Hello, darlings! Emma here, your pink tutu-clad guide to the enchanting world of ballet. Itās Tutu Tuesday, and today weāre travelling back in time ā all the way to the 1850s! Iāve got my pinkest, most voluminous tutu packed, my trusty travel bag overflowing with excitement, and I'm ready to take you on a journey through the history of ballet fashion.
Buckle up, because we're going by train! Just imagine the glamour: a plush compartment, lace-trimmed parasols, and perhaps a gentleman offering me a spot of tea while we hurtle through the English countryside. A far cry from those rickety carriage journeys our great-great-grandmothers had to endure, am I right?
But enough about our delightful travel arrangements, letās talk tutu! As I hop off the train at the bustling city of London ā a true hub for ballet, darling - Iām surprised to discover something fascinating. The year is 1855, and believe it or not, the tutu as we know it - that glorious swirling explosion of tulle and feathers - isnāt quite a fashion staple yet.
What?! Shocking, I know. Imagine, all these years I've been twirling about, assuming tutus were invented in the 18th century when ballerinas first started flitting about on pointe. I just knew I was on the cutting edge of fashion history! Turns out, I need to rewind a bit. The story of the tutu begins, in its infancy, right here, in 1855. It wasn't a sudden āpoof,ā like magic, but a slow and fascinating evolution, dear readers!
I decided to pop over to the London Coliseum for some afternoon entertainment. You see, darling, there were no Netflix queues back then! The dance of choice in 1855 was ballet, but even though I wasnāt quite ready to pull out my pinkest pink, the ballerinas of this era werenāt performing in the long, graceful dresses I had expected!
Instead, I watched, wide-eyed, as the ladies took to the stage, gracefully swirling in knee-length skirts made of layered tulle and tarlatan, a lightweight cotton. These tutu-ettes (as I like to call them!) werenāt quite full-on fluffy like the grand tutu we know today, but they were definitely an early version, a starting point. This innovative style freed up their movement, showing off their grace and allowing them to dance en pointe ā talk about fashion revolution!
Oh, my dear readers, wouldnāt it be wonderful to visit those very early dance halls, witness the beauty of it all with our own eyes? I suppose a good old time warp is necessary, darling. And after, of course, I must write you a thrilling blog post on how my pink tulle fares through the ages. You just know there would be so much material for an outfit post and photos, dear! A bit of a #TBT time travelling photoshoot, for sure!
But alas, back to the matter at hand. The reason I say 1855 is a turning point in tutu history is this ā it's around this year when the infamous ballerina, Carlotta Grisi, danced the part of Giselle in Giselle. A dance story about a young woman deceived by a man, and a vengeful spirit ā donāt get me started on dramatic plotlines!
Whatās fascinating about Grisiās performance isn't just the heart-wrenching storyline but the design of her costumes. You see, it wasn't just a ātutu-etteā she wore ā her Giselle outfit featured an extremely short skirt.
Talk about groundbreaking, my darlings! For a society obsessed with Victorian ideals, exposing the legs of a dancer in such a fashion was quite daring! The design went viral in the dance world, attracting admiration and controversy in equal measure, much like my famous Pink Paradise ballet collection which recently caused a sensation at the Grand Opera House, Paris.
Can you imagine, darlings? My heart races just thinking about it. Now, for a cup of tea and a moment of reflection before continuing on my tutu adventure! Tomorrow Iāll be delving into the exciting world of Marie Taglioni, one of my favorite ballerinas who made a statement with her iconic āRomanticā tutu and that incredible swirling style that makes your heart race! Till then, stay lovely, and may you have plenty of opportunity to swirl, darling!
#EmmaLovesTutus #PinkTutu #TutuTuesday #BalletHistory #London #Giselle #CarlottaGrisi #1855 #TravelThroughTime
Next week's Tutu Tuesday: Marie Taglioni - Romantic Ballet and the Rise of the Tutu
