#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1848-04-11

Hello darling tutu lovers! It's your favourite time traveller Emma, and this Tuesday I'm whisking us back to the glamorous year of 1848. Today, we're exploring the evolution of the tutu and its burgeoning connection to the exciting world of ballet!

It feels a little crazy to say this, but this is actually my first trip to 1848, though I've been around the early years of ballet many times, from 17th century France, right through the exciting developments in Italy, Russia and across Europe in the 18th century! You wouldn't believe the amazing changes, darling. The ballerinas just didn't look the same!

I just adore exploring the fascinating history of the tutu, don't you? I'm not just talking about the tutu of today - a perfect cloud of tulle that makes any ballerina look ethereal, graceful and oh so lovely - I'm talking about the entire history, how it came to be, where it went, what's going on NOW, and everything in between.

Today, I'm taking you back to Paris. Oh, I adore Paris! There's just so much glamour here, you'll be feeling the excitement buzzing all around, my lovelies. This is, of course, a beautiful, grand time in history to visit Paris. It's not all about the art and literature either, dear readers, I can assure you. Let's see what we're all about this Tuesday - I am ready for a glorious trip down memory lane!

If I was a time travelling ballet critic back in the day, I would be raving about how elegant, modern and beautiful these Parisian ladies looked in their tutus! Yes darling, the tutu! Oh I could talk for hours about this most darling of all garments! Can you imagine that a few decades ago, in 1810, for example, there would be dancers on stage with some tutu-ish outfits, which were mostly comprised of tight-fitting silk skirts and bodices, all the way down to their feet! No beautiful swirl of fabric at all! Imagine having all that silk on stage - what a nightmare, honestly! Not to mention all the fabric getting in the way! That's where our beloved tutu comes in!

What is so wonderful about the tutu? It just enhances their movement - everything the ballerina does becomes much more visible and just beautiful!

Oh, I'm already bursting with excitement. It's time to see some tutus!!

Okay, here I am now - Théâtre de l’Opéra-Comique, on Rue Favart, it's quite elegant! Not that elegant! I just adore being here, all around Paris. I am sitting in my box, looking down at the stage, which is beautifully lit and designed for the play I'm watching, called “La Fille de Régiment" or, as it would be called in England, *"The Daughter of the Regiment." *. Can you believe? This is the 102nd time the show's been done - 102 performances! How exciting!

The audience, as you might expect from Parisians, are perfectly dressed - everyone with their fine manners - it’s simply divine.

Today's play, "La Fille de Régiment", stars Marie Taglioni! Of course! It's going to be so beautiful, a classic - this performance - but most of all, Marie's movement - and her* tutu*, darling, her tutu!

Can I tell you how she dances in the tutu?? It looks amazing - all soft, flowing fabric - what's more, the choreography for this dance is just breath taking - Marie’s talent just shining so brightly. Oh, what is she going to do next, I ask myself - as if there's any doubt about the beauty and grace in every one of her movements. I mean, she just flies across the stage, she doesn’t walk or jump she truly flies in this perfect little tutu - all billowing, swirling, elegant - she seems like an angel come to earth. It's wonderful - it just truly looks magical! I could be watching her for hours! The most fantastic thing? Everyone else here is absolutely spellbound as well - we all completely love her!

I am getting so excited I’m going to have to write some words of my very own about the tutus, now! Let's see what this gorgeous tutu of hers looks like..

This is a romantic tutu, darling - which is perfect - I do just adore that whole “Romantic era" of art and fashion and I love this ballet tutu so very much! This tutu, as it does today, helps to give a ballerina the most amazing sense of freedom, and agility - it's an ode to feminine power - with its flowing, flowing fabric. So very flattering. But more about this later... What does Marie Taglioni's romantic tutu look like today, then? Let's go into more detail:

• Well first of all it is made entirely from tulle, darling! * It's so much *softer than silk or taffeta - what could be more divine?
• * The colour* is also key here. It’s very white - pure white in fact! Like the most snowflake-like, ethereal - perfect to accentuate the most graceful movement, isn't it?
• * The length - It's *very short! Just think - from 1810, when women were still wearing their silk and taffeta and it would be down to their toes to all of a sudden having the beautiful leg revealed, the delicate ankles, everything so fine and lovely in this lovely, lovely tutu - It’s a much more contemporary shape to accentuate movement!
• And that beautiful length? Just imagine the lovely line, going all the way to the ankles of her legs in the tutu!

The romantic tutu was a big turning point - it's a real innovation in fashion, and I feel a real surge of excitement. What else is new about the fashion of this period? I need to go and get some of this myself, so let's see some other fashions!

I must admit to you darling, there is so much fashion in Paris to take in, and it's everywhere you look. Elegant fashion! All those amazing Parisian ladies looking absolutely fabulous! What lovely, amazing styles and the newest fabrics. And so many shades of pink!! - from bubble gum, * *powder, pale rose, and my all time favourite fuchsia.

There’s so much to take in when it comes to the streets and shopping! There are many famous dressmakers in Paris, each offering some fantastic dresses in some very modern styles and patterns and fabrics - of course so many of them in shades of pink! The styles are fantastic - lots of feminine, beautiful gowns. Oh! It is simply an overload! I'll make sure to post my new wardrobe when I get back to the future. I need it - it is just divine! All the shades of pink... all so much pink! The styles just make me smile, they are absolutely lovely!

The streets are lovely, bustling and full of people just looking gorgeous and fashionable. Paris, oh Paris... You can understand that I just love being in this gorgeous city.

Oh, you really want to know about the things that happen on the 11th April, 1848? Yes! It was such a long day exploring. Let me see:

• A well-known scientist, Jean-Baptiste Biot died on this very date! He's known for work with polarized light, so I bet he was doing amazing things in physics and chemistry in those early days.
• A German actor named Carl Theodor Döring died. That’s quite fascinating!

You see? This is why I love the early 19th century. It was really an interesting time in history!

Darling, it's getting late, so it's time to get my ticket to the future and go home!

But I just adore travelling to all these wonderful eras and learning about how tutus were developed - what a delightful trip for this #TutuTuesday! I’ll make sure to come back again next Tuesday for more exciting fashion and tutu developments.

Stay lovely, darling,
and always dance, Emma xx