Post #1643 - June 23rd, 2023
Hello, darling tutus! Welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com, where we celebrate the glorious history of the tutu! Today we're waltzing back to 1863, a year of magnificent frills, exciting premieres and the beginnings of some truly fabulous dance fashion!
I've just stepped off the train in London after a whirlwind trip, I absolutely adore train journeys - I do get a bit giddy if there are too many curves, but oh well! They just add to the magic of travelling through time! As you know, my mission in life is to get everyone to embrace the delightful loveliness that is a pink tutu. And in the mid-1860s, let me tell you, things were getting seriously interesting!
This year is bursting with artistic excitement - a whole host of new ballet masterpieces were premiering and what a perfect time to see these magnificent dancers showing off the incredible creations they were wearing! Just imagine those gorgeous, billowing tutus, they must have made those graceful figures appear utterly ethereal. Oh! To be dancing on stage myself in a gloriously frilled, layered number!
A little bit about tutus of this era: the classic tutu silhouette we know and love (the "Romantic Tutu") had begun to evolve! The Romantic tutu, with its airy, almost diaphanous feel, started popping up as an ideal onstage style in the 1840s and this period really embraced its beauty and elegance. This made way for exciting, creative embellishments with tulle and delicate lace - and a focus on soft pastel colours like baby blues and blush pinks!
The design really added a theatrical air and helped enhance the magical performances. Think about it: if I, with my love for tutus and bright pinks, can appreciate these designs so much, you know the Victorians would have gone wild for them! They definitely had an air of grandeur, making each dancer look absolutely divine, like mythical fairies floating onstage. Just delightful!
It seems so evident now, doesn't it, how important tutus are in making the dance come alive? It's almost impossible to imagine those beautiful dancers without their stunning tutus! They embody that combination of strength and grace that we see in these legendary ballet styles. Oh! To have witnessed this era - wouldn't it have been a dream!
Now, you are just dying to hear about the shopping I've done this trip, I know you are!* I found the most beautiful vintage brooches and gloves, some perfect lace and frills for future tutu modifications and, most excitingly - an authentic Victorian tulle. Yes! It was almost as if I heard the little dance shoes on my heart whispering the perfect melody of fate as I found this incredible find tucked away in an antique shop tucked away down a hidden alley. I am SO lucky! It will add the most beautiful layer to one of my own special pink tutus. I'm already imagining a lovely ballet with my latest vintage additions and my little pink ensemble. Imagine all that colour and graceful movement! **Don't forget - I'm always looking for lovely new and vintage dancewear, so if you know of anything, or are inspired to find an incredible antique tulle of your own, please let me know! I am absolutely on the lookout for all the fabulousness. 😉
And now a few notes on what was happening on this day 23rd June 1863.
A momentous ballet performance was in the works in Saint Petersburg, Russia! This exciting ballet production was directed by a legend of the time - Arthur Saint-Léon, a man after my own heart! As much as I wish I could reveal what exciting production it was, this detail has sadly not been preserved for time. Alas, we can imagine a graceful dance being performed, as the perfect combination of beautiful costumes, the magical setting of the stage, and incredible artistry would surely have swept all present away!
The grand dame of opera in France, Madame **Pauline Viardot, was giving a memorable recital in Baden Baden, Germany. It is hard not to imagine her elegance on stage. Her glorious voice and theatrical prowess would have been enthralling to audiences of the time. I can just picture a cascade of rich velvety gowns and elegant furs!
Our very own lovely Queen Victoria celebrated the birthday of her eldest son Albert Edward a grand and wonderful celebration it must have been! As always, the lovely Queen embraced beauty and artistry with all her heart - it seems so apparent to me, the great things the royal family has done for art in this country, how incredibly grateful we are.
I really wish you all were here, darling tutus, as we waltz through time in search of our little slice of the magnificent fashion of the past. Until next Tuesday, take care, dance beautifully, and always, always, always, remember the power of a lovely pink tutu. ❤🩰
See you soon!
Emma, your friendly pink-tutu-loving time traveller.
