Bonjour, mes chéries!
It’s Tuesday, and you know what that means! That's right, another magnificent trip through history with your favourite pink-tutu clad time traveller – moi, Emma!
Today's destination takes us back to the enchanting year of 1858 – a time when tutus were just starting to spin their magic on the world of dance. Can you believe it? We’re talking Victorian times, with all the elaborate lace and big skirts… and yet, these early tutus were already bursting with elegance and movement!
Imagine: the gas lamps flickering on cobblestone streets, the clink of carriage wheels on a Parisian evening, the murmur of the crowd gathering at the Théâtre de l’Opéra. Ah, my heart melts at the thought!
To start, picture this… the year is 1858 and our Parisian stage is a symphony of pink, with a sprinkle of delicate blush and a touch of cerulean blue for good measure. Why pink, you ask? Because even back then, we knew that pink was a colour of feminine strength and joy, the colour of twirling and leaping and all things delightful.
This year was full of incredible happenings! The opera was tres chic, of course, with pieces by legendary composers like Verdi and Wagner, showcasing some of the finest ballerinas in all of Europe. The je ne sais quoi of the Ballet de l'Opéra de Paris truly electrified the air. I mean, the beauty, the skill… the artistry just made you swoon.
Today's ballerinas were so different from our modern day marvels. You might spot some graceful pointe work here and there, but for the most part, they were still in soft-toe shoes, adding to the gentle elegance of their performance. Their tutus, meanwhile, were an intricate symphony of fabric, often layers of silk or tulle gathered just so, to give a truly exquisite bouffant.
One thing I love about 1858 is the charm of the fashion. Oh, the frills and flounces, the lace and ribbons, the corsets and gloves… It was truly a time for expressing femininity through artistry and extravagance! Don’t get me wrong, the ladies’ clothes were more elaborate than even the most fabulous tutu…but the sheer magic of seeing those intricate details, and how they contrasted with the elegance of a bouffant tutu, magnifique!
But let’s go beyond the Paris Opera. Remember, this is 1858, the year of invention, of bold ideas, of forward movement – just like a ballerina soaring across the stage! Across the channel, in London, they were introducing gas lights and inventing the sewing machine! Think about that for a second - the sewing machine!* It truly changed the game in fashion history and gave even more life and sparkle to our darling tutus.
You know, I often think how different my world would have been if I had been born in that glorious era, how magical and romantic the Parisian streets and opera halls would have felt… the theatre performances would have been so full of passion and grace.
Even without the privilege of experiencing this era first hand, I can still step back in time through the dance, through the exquisite pieces of historical clothing I see in museums and antique shops. The elegant silhouettes of those early tutus are such an inspiration to me, and that's exactly why I made the grand decision to focus my time-travelling skills on studying them. It is such a thrill to wear a pink tutu, dancing to a melody composed by a legendary figure like Tchaikovsky, all while getting lost in a whirlwind of a world centuries past!
But wait… did you know this precise date, the 26th of January, is the anniversary of the first gas-lit theatre in England?! Isn’t that incredible? Think of it – the magic of the stage illuminated by glowing gas, like an otherworldly dream. Just the sight of it is enough to make me want to pull out my tutu and perform right then and there!
So here’s the deal, darlings: even if you don’t have a time machine in your living room, you can always join me on my adventure in tutus, even on ordinary Tuesday evenings. Just pull on your favourite pink tutu (you know I have one in every colour of the rainbow!), find your inner ballerina, and let your spirit dance with the greats of ballet history!
#TutuTuesday #BalletTutuHistory #TimeTravel #PinkTutuLove
Bisous,
Emma
P.S.: Remember to visit the www.pink-tutu.com blog every Tuesday for a fresh peek into the history of our favourite garment! I promise, it will be a pinktastic trip each and every week!
