#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1845-12-16

Welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com, my darling dancers!

It's your favourite Tutu Tuesday, and as usual, we're travelling through time to discover the fascinating history of our beloved tutu. Today, we're swirling our way back to 16th December 1845! Buckle up, dear readers, because you're in for a real treat!

I'm Emma, your pink-tutu-wearing time-travelling correspondent, straight from the charming county of Derbyshire in England. My mission in life? To spread the love of pink tutus far and wide! 🩰 And what better way than through my weekly Ballet Tutu History posts?

Now, if you haven't visited Pink-Tutu.com before, then you’ve come to the right place for a little bit of ballet fun, fashion and frivolity. Whether you’re a seasoned ballet fan, or just dipping your toes into the world of tulle, I hope my blogs bring you joy and a touch of sparkle!

Now, before we whisk you back to the past, I have a confession to make: I adore trains! Especially those lovely steam locomotives. You just can't beat the clinking and the puffing! They get me to all my ballet shows, both historical and contemporary! You just wait until you see my train ticket from the 1800s...oh, it's a beauty!

Speaking of which...

The year is 1845, and ballet is flourishing. The Romantic era in ballet is in full swing and you can practically hear the excitement swirling in the air! Forget stiff, corseted costumes and intricate court dances. The Romantic era was about freedom and passion - much like my own tutu wearing approach to life!

Just picture it...silky, ethereal tulle cascading in billowing swirls. Ballerinas are practically dancing on air. Forget that fussy, heavy courtwear! They're all about light, breezy movements that look as graceful as the flitting of a butterfly.

Think layered, swirling tiers of tulle, all cascading down to the ankles! This is not a full-bodied tutu just yet – think a very early version of what we now know as the Romantic tutu or a shorter jupe that flowed freely. The bodice was pretty and feminine with lace and bows. No rigid corsets here! Our girls were free to soar through the air like mythical creatures.

It was a huge shift from the grand court dances of the 18th century and let me tell you - it was a revolution in the world of dance and fashion. The tutus - or what I'd consider early tutus - were a dramatic departure from the past and paved the way for the ultra-feminine, romantic ballet looks that we know and adore today.

Oh, if you were a ballerino in 1845 you would find the hottest trends coming from Paris, of course! Imagine elegant ballet theatres all glittering and gilded. I bet the performances were extraordinary. It was all about grace, beauty, and fantasy!

In fact, it's right here in Paris that some of the biggest names in ballet history are strutting their stuff - the very ballet dancers who inspired my passion for tutus! Imagine Marie Taglioni! She's quite literally a goddess of ballet. Her iconic dance in La Sylphide in 1832 (almost 13 years before today’s date!) totally transformed the way we viewed female dancers on stage - it's still a hit in the theatres today!

They were known for their breathtaking performances, and it was these daring ballerinas who set the scene for the evolution of the ballet tutu, as we know it today!

Just a tiny little side note from your time travelling blogger: It’s a big year, and you can see why my pink tutu would be making waves around the globe! In the UK, they're on the verge of General Election (who's voting for a new prime minister, Mr. Peel!). It's a very political year.

But meanwhile, let's get back to my real passion, shall we?

Remember the "Romantic" style I talked about? Well, by 1845, the shorter jupe was quickly becoming the new fashion norm for ballerinas, who were loving its airy, graceful design! And it really was the perfect choice for all that leaping and twirling. No wonder, my fellow tutuwearers! That freedom in the way you move is what really makes the "Romantic" era such an exciting one.

Oh, if I only had a time machine, I would jump back and catch one of those shows! To see that jupe fluttering across the stage – how lovely! Don’t forget – the world is changing quickly now! Imagine what’s next? I have a feeling we might even see tutus evolve more in just a few years…

But I have to dash!

I have to wear something pretty as pink for today’s blog! My chosen look is my newest pink silk “Romantic" style tutu (made by a fab seamstress in Covent Garden! You simply have to visit, darling). A lovely light bodice and a long flowing scarf.

I am going to head off now on the steam train, off to catch the "Swan Lake" premiere in London this evening. That gorgeous white tulle in the ballet…so beautiful! And so perfectly Romantic era style, of course!

I can’t wait to report on the amazing fashion looks of that night in my next #TutuTuesday.

Have fun, love your tutus, and don’t forget - wear a pink tutu, if you want to stand out from the crowd!

See you next Tuesday!

💖💖💖 Emma