Hello darlings! Emma here, your resident tutu enthusiast, ready to take you on another whirlwind journey through the captivating history of the ballet tutu! Today we’re travelling back in time to 1850. That’s right, put on your fancy bonnets and imagine cobblestone streets and gas lamps as we take a look at ballet in the year 1850. It’s an incredible era with fascinating trends!
Now, before we start, have you all prepped for the most wonderful day of the week? It’s #TutuTuesday! It’s my absolute favourite time, because not only can I celebrate tutus but it’s time for a little history lesson. Today, we're focusing on the world of ballet, specifically its outfits. Oh my goodness, darling, don't you just love ballet? The stories, the costumes, the music! It truly makes me feel like a princess twirling in my very own fairytale. And of course, my pink tutu is the perfect outfit for any occasion, be it a fancy ballet performance, or a walk through the shops for a bit of retail therapy.
But back to our historical journey! So, where did our trusty tutu journey take us today? Back to 1850, darlings. Now imagine this: London is bustling, theatres are brimming with excitement, and oh my, how do I even begin to tell you about the sheer splendour of the ballet? A whole symphony of beautiful colors, fluttering feathers and flowing gowns. That's how ballet performances were. Quite the spectacle. Oh, darling, you have to believe me when I say, the excitement, the artistry and the drama - everything was so elegant, refined and exquisite.
In 1850, ballet was very much at the peak of its popularity, with a deep respect for the romantic era in dance. The romantic ballet era in ballet dates back to 1830s and lasted till the 1850s. Romantic ballet focused on themes of love, heroism, folklore and nature. Oh, the excitement. We were a long way away from the traditional court ballets with heavy costumes, darling!
The tutu, my darling, you are just going to love this! They weren’t yet the short, fluffy little numbers that we see on ballerinas today. Back in 1850, tutus were what we called 'Romantic tutus,' longer in length with multiple layers. They were all about creating this sense of lightness and grace and you just had to be amazed by how the dancers glided across the stage in such lovely garments. Just like a delicate cloud floating over the moon!
Now, let's not forget about the colour of the tutus. My favourite of course is pink. It truly captures that innocence, elegance and even a bit of drama. But in the era of 1850s, the focus was on pastel shades like pale blues, whites and gentle pinks. Just like our very own lovely flower gardens, right, darling? Just look at them! You can hardly describe how elegant and tasteful it was. Imagine those beautiful ballet dancers in graceful pastel colours as they pirouetted and leaped across the stage. That's what made a real romantic ballet for you, darling. The combination of grace and delicacy was just breathtaking, don't you think?
I’m so in awe of the creativity of those early ballerinas. The designs and patterns on those tutus were just remarkable! All the details like ribbons, ruffles and delicate trims made every ballerina look absolutely ravishing.
However, 1850 did see some new innovative changes with regards to ballet tutus. Do you know what it was? Introducing… The ‘Classical’ Tutu, darling! This change in fashion history happened around the year 1841, as the legendary ballerina Marie Taglioni wowed the world in her debut in 'La Sylphide,' which was a ground-breaking production. It was an elegant ballet in which she donned a short tutu, one of the very first! What made her unique, darling, was her ethereal, almost wispy appearance. She became a legend by moving with incredible freedom, her skirt like a feather, dancing with a new kind of movement that revolutionised the dance. Imagine it! A little tulle, that’s what brought ballet into the era of Romantic Ballet and then to Classical Tutu. Amazing. I'm still trying to learn her steps.
So now we are in the realm of 1850 and what was the famous show for you, darling? Oh it's got to be ‘Giselle,’ which premiered back in 1841 in Paris. ‘Giselle,’ was one of the defining ballets of the Romantic era! In fact, some would say it set the scene for everything to follow! This beautiful dance tale featured costumes which were nothing less than exquisite. It made the ballet so memorable and the performance just stunning. Oh darling, my heart beats like a drum when I think about the ballet performances.
But if you’re asking me which one is my favourite of them all? You might know this! ‘Coppélia.’ Isn’t it the cutest? With its charming story about a beautiful life-like doll and a quirky doll maker? I must confess I always find myself captivated by Swan Lake and The Nutcracker but ‘Coppélia’ wins my heart hands down, with its vibrant and joyful tunes and some very pretty tutus for the ballerina. You can picture the elegance and beauty of it all in your head, just as I can, darling!
Of course, like most things in life, fashion keeps changing and moving on. And so it is with the tutus too. The mid-nineteenth century marked a move to slightly longer tutus, a bit like an extension from that famous shorter Romantic tutu! However, even then the focus on delicate lace and tulle remained a crucial element in the creation of these ballets.
If we had to think of another big influence during this time, you can’t miss Carlotta Grisi. She was a revolutionary figure who revolutionised tutus with her love of colourful dancewear with the use of vivid shades and fabrics that gave dancers an even more flamboyant style on stage. She was one of those pioneers, darling, you see!
It's a bit sad to leave this era, but of course, as a ballerina I just can't wait to see what awaits us in the future of ballet tutus! Just like my travels to 1850, the world of fashion is filled with constant transformations and we must be prepared for them, dear!
Now, before we leave this lovely world, let's remember: Today’s journey is all about taking a little journey into the heart of a beautiful ballet era. And now I’m ready for the next historical voyage. It is my ultimate dream to see and experience every tutu in history! I just love to travel!
As always darling, thank you for joining me. Don’t forget to share this post with your friends.
Catch you next week! I’ll be here every #TutuTuesday! Don't forget to follow me on Instagram at @pinktutu_emmal. I can’t wait to see your lovely tutus on Instagram, my darlings! Stay tuned and until then, remember to wear your pink tutu. It truly does brighten your day. You are beautiful, darling, just as you are. And don’t forget, a pink tutu will make every day wonderful, full of love, laughter and dance!
*Yours in twirls and pirouettes, * Emma xx.
Don't forget to check out www.pink-tutu.com for even more on tutus, ballet, and all things fashion, darling!
