Welcome, darling dears, to another instalment of my #TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History blog! This week we're going right back to 30th December, 1884! (And guess what?! Itâs blog post number 2766, can you believe it? I just canât keep up with these!)
Now, darling, if you imagine what you see on stage today, all those fluffy, whimsical tutus, think of this date in 1884, we were in a whole different world. The Romantic era was just fizzling out and there was still a bit of fuss about having âdecentâ ankles on show! *Gasp! * I know. Can you imagine! No cute little ballerina legs for the ladies to admire?! I think thatâs just tragic. But donât you worry, things were about to change...
And here I am, standing amidst the elegant bustle of Paris, my oh-so-pink tutu flowing behind me. Todayâs Parisian ladies have their hair tied up in sleek, chignon buns, with a few charming curls escaping, just a touch of playful naughtiness, you see! But all in all, a world of formality and rigid elegance, dear dears.
Now, darling, donât get me wrong, I absolutely adore the fashions from this period. The fabrics, the colours â truly gorgeous. Swooning just thinking about them! But when it comes to ballet, I find myself a little... ahem... slightly unsatisfied.
This period was still in love with those rather stiff, heavily ornamented dresses â like some kind of dancing ballgown, a bit stiff and...well, shall we say...restraining compared to what I wear today. No free-flowing dance in the tutu of a dream, darling. More a bit of a waltz about, shall we say?
What were they wearing?
Think layers upon layers. Imagine billowing fabric and corsets for structure, all very prim and proper! I can practically see all those stiff materials clinging on as these early ballerinas attempt those beautiful arabesques, dear dears, their dresses billowing in a rather...dramatic way. I wouldn't blame them for preferring a grand jetĂ© that didn't require quite so much movement. Oh, what a difference a couple of decades can make! But here, I am with you now, bringing you all the history of the little tulle number that makes up a modern dancerâs life and you all will look and feel so utterly lovely in one!
And what is this big news in the Parisian ballet world, I hear you ask? On December 30th, 1884, at the very elegant and glamorous OpĂ©ra Garnier in Paris, "The Nutcracker" debuted! Now, thatâs the stuff dreams are made of! Ballet magic on a grand scale. But hold onto your tutus, dear readers, I have an interesting secret. Drumroll, please! This famous story is actually just one small segment of a massive three act opera that itâs embedded in! Can you imagine a full opera of the Nutcracker story? The magic must have been unbelievable!
And so, even if this world was not the haven of pink tulle and free movement that we now live in, ballet was beginning to change! Think about it - 1884, a bit stuffy perhaps but full of innovation, and the magic of a show like The Nutcracker⊠this is truly a date worth remembering in our tutu history!
I absolutely adore all this. The theatre, the shopping... And darling, the trains! The new railways were a beautiful thing for this period, whisking me around France at record speed - itâs how I get around with all these little escapades back in time! Now, donât get me wrong, it can be quite a sight to see me with my pink tutu standing by the grand old station of the Gare de Lyon, surrounded by such formality.
I love finding treasures in little Parisian antique shops, especially little costume gems, just perfect for bringing these historical styles to my own outfits. Imagine, darlings, a little embroidered garment of this era, teamed up with a beautiful, soft pink tutu.
Letâs just say the Parisien ladies were surprised - some gasped, some tried to copy. But I don't mind, dear dears! If there is one thing my blog is dedicated to it's: âevery girl and every woman is a ballerinaâ ! I say we celebrate each and every one of you - and don't let any of you stop wearing that dream pink tutu!
Remember, every week is Tutu Tuesday! Now, off I go on my adventures and hopefully, youâll join me again here next week. Take a twirl with your favourite ballerina-dreams, don a sparkly pink tutu, and dance around to make the world a much more beautiful and lovely place. Because everyone looks simply spectacular in a tutu, don't you agree, darlings?
And remember, darlings, my website, www.pink-tutu.com is bursting with pink tulle inspiration â itâs our little pink-tutu-haven in the online world.
So letâs be fabulous, wear a tutu, and twirl around in this magical world of fashion, ballet, and of course, #TutuTuesday.
*See you next week, darlings! *
Love, Emma
P.S. Extra tutu-inspiration? Here's a special treat. Donât miss this fun tutu trend - it's pink (naturally), gorgeous, and easy to make, so why not have a go?
*Just follow the link below for my super quick how to tutu project.
www.pink-tutu.com/Emmapinktutu_projects.com
**Love Emma *
#pinktutu #tutuinspiration #balletlover #tutuTuesday #timetravel #paris #vintage #love #balletfashion
