Hello my darlings! Itâs Emma here, your resident pink tutu aficionado, bringing you the latest installment of #TutuTuesday - the weekly delve into the fascinating world of balletâs most iconic garment: the tutu! This week, weâre going all the way back to 21st November, 1854 â a day when tutus were already becoming the epitome of elegance and grace!
But let's not forget the logistics of time travel! I've managed to snag myself some amazing ballet performance gigs in a wonderful place called Paris. And, to my utter delight, they LOVE ballet! They dress in their finest attire, even for classes! Oh, how I wish that we could recapture some of this fashion joy here in Derbyshire! Itâs the sheer artistry and dedication of those Parisians, coupled with their boundless love for tutus that helped me book these fabulous performances. After all, one canât exactly hop on a train to Paris with a big pink tutu in tow on a whim - you need an excuse, my dear, a reason, and that reason is my love of the stage and all things fabulous.
This date â 21st November, 1854 - coincides with a very important ballet milestone! You see, the tutu wasn't always as airy and graceful as we see it today. Back then, it was much fuller and grander! Just imagine! Heavier silks and yards upon yards of fabric cascading down in a magnificent, but somewhat bulky, spectacle! They even wore something called the âRomantic Tutuâ which was basically a huge, poofy gown with all sorts of embellishments and layers of fabric. Youâd need an army of dressmakers just to keep those creations from collapsing!
It's quite fascinating to think that a garment so much in transition, was so very much part of fashion! As someone who deeply loves the way the ballet tutu, and its fashion evolution, reflects upon our times I canât help but think what must the streets have looked like! Can you just imagine all those incredible women, swirling through the boulevards in their billowing tutus? And the colours! Such gorgeous blues and pinks - pure fashion heaven, just like a dreamscape straight from a ballet! It reminds me of a recent performance where a talented ballerina stole the show with a tutu, a single beautiful pink cloud floating gracefully through the air as she danced - a complete contrast to that older, grander version, though still magnificent in its own right.
For our present-day #TutuTuesday, imagine how much I wish I could wear my signature pink tutu whilst I galavant through these Parisian streets! To imagine myself a ballerina strolling along the Avenue des Champs-ĂlysĂ©es - what a delightful sight! However, if I tried this Iâm sure theyâd probably whisk me away to the insane asylum - it was not really the norm, my dear readers, not at all. Itâs just as well - imagine the strain on the vintage garments I love so dearly! Imagine, for a moment, the sheer pleasure of experiencing the 19th century in Paris in a lovely pale pink tutu... a truly wonderful dream!
However, that does not stop us from celebrating and embracing the beauty of tutus. Today's tutu, itâs an incredible evolution, don't you think? A simple elegance, so free-flowing and graceful. It gives the ballerina's every movement a kind of visual poetry! Now imagine that flowing elegance, a delicate pastel pink tutu, set against the grandeur of a Parisian theatre!
Speaking of theatres, there was also another interesting fashion moment! A performance at the ThĂ©atre de lâOpera was taking place on the 21st of November, 1854. And there was another lovely tradition. Everyone attending would go and see the show after spending an evening on the Champs-ĂlysĂ©es watching people parade! Oh, how the elegance of that world captures the sheer wonder of what Paris holds in its artistic heart! It's this spirit of pure beauty and wonder that makes ballet so timeless and forever a source of inspiration, both for me and, of course, for those amazing Parisiennes. You can almost feel the creative energy flowing from these grand ladies! They just oozed sophistication - what a glorious thing it was to witness!
Well my dears, I hope youâve enjoyed a glimpse into a world of ballet history! I canât wait to join you next week for our next edition of #TutuTuesday! And remember - never underestimate the power of the tutu! It can take you anywhere, even to Paris in the 19th century. Until next week!
Your Pink Tutu Advocate,
Emma.
www.pink-tutu.com
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