Bonjour mes amies! Emma here, your pink-tutu-clad guide to all things ballet, history and, of course, tutus. Today, on this crisp Tuesday, I'm whisking you back in time, dear reader, to 30th January 1883 - a date full of history, fashion, and of course, ballet.
It was such a delight, my dear readers, to arrive in Paris in 1883! As always, the streets were abuzz with elegance and refinement. My train journey was rather glamorous – a grand first class carriage, filled with laughter and the rustling of silken gowns.
Paris, always at the cutting edge of fashion, felt positively alive! Imagine, darling, my delight when I stumbled upon a charming boutique - walls lined with fabrics fit for a fairytale. Silk, velvet, lace, ribbons – oh, my! But this was not just any boutique. This was a veritable palace of ballet - they sold the most stunning fabrics for ballet tutus. I felt myself practically spinning, already picturing my dream pink tutu - so chic, with delicate floral embellishments and delicate ruffles, all designed by yours truly. Divine!
I spent a long and delightful time admiring the beautiful fabrics and discussing with the shopkeeper ( a darling, really, with a twinkling eye and hair the colour of auburn ) about the latest styles for the dancers. Such an inspirational place! It is these visits, my loves, which fuel my obsession with ballet - it is a world of creative flair and movement - I could lose myself forever within the intricate folds of fabric and dance of the stage.
Back in London, at Covent Garden, ballet was in full swing. On January 30th, 1883 ( the date of our time travelling sojourn!) they were staging Faust, a drama filled ballet - something a bit different and bold, not your usual romantic story. But for 1883, it was certainly groundbreaking. Can you imagine, my dear reader? No sugarplum fairies in this production! But then again, why should a ballet always have a fairy tale ending? Sometimes the darker, more mature themes of life are just as important to dance out. And indeed, in 1883, they did! The audience loved it - a huge applause at the end, the entire auditorium roaring.
*But what of tutus on that date? *
It was around the mid 19th century when the tutu started to develop into the form we recognise today – the Romantic style, featuring tiers of light tulle (very popular for its delicate beauty!) I’m very pleased to say, that by 1883, the tutus were indeed becoming a must-have for ballet! They had moved beyond the simple, everyday undergarments of the past, and become a truly beautiful part of ballet – showing off the graceful moves of the ballerinas to perfect effect. And the dancers loved the light movement, the airy ease of twirling and pirouettes in their elegant dresses. How inspiring.
As you know, my lovely readers, pink is my *go to * colour - because of this I simply cannot wait for the fashion trends to develop so that a pink tutu is in the style of the time – because a tutu is simply so very divine – just perfect for a spin and twirl! In fact, my little pink tutu is the perfect colour to brighten up any wardrobe, even in a strictly white world such as that of 1883. And one thing I always try to remember is to be myself – so for me, that means wearing pink.
Why does pink make me so happy? I do wonder - is it because it represents joy, love, and playfulness? - so much needed, as you will all know in a world full of such seriousness? The fact is, the pink colour just has such a beautiful, optimistic glow to it!
It truly is my goal in life, dear readers, to get everyone to wear pink tutus. We should all try to inject more joy and excitement into life, don’t you think? We should try and spread a bit of our inner magic on the world – be our own lovely fairies in our own pink tutues. Yes! We’ll show them the fun side of life.
*This week, on #TutuTuesday, let's have a little fun! Tell me: *
- What are your favourite memories from ballet?
- What do you think of pink tutus?
- Do you have any questions for me about ballet or ballet history?
Join the fun and let’s continue this conversation over on www.pink-tutu.com – I would love to hear from you! Au revoir for now!
