Bonjour, darlings! It's your favourite tutu-loving time traveller, Emma, here, ready to whisk you away to the exciting world of ballet history! It's Tuesday, which means it's time for another fabulous #TutuTuesday blog post, straight from the pages of my trusty time travel journal, brought to you fromā¦well, wherever the time machine happens to land me this week!
But before we delve into the archives of ballet's past, a quick confession. I might just be a tad obsessed with pink. Okay, okay, maybe more than a tad! It's not just any colour, is it? It's the colour of dreams, of candy floss, of fluffy marshmallowsā¦and of course, it's the colour of a truly exquisite tutu! You're probably picturing me right now in my own perfect pink tutu, ready to pirouette across the centuries. And you know what? You're absolutely right!
Right, now that I've confessed my love for pink (as you always do, darling!), let's get back to the business of tutu history. Today, weāre swirling back in time to January 14th, 1873. We're still in the grand era of ballet in its home city, Paris, where fashion is as exciting and experimental as the steps of a dancer on stage. You wouldn't be surprised to hear the Belle Epoque in full swing - this is the age of romanticism, of elegant gowns and a captivating interest in the beautiful, flowing lines of the human body. You know, the kind that perfectly inspires the airy shape of a ballerinaās tutu!
The tutu, even back then, wasnāt just about looking good. Think about the amazing moves dancers could achieve in those fluffy tutus. This was the time of ballerinas who would perform those unbelievable pirouettes, arabesques, and grand jetĆ©s that made the crowds gasp!
As we walk the boulevards of 1873, the air is thick with a heady mix of floral perfume and the excitement of the latest plays at the OpƩra Garnier. Imagine! It's as if the entire city is in a dance with the rhythm of the season, and the ballerinas are the heartbeats of it all.
Of course, on a day like today, we couldnāt just linger on the boulevards. I took the grand opportunity to travel to see the latest, exciting, ballet in Paris at the OpĆ©ra Garnier. The famous, incredible opera house was only completed a couple of years ago! I, of course, took full advantage of the grandness of it all! In 1873, ballet wasn't confined to the grand theaters! It was a thrilling new addition to the āboulevard theatreā entertainment that popped up all over Paris. You know I took full advantage and slipped right into the front row at a smaller boulevard theater to take it all in. All the world was truly a stage, my dear, a stage to wear your fanciest dresses! You couldnāt imagine just how many bonnets and gorgeous, long feathers were adorning the ladies' heads, and a good two-thirds of the ladies had brought their parasols! I tell you what, they put our contemporary hats and parasols to shame! All of the most fashionable ladies - and men, of course, wore a top hat.
Imagine, Paris at its most beautiful, the intoxicating excitement of a ballet performance, and me, twirling in the middle of it all! Can you feel it?
#FashionFriday Time Capsule
While itās not Friday (and the time traveler in me doesn't get to see Fridays as often as I'd like, alas!) itās a #FashionFriday here in my mind. Letās delve into the fashion scene of 1873 - we are, after all, here to explore tutus!
Remember my love for all things pink? Well, this year was all about "The Aesthetic Movement" in fashion, inspired by the movement across all areas of art and literature. The idea was all about grace and elegance. Remember my blog about the 1860s! In that decade, our outfits were mostly comprised of silks, lace and satin and a big bustle at the back (a hoop underneath your dress, for the fashion savvy!). I can't tell you enough about those! The ānatural,ā flowing styles of the Romantic period, however, were slowly disappearing by 1873! So this period in history was where those dramatic and luxurious trends combined! We were wearing the more voluminous fabrics with more natural flowing skirts and tight bodices. Our styles in Paris were all about the beauty and natural curve of the body in those elaborate materials and intricate designs. But wait for itā¦the bustle remains a MUST!
Here is the good news, darling! It means we can keep on dancing in all of our beautiful tutus because we are living the beauty of our natural flow! I simply can't say no to the delicate softness of silks and satin in a fabulous pink tutu! The materials that we dance in truly made all the difference! All the romantic curves and flowing silhouettes were absolutely stunning. I wouldn't have it any other way. I can even try wearing my tutu over a hoop skirt for the real boudoie aesthetic in my ballet classes! It really helps get the grand style flowing as I do my barre exercises, you can try it for a real Parisian boudoir look in your home ballet lessons too! (The tutus of this time are pretty different than today, they're long! Imagine! We are used to super short tutus now. And they donāt look much like our present tutus, and are much more of a ballet ācostumeā - or perhaps āgarment,ā that fits snugly with no movement or looseness whatsoever at all around the legs.). What a fascinating period for ballet fashion, just think! If only I could step out of this time machine and go into those fabulous dance halls and take in the whole style with a pair of gorgeous new boots, my oh my! You know the Parisian ladies didnāt really need to change their fashions at all for evening and daytime looks, as their skirts, often a bustle, were just perfect for ballet as it was just as suitable for the theatre, as the social dances of the time, like the Waltz or the quadrille - not to mention ballrooms!
This is how the dance fashions of 1873 are influencing fashion today ā the "balletcore" trend, all those light silks, all that tulle, all that color, and it really goes together. But can I say something, darling? As much as I love the latest balletcore trend you'll find me dancing my heart out in a pink tutu - maybe itās that tiny voice in my heart telling me that ballet just wasn't really the āreal dealā at all back in the day as it has evolved into now! In these historical days, tutus and dresses were so long and there were almost no visible steps as our legs and legs and shoes would barely be seen, not like today where it is all about long, beautiful and elegant leg lines that are meant to draw the viewer's eyes towards those amazing ballet positions! Thatās a style thatās truly special, darling, something that truly allows us to see the beauty of a ballet move. Ballet today really lets us celebrate the body as an artwork. And you know what? I think the fashion and choreography of ballet has really taken this step forward with this change in style. It truly celebrates the feminine, beautiful shape that the ballet dancer creates, the graceful curves and lean limbs! It also helps to express the inner strength that allows us all to soar! Donāt you agree, my dears?
But thereās much more in the way of exciting historical style fashion moments to tell! Now itās time to whisk back off to my travels - the next stop for me on my #TutuTuesday adventures is Vienna. The ballet world, and of course, the ballet outfits are truly amazing! Stay tuned for a blast from the past (with a very exciting story and tutu for sure!), next Tuesday. I will also make sure to add a bit of history on what it was like for ballet dancers in Vienna this year and how they contributed to our evolution to the ballet looks of the present! In the meantime, until next week, donāt forget - pink is the colour of ballet! Keep it sweet!
Always yours,
Emma * www.pink-tutu.com*
