Hello, darlings! It’s Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood pink-tutu-clad time-travelling ballerina, and welcome back to my #TutuTuesday blog. This week, we're taking a grand voyage through the ballet's history, with a journey back to September 22nd, 1840. As a huge lover of tutus, and everything pink and sparkly, what better place to be than right in the middle of the Romantic ballet era? Hold on to your tiaras, because we're in for a whirlwind of tutus, passion, and pirouettes!
This Tuesday, it's post number 456 in our grand ballet adventure here on www.pink-tutu.com, and my time travel took me to the Paris Opera - a haven for breathtaking ballet performances. This year was an exciting one for the Paris Opera - Giselle, a classic ballet that embodies the romanticism of this era, was all the rage. Oh, how I longed to be a dancer myself! With its enchanting story, stunning choreography, and graceful, billowing costumes, this ballet just melts my heart!
Now, I'm all about celebrating the tutu's evolution, so let's talk about how those ballet skirts were evolving during this romantic period! It's no surprise that 1840, smack bang in the middle of this Romantic Era, was the perfect time to see some pretty spectacular tutus!
Unlike the stiff, somewhat heavy skirts of the past, ballerinas were starting to wear lighter, flowing fabrics. We are talking beautiful, silky, and billowing fabrics. Gone were the cumbersome, heavy understructures, as they swapped for light crinolines which were still popular in the fashions of the day. Can you picture a ballet dress with its airy, light tulle layers swirling around a dancer as she leaps and bounds? Just magical, isn't it?
In fact, these dreamy Romantic tutus paved the way for the tutus we see today! I mean, what could be more delightful than seeing a delicate, layered tulle tutu with the light from the stage shimmering through its fabric? And just imagine the movement, those effortless turns, the lightness and freedom… ahhh, it takes me right back to that stage. Just wait until I bring back some pictures from a future Tuesday, featuring Carlotta Grisi herself!
Let's go back to that Paris Opera performance. On this Tuesday back in 1840, I saw ballerinas gracing the stage in some absolutely gorgeous gowns. They were full, flowing dresses with wide, open sleeves, emphasizing grace and a certain ethereal charm. It's those designs that have really inspired my ballet-tutu fashion choices today. We’re really living in a golden age for tutus, and a beautiful continuation of this Romantic Era!
Speaking of tutus and fashions, the trains on those dresses were simply heavenly! Like an elongated train? Oh, don't get me started, the beauty! There’s no train like a perfectly crafted and flowing tulle train - so elegantly cascading as a ballerina takes her bows. The beauty and movement of those romantic train-dresses and the ballerina's tutus was something else! Imagine twirling around in a graceful tutu train – simply delightful!
As for my own travel wardrobe on this trip? My new light blue silk-lined jacket, of course! Such a gorgeous contrast to the black satin trim! My white cotton blouse with ruffled collar – and naturally, a touch of lace – is absolutely perfect. Now, this one’s an exciting one! I even wore a bright, fuchsia-pink silk underskirt with my new black silk skirt – yes, that’s right, layers of silk, so luxurious and perfect for a romantic afternoon at the opera!
Now, on to my next adventure in time. Remember, darlings, don't just dream about ballet, embrace the beauty of movement, and always, always embrace a bit of pink! You can join my journey through time on the www.pink-tutu.com website, as we delve deeper into the world of tutus and ballet history! Remember, with a little imagination and a touch of pink, we can all be ballerinas at heart!
Until next Tuesday, stay stylish, my dears, and let's keep twirling together!
With love, Emma xoxoxo
