#TutuTuesday: A Whirl Through History - 1851-10-07!
Welcome, darling readers, to #TutuTuesday, your weekly dose of all things tutu-rific! I'm your resident pink tutu enthusiast, Emma, coming to you live from … well, let’s just say I'm travelling the globe through time thanks to the magic of my dancing shoes! 😉 This week, we’re taking a little trip back to 1851 to explore the fabulous evolution of the ballet tutu – it’s post number 1032 on my website www.pink-tutu.com, if you're counting!
Now, October the 7th, 1851… That date, darlings, is absolutely bursting with historical charm! In our very own London, The Great Exhibition was in full swing! Imagine a grand palace of glass filled with all the wonders of the world! Fashion, science, engineering, even exotic creatures from far-flung lands… it was a sight to behold!
But today, I'm here for the tutus, darlings. Let’s face it, 1851 wasn't a time for the grand tutus of today! No, it was all about Romanticism and that means flowing lines and airy etherealness! Imagine delicate skirts, almost like wispy clouds, just swirling with every step, revealing just enough of the leg to tease and delight the audience. A little bit of tutus for sure, but definitely more ballerina than tutu queen.
Think of it like a dainty tea dress for the stage, only infinitely more charming! There's a certain kind of grace in that early 1800s tutu, you know? A nod to the classics, yet just as enchanting. The ballerina herself took center stage. Imagine, darling readers, Marie Taglioni , the epitome of ballet grace! It is her that everyone is emulating back then – with her high jumps, fluttering movements and exquisite control. The tutu is more an embellishment, a feather on the cap, than the dominant force in the costume.
It was truly a different era for the tutu. No big, voluminous tutus in sight, you can bet! Those big romantic tutus, darlings? Those arrived later in the 1800s. I know what you're thinking - we must get to the big ones! Fear not, dears. Our tutu journey isn't done just yet!
Pink PassionBefore we travel to see the tutus of tomorrow, let’s talk pink, darlings! Because today I am feeling pink – and not just the colour, darling, but the whole feeling. Like, the pinkness, if you will. A pink tutu and a steaming cuppa in a tea room on a crisp autumn morning… oh, my. Dreams are made of this.
I think my current favourite pink tutu is from La Boutique Fantasque - oh the tutus in that show, my goodness. I’m thinking of a nice deep fuchsia, but perhaps a splash of coral as well... with silvery embroidery and lots of bouncy ruffles, like clouds swirling around me. It will take some searching, I expect, to find the perfect shade and perfect style. My motto: there’s always a pink tutu out there for you! You just need to keep looking…
But, speaking of looking back... That’s what we'll be doing next time! We’ll hop back on our time-traveling ballet train (did you know they have wonderful afternoon teas served on most journeys these days?), and see what’s next for our tutuland odyssey.
Until next #TutuTuesday, stay fabulously chic!
Your ever-devoted pink-tutu-wearing friend,
Emma