Hello dears, and welcome back to Pink Tutu, your one-stop shop for all things tutu-licious! I'm your very own Emma, bringing you a fresh dose of tulle-tastic history from a bygone era. Now, this week's journey takes us all the way back to 6th March 1888, a time when the Victorian Era was in full swing, and believe me, things were quite different when it came to ballet.
Let's hop aboard the time machine – a delightful crimson steam engine, I might add, complete with velvet seats and a handsome conductor with a fetching moustache - and set off for the land of ballet, which, in 1888, meant travelling to none other than… drum roll… Paris! The City of Lights was the heart of ballet back then, with the Paris Opera Ballet absolutely dazzling everyone with their en pointe performances.
Speaking of performances, today is actually the birthday of one very important ballerina! Marie Taglioni, who danced La Sylphide in 1832 (an absolute must-see even in 2023 if you ever get the chance!) was born on this very day. Talk about iconic! This makes her an absolute pioneer of the en pointe technique that defines the art of classical ballet today.
Imagine it: Paris, the late 1880s, and those magnificent ballerinas dancing en pointe - all swirling, leaping, and pirouetting in glorious, elegant movements. The Parisian air would be electric! You can practically feel the passion radiating off the stage, just like the light shining from those famous sparkling chandeliers.
However, while those exquisite tutus that made La Sylphide famous were captivating audiences in Paris, what were tutus actually like outside those esteemed theatres? Well, believe it or not, they were mostly confined to the stage. Ballet hadn't quite trickled down into mainstream fashion, not even in London. We had corsets and petticoats galore for daily wear. But when it came to dance, it was all about grand costumes that spoke of mythical creatures, fairy tales, and romantic themes, far removed from our contemporary streetwear of jeans and t-shirts.
Which is, of course, where I come in. A good ol' fashioned pink tutu is an ideal answer to that! Even on the streets of 19th-century London, I guarantee that I'd be a colourful conversation starter, bringing a much-needed dose of whimsical wonder to a day at the shops! Oh, and speaking of shops, this era was quite a fashion affair. The Victorian fashion scene in London was a whirl of beautiful textiles and a kaleidoscope of designs, inspired by the latest theatre shows and ballet styles.
If only they'd known the full magic of wearing tutus every single day. Oh, imagine it – strolling down Oxford Street, stopping for tea, maybe doing a little shopping… all in a delightful pink tutu, with a bit of floral lace and sparkling sequins for good measure. The sheer joy it would bring to the day, and not just to me! It’s definitely time for a tutu revival – we just have to let them know!
I'll be dreaming of those glorious tutus all the way back to Derbyshire tonight. They say fashion is a circle. Maybe one day, everyone will join me in the fabulous fun and wonder of tutus – pink or otherwise – for a brighter and happier future!
Until next time, keep those tutu dreams going,
Emma xo
