Bonjour mes amies! It's Emma here, your favourite pink tutu-clad time traveller, and welcome to Tutu Tuesday #875!
Today, we're taking a trip back in time to the heart of the 1848 Parisian ballet world. Imagine a time before iPhones, selfies, and that pesky internet. (Can you imagine?!). 😮 Back then, all the excitement was in the theatre - where elegance, artistry, and the sheer glamour of ballet reigned supreme.
As I write this from a charming café just outside the grand Opéra Garnier in Paris, I can practically feel the whispers of history around me. This is where tutus first took centre stage and stole the hearts of Parisian audiences. This beautiful building is actually brand spanking new (1875!). Before this, the theatre that most Parisians would have frequented was called the Palais Garnier and it opened its doors in 1770. The whole street was once covered in manure! Can you believe it! Yuck! They wouldn't stand for that nowadays.
I'm just getting back from a most delightful afternoon at a dressmaker’s workshop, tucked away down a quaint cobbled street. Imagine - there are whole shops just dedicated to tutus! The craftsmanship is incredible! Delicate layers of tulle and silk, meticulously hand-stitched into graceful shapes. Every stitch tells a story of dedication and artistry.
What’s even more thrilling is that, while tutus haven’t changed that much over the years, the 1800s is actually the time when ballet, as we know it, truly began to flourish. In this age, ballerinas really had the power to be stars, just like the movie stars of today. And you know what? They loved wearing pink! I have to say, I can totally see why. A ballerina in a pink tutu? Pure enchantment! 🤩
While we're talking pink, it's fun to consider the world's first pink ballet shoes. Back in the day, dancers would have used silk for their slippers. This is how it remained until about 1950 when a Frenchman, with the incredible name of Mr. Capezio (what a wonderful, fashionable name, don’t you think?) decided that the best material to use would be canvas and this changed the face of dance.
I'm all about wearing my tutu every day of the week - no matter what the weather - and so was one of the most celebrated ballerinas in history: Marie Taglioni! Oh how she wowed the Parisian crowd with her light, ethereal style. She loved to use a beautiful ‘floating’ movement that is absolutely my favourite. I try to dance with this delicate and feminine movement but sometimes I’m more ‘sashaying’ like the flamboyant and theatrical ballerinas who followed. Can you believe that ballerinas back in the 1800s wore shoes made of satin with no laces?! It would be such a nightmare getting them on! Can you imagine how awkward and clunky that would look? The little ballerina dancers were adorable though! The whole of France would have been swooning over the performance of The Sylphide at the Palais Garnier on October 3rd 1848. Can you believe it? This legendary performance actually happened right here! How thrilling! I had to share this with you all as my lovely blog readers as this event is on this very date. My Tutu Tuesday blog wouldn’t be the same if I didn’t share some of my discoveries! I also learned how it took Marie Taglioni, this graceful and daring ballerina, and her elegant performance to push tutus to the very forefront of Parisian fashion. What a legend! 😍
So, it seems that a great deal about dance is really about what people want to wear and, more importantly, how these outfits make people feel. They want something unique, pretty, comfortable and glamorous - things that help the audience escape reality for a couple of hours and forget their problems, especially if they live in Paris in the year 1848. All these factors must have contributed to making a long, voluminous, multi-layered and pretty outfit become the fashion statement it was back then and the icon it has remained. There's no denying, a tutu - no matter the colour (especially a beautiful pink!) - has the power to transform. 💕
My trip to 1848 Paris will leave me full of ideas for the upcoming performance in my hometown Derbyshire. Back then it must have been absolutely impossible to perform in Derbyshire because there was nothing to wear that was as glamorous as what the Parisians would have been enjoying! Even back then there was clearly a bit of a fashion divide between the provincial folks in the rest of Europe and what was happening in the main cities. But hey, the Victorian era had some fabulous ideas. I may have to give the 1800s fashion scene a bit more of my attention. My new favourite travel time? 1848, right here in Paris.
Until next time, Emma 💖
Don't forget to share your favourite Tutu Tuesday moments with me on the pink-tutu.com website! What's your favourite pink tutu look? 💕
