Hello my lovelies! Emma here, your pink tutu-wearing, time-travelling ballet blogger extraordinaire, reporting live from, well, you wouldn't believe where!
This week's Tutu Tuesday takes us all the way back to the glorious, flamboyant era of 1883! You know I adore travelling by train, and it's been a real treat to journey back in time to experience a Victorian ballet, complete with the most opulent gowns and some truly intricate hairdos! Imagine my delight!
But enough about my travels - let's talk about tutus! Oh, how I do love them! Today, darling, we're on a mission to delve into the enchanting history of the tutu, focusing on the pivotal point in time that is 1883! Now, I know you might be thinking, "Emma, we've heard this all before - what could be new about tutus in 1883?" But trust me, darlings, every Tuesday holds a new, delicious tidbit of tutu history for us to savour.
So, where were tutus in 1883? It's actually quite a fascinating story, with a very famous and very graceful ballerina in the middle of it all.
The Birth of the "Romantic Tutu"? It's all thanks to Carlotta Grisi!Before 1883, the ballerina's costume was mostly a long, heavy, silk skirt that didn't exactly scream, "Look at my incredible pirouettes!" And then, bam, along comes Carlotta Grisi, an Italian ballet dancer whose incredible dancing and graceful artistry totally changed the game for ballerinas and tutus alike! You see, she wasn't a fan of all that extra fabric, darling. She wanted something more flowing, more delicate, and certainly lighter!
In the year of 1839, Carlotta stunned the world (and the Parisian opera house) when she took the stage in "Giselle," dressed in a short, white skirt - much shorter than any ballerinas had worn before - that had been puffed out, much like the ballerina skirts we see today.
This costume, darling, sparked a whole new style for ballerinas and was hailed as a game changer! It revolutionised how women danced, allowed more freedom of movement and ultimately, revealed the graceful fluidity of the dancers themselves! It became the inspiration for a whole era of "Romantic tutus" that dominated ballet stages all throughout the late 1800s.
Imagine that - one graceful, fearless woman changing the course of ballet history! We are all still benefitting from her bravery, darlings!
Ballet's Style and FlairI know some of you might be thinking, "Emma, why does any of this matter?" But here's the thing, darlings - it's about the evolution of style and the beauty of the ballet form. Ballet has been evolving over the centuries, from the long, formal skirts of the early ballet dancers to the short, airy "romantic" tutus worn during the Romantic Era, all the way to the incredibly elaborate, custom-made tutus worn by some dancers today. It's all been about how the dance, the dancer, and the costume have worked together to create an incredible visual spectacle - one that I get to enjoy (and wear!) for my travels through history!
So let's talk a bit about 1883! Ballet performances in the 1880s were more flamboyant than ever before - think bold colours, elaborate designs and tutus with more layers, more tiers, more frills. The more, the merrier, they say!
And in case you're wondering, tutus continued to evolve in those days! Yes, those shorter, billowing skirts from the Romantic era evolved, taking on even more drama! We started to see tutus in various styles - more variations on those full-skirted tutus, but also a wider variety of styles, too, including shorter, "Romantic tutus," that were inspired by Carlotta's groundbreaking design! And this meant a lot of fabric - it wasn't just one layer, but often two or even three tiers, adorned with intricate lace, ribbon and delicate embellishments. Imagine the layers! And the colours? Think soft pinks, ivory, delicate blues and of course, glorious pink! Oh, those tutus were glorious!
Ballet is Not a Trend... it's a way of LifeIn 1883, ballet was at the height of its popularity in Europe, darlings! Every week there were new performances, both at the opera and the theater. It was all the rage in Paris and across Europe. And of course, where ballet is hot, the best shops in every city were full of ballerinas flitting through aisles, picking out their costumes, tutus and all sorts of other fancy attire! I tell you, it's enough to make my heart flutter - just think of all the wonderful tutus I could find back then!
And that, my lovelies, is the magic of Tutu Tuesday! It's not just about pretty dresses or fun facts about history - it's about the story of the art form of ballet, the history of its performers and their inspiring passion for dance! It's a story about expression, grace, and a dedication to a form of artistry that, even now in the 21st century, still holds such captivating power over us!
If you haven't already, I implore you to catch a ballet performance - there's magic waiting to be discovered!
Now, go grab a pair of ballet shoes, grab a pink tutu - or three - and get ready to dance your way into your very own love affair with this most beautiful art form.
Until next time, darlings, stay graceful! And stay tuned for another exciting journey through time, all in the name of Tutu Tuesday!
Yours truly, Emma x
The "Other Side of the Tutu" - a Fashionable Blast from the PastI just wanted to add a little something to today's post! There are so many wonderful vintage ballet-themed pieces I find on my travels through time, darling! And I thought I'd share a glimpse into 1883 with some of the latest trends from the era:
FANCY FABRIC: Remember, ladies, those layers were all made of fine silk! The tutus needed a good bit of silk just to make them stand up so grandly, but think of all those embellishments on those tutus. Those laces, those ribbons and the tiny sparkly embellishments - those were often sewn on to delicate silk fabric too. All I can say is, it's good I know a few excellent seamstresses in my time to recreate some of these beautiful looks.
FASHIONING A BALLET FANATIC's WARDROBE: When not in their tutu, 1880s fashion fans favored dramatic ruffles, lace trims and very large-brimmed hats. A favorite amongst ballet fanatics - a style known as "the French Fancy" - often included velvet jackets with velvet trim and ruffles in matching velvet on the skirt. You could say "Romantic tutus" sparked a whole new style trend!
- AND A "FLIRT" IS ALL IT TOOK: One final interesting fact - in the late 1800s, there were even dance classes for social events. Just imagine the scene, darlings, - "a ball" with dancers in stunning ball gowns learning the latest dances for "all the ladies" to dance! Just so delightful!
Don't forget to check back here next week, for another amazing story from ballet's fascinating history, darling! It's going to be a treat - and I can't wait to share it with you!
Love you, darlings. Remember, it's never too late to twirl! And... #PinkTutuForever!
