Bonjour mes chéries! Welcome back to another #TutuTuesday here on www.pink-tutu.com! The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and my oh my, how my heart flutters with excitement for this week's foray into the glorious world of ballet history! Today, dear readers, we're waltzing back to August 31st, 1852, to peek into the elegant era of ballet tutus – oh how things were different then! I was just hopping off the train from a fabulous weekend at the Paris Opera – you simply must visit if you get the chance – where I was utterly charmed by a most impressive production of Giselle, the swirling tulle and romantic movements leaving me in a trance! But before I get ahead of myself, let's rewind the clock and see just how these glorious tutus, symbols of grace and freedom, came to grace the ballet stage!
This week, my trip back to the Victorian era brought me to the most charming little shop in Derbyshire. Now, remember, my loves, back in the day, there were no fluffy, frothy pink tutus like the ones we dance in today! Imagine – just imagine – no delicate layers of tulle floating about! Scandalous, isn't it? In the mid 1800s, ballerinas donned a much more, shall we say, 'modest' outfit, a stiff, full skirt worn with a corseted bodice. This gave them, you know, a rather rounded look, rather than the airy grace of today's tulle tutus.
And oh my dear, it's all about the fabrics! Cotton and linen were the order of the day in this era, oh so practical – how dreadfully dull, darling – no gossamer fabrics here. This made for, well, rather limited freedom of movement! You wouldn’t see these ladies gracefully soaring through the air, or twirling and leaping with effortless poise – that’s what sets our era apart, you know? Thankfully, thanks to the utterly fabulous Marie Taglioni, she truly was the pioneer, the inspiration for the revolution of the ballerina's costume! You must go back in time to see Marie perform - an inspiration to us all! Her beauty was captivating and she floated across the stage like a dream! The audience, mesmerized, the crowds hushed, we have her to thank for how graceful and captivating ballet is today!*
While on this topic, did you know, my dear readers, that the word 'tutu' comes from French? It originally referred to a small pleated skirt – much too plain, my dear, so not me! Thankfully, those fashion forward ballet stars – they know a thing or two about style, don't they? - gave this little garment some flair and created something truly beautiful and iconic. Imagine what the world would be like without the beautiful tutu! I cannot, it wouldn’t be right.
The true magic of the tutu was that, just like Marie Taglioni herself, it pushed boundaries, it pushed fashion forward. Can you imagine – the thrill, the excitement of seeing a new costume, with so much freedom of movement on the stage? It would be enough to make one giddy! Oh, the drama! The romanticism! The ballet tutu, I say, became a symbol of both artistic and feminine freedom – a true sign of progress in dance!
Now, let's take a little time out from history, my darlings, to dream of beautiful, elegant ballroom gowns! The Victorians had a truly elegant, refined sense of style - the women, with their beautifully sculpted silhouettes – oh the beauty – and delicate embroidery - all so tasteful! My favourite thing, though, was the opulent velvet of the period. Velvets are absolutely divine – and such an opulent, sophisticated fabric – you feel every inch the royals in a gown of beautiful dark velvet. So decadent! You can imagine yourself waltzing under the chandeliers at a grand ball, simply irresistible, c'est magnifique!*
So as I sit here sipping on my Darjeeling tea in my Parisian hotel, and my pink tutu of course - the city of lights truly is a place where history comes alive! But alas, a new adventure awaits - I shall be setting off this afternoon on the Orient Express - one of my favourite train journeys, how luxurious! So dear readers, thank you for joining me this week on another delightful excursion into ballet history – what an utter delight! Now, off to my appointment with the world's most exquisite milliner for a new dreamy, flamboyant hat! I must try a new shade of pink for this season!
Until next week, stay elegant, stay fab, stay fabulous - and keep dreaming pink!
Yours in the world of twirling tulle, Emma
