Hello, darling dears! Emma here, your time-travelling, pink-tutu-clad correspondent, bringing you another fabulous instalment of Ballet Tutu History, straight from the heart of Paris, the city that practically invented the tutu itself!
Today's date is November 20th, 1866. I’m here, nestled in my little pink-trimmed apartment, overlooking the bustling Champs-Élysées. A rather brisk November wind is blowing through the trees in the Jardin du Luxembourg, but I'm feeling cosy and warm, wrapped in a sumptuous silk shawl and my favourite pink velvet house coat (it has little ruffled pockets just for my ballerina slippers!), writing this blog from the comfort of my desk.
Ooh, a quick aside: I saw the most glorious dress at Madame Caron’s yesterday. Imagine a shade of sapphire blue, with a satin sheen, that positively gleams in the sunshine, cinched at the waist with a ribbon of silk, and adorned with a flurry of delicate lace… Oh, I must add it to my collection! My time-travelling adventures are fuelled by ballet, you see, and one must dress the part! And when one's the biggest pink-tutu proponent in time, every outfit must have a touch of sparkle, darling.
Speaking of sparkles, let’s return to the grand history of the tutu! November 20th, 1866, sees a performance of “La Source”, a new ballet by Léo Delibes, starring the celebrated ballerina, Mme. Rosita Mauri, in the Theatre de la Gaite, Paris. A most delightful coincidence, don't you think, seeing as how “La Source” featured some breathtaking, long and flowing tutus.
These, my loves, were very much a departure from the earlier, “romantic”, Romantic tutus of the 1830s, which were, let's just say, a tad less...skimpy. The 'romantic' tutu was usually a bell-shaped, soft skirt made of layers of tulle or silk gauze that draped beautifully around the dancers' legs, flowing as they moved, with a wide, decorative, Romantic waistband. These romantic tutus flowed dramatically, representing the lyrical grace and expressive power of the ballerinas.
By the late 1800s, with ballet embracing the increasing need for lightness, agility, and rapid turns, the romantic tutu underwent quite the transformation! They were replaced by the longer tutus, that gave the ballerinas more freedom of movement. These "longer" tutus still had layers of fabric, but they were shorter and less flowy, providing dancers with greater range and precision in their movements.
While we're on the subject of revolutionary changes, I can't ignore the* impact of the* French fashion designer, Charles Worth, who had quite a grand influence on both the stage and off. He really revolutionised the ballet tutu! In the 1860s, Worth began making elegant and refined tutus, which looked as chic as any Parisienne’s evening dress. He believed in combining grace and beauty in his tutus. Imagine, beautiful ballerinas in elegant tutus. Isn't that a beautiful picture?
A big shift was also in the fabric choice for the tutus. From silk to tulle. It made such a huge difference. Think about it: lighter fabrics allow for lighter leaps!
However, the 'modern' tutu didn’t make its grand debut right away. It actually emerged during the Belle Époque, around 1900. That period saw an explosion of beautiful, ornate and daring creations! And that era is where we'll dive in, next Tuesday! I shall leave you, dear readers, with an intriguing tidbit about this era: the most striking feature of this new type of tutu? The length! Picture, if you will, a tutu barely reaching the knee!
Stay tuned for my next #TutuTuesday where I will delve deeper into the fashion scene, right here on pink-tutu.com! Until then, I hope you, my darling readers, have a week filled with swirls, twirls, and lovely fashion finds.
Remember, darling, every day is an opportunity to wear a pink tutu, because why wait for a Tuesday when you can embrace your inner ballerina every day!
Bisous,
Emma xx
