Post Number: 2859
Greetings fellow tutu enthusiasts! It's Emma here, your resident pink-tutu-clad time traveller, ready to whisk you away to the world of ballet history! Every Tuesday, I hop on my time-travelling steam engine, fuelled by dreams of pirouettes and passion for tutus, and journey back to a fascinating moment in ballet's glorious history. Today, my dears, we are going back to the 12th of October, 1886.
The year is 1886. Queen Victoria is still on the throne, a veritable emblem of Victorian grace, and fashion, for the upper crust of society anyway, is all about frills, ruffles and long, trailing skirts. The colour of the moment? Oh darling, you just can't go wrong with a sumptuous emerald green, my pet. You know my darling, we must always give a nod to the past, but it’s good to have some forward thinking. Now you wouldn’t see this colour much now but there you go, fashion is all about forward thinking!
A Moment in Ballet Time:
My fellow tuturophiles, I have just been in the glorious Paris Opera House. Can you imagine the extravagance! So many colours and patterns! But before we start a debriefing on Paris, it's time to chat tutus, and trust me darlings, we have a truly elegant spectacle to discuss!
On this date, 12th of October 1886, ballet, dearie, is absolutely on the up. It's full of grand ballerinas like the breathtaking Marie Taglioni, and the divine Fanny Cerrito, who graced the stage in exquisitely crafted, breathtaking costumes - which is where our beloved tutu steps into the spotlight.
Enter, the Tutu:
By 1886, the tutu, darling, was no longer the humble, fluffy thing worn in early Romantic ballets like "La Sylphide". Now, we're talking seriously exquisite affairs. The tutu is more sophisticated now - long, graceful layers of tulle that flutter and swirl like a beautiful dream, oh and by the way they also allowed for those thrilling high kicks we so admire! Imagine, darling, being the star ballerina, those grand jete’s! Oh the freedom!!
The tutu had become the perfect way to showcase the graceful strength of these women on stage. And if the tutu needed some extra oomph, designers would often lavish it with extravagant details - think sequins, feathers, even gems! All about being dramatic. Oh darling, we all know what is important - being fabulous!
Oh darling - I am such a tutu enthusiast I had to stop the story just a little to give a nod to a particular detail I’ve become obsessed with when looking at old theatre fashion, oh these things we look back at. It’s about shoes dear! You see in these earlier ballet days they didn't have point shoes with those beautiful tight, sleek satin shapes we now take for granted - and my goodness they were something else. Now the ladies danced in pretty, soft shoes called "saddle shoes" which meant the dancing must have felt totally different to us, can you imagine darling?? All about poise and style, rather than pointed toes! How do I do that in this amazing little tutu that allows me to skip around time!
Now, back to the amazing tutus! In 1886, Paris, my darlings, was the heart and soul of the tutu. Every theatre seemed to have a bevy of gorgeous designs - think a cloud of white, then swirling pastel blues and delicate, pretty pinks (oh darling - they’ve got it going on at the Paris Opera - my favourite color is pink and I can’t get enough! We shall come back to this darling, I must take you for tea!) Oh darling, don’t be shy – every Parisian lady would love a pink tutu so there are none that you would like to purchase, are there ?
These days, the tutu is considered iconic, darling, a symbol of the grace and magic of ballet, and if it were just as popular today in society as it is in the world of ballet, well my mission would be complete - to get everyone in a tutu darling!! I think it would look good on anyone!
Today, darling, in Paris, if you are feeling particularly indulgent - there’s nothing more exciting to wear for dinner or an evening show - but in 1886, it was pure stagewear! Which begs the question darling - do you think we will see the tutu worn as an item of street wear? Hmmm I'm sure if you look good in it - no reason why you can't wear it darling!
The Paris Opera, with its grand décor and amazing lighting, darling, truly had something for everyone – from the sophisticated waltz to the grand and thrilling dance scenes – and let’s not forget, darling, there is so much talent to enjoy there. A dance extravaganza is always on the agenda in Paris! It’s an exciting day in ballet history - a magical world full of fabulous outfits and daring dancers.
*Travelling by Train: *
So that’s what was going on in Paris, but oh darling, you are in the mood to travel further than just one stop on my train! You have a mind for grand plans, my sweet, and don't just stick to one destination, I adore your adventurous spirit darling! Next time, my lovelies, we'll explore the delights of the London theatre. My favorite - London in 1886! It was an incredibly lively and busy place. A centre of the fashion and cultural worlds!
Until then, stay tuned to pink-tutu.com, keep those pirouettes spinning and remember, darlings: in a world of style, never be afraid to wear a tutu!! Oh, don’t you just want a pink tutu now?
Keep those toes tapping!
Emma xoxo
