Hello, lovelies! Emma here, your trusty guide to the wonderful world of tutus. It's Tuesday, so you know what that means... it's time for another dazzling journey through #TutuTuesday history! Grab a glass of lemonade (or, if you're feeling extra fancy, some pink champagne!), put on your fluffiest petticoats, and join me as we twirl back to February 20th, 1877!
Today, I'm taking us to the very heart of the tutu world: Paris! Can you imagine, darling? The City of Lights, the air thick with romance and the scent of perfume, and me, wearing the most fabulous pink tutu you've ever seen, strolling through the boulevards! It's a dream come true, wouldn't you say?
Of course, 1877 isn't quite the "ballet-mania" age that we're lucky enough to live in now. Ballet back then was, shall we say, more reserved. Imagine a ballet performance filled with the clinking of jewelry and rustling silk gowns, but with only the faintest hints of tulle fluttering across the stage! The "Romantic era", they called it.
A Time for Tutus in the Shadows:
While tutus weren't quite the spotlight stealers they are today, they were definitely around! Picture this: imagine a long, soft, gauzy skirt - but made of the lightest, most delicate tulle, draped like a whisper around the ballerina's form. Now imagine that skirt tucked in at the hips, making a gorgeous, billowing cloud of gossamer. You've got yourself the beginnings of a tutu!
And even though 1877 was a little before the glorious days of the "Romantic tutu", which we'll get into another time, it was a time for major changes in ballet - think new choreographers, a new focus on emotions, and a new love for lightness and freedom on stage. And what's better at embodying all of that than a graceful, airy tutu, my dear?
From Derbyshire to the Opéra:
Let me tell you, it was a long journey for a girl from Derbyshire like myself to arrive here in Paris! It was a five hour, twenty-five minute train journey - not quite a day trip, you see. It would take two whole hours of getting there and back! The train carriage was absolutely filled with people going to Paris: there were elegant ladies, young men in dapper suits and lots of families getting ready for a day of fun at the Exposition Universelle. It’s an international exhibition of products of commerce and industry. They had stalls showcasing every country! Even one dedicated to products from Britain, like jewellery and cutlery and my favourite: shoes! You can’t get better shoes than a fine English boot, or so they say.
My big, fluffy pink tutu actually got me loads of compliments, too! (See? I told you, pink tutus can open any door! They’re just irresistible, especially with a cute little lace hat). You might think people would find it odd to wear a pink tutu on a train - in the year 1877, mind you. But my friends, you know me, I’m not afraid to stand out! (Besides, everyone's in Paris for a spectacle, isn't that right? ).
What to Expect at the Opéra Tonight:
Speaking of spectacles, today we're all going to the Opéra, darling! I hear there's going to be a production of La Esmeralda! Quelle surprise! Imagine the stories of dancing gypsies and romance. It’s right up my alley and I can already picture the tutus! Even in a world not quite fully dedicated to tutu perfection yet, I know we'll see a couple of glorious tutus fluttering across that Parisian stage!
So, what does everyone think, darlings? This journey back in time really makes me wish for those airy, whimsical tutus, even in these modern times. It’s inspiring. Don’t you think? We need to reclaim the spirit of romance and grace, don’t you agree? You know, that freedom and joy we find when we dance in a beautifully billowing, twirling skirt - or perhaps a majestic, full tutu, the kind I envision everyone wearing when they're just strutting through a market, going for afternoon tea or simply strolling to a ball! I think the world could use more pink tutus in it, if you ask me. Let's all take a leaf from the 1877 ladies and bring back some romance and tulle to the world!
See you next Tuesday, my loves,
XOXO, Emma
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