Hello my darlings! It's Emma here, your resident tutu-loving time traveller, and welcome to another fab #TutuTuesday! Today, we're twirling back to 1886-08-03, a date steeped in the history of ballet's most beloved garment: the tutu!
Now, I've travelled across centuries, but I must say, this period in ballet history has got to be one of my favourites. It's the Victorian era, and things are just so glamorous! The costumes, the music, the overall elegance - it just speaks to my tutu-loving heart. And the tutus themselves? Let me tell you, they were nothing short of magnificent!
Imagine this: I'm waltzing through the grand foyer of the Palais Garnier in Paris, all swishy skirts and fluttering ribbons, admiring the incredible dancers who are about to take the stage. But, the most striking thing about the performance is the dancers' tutus!
They're not like the short, bouncy ones we see today. No, these beauties are floor-length, full of layers and tulle, so intricately crafted they could practically rival the intricate designs of a haute couture gown. They're called Romantic tutus, darling, and they were all the rage.
This period saw a huge leap in the history of tutus! The ballerinas wanted something lighter, more fluid than the old, cumbersome costumes they had to endure before. So, they moved away from heavy skirts and restrictive bodices, and embraced airy layers of tulle, creating this beautifully billowing silhouette. Think The Nutcracker's Sugar Plum Fairy, but with even more fabric and a dramatic flow. Imagine, a sea of tulle cascading down the stage, a vision of grace and elegance!
It's almost impossible to imagine the sheer joy and spectacle these tutus brought to the stage back then. A ballerina in full flight, her tutus swirling around her like a dream - a scene that never gets old, right?
Now, this brings me to something quite exciting - I was just at the grand opening of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan! You could have knocked me over with a feather, darling, it's stunning! And they had the most incredible performances featuring Romantic tutus. Let me tell you, those Italian dancers are something else!
After the theatre, I just had to visit the Teatro's costume atelier, where they keep their precious, historical collection of tutus. Imagine my delight! They were absolute works of art, adorned with the finest silks, lace, and ribbons. Some even had real pearls and precious stones! Talk about a sartorial spectacle!
I took some fabulous photos, which, naturally, will be up on the pink-tutu.com website later this week - be sure to check them out! It's almost like I got a glimpse into the future, but let's just say, even though tutus have evolved and changed over the years, they still retain that captivating magic. And isn't that what we all love about ballet? The beauty, the artistry, the timeless grace of it all.
And my darlings, let me tell you, there was absolutely no shortage of excitement happening around the world on August 3, 1886! While I was gazing in awe at the grand theatre and stunning tutus in Italy, there was plenty happening elsewhere in the world, too.
In England, a grand musical event was being held in a grand hall in my very own county of Derbyshire, filled with music and laughter. There were gatherings of intellectuals and poets and every single one of them had to have had a flutter of pink and tulle on them somewhere! It's clear that this period was the peak of tutu-appreciation, don't you agree?
As you can tell, I've had a wonderfully vibrant, tutu-filled day! If you ever want to step back in time to a magical era, I highly recommend it. Just make sure to pack your most fabulous, sparkling, swirling pink tutu and some stylish gloves for a touch of that Victorian chic.
Oh, and my dear readers, please don't forget to head over to my website, pink-tutu.com, for even more fashion and history on your favourite tutus. If you want to follow my journey, head over to my Instagram!
Until next time, happy twirling, darling! Love, Emma xx
Some thoughts about my little time travelling journey
Now, darling, before I finish up today's blog, I simply have to share some of my musings about this little journey back to 1886-08-03!
You see, I've realised something incredible: the essence of a tutu remains unchanged, even over centuries!
It's about the joy of movement, the lightness, the ability to express yourself. Just as ballerinas felt free in those romantic, flowing tutus, today's dancers experience the same joy in their modern interpretations of this magical garment. It's all about the connection - to ourselves, to the music, to the stage.
And here's a secret, darling: a good tutu always brings a little extra sparkle and magic to any event, regardless of where you are or when you are. That's why my aim in life is to get everyone wearing pink tutus! Imagine the world if everyone embraced a little bit of that tutu magic - it would be absolutely fabulous!
My travel expensesIt wouldn't be quite as easy to make time jumps if I didn't fund my adventures myself. To travel the world, seeing shows and taking in the fashions is a lot of fun - but also very expensive! But the pink-tutu.com website and all of your lovely comments keep me in pink tulle!
But there's a secret: I also pay for my travels by performing! Yes, you read that correctly! In some of the places I travel, I use my skills to take to the stage myself, performing and spreading a little bit of ballet joy. Of course, my outfits for performances are usually fabulous pink tutus! My favourite dance is Swan Lake, but there are also quite a few gigs playing modern dances in ballrooms, too.
The audience adores seeing someone in a classic, fabulous pink tutu dance, even in a modern style. After all, we are all about that #TutuMagic!
More from pink-tutu.com:Stay tuned for an extra special post about my latest Tutu Adventures in France next Tuesday. You can check out all of my past travel experiences, see my photo albums and read about my experiences on my website, www.pink-tutu.com.
Until next time, happy twirling, darlings! Love, Emma xx
