Hello darlings! Welcome back to my little corner of the internet, where tutus are always in fashion and the only thing sweeter than a sugared almond is the history of the ballet! It's Emma here, your resident time-travelling tutu enthusiast, ready to whisk you off to another enchanting era! Today, we're heading to March 20th, 1860 – and wouldn't you know it, there's quite the lovely little anecdote about a certain ballerina in the making!
(This is post number 1473 for my Ballet Tutu History blog, darling! Don’t forget to pop over to www.pink-tutu.com every Tuesday for my weekly dose of tutu fabulousness!)
Before I tell you all about it, I must confess - a little flutter has just hit my heart. You see, I’m writing this blog from Vienna! The waltzes, the beautiful architecture, and… the FASHION! Can you imagine my delight? You might be saying to yourself, “Emma, how did you manage to slip into your latest couture this time? Did you waltz through a portal?" Well, my dears, it’s all thanks to the splendour of ballet! A special performance of “La Esmeralda” in this very city – imagine, the finest ballet troupes performing! I, of course, secured myself a starring role, naturally, and waltzed my way to some most divine new outfits (let’s just say pink features quite heavily!) and a touch of historical research while I'm at it! It wouldn’t be fair of me to keep the knowledge from you all!
Now, back to 1860. This particular date wasn't filled with groundbreaking discoveries or major theatrical productions. This date, my dear reader, was all about a darling little ballerina named Fanny Elssler! I know, such a fabulous name, don't you think? While I adore all things frilly, Fanny had style. It's said that at just twelve years old, this delightful creature had her very first tutu fitting. Now, imagine that – a delicate young thing all set to twirl and dance her heart out in her first ever tutu. It brings a happy tear to my eye, doesn't it?
And can we talk about those first tutus? You see, back then, tutus weren’t all frilly ruffles like we know and adore today. Picture this: a simple cotton, perhaps in white or a delightful pale pink. Oh, how charming. I simply cannot imagine being a ballerina without my plethora of fluffy, multi-layered, beautiful tutus, each one perfectly suited to my specific routine, all chosen with the utmost care, each a symphony of tulle and colour! But then again, the magic of simplicity has its own elegance, doesn’t it?
But I have a confession: even then, there was an element of rebellion. Can you imagine that, dears? Those little ballerinas back in the day were full of such spirit! Instead of that simple cotton, many preferred to waltz about in what they called, "a little more excitement," and donned – drumroll, please - silk!
Oh my goodness, can you picture the elegance! I can just imagine these graceful young ballerinas, gliding across the stage in flowing, diaphanous, pink silk. It sends shivers down my spine, and my toes demand to tap! I do love how times have changed. In a way, our tutu love-affair started then and there in 1860, with little Fanny in her simple, sweet white cotton tutu. We were a long way from tulle tutus back then. There is so much to be said for those initial steps! A ballet ballerina’s very first dance does need to be special.
Well my dear reader, we're already running late. If we are to travel back to the time-machine, we need to hurry! Thank you so much for joining me for this edition of #TutuTuesday, my dear, lovely reader. It is always a delight to spend this time together sharing our love of all things tutu, especially the stories that make up this wondrous tradition! Until next time, darlings! And don't forget, it's never too late to slip into your own favourite pink tutu! Until then,
Remember to pop over to my other social channels - just search for me: @EmmaTutu.
P.S. It was absolutely delightful meeting Madame Elssler on this trip. Such a wonderful woman and, yes, of course, we talked all things tutu!
Happy twirling! 💕🩰
Your friend in fashion and the beautiful world of ballet,
Emma.
