Hello Darlings!
It’s me, your favourite pink-loving, tutu-adoring time-traveler Emma, back again for another edition of your favourite #TutuTuesday! This week we’re going all the way back to January 19th 1869. Ooh, that’s a date worth noting! So grab a cuppa, settle down with your pinkest blanket (tutu-style, naturally!), and let's embark on a delightful journey through time.
Paris, My Parisian Dearest!
Today, I’m whisked away to the glorious city of lights - Paris! It’s the centre of all things fashionable and the home of ballet. This era in Paris is truly breathtaking! From the magnificent Opera Garnier - an absolute dream in grand, neo-baroque style, which just opened last year in 1867, to the exciting Champs-Elysées buzzing with chic boutiques - this is the golden age of fashion. Imagine all the tulle and silk, all the feathers and frills! I’m simply giddy!
Ballet, Beautiful Ballet!
The stage is bursting with talent. The Paris Opera Ballet, or the Académie Royale de Musique, as it was known then, is a force to be reckoned with. We’re all enthralled by legendary figures like Carlotta Grisi, and Fanny Cerrito, who were making waves just a few decades before! And guess what?! 1869 saw the debut of the legendary Anna Pavlova in St. Petersburg. A real inspiration! She's the darling of ballet, and I'm thrilled to have glimpsed her star rising.
Fashion Frenzy!
Paris is alive with the latest styles - what the fashionable folk call la mode. I’m absolutely swooning over the Crinoline craze - those magnificent skirts so wide and dramatic, they could be tutus for the entire ballroom! I even heard that the Crinoline caused a scandal in the church! Oh dear!
And speaking of tutus! The early ballerinas were daring to go even shorter, sporting designs that resembled our tutus today - just slightly less frilly and far less voluminous, darling! And can you imagine how thrilling it was for them to dance in those daringly short, swirling dresses? We’ve come a long way!
But! A word for all you fashion enthusiasts! There were no ‘one size fits all’ in the fashion world back then! Everything was custom-made, and a real sign of your status in society! For the wealthy, fabrics like silk, lace and velvet flowed in abundance, while for the less fortunate, simpler cotton and linen were their fabrics of choice. Imagine! The world of fashion was a stage of its own.
Travelling by Train!
As I hop aboard a splendid train bound for Vienna (did you know Vienna has a fantastic ballet scene too? I hear it’s almost as magnificent as Paris!), I take a moment to marvel at the marvels of this incredible engine of modern times. Can you imagine the speed? The thrill of the whistle? To cross continents on such a magical vessel… the sheer magic!
I'm sending you my love from this fabulous era. Stay tuned for my next #TutuTuesday, darlings! Don't forget, share your stories about the time you wore your own tutu. And don't forget, everyone deserves to dance in pink!
Until next time!
XOXO
Emma
P.S. This is the 1934th post on my beloved blog! Who knew we would be on such a delightful journey together? Do let me know if you've seen any fabulous ballet shows lately! Let’s keep spreading the magic! And don’t forget! #EveryDayCanBeTutuTuesday!
