Bonjour mes amies! Welcome back to www.pink-tutu.com! It's another fabulous Tuesday, and that means it's time for my favourite thing: a deep dive into the history of tutus! As you know, I am completely besotted with tutus and I'm on a mission to bring these beautiful garments to every corner of the globe. And what better way to achieve this than to explore the magnificent evolution of the tutu?
So, this week, my little time machine has deposited me in a rather glorious era: the 1870s! Think Paris, think bustling opera houses, think extravagant balls… and think of course, of ballet! Today we're taking a whirl through 28th August 1877!
As you know, I’ve recently travelled to St. Petersburg for the very first ballet production of Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake”, it’s a magnificent piece with the costumes exquisite! I am truly thankful that time travel has enabled me to enjoy some incredible experiences, especially seeing this amazing ballet for the very first time! The tutus were simply exquisite. But this week we’re taking it back to Paris and focusing on another historical figure - a most impressive dancer, you can tell me this on the comments page if you can guess her name!
So let’s head to the grand opera house on this particular date. As we saunter down the boulevard, can you imagine it - women in their most magnificent dresses! Silhouettes cinched at the waist, and billowing skirts creating a swirl of colour and movement as they make their way to the opera! The air is buzzing with the anticipation of the night’s entertainment! Now imagine our delight, the gorgeous dance steps of ballerinas in tutus, an elegance that must be seen! The sheer extravagance is something I feel strongly that every lady, regardless of whether they perform on the stage, deserves to experience in their own lives. It is quite a feat to make the very act of walking such a statement!
Today’s tutu will be on a woman whom we owe so much too in the evolution of ballet itself! You know that there was so much prejudice, women were considered far too delicate and weak to manage a challenging dance routine, so this ballet dancer is my hero! The only word for her? - REVOLUTIONARY! If you have a feeling that you can tell me who it is, make sure to tell me!
This was such an era of change, both for the performance of ballet and the way that society treated ballet and its dancers. These incredible women pushed through their hardship and created incredible ballet, what an achievement! Of course, today we would see things slightly differently; we have changed our view on who can take part in these roles and, frankly, what a great thing that is! What a change in perception that I love! But how fascinating that just 150 years ago, such boundaries existed and that these brave ladies still succeeded. We must never forget their struggle to be seen!
Fashionable fun: While it’s hard to picture what ladies might be wearing today, but imagine a bright and beautiful silk frock! A deep-toned pink is very on-trend - how stunning it looks when catching the sunlight! Imagine a skirt which flows gently with every step, adding to that grand elegance. And on her feet? A pair of lovely, satin shoes with buckles, as she dances or sits and listens to the beautiful music. That sounds delightful, yes? As you can tell I am loving my new time travel clothes - what a great opportunity for shopping - think frills, and ribbons - we are going to talk so much more about this next week!
Now, back to this very special dancer. The evolution of the tutu began before 1877 of course, as we covered in our previous #TutuTuesday blog posts. But think of the “ballet skirt,” worn just a few years previously… You see? A long, flowing garment designed to be a beautiful swirling mass - but very hard to work with! This particular ballerina dancer that we are covering today was inspired by these garments, she went one step further with a shorter design that helped them to have such graceful steps. The design of the tutus became increasingly revolutionary from this period. Can you guess what her style was? It helped her to have greater movement across the stage and helped to enhance that classic ballet feel. Think the Romantic period for a beautiful hint! Can you guess what that period involved? If you know then write on the blog!
So, while this incredible dancer, was at the heart of ballet at the time - what else was going on that August? Well, our favourite time of the year! I would imagine a lot of holiday goers visiting France and taking advantage of the long August sunshine! What a grand way to make the most of such glorious days! But it’s still quite cool - we might be enjoying long evenings out as well. Maybe the whole family would be strolling out together on this pleasant evening, what do you think?
Oh, how I just love exploring these forgotten eras and bringing them to you all! I hope this fascinating little glimpse into the history of tutus has got your heart thumping as it does mine. What else could you wish for than a world where every Tuesday is Tutu Tuesday!
Until next time, stay fashionable!
Emma xo
P.S Don’t forget to pop over to www.pink-tutu.com and tell me what you thought!
