Welcome, dears, to #TutuTuesday on www.pink-tutu.com! It's me, Emma, your pink-loving, tutu-obsessed, time-traveling ballet enthusiast, back with another trip through the captivating history of the most glorious garment ever invented - the tutu! 🎉
Today, my time machine whisked me back to February 5th, 1861! Now, you might be thinking, "1861? Emma, there were no tutus back then, surely?" But oh, my dears, how wrong you'd be!
The year is 1861. The Victorian Era is in full swing, and London, with its swirling fog and gaslights, is a veritable paradise for fashionistas! The theatres, especially Covent Garden, are ablaze with colour and drama. And the ballerinas, oh my! They grace the stage in gowns and skirts, and a hint of that famous tutu style we know and love is starting to emerge!
From Skirt to Swirl
Imagine it: layers of fabric cascading over these beautiful ladies, gently moving like whispers of tulle, like the wisp of smoke from a flickering candle. It's these romantic gowns that, in a way, were the precursor to our beloved tutus. This time, it wasn't just the dancer’s talent, it was the movement of fabric itself! It started as a fuller, layered look. Just picture, a flowing gown, maybe with several tiers. These tiered gowns are important because they are a significant step in the development of the tutu, they provided that beautiful shape and form which helped give rise to that now iconic look. A swirl of tulle, floating gracefully on a light breeze, wouldn't have been seen just yet, but the dream was beginning to form in the minds of the fashion-forward!
And on this particular February 5th, 1861, a brand-new, lavish production was just getting its premiere run at the Royal Opera House. You see, the theatre scene in London at this time is more exciting than ever! Imagine the sheer grandeur of these ballets – a stage bathed in the soft glow of candlelight, exquisite sets, the grand costumes - the sheer opulence! Oh, it's a glorious vision to behold!
The opera houses and theatre scenes were literally thriving. Ballet became the ultimate fashion trend and these ballets showcased a beautiful vision of a 'woman' in their time! The ballerinas - elegant, graceful and beautifully presented were an example of their ideal vision of what they deemed beautiful. And you can bet, my dears, that the fashion and the costumes are simply fabulous! They were a celebration of the female figure, a real statement of the time! It was, you could say, a period when tutus were just beginnings.
And guess what?! Today's #TutuTuesday post brings you a little closer to the beginning! I mean, we get to see what ballerinas and women, back in 1861, found stylish, and oh, how I love the trend in beautiful silhouettes and swirling shapes of that time! The tutus to be, my dears. We've gotta get back on that journey. We're talking 1860s-1900s. It was a journey through some of the most fascinating evolution of ballet. From these sweeping skirts and the early glimpses of the 'tutu' style through to the elegant and sleek garments we adore today - we have so much more to discover together!
Pink, pink, and more pink!
For now, my dears, I’ll whisk you back to 2023 with a splash of pink and a twirl. Just try to imagine the sheer magic of all that era's creativity, all that beauty, the start of an evolution that has culminated in the elegant, gorgeous ballet and tutus that grace us today! We are connected. We all play a part!
Stay tuned next week for another captivating #TutuTuesday adventure. I’m off to indulge in some afternoon tea with a vintage flair, wearing a perfectly pink tulle dress of my own! 🎀
Happy twirling! 💖
Emma
P.S. This is my 1519th #TutuTuesday blog post. I hope you are enjoying your #pinktutu journey as much as I am!
#PinkTutu #TutuHistory #BalletLove #EmmaAdventures #VictorianFashion #LondonBallet #PinkIsTheWay #TutuTimeTraveling #TheBeginning #AJourneyTogether
