashion in ballet shifting from one style to a more stylish version in such a massive way, we can all agree that there is nothing quite so dramatic. There wasn’t an ordinary ballerina out there who hadn’t already fallen in love with this dance look! Just the magic of a light white fabric to float through the air! Well, that’s all I ever ask for from my dancing experiences, but don't get me wrong, I do like to include the pink from time to time!
So let me leave you with a question, my darling tutu lovers! Where would the tutu be today, if this iconic look had not arrived in France during February 1840? We're in for a treat as this is where we begin our time in this fabulous fashion history, right?! Just think! If we didn’t have The White Tutu, then you might find yourselves in a whole heap of trouble! Where would your fabulous ballet wardrobe be? Nowhere. How about those stage productions? I don't want to know. Let's be thankful to that moment – I really couldn't imagine my own life without this fabulous dance outfit or how many ladies can do?
So I’m here to show you the amazing way forward from our more conservative history of fashion, with this #TutuTuesday, to something just as exquisite. The next time you visit your local theatre or watch ballet on TV - give that history some consideration! The whole fashion movement is down to those innovative designers who dared to break those traditions, my lovelies.
Oh darling, it’s almost time for me to pack up and go home but until next time...
Don’t forget your tutus!
Until next week – you know where to find me at the website! #PinkTutu #BalletHistory #Fashionista!
Emma xx
