Hello darlings! It’s Emma here, your favourite pink tutu-wearing time-travelling ballerina, bringing you another glorious #TutuTuesday delve into the fascinating history of our beloved tutu!
This week, we’re taking a trip back to September 7th, 1886. Grab your most delicate pink teacups, because today's journey involves the beautiful, elegant, and oh-so-slightly scandalous world of Victorian ballet!
Now, you might be surprised to know that tutus weren’t always the airy, twirly things we know and love today. Back in 1886, the en pointe style that defines ballet wasn’t commonplace. Imagine, tutus had not yet fully embraced the sky-high form that allows us to literally fly across the stage!
A Tutu by Any Other Name…
What the Victorian ballerinas did wear, you ask? Why, a sort of ‘dressy, almost-tutu’ that we could best describe as a knee-length skirt with frills or layers that allowed for some movement, but certainly nothing resembling the wispy cloud of silk we’ve come to know as the tutu! These tutus, if you could even call them that, were mostly gathered or draped around the ballerina's waist. Picture a bit like a Victorian ball gown, only made to twirl and shimmer a little bit more!
They weren’t exactly the fairest sight compared to what we enjoy today! A few of them, especially in London at The Royal Opera House (what a grand theatre, you simply must see it if you ever have the chance!), did dare to be a little more bold, embracing layers and layers of ruffles, making them appear more voluminous.
But then there was Marie!
In a rather dramatic turn of events, a ballerina by the name of Marie Taglioni literally kicked up a fuss. You could say, she set the world of ballet – and indeed fashion – on fire! She wore something… something rather daring! Can you believe this little spark of creativity revolutionised the art of dance?
Marie, being quite a daring and headstrong individual (she loved her pink tutus too!), decided to let the world know her legs and ankles were worth celebrating. So, she did a most daring thing.
She chose to shorter her tutu, the likes of which had never been seen before! And by shorter, I mean shorter to below her knee. This was an actual shock at the time. Can you imagine! To have such bravery! Imagine, this radical shift!
The World Goes Pink...Well, a Soft, Whimsical Shade, Of Course!
This revolutionary act opened up a whole new era of tutus. More flowy, lighter, allowing dancers to spin, leap and twirl in a way that felt totally new to the time! It became quite the sensation! Everyone, not just the ladies at The Royal Opera House, fell head over heels for her, not just for her breathtaking grace, but for the new wave of style she ushered into the ballet world.
And with that spark, the modern era of ballet as we know it – with those incredible, graceful tutus and ballerina footwear – was set to evolve. Now, can you imagine a world where Marie had just followed the trends? Oh the horror! How dull ballet would have been!
But of course, ballet being what it is, there’s never a dull moment. Let’s talk about the colour palette of these tutus... because as you all know, a proper tutu deserves the most proper colour.
White was a popular choice, as it was quite an opulent choice during the Victorian era, and what more fitting for these ballet fairy-tale costumes. But now we are really going to explore what it is to be pink, proper pink, a hue that is light as air and oh-so-gentle, it gives a softness that dances as perfectly as a ballerina. There was, of course, a lovely splash of pastels in these costumes too, pinks, yellows, and greens!. They were all the rage. Some were so pretty that they looked like floating clouds.
If only we could find some pink dye, the colour of the rose and as gentle as a cloud of ballerina silk in 1886, we’d add a lovely pink tinge to those pale costumes!
A Dance Through Time - Next Stops!
That was our adventure for today! I do hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse into a rather intriguing and quite fashionable period of ballet history. Next week, we’ll continue our grand tour with even more intriguing tales of the ballet world – you won’t want to miss out!
Before I go, do pop by www.pink-tutu.com to leave a comment with your favourite colour tutu for the dancers and what is your all-time favourite ballet! Oh! Be sure to share your #TutuTuesday tutu inspiration for the week on our social media platforms!
Until next Tuesday, remember to embrace the elegance, the grace, and of course, the joy of dance! Remember: You are your own ballerina! And even if you can’t wear a tutu all day every day, wear one for as long as you can!
Until next week darlings,
Your Pink Tutu-Loving Blogger,
Emma
P.S. My next performance is taking me all the way to Paris, the city of love, for the premiere of "Le Corsaire!" You can bet I will be adding some exquisite French style to my wardrobe for this. Stay tuned to see how I wear a tutu while going for the perfect cafe in Paris!
