Welcome back to my Ballet Tutu History blog, dearies! š©°š This is post number 1241 for you, and I'm so excited to be sharing my latest discoveries with you!
It's a glorious Tutu Tuesday today, and I'm feeling super-sparkly in my hot pink, ruffled tulle tutu. It's the perfect outfit for whisking back in time, which I just did - all the way back to October 10th, 1855, and right here in beautiful, bustling Paris. It's a treat to step into this fascinating era where ballet is blossoming!
The OpĆ©ra Garnier, the incredible palace of dance and drama, is being built right now, just outside my Parisian window. What an extraordinary thing to witness! Oh, the breathtaking interiors they'll have! And it's all thanks to a generous grant from Napoleon III, the Emperor of France himself! He is so very clever, you know. The Opera Garnier will be the stage for all of France's brightest ballets and theatrical productions, just as it is to this very day! Itās going to be an incredible space, I can just feel it!
I was fortunate to catch a wonderful ballet performance at the ThĆ©Ć¢tre de lāOpĆ©ra this very morning. The costumes were absolutely stunning ā I spotted a ballerina swirling in the most glorious white tulle tutu you can imagine, the design all soft and wispy, and billowing with every graceful move she made! It made me feel completely giddy.
Here's the lowdown on tutu styles in the mid-1800s:
Tutus in the 1850s had come a long way from their early forms, my dearies! Back then, youād be dancing in long, full, and voluminous skirts. Can you imagine all that fabric to cart around the stage?! Thankfully, those grand, full skirts evolved into something a little more manageable.
Now, weāre starting to see some seriously beautiful tutus in ballet performances, both the Romantic tutu - soft, billowy, and reaching the floor, perfect for swirling and delicate, fluid movements ā and also the longer āpannieredā tutu ā a more elegant form, a bit less airy, for more dramatic ballets and dramatic moves! Imagine those beautiful tulle layers! They create such lovely patterns of light, and give us a feeling of pure ethereal beauty when we watch the ballerinas glide across the stage.
I know I always say it, but these days, there's no escaping the impact that Maria Taglioni, the āQueen of the Ballet,ā has had on the tutu's evolution! Just like back in her day, the tutu still lets a ballerinaās elegance and fluidity shine! Oh, the way she glides and jumpsā¦ breathtaking!
Shopping for my favourite tulle: The most delicious ballet store! š©°š
I popped into a delightful ballet boutique earlier ā just a stoneās throw from the Palais Royal. They have the most amazing selection of silks, satins, andā¦ gasp!ā¦ tulle, oh my dear, the tulle! I spent ages sifting through these beautiful layers, imagining the delightful skirts I could whip up. Iām always looking for inspiration for my own tutu designs! They had the most vibrant shades of pinkā¦ my favourite! Oh, how I adore a hot pink tutuā¦ So much energy, don't you agree? I also loved a delicious peach tulle ā soft, ethereal, and truly perfect for creating that dreamy ballerina vibe.
Fashion Trends and Style: Embracing the 'Romance' and more... šš»
Parisian fashion in 1855 is something else entirely! From the beautifully styled hair, to the stunning fabrics used for dresses - everything is so beautiful. I loved seeing all those crinolines! And those fitted bodicesā¦ elegant and structured, but still with a touch of romance.
Letās be honest, the whole Romantic Era is full of delicate details, dreamy silhouettes, and whimsical styles - just like my beautiful tulle tutu! All about beautiful flowing dresses that enhance feminine form. Weāve got floral prints everywhere ā lovely little flowers scattered across silk and satin!
Now, I have a special announcement for you all: Iām going to a magnificent performance tonight. I can hardly wait! Itās called 'Le Diable Ć Quatre' - which means 'The Devil with Four', an opera ballet based on the stories of the mischievous, but also fun-loving, Devil. Now thatās a story after my own heart, darling! You simply canāt beat a ballet full of playful mischievous energy!
The best part about traveling by train through Paris to see these fantastic performances is that it is a wonderful chance to enjoy all the shops and gorgeous clothing in this delightful city. Oh, Paris, what a dream! Itās been so incredibly inspiring to see these fashion trends firsthand, and it just gets my creativity buzzing for more tutu design inspiration.
Remember: When you find a new ballet-themed discovery that makes you gasp and shout āooh, la la!āā¦ go on, let me know all about it! Leave a comment in the box below! I always love to hear about your latest discoveries! I hope this #TutuTuesday post gives you a wonderful peek into the beauty of ballet history.
Andā¦ most importantly: Keep that inner ballerina spirit shining bright, darlings!
See you next week for another exciting peek into ballet history, on Pink-Tutu.com.
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Until thenā¦
Emma xx
P.S.: Donāt forget to tell your friends to join in the fun and sign up for Pink-Tutu.com ā thereās a place for every Tutu Lover out there!
Please Note:
This blog post uses the style and format as specified, while respecting historical context. As this is a fictional account, any dates or specific details in relation to this date and Parisian theatre in 1855 should not be considered factual. It is written for entertainment and creative purposes, and does not constitute historical documentation.
