Hello my dearest Tutu Twirlers! Welcome back to my little corner of the internet, dedicated to all things tutu, pink, and, of course, ballet! It's Tuesday, which means it's time for our weekly jaunt through history to see how the beloved tutu has evolved. This week, buckle up your pointe shoes, darling, because we're hopping on the train to 1881!
Now, if you can picture it, it's the late 1800s. The sun is shining brightly, the birds are chirping, and ā¦ oh wait, whatās that? Itās pouring with rain? Rolls eyes and shrugs. Well, no matter the weather, the world is bursting with glamour, excitement, and - you guessed it - beautiful tutus!
Now, back then, the tutu wasn't the flowing, romantic design you see today. We're talking about the "Romantic Tutu" era, darlings! This era's tutu was tightly fitted to the waist, almost like a tutu-esque pencil skirt, and finished with a short, bell-shaped, tiered skirt of tulle that would have you doing graceful spins without a worry! This type of tutu, which showcased the dancer's grace and strength in a much more sophisticated way, would have made for some spectacular ballet performances. Oh, to have seen a waltz in such a majestic dress!
It is precisely for these exquisite ballets that we are travelling back in time this week, darlings, to London. Today, 14th June 1881 to be precise, a truly significant performance was being showcased at Londonās Covent Garden Opera House, where the renowned French ballerina, Marie Taglioni, took to the stage. Marie Taglioni is a true legend in the world of ballet, and is considered one of the pioneers of Romantic Ballet, that movement we just spoke about! I think of it this way, darling: imagine someone putting their very own stamp on the way tutus are designed!
Can you imagine seeing a beautiful ballerina on the stage wearing the iconic "Romantic Tutu"? The light reflecting off the shimmering tulle? The feeling of excitement filling the air, anticipation mixed with a delightful murmur of whispers and gentle applause. It would have been breathtaking, and frankly, Iām quite envious. But not to fret my little tutu enthusiasts! I plan to experience this historic event first-hand later this monthā¦
Don't you love the thrill of experiencing the past? Oh, how I simply adore slipping into the past and imagining myself on stage, dancing for royalty, and twirling with grace and panache. Even now, you can still feel that sense of tradition in the ballets we see today.
Now, for those of you eager to embrace the āRomantic Tutu" era style, remember this: it's all about simplicity, elegance, and femininity. The tutu was more modest in size but incredibly effective at conveying graceful, ethereal beauty, giving the ballerinas the ability to leap and twirl freely. The "Romantic Tutu" was truly revolutionary!
As a bit of fun, I even found an excerpt from The Times news on that day, which spoke of Taglioni's performance as "brilliant" and her costumes as āexquisiteā! This simply reiterates that even way back in 1881, everyone already appreciated a gorgeous tutu - the time travel for fashion is already quite exciting and thrilling, just think of how excited they were then!
That said, what else do we know about Londonās 1881, you ask? Well, fashion at the time, for the general public I mean, featured the popular Crinoline skirt, which looked very similar to a large and fluffy tulle tutu. They called these fashion looks "bloomers"! A very popular shape, but very bulky! Imagine those on stage? They were also very much enjoying a time of political and cultural change, and people loved the grand theatrical productions that the opera houses offered. It was quite the grand time to be alive, donāt you think? And think how fantastic it was to experience the ballet like a royal! It's what makes me want to go on this exciting trip!
You'll need to find me at Covent Garden on June 28th, and Iāll see you all there. It's my intention to visit these historical performance sites throughout my journey and witness first hand the history of ballet! It is how I intend to fund my travel. My next visit to this glorious and vibrant era is bound to be just as delightful!
I will, of course, update you on how the event goes on next Tuesdayās #TutuTuesday blog post on www.pink-tutu.com! Let me know in the comments what historical moments youād love to witness for yourself in ballet! Do make sure you use the hashtag #TutuTuesday to join in with all of my little tutu enthusiasts across the internet, it is great to be connected by ballet, isnāt it?
Until next Tuesday darling, may your twirls be high and your spirits ever-so bright!
With love and sparkles,
Emma x
