Hello, my lovelies! It’s your favourite pink-tutu-clad time traveller, Emma, and welcome to another whirl through the glorious history of ballet! As a Derbyshire lass, my passion for ballet is as deep as the Peak District itself, and this week’s journey takes us back to July 18th, 1854. Grab your pinkest tutu, darlings, and let's journey through time to see what fashionable wonders await!
A Waltz Through 1854: Paris, The City of Light (And Lovely Tutus!)
Picture this: the Parisian stage bathed in the soft glow of candlelight, the air buzzing with anticipation. Today we find ourselves in the heart of Paris, the very hub of dance, where elegance and grace reign supreme. This city's obsession with all things beautiful and ballet is almost palpable!
Of course, in the heart of this swirling city, ballet wouldn’t be complete without the ultimate sartorial delight, the tutu! Back in 1854, it wasn’t the iconic puffy tutu of later years. Think, instead, of elegant, diaphanous tulle layered just so to skim the dancers’ legs and highlight their every move. They were the perfect combination of airy, romantic, and a little bit daring. Just think ‘Giselle’ meets ‘Jane Eyre’ in a whirlwind of fashion.
And if you think that's a wonderful time to be a tutu, imagine being a dancer in the Parisian Opera House! It’s a theatre that reigns supreme for its dazzling productions. If you are in Paris in 1854, you absolutely MUST see ‘The Sleeping Beauty’, ‘Swan Lake’, and ‘La Bayadère’. Don’t worry, my dearest friends, if your bank balance isn’t big enough for opera house tickets, it’s easy enough to get your fill of the ballet in a more affordable way!
* Ballet ‘en plein air’ and Fashion Favourites *
While you won’t see the stars of the Paris Opera in every street corner (as much as I’d love to), that doesn’t mean the ‘en plein air’ ballets of the day are any less enchanting. Imagine strolling through Tuileries Garden, enjoying the Parisian afternoon, and coming across a performance of ‘La Sylphide’, the most famous of the romantic ballets, complete with charming male dancers. Can you imagine a better afternoon? You'd probably be surrounded by Parisians dressed in their finest attire, ladies wearing silk shawls and gentlemen in smart jackets, all with their eye for fashion! Don't worry, I have a solution, I’ll take you on a tour of 19th-century Parisian fashion in my next post, but today let’s stay focused on those wonderful tutus!
* A Little Peek Behind The Scenes: Where Tututastic Inspiration Lies *
Remember all those ladies in elegant gowns? They probably got their fashion inspiration from Marie Taglioni, a legendary ballerina of the 1830s, and Marie is partly the reason tutus are as beloved as they are. In the early 19th century, ballerinas were used to cumbersome layers of fabric, but Marie changed it all! Her iconic ‘La Sylphide’ was one of the first ballets to feature dancers wearing tutus – lighter and more fluid garments which helped to highlight their elegance. I know, my darlings, can you imagine how liberating it must have felt! It's no wonder Marie became a fashion icon, and ballet has a special place in fashion history.
*The End of The Ballet Journey *
So there you have it, my friends, another #TutuTuesday dipping our toes in ballet's rich history! It was so much fun to be back in the 19th Century! But we’re always moving forward here on the Pink Tutu website, and next week we’ll be embarking on a whole new historical ballet adventure. I just know, my dears, you’ll absolutely love it. I'm just trying to find a tutu to go with next week's journey – a sparkly, silver one maybe? Now it’s time to bid adieu and leave you to twirl off into the ballet of your dreams! Remember, my darlings, every day is a chance to embrace a little bit of grace and ballet in your own life.
Until next week, my friends!
Emma www.pink-tutu.com
