Hello my darling tutus! 🩰💕 It's Emma here, your resident pink tutu aficionado, and today, I'm whisking us back to a glorious era in the ballet world. Buckle up, because we're headed for a magical adventure back in time, landing in 1888! This particular #TutuTuesday, I’m in the dazzling heart of Paris – home to beautiful ballet and decadent fashion, and, wouldn't you know it, 1888 just happened to be the year that the tutus of today, as we know and adore them, began to emerge!
Now, picture this: Imagine cobbled streets, charming cafes, and beautiful women strolling in elegant dresses. Ah! It’s absolutely captivating – and wouldn't you know it, right now I'm standing in front of the Opera Garnier, watching the exquisite ballerinas in their gloriously airy and billowing tutus, taking a bow! Oh darling, how I love the magic of ballet! 🩰
As I write, I'm sitting here in my own perfectly pink tutu - my newest creation inspired by the tutus I just saw in this very opera house, with its graceful layers of tulle – and you know me, I just can’t resist a bit of flutter and froth. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Emma, we adore your tutus – but you promised history!" And you're absolutely right! Let's delve into the fascinating world of how the iconic tutu transformed over time!
From Grecian Flowing Robes to Tulle-Filled Flourishes: The Tale of the Tutu!I know, you can imagine the story so far, and you're probably wondering, “How on earth did the ballerina costumes we know and love evolve?” Let's start at the very beginning. In the 16th Century, Italian ballerinas danced in graceful, floor-length silk dresses. These early costumes allowed for a little movement, but oh, those ballerinas really needed to let their legs be free!
But fast forward to the Romantic era – ah, a truly breathtaking era, my darling! Think big, flowing skirts and, drumroll, the invention of the tutu. 🥁 In 1832, the revolutionary Marie Taglioni burst onto the scene wearing a groundbreaking tutu for the time. Imagine: a short, frilled skirt reaching the knee! This look – it opened a whole new world for ballet, freeing the dancer’s legs and showcasing the graceful, ethereal steps, and yes, you guessed it, leading to a huge surge of ballet fans. Oh, those were the days, my darling!
Fast-forward through time. By the mid-19th century, the “Romantic” tutu, still fairly long, reached to the calf – and even then, you know I just adore the dramatic volume it would have, swirling like a dream, perfect for pirouettes. Then, came 1888… the year the shorter tutu, as we know it today, took the world by storm, making its fabulous debut. Now, we were talking big, dramatic volume of swirling, flowing layers – it is truly the best of both worlds, right?
You’ll be seeing many more #TutuTuesday blogs on the exciting and evolution of tutus!
*1888- A year of Change: The Rise of the Romantic Era & the French Tutu! *
In the midst of the Parisian glamour and grand houses in 1888, I’m standing, of course, in a lovely boutique. But wait a minute! I see a lovely ballerina taking a bow after the beautiful performance! Oh! You know what that means: my time to find a new outfit to complete the fabulous tutu I’m already wearing. 😉 Oh, my dear darlings, you really should know what I found: an entire selection of tutu fabric in lovely pastels – shades of pink, pale blues, and lilac! My pink heart practically skipped a beat when I saw such lovely colours! I even bought a stunning pastel-colored Parisian shawl, and, of course, another perfect pink tutu to go with my lovely outfits! I truly must write a blog on 19th Century Parisian ballet shops – there is just so much lovely detail, so much history! Oh, I could go on about the lovely dresses! But as you know, we have so much to discuss.
The Story of tutus isn't just fashion, darling! It’s about Dance!I know you love hearing about fashion, so let's dive into the dance itself! Here we are on the edge of a truly groundbreaking era. For example, 1888: the year the lovely Sleeping Beauty made its début on this very stage - oh, you have no idea the excitement surrounding that! Sleeping Beauty, my darlings, it is nothing short of a story of fairytale-esque loveliness, love and redemption. The beauty! Sleeping Beauty, my darlings, it truly is such a triumph for ballet that everyone in Paris - and far beyond- is celebrating this magical production! The music - it truly stirs the soul. The dancing - absolutely breathtaking! The costumes? The glorious, delicate colours…
Oh, the stories the tutus tell - just as the movements themselves, every plié, every pirouette! Oh, I love how they express the feelings of the ballerinas – the wonder of love, the beauty of sorrow, a breathtaking, flowing, whirling story! 🩰
This is why I can't help but be filled with wonder, my dears, watching ballet in its home in Paris, feeling so full of joy and awe every time the curtain rises! The beautiful tutus make the movements flow like the music itself, they are a beautiful thing to watch! It’s not just fashion - it is artistry in motion!
And so, my lovelies, that’s our history adventure for this #TutuTuesday! I truly hope you've loved travelling through time and have found your own inspiring memories! Next time we’ll journey on to another enchanting, inspiring decade to learn about the continued evolution of this fabulous costume, that makes such a lovely, graceful symbol of beauty and grace in ballet! But first, it’s time to continue my own grand tour - let’s see what ballet loveliness awaits in the theatres of 1900s, I’m off to find more lovely pastel tutus and I hope you can join me next time! 💕
