Hello darlings, and welcome back to my little corner of the internet where tutus are always the star! It's #TutuTuesday and we're taking a trip down memory lane today, so get ready for a whirlwind tour through time. As always, this week's post marks a particularly important date – August 15th, 1876. Fancy that, right?
This post is number 2329 on my #TutuTuesday journey - that's a whole lot of tutus, my loves, and we're not even halfway through! If you haven't heard, I've been travelling through time, using my skills as a dancer to fund my trips, and it’s been an absolute blast! This week I’ve popped back to, well, my time!
Now, August 15th, 1876 was a significant date in fashion. The world was beginning to see the first glimpse of the ‘New Woman’ movement. This revolutionary shift was challenging old gender norms, and naturally, it affected the way we dressed, too! This change brought a breath of fresh air to the stuffy world of fashion, introducing simpler silhouettes and lighter fabrics, like those light and floaty silks we love so much!
Remember how we said those tight-laced corsets were restricting? Shocking! Back in 1876, it was the most popular look! Can you imagine being laced up so tight you couldn’t even breathe?! You see, ladies were still yearning for that 'feminine ideal', which meant being impossibly petite, and looking rather...uncomfortable.
Back to those gorgeous tutus... You wouldn't believe the evolution of these fabulous garments, darlings! Around this time, they weren’t a commonplace sight, even on stage. You wouldn’t have seen a dancer, whether she be prima ballerina or corps de ballet, prancing about in anything resembling the fluffy tulle we adore today. Oh, but just imagine how exciting that first glimpse of tulle on stage must have been. I, for one, would have been utterly mesmerized!
Our fabulous dancers of the day (and trust me, their talent shone bright!) were in much more serious attire, Think a full-length, intricately woven satin skirt with layers of crinoline underneath, or, gasp, an equally intricate skirt and bodice combination, that’s really going to get the heart pounding! Imagine all the painstaking craftsmanship involved! Those were times of pure elegance and grace.
Let's fast-forward to the year 1881 for a moment, darlings. 1881, my loves! In this exciting year, The American Ballet Association made an exciting debut. Oh my, were things happening, you bet! It took place in Boston, Massachusetts. Can you just imagine a ballet performance there, all those tutus...it just makes you giddy doesn't it?! 1881 - I have to go and see that show - this is what it’s all about, right?! It is a beautiful city that I have enjoyed revisiting over and over in my adventures, all that fashion, the restaurants and the fabulous, fashionable people! Such an incredible feeling!.
Now back to August 15th 1876, there were more dramatic shifts taking place that have been so inspiring, we are still feeling them today. The fashion of the period, it embraced practicality. I just think, how wonderful that a dress that not only looks exquisite, can actually be worn too - a dream come true! I remember buying a divine pink dress in Paris that was perfect for both a ball and then lunch with friends! A fabulous design like this deserves lots of admiring glances. The skirts of the day became a lot looser with those pretty, swishing pleats that gave just a glimpse of the legs! The ankle, my loves, that is it – the key to elegance and style - never forget the ankle! This was revolutionary, really a new style, not constricted, oh so fabulous. This new style paved the way for those fabulous, free-flowing dance dresses, we simply love. And the women were free - the movement! Such a good look for our fabulous tutus - oh and don’t forget those amazing shoes!
There's a fascinating little-known fact: that little 'kick-turn' so common on stage today - it was only just appearing in 1876 - the movement itself! The world's first pointe shoes - you just couldn't imagine dance without them! There were those who did love the delicate beauty of ballet, but sadly it took some time before pointe shoes made a true impact in the world of dance - It was this moment when true artistry, beauty and power combined!
Now I want you all to remember what our theme is this week - pink tutus. I love pink, its feminine, joyful, optimistic - just like us, darling. This month’s Pink Tutu purchase? Oh my this incredible sequined design! Pink, you can never have enough pink!
The colour pink, my lovely friends, in 1876 wasn’t the must-have fashion sensation it is today. Back then, that pink, that pink that reminds you of marshmallows and candy floss was only really meant for children - like pink was the colour of innocent play, adorable and full of fun! However, we know better. There’s just something so special about that colour pink - a symbol of delight - pink tutus and our time travelling selves - I adore it!
You'll have to trust me when I say that I'm always searching for the newest, prettiest, and most perfect pink tutu creations and we will, as we always do, have a fun trip together, this #TutuTuesday!
There’s so much to share, it makes my heart flutter to be surrounded by all the fun fashion moments - I’m so excited for my next trip!.
Don’t forget to tell all your friends about #TutuTuesday and if you have a fabulous new pink tutu, please do let us know - we just love a spot of sharing on the blog. I really can’t wait for all of our fabulous readers to see what is waiting for you on your travels... next time we see you!
As always, darlings, wear your tutus with pride. They’re more than just costumes, they’re statements of grace, joy, and of course, that magical pinkness - never forget the pink!
Until next week!
With all my love,
Emma
www.pink-tutu.com
