#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1849-10-02

Greetings from your favourite time-travelling tutu aficionado, Emma, reporting live from the heart of the Parisian ballet scene! It’s Tuesday, which means it’s time for your weekly dose of Tutu History – prepare to twirl back in time, my loves! 🩰✨

Today, we're stepping into October 2nd, 1849. The world is a different place, ladies, and I'm not just talking about the lack of internet! Today, the first telegraph line connecting London and Paris is opened – can you imagine? Sending a message instantly! Imagine the gossip, darling! But let’s keep things fashion-forward, shall we? We're on a mission to understand the ballet scene, and I'm positively tickled to discover the latest trends from back then!

The tutu has been around for a few decades already, darling, and it's getting more popular with every performance. Gone are the days of long, bulky skirts – think graceful and lightweight, and believe me, that’s a joy to dance in! 💃 You see, the iconic tutus of today, they weren't quite what we know and love yet, they were still a bit "experimental." It wasn't until the end of the 19th century that the classic "Romantic Tutu," you know, the fluffy, delicate, full circle, knee-length style that practically dances on its own, became popular.

Now, 1849 isn't a period filled with the lavish tulle creations we know, but it's certainly the era where the "en pointe" movement took ballet by storm. You’re all about that "en pointe," right, my loves? I've had a few spins in those “pointe shoes,” and trust me, it's an absolute marvel. These early "pointe" dancers had some truly unique styles, darling! They embraced a more delicate, whimsical approach – I must confess, it adds a bit of magic to the dance, a sort of weightless floating sensation.

While I haven’t got the time (or money, my love, you know how it is) to head back to the Theatre National de l’Opéra, imagine the costumes! The ballet of 1849 still favours flowing, graceful gowns. The colours are soft, romantic and very feminine - think beautiful pastel pink, blues, and gentle purples. It’s like being on a cloud of silk and feathers!

While it may not have been all tutu all the time back then, you've gotta admit, there was still a whole lot of 'fashionista' going on! As for me, I'll be getting a few spins in at a nearby class. There’s a lovely new “en pointe” technique class with a teacher straight from Paris! So chic, so wonderful, and a fab chance to improve those ballerina moves. Oh, I've been saving up my pennies for the trip back! Speaking of pennies, I do love how everything was a bit less “chaotic” and more elegant and ladylike, and certainly much more reasonable to travel by train. There are a lot more shops I have my eye on than a couple of “chaotic” internet stores I see everyone staring at. Oh, and they say people in the UK in these days are rather polite, and I don’t mind a little more politeness myself! Oh my, I am quite delighted to live in this “fashion-forward” era - and trust me, my dears, we are not losing our love for colour or femininity! A sprinkle of sequins, a bit of sparkle, and a twirl – it’s all just magical!

Now off I pop – to my next performance, I hope you'll join me for next week’s #TutuTuesday! It’ll be a real adventure, I’m feeling some sort of "Victorian inspired" vibe myself! Until then, embrace your inner ballerina, stay fabulous, and keep twirling! 💖✨

Emma xx www.pink-tutu.com