#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1868-06-02

Hello my darlings!

It’s Emma here, back again for another installment of #TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on www.pink-tutu.com!

This week, I’ve hopped aboard the Orient Express (the ultimate fashion train!) and landed myself right in the heart of Paris. Quelle joie!

Today is June 2nd 1868, and oh my word, there’s a whirlwind of chic going on! As usual, the French ladies are leading the way in all things fashionable, especially at the Opéra. Just this week, there was a glittering opening night of a brand new ballet! "The Daughter of the Regiment," featuring the beautiful, captivating ballerina, Rosita Mauri. Now, Rosita’s one of those ladies who commands attention, darling, simply by strutting on stage. And the outfits… oh the splendid outfits! You know what? This date is positively brimming with historical significance as far as tutus go! You see, ballet, dear reader, is in full swing.

This June 2nd, we’re at the height of the Romantic era of ballet. This wasn’t just some little blip, darling, this was a full-fledged cultural revolution in how people saw ballet and even… tutùs! You’d be surprised to learn the changes! Imagine, a mere half-century ago, these magical garments were more like knee-length, rather simple, soft-colored skirts, with a little bit of netting, just a hint. Nothing too flashy, darling, nothing quite like what we see today!

Now, thank goodness, things have gotten gloriously lavish and extravagant!

You see, the 19th Century, it saw a burst of colour, a dance of creativity in those iconic tutus we’ve come to love. Take the* Romantic era, my darlings, it’s all about drama! It’s about the ballerina as a supernatural creature. It’s a full embrace of *femininity, the whisper of ethereal grace, and the flutter of these glorious, billowing tutus. These are not simply skirts anymore! They are statements!

The Paris of 1868 was a whirl of fashion shows, with new colours and designs emerging with such exciting flair! You have to understand, the ballet scene in Paris shaped fashion trends, darling! So if the ballerinas started rocking a pink tutu, the women on the streets followed! It’s how they did things, dear! It wasn’t about following trends, it was about becoming them! This is a period of fashion evolution, where tutus became more flamboyant, more dramatic, and more spectacular. Just imagine the exquisite craftsmanship!

We’re talking about layers upon layers of delicate, shimmering fabrics, a rainbow of colors and dazzling patterns! Those lovely pas de deux where a ballerina and her partner would pirouette and leap, they created this sense of magic! They really were an expression of joy and freedom. They weren't afraid to play with shape, either, dear! Long and flowing romantic tutus, all wispy and dreamlike... oh! How lovely, how graceful! I dare you to imagine those ballerinas floating onstage. There’s a poetic beauty, a sense of utter magic, just swirling all around them!

But here’s the secret, darling, those Parisian women, they had this exquisite eye for detail. The fit, it had to be perfect. Just imagine how much a tutu flows and sways, and those elegant ladies of 1868, they wanted to feel this!

And this love of embellishments... oh my word! Take a peek into any high-end fashion shop around the time, you'll see sequins, beading, ribbons... all vying for attention. It’s like every ballerina was a shining star! And just as much attention to structure and silhouette, darling. Those designers in the mid 1800s, they went to incredible lengths, ingenious lengths! to create tutus with such captivating, dreamy movement, as they billowed and swayed in that iconic, swirling dance of grace!

And that's what brings us here to #TutuTuesday! Let's step back in time with this little snippet of history! This historical magic, my dears, it makes you think that fashion is a continuous journey, like a ballet itself. The tutus we see today? Well, they're the result of countless iterations, each one evolving, each one adding to the beauty of ballet, a symphony of movement and elegance.

As for me, I'm off to another ballet show! Where are you going to be seeing ballet today?

Let me know all your #TutuTuesday thoughts in the comments. And, most importantly my dears, remember to wear your own pink tutu with a bit of extra sparkle for that Parisian touch!

Yours always,

Emma 💖

P.S. Keep a close eye on our upcoming #TutuTuesday blogs for our upcoming series about famous ballerina fashions. We'll be going deep dive on all those amazing designs from iconic ballet history.