#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1880-09-14

Hello lovelies, and welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com, your one-stop shop for all things pink and twirly! Today is #TutuTuesday, which means it's time to hop on the time machine (I’ve swapped the fuel tank out for sparkling cider, of course!) and journey back to the fabulous world of ballet history. Buckle up, darling, because this one's a real treat!

Today's date, September 14th, 1880, is a little too early to get all fluttery about tutus. Honestly, darling, the 1880s were more about bulky gowns and petticoats, not the elegant wisps we adore today. Can you imagine, dancing in all those layers?! Give me a cloud of tulle any day!

But don't fret, fashionistas, we’re going on a fashionably thrilling trip! The story of the ballet tutu is as exciting as a triple pirouette, and we’re about to start dancing back to its beginnings.

So, before we could even think about the airy tulle we know and love, ballet dancers had to endure… well, long skirts. Picture it: a beautiful young lady, with graceful arms and poised movements, hampered by a bulky dress! Imagine the tragedy.

Now, those gowns weren't just any dresses – they were designed for elegance and refinement, all the rage in the French Court, where ballet, of course, had its first flourish. The 17th and 18th centuries were about layers, layers, layers. We're talking heavy fabrics, heavy boning, and layers of petticoats, creating this grand, beautiful but cumbersome look.

This was, after all, the era of Louis XIV, a real fashion icon. Think corsets, high heels, elaborate hairstyles - oh my! Imagine trying to get down in the arabesque with all that! It just goes to show how strong the women in ballet were then, and that dancing is indeed a sport.

However, this stuffy situation was about to be shaken up, my darling friends! The year is 1832, and bang, Marie Taglioni, an iconic ballerina who even inspired the term “ballerina”, decides to make a bold move. Now, Marie is known for her elegant grace, lightness, and yes, her dazzling performance in “La Sylphide.” And guess what she’s wearing?

That’s right! Marie shucked those heavy gowns and graced the stage in what could almost be described as a tutu, darling! Yes, this new design is much shorter and tighter fitting than the previous, elegant, and yet...well, it still isn’t a full-blown tutu! It is, however, a game-changer in ballet attire, an iconic leap towards our beautiful tutu of today.

It was designed to reveal Marie's graceful movements and emphasise her delicate jumps and elegant turns. The first 'tutu' was very, very short and actually resembled a long white dress with very fitted sleeves that fitted loosely to the legs and stopped mid calf.

Imagine this revolution, my darlings! In a world of lavish dresses, here came this revolutionary idea – showing off the legs! Talk about making a statement, am I right?

But wait, there’s more! Because even though this revolutionary piece of clothing was quite groundbreaking at the time, we know we are going to see more changes in our future – a glorious future where tutus will be...everything!

I just adore this journey of discovery!

Of course, like all great dance moves, the evolution of the tutu was slow and gradual. It took decades for our precious little ballerina friend to blossom from a mid-calf skirt to a fluttering wisp of tulle.

We’ll take another look at the history of our little dance friend next #TutuTuesday. See you next week!

Love and glitter, Emma

London

Oh my gosh! My trip to London this week was just the best! The London train ride was wonderful, even though it did make me rather late, thank goodness I had the London Tube handy, a total life-saver and the fastest thing to cross the metropolis, but let's be real here, only my dear Derby to London train ride is comparable to the London underground.

Once in London, darling, my first stop was to find the best afternoon tea! It wouldn’t be fair if I didn't sample a lovely cream tea whilst swishing around this wonderful city.

I spotted this amazing vintage shop on Oxford Street that I simply had to explore. Imagine finding a perfect black ballet dress from the 1920s! Divine! Imagine how amazing I would have looked in the street, if only I wasn’t too busy in London exploring.

But then, darling, my dear darling ballet theatre! The performance at the Royal Opera House was beyond breathtaking, even the performance itself took me through many twists and turns and at one point, I even thought I had gone back further in time to watch some sort of classical pantomime but darling, this was theatre, what a dream it was. This was no pantomime. I felt like a little girl, watching the dancers swirl, a true love of dance in a dream of a venue and let’s just not mention the performance outfits... absolutely amazing, especially the beautiful costumes with the tulle skirts. I loved watching the dancers float, even if their dresses were shorter than we normally see on stage. But I understand darling, it was 1880! The audience really seemed to enjoy it, although I think there was a good amount of coughing.

It's such a treat to explore these different time periods, learning about how ballet has changed. It’s really a testament to the art, isn’t it? Ever evolving and always finding new ways to dazzle and amaze us! I have a slight confession, and if I’m honest very slight fear about this…but there was a coughing incident at the performance in London. Oh no. Was it from my skirt? I felt rather itchy, it felt a bit too short. A few women did give me quite the odd looks though! Maybe the colour pink is not the right colour? Darling! I do believe I may need a wardrobe update… perhaps in a bolder shade! Oh dear, darling! The fashionista life

However, I managed to find this most charming little antique store – and oh my, darling, the finds! I discovered this gorgeous porcelain doll that I'll use in my latest “Pink Tutu” photoshoot – think antique vibes, twirling ballerinas, and a whole lotta pink! Keep a lookout for the pictures coming soon on Pink-Tutu.com.

My travels are funded by these fabulous ballet shows, darling! This trip, however, has left me with a huge craving for more exploration. There’s still so much about the history of our lovely, fabulous, beautiful dance to discover. And that makes my pink-tutu-clad heart dance, doesn’t it?!

Stay twirling, darling,

Emma