#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1845-04-15

Post number 694, darling! Welcome back to www.pink-tutu.com, your one-stop shop for all things tulle and twirling. Today, I'm taking you on a grand adventure to 1845, where ballet is starting to take a dramatic turn! Oh my, it’s all so exciting, the tutus! I can’t wait to tell you about it all.

For the longest time, the tutu was just a cute little petticoat, giving our dear dancers a lovely, airy look under their gowns. But in the 1840s, well, everything just started to change! Think swirling tulle, elegant lines, and the most graceful, airy silhouettes - a real dancer’s dream! I absolutely love a bit of vintage style, don’t you? I just adore how romantic and delicate these first true tutus looked!

My darling, do you know the story of Marie Taglioni? Well, you will soon, but that’s for next Tuesday! Today, let’s dive into the era that sparked the dance fashion revolution, quelle joie, what fun! I’m even going to wear my pink, fluffy vintage tutu! It makes me so happy, just thinking about all those lovely swirling skirts, perfect for showing off amazing legwork!

So, let’s imagine, darling, a little trip in a carriage drawn by majestic horses! I do love traveling by train but the carriages were oh-so romantic back in 1845, quelle charming, and not nearly as crowded! I mean, what better way to see the world of ballet history, eh? And just imagine, the cobblestone streets, bustling with life! I feel myself falling for the vintage appeal, my darlings. We must get our hands on a vintage tulle, but keep that a little secret from you and I, I mean, what if those fabric sellers found out our secret? Imagine how high their prices would rise, how disgraceful, I would have to buy those lovely pink and purple vintage chiffons with my travel fund! My love of ballet is the way I finance all this time travel, how exciting! You wouldn't believe all the treasures I find when I'm traveling through time! The shops in Vienna in the 1800s are utterly fabulous!

Our first true tutus were born at a particularly exciting time for the art of dance, my darlings, what a wonderful time to be alive, it seems a lot less dramatic than now! Imagine! Romantic Ballet, my absolute favorite. If we’re thinking early Romantic ballet, you could be thinking soft tutus with graceful draping – all about those floating movements and romantic storylines! You can’t tell me that a good pas de deux in these outfits wasn’t a beautiful sight. What beautiful dresses, and those exquisite ballerina dresses, what a love, the detail! And what does a ballet loving lady want most but beautiful, feminine dresses with exquisite and feminine designs? Me? Why I've had over a dozen vintage tutus lovingly made for my time-traveling pleasure! It’s the thought that matters darling! But shh, it’s a secret, let’s not mention the amount of cash it took! Whispers, *whispers, let’s go shopping next Tuesday! I’ve got my eyes on some new pink tulle from the 1840s. Now, as you all know Darling I’m not a lover of the darker colors in tulle. For my vintage looks, give me pale blue, and, of course, pink! What’s the point in traveling to 1845 if I’m going to wear any other colour? I adored ballet then - so delicate and enchanting - and such beautiful pink shades! What could be better for ballet? My darlings, do I need a little more justification, let me assure you this blog is about ballet!

Back in 1845, tutus became longer and more detailed with layers and layers of delicate, light tulle! Imagine what you could do with your skirt with all those lovely, swirling, romantic movements dancing the night away in them, a symphony of fabric, a dancer's dream come true, with plenty of opportunity to practice and to show off your amazing moves! These graceful, floating styles, with some lace here and a tiny sprinkle of sparkly trim, well they allowed ballerinas to take centre stage and make the movements, especially in those lovely ballet jetés, that were already so incredibly beautiful, all the more dazzling, captivating! My darlings, ballet can’t get more magical than that! Imagine how wonderful the audiences must have felt watching this new style unfold – like magic! How incredibly dramatic that it could change so rapidly! What a delight, quelle beautiful ballet clothes, that's what it’s all about! Quel style! We’ll never stop, my dears, we will make sure that ballet is known as one of the most enchanting art forms!

What a wonderful, fabulous fashion it must have been in those days, imagine so much intricate design and so much beauty and it was so new and fresh, it was, as they say, the next big thing ! That’s the one thing I absolutely adore about history; what is “new and hot” in our time was new and hot, sometimes centuries ago. Imagine that – wearing the same dress as your great-great-grandmother or even some 18th Century dancer, that's something special to dream about!

What was the latest? A ballet performance, of course, you can’t forget that in 1845 everyone was looking to the ballet to be inspired, a beautiful ballet design, just magnifique, the new fashions must have been so incredibly fabulous ! Ballet became the very latest thing, a world full of delicate fabrics and feminine, glamorous silhouettes that moved effortlessly under stage lights and created a spectacle of breathtaking movement and *style . I have to buy my own, delighted, I already have my 1920s and 1940s vintage, 1800s ones are next on the list for shopping for new fabric delighted, those 1930s chiffons and tulle oh how I love vintage! It’s going to be a beautiful season, you mark my words! But you just have to make a visit to see real ballet, my dear readers. It's completely different seeing a production unfold in person. All that movement and passion!

On April 15th, 1845? There are quite a few options for fashionable events and historical landmarks, and of course, plenty of shops to wander in, don’t you know that the best time-traveling experience is in the shopping, cher? Here's a glimpse into that incredible era, darling, let’s find those vintage sparkly shops that are sure to sell something special.

• In France? The great Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables" was first published in this month! My, how I adore his poetry! How wonderful, and oh the tragedy, we’ve all been brought to tears reading Les Mis!
• In London, the very stylish and grand Crystal Palace was completed, how wonderful! An extravagant architectural achievement of Victorian Britain! It was the world's first major iron-framed building that would allow all those wonderful artworks to be beautifully displayed ! Can’t wait to visit, I’m adding it to my travel to-do list! How utterly delightful to walk in and gaze upon the marvelous wonders that lay within!

You see my darlings, the year 1845 was just as exciting in terms of its beauty and culture as today! Remember my darlings, a little inspiration comes to us all from history! What could be more inspiring than the most feminine ballet fashion of all time, a dream-like silhouette, just what everyone needed! And don't forget the fun, we can even have our own dance party here on my blog. Come back next Tuesday, darlings, for more Tutu history and a peek into the amazing life of Marie Taglioni, and of course, we’ll discuss those glorious ballet shows and her influence on the tutus that became so important.

If you’d like to know more, darlings, write in! You can also visit our forum at www.pink-tutu.com, a lovely, glamorous forum to share your favorite outfits and to discuss, chat and meet your fellow dancers! You could find a kindred tutu spirit! Don't forget my dear readers - always remember: we’re in a world that is all about tutus! What’s your favorite, darling? Do tell me, my dear, let me know what I’ve missed on the Tutu Tuesday Blog. Remember the website and join us! Have a lovely day, Darling!

Emma, x.