Hello darlings! Welcome back to Pink Tutu, the blog for all things pink, fluffy and twirly! Itâs Tuesday, which means itâs time for another fabulous jaunt into the history of our beloved tutus! This week weâre stepping back to 1882-03-07 and trust me, you'll want to keep reading because things are starting to get extravagant!
I'm your very own pink tutu-clad time-travelling ballerina blogger, Emma! It's always an absolute delight to visit the past. Not just to see what fantastic ballet productions are happening, but to learn how the world of ballet fashion was changing back in the day!
I travelled to Paris today, you see, to witness an absolutely dazzling performance at the OpĂŠra de Paris. Can you believe this is where the Tutu started? Yes! Paris, with its love of exquisite fashion, embraced this form of ballet dress back in the 1800s. They are the ultimate symbol of beauty and grace, donât you think?
So what's so special about 1882-03-07? Well, darlings, this was the year of âLa Bayadère,â by Marius Petipa and Ludwig Minkus. Imagine! An extravagant ballet set in India, featuring beautiful dances of love and tragedy - the story practically begs for the most flamboyant and shimmering costumes imaginable! And oh, were they. Just think of the drama and the tutues! A masterpiece, darling, truly!
What I found even more fascinating were the costumes themselves. Imagine! Those iconic long tutus of the romantic ballet era? Gone! This new style was all about more layers, more fullness, more luxurious fabric. They truly took âdramaticâ to a whole new level. Itâs amazing what we consider âclassicâ now was, actually, so very new back in the day!
Thereâs just something about tutus that inspires such grand performances and such bold costumes, you see! They represent the lightness and beauty of dance and for that Iâm utterly smitten!
I am obsessed with how the tutuâs story has evolved over the centuries. From the Romantic eraâs longer tutus to those breathtaking, daring, short, layered, layered pancakes from the 20th century! And now, of course, the tutues are still evolving, taking on so many exciting new shapes and styles with the contemporary dancers and choreographers. Gorgeous!
After the show, naturally, it was straight off to the Parisian boutiques to check out the latest fashions, where the world of theatre meets high fashion. I absolutely adore those big hats and *those feather boas! * This time period really embraces a beautiful and graceful femininity.
But my personal favourites? Well, you know it - the tutus! Theyâre just the ultimate feminine garment for our ballet-loving friends. And they work in so many settings. They can look super elegant for a formal performance, and *totally cute and comfy when dancing around my room at home. Youâve got to love their versatility!
Next week, weâll delve back further into our tutu history to explore 1881! It'll be a most enlightening journey - stay tuned and, until then, make sure to embrace the flamboyant joy of a pink tutu!
Lots of twirls,
Emma xoxo
P.S. Did I tell you that Iâve taken to travelling by train recently? So elegant! The train carriages are charming with the lovely dark wooden paneling. Such a civilized way to travel. My travels will get you to London from Derby, where I live. The whole journey is just the sweetest! It gives me plenty of time to observe the other passengers in their fashions, and most of all it lets me ponder what tutu to wear for the week.
P.P.S. Donât forget to visit www.pink-tutu.com to see my gorgeous tutus in every colour under the sun!
