Hello my darlings, and welcome back to www.pink-tutu.com! It's another fabulous #TutuTuesday and I'm ready to whisk you away on a journey through time. This week, we're travelling all the way back to December 26th, 1843 to take a peek at the evolution of the tutu, oh darling!
I am thrilled to be posting this week's #TutuTuesday as my trusty TimeTurner landed me right in the heart of Paris, darling! Paris! A veritable symphony of fashion and art. You see, dearest readers, the tutu in 1843 was a far cry from the fluffy creations we wear today! It was a rather...well...plain affair, quite the departure from the flamboyant tutu's of the present. Imagine a simple white or flesh-toned fabric, very modest, with little to no volume. You could practically wear it under your frock, my dear! But this is the very beginning, you see? The starting point for what was about to blossom into a dance world revolution!
You see, 1843 is a significant year in our little ballet history. It's the year Marie Taglioni took the Parisian stage by storm in her iconic La Sylphide. Can you believe, my darlings, a simple white frock was all it took for this iconic performance to begin! The choreography, so delicate and airy, brought new life to the movement of the dance. But most importantly, her ethereal, simple outfit (though quite a scandal back then, if you can imagine!) was a dramatic change from the cumbersome dresses worn previously! It was a revolution, a shift to lightness and elegance!
I find this particularly interesting, darling! For the very idea of the ballet tutu we know today stems from this one single performance. Marie Taglioni's La Sylphide, I believe, brought a new aesthetic, a vision of feminine beauty, a romantic, otherworldly grace... and this is the beauty of the tutu's power. The power of a dress, my love! The power of the pink!
This was also the very moment when Maria Talloni, the renowned dancer, was captivating audiences with her performance, right here in Paris! A real treat for the eyes, darlings! Imagine all those beautiful swirling skirts, all that elegance! Of course, the dresses still featured a heavy fabric that hid the dancer's feet (oh dear!), But with Marie, all this changed! Think light, ethereal...imagine how the change must have shocked the audiences!
I had to be present at the Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique (which we all now know as the Opéra Garnier) of course! My dear, even with no flashy tutus, the Parisian theater world was electric, and Paris is, naturally, THE place for ballet! The city is alive with artistic inspiration and elegance! I confess, darling, that while shopping for shoes, I met an absolutely exquisite hat shop that brought me a veritable mountain of beautiful headbands! Now that, darling, will certainly become a post on its own! I must have had a dozen people pointing at me, as I whirled with delight in a gorgeous blue and purple ribbon headband. But we can discuss that on another occasion!
However, darling, I must admit that the simple little "tutu" that Marie wore on that historic evening, well, the "tutu" is practically a ballet wardrobe must-have these days! It has become a ballet must, even a trend in everyday fashion, and look, here I am, living proof! But what I wouldn't give for a little glimpse into that special evening, don't you think? A glimpse of that Parisian theatre, full of elegant ladies and gents all dressed in their finest! And, you can bet that they were discussing fashion. Everyone's so intrigued by fashion, you see!
Now I must be dashing, darling. I hear there's an upcoming performance by Le Ballet de l'Opéra de Paris! How divine! They’ve really gone from strength to strength since Marie Taglioni! My TimeTurner is ready for me, as soon as I’ve bought some more elegant accessories and lace from the Marché aux Puces (oh! they were all quite surprised when I went shopping there in my pink tutu! Haha!), but I'm writing this for you lovely people while my time is travelling!
Do leave a comment below and tell me your favourite #TutuTuesday stories so far, and don't forget to join me on social media for exclusive glimpses of my journey, fashion updates, and some sneak peeks of what is going on in the future world!
Stay fabulous and, as always, remember... more pink, more tutu!
Yours truly, Emma xx
P.S: Don't forget to follow me on my adventures through ballet history. Follow my blog each week on www.pink-tutu.com, or on Twitter @pinktutu, or find me on Insta as @EmmaPinkTutu for extra inspiration. I would absolutely love to see all your photos! Use the #TutuTuesday hashtag, and let's celebrate the evolution of the ballet tutu together! And please! Do share the story of your favourite tutus, share any memories, and tell me about the amazing tutus in your ballet wardrobes, too! Let's discuss what makes the tutu such an iconic ballet item.
