#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1855-11-13

Hello darlings! It's Emma here, your favourite pink-tutu-clad time traveller, and today's #TutuTuesday adventure takes us all the way back to 13th November 1855! 🕰️

My goodness, this trip has been a whirlwind. Not in the elegant way I usually twirl, mind you. More like a gust of wind swirling my silk petticoats and sending a rogue feather boa fluttering into a nearby pond! (A true tragedy, as boas are terribly chic.)

But never mind my fashion faux pas – the real excitement is in this fabulous journey through ballet history! Buckle up, lovelies, because things are about to get truly captivating...

Today's destination is Paris, France, a city absolutely bursting with elegance and, as it turns out, a real hotbed of dance and drama! We're talking a society captivated by the graceful elegance of ballet, the kind that leaves you sighing and swooning. Think flowing silks, delicate movements, and, of course, a tinkling of ballet slippers.

It's fascinating how the world sees dance so differently back then! It wasn't the athletic, powerful style that you'd see today at the Royal Ballet. It was about precision, finesse, and creating a world of fairy tales and romance on stage. And let's face it, those fairytale settings deserve the most dreamy, graceful costumes imaginable. (Think feathers, sequins, and a whole lot of tulle - just the way we like it!)

So, what was happening on the 13th of November 1855, you ask? Well, my little darlings, the theatre was humming with a delicious air of excitement. Today, the ballet world is abuzz with a revival of a truly stunning ballet - Giselle! You wouldn't believe the energy! The stage is alive with graceful ballerinas, each wearing a perfectly styled tutu - a beautiful vision in white and a perfect showcase of feminine elegance. (Did you know tutus used to be quite heavy with many layers of fabric?)

Did you know? Giselle is one of the earliest examples of Romantic ballet, with a dreamy storyline, incredible choreography, and those stunning tutus, perfect for dancing all night long! It’s truly inspiring how dance evolves and re-imagines itself, but the core beauty, the power of movement, has remained so strong.

And, as any seasoned traveller knows, a trip to Paris wouldn't be complete without a little bit of shopping. The Place Vendôme is buzzing with boutiques bursting with the finest silks and embellishments, all ready to be turned into gorgeous costumes. I can hardly resist browsing for myself – perhaps a new shade of pink for my tutu collection! 😉 I can tell you, darling, there are so many incredible shops dedicated to dancing costumes, each vying to present the most gorgeous, the most dazzling tutus in the city!

Just thinking about the elaborate embellishments, the intricate patterns, the colours that evoke those fantastical fairy tales - I'm practically swept off my feet myself! I'm picturing elaborate feather fans and sparkling brooches, just waiting for the right ballerina to wear them on stage.

Now, getting from Derby to Paris in 1855 wasn't quite the comfortable train journey I'm used to in my own time! A long train journey, then horse-drawn carriages and steamships. A lot of time was spent reading novels or admiring the beautiful countryside. Imagine, not scrolling through your phone on a boring journey, but losing yourself in the pages of an exciting book – oh how romantic!

But let me tell you, even with those slightly longer journeys, the excitement of getting to the City of Lights was well worth it!

Remember, darling, you don't have to be a ballerina to wear a tutu. Wear one for a fancy dress party, for a ballet class, or just to strut around your living room and make a statement! It's about finding what makes you feel beautiful and empowered, and let's face it, there's nothing more powerful than a beautiful tutu!

I'll be back next Tuesday with another fascinating trip through time. In the meantime, keep those pink tutus twirling! 💕

Yours always,

Emma, your resident tutu enthusiast 🩰

www.pink-tutu.com