Hello darlings! It's your favourite pink tutu-wearing time-travelling ballerina, Emma, and it's Tuesday! That means it's time to take a whirl back in time for another #TutuTuesday!
This week we're floating back to a glorious January day in 1891, just after the first blush of dawn had painted the sky with hues of rose pink. It's the perfect setting for me, don't you think?
Right now, I'm perched in the heart of Paris, France, a city where tutus are as familiar as croissants and berets! (although perhaps a bit less readily available, I fear, especially in this era). But I tell you, it is truly wonderful. Even the street cobblestones have a Parisian chic! And with the scent of freshly baked pastries and the bustling chatter of Parisian ladies all around, this is a haven for any ballet-obsessed girl, let alone a time-travelling ballerina like me!
This was, as I said, a particularly delightful January day in 1891, a time when Paris was humming with creativity. My dear fellow tutu lovers, today I'm about to dive deep into the tutu history of this fabulous time period!
A Day at The Theatre!
Oh darling, my day started off with the most fantastic opera at the grand Palais Garnier! Can you even imagine, being seated in a velvet-lined box, a stunning chandelier shimmering overhead as the world famous Italian Opera tenor, Enrico Caruso, poured his heart and soul out through his soaring melodies? Simply divine!
Speaking of grand and glamorous, this, my dear, is exactly where the "tutu" concept is going!
Think for a minute... When you hear the word "tutu", your mind conjures images of dancing ballerinas in billowing, layered tulle. It's pure romanticism.
Well, in the late 1800s, this dreamy vision of tutus started to become even more magical and refined.
Let me explain... Before we see those spectacular Romantic tutus in the classical ballets we know and love today, they needed a makeover! You see, these beautiful skirts were evolving - from practical skirts worn to help dancers do their best work on stage, to the much more stylish tutus that dancers are famed for!
The very earliest tutus, in the 18th century, were more like practical dance tunics – a long, modest, gathered skirt. It's what you would expect a nice woman to wear! But around the time of our grand, glorious Italian Opera, they got the first little taste of revolution.
This revolution was a tutu makeover and the transformation of what ballet fashion could become!
It began in 1827 when a dancer called Marie Taglioni took the stage in La Sylphide wearing a daring and dramatically shorter, wispy, light skirt. That was the start of it all, dear reader! Her outfit was much, much more feminine and less like a plain dancer's tunic.
An explosion of Romanticism
A little after Taglioni’s innovative and beautiful Sylphide, tutu’s really started changing into a dramatic piece of dance costume – like they needed a second curtain call of their own. They’re really about to be elevated into one of the most iconic pieces of women's clothing EVER, by the start of the next century!
And how do we do that? It’s a transformation as enchanting as a magical fairy!
A whole generation of dancers came after Marie and began using shorter tutus – a tutu like that was simply, but perfectly called tulle, a beautiful and light fabric perfect for swirling and twirling with the perfect airy volume. They were becoming something much more glamorous.
By 1858 – and for the whole era after that – ballerinas, designers and dance troupes around the world, were pushing the boundaries! This beautiful change included even the shape and how they were built.
So by 1891 when I was sat in the Parisian Palais Garnier enjoying the glorious Opera - that style we’ve seen evolve – the tutus that looked like light and flowing waves, layered to give them such an amazing, free-floating and flowing design - are now being adored! And why wouldn’t they be? They're so delicate and chic.
It seems as if the entire ballet world was suddenly enchanted by tulle, silk and feather boas!
Time For Shopping!
Of course, darling, I have to be respectful of the ballet, even on #TutuTuesday! But with a little bit of Parisian energy filling the air I had to grab some delicious croissants - it’s tradition - and after a glorious walk along the boulevards, I went off shopping! It’s essential, my dear, for a fashion-forward ballerina!
I managed to unearth the most amazing French couture - it really did make the very best of use of these wonderful, airy and light tulle fabrics. They were even creating amazing ball gowns to rival the exquisite ballerina tutus of that era! They are divine, simply divine.
If you can imagine, you could get them in so many colours too. A ballet dancer couldn't imagine not wearing delicate shades of pink and apricot – with little, but spectacular accents of gold, to highlight their figures! All with an ethereal elegance and femininity.
Don't you think the romance of those styles is incredible?
It’s so fun that this era of ballet history saw the design and shape of tutus becoming more about delicate artistry and design. In those days – that kind of fine style was a major focus, in Paris especially! It’s quite romantic!
The French designers are such artistic, talented masters! Just like my beloved tutu’s, I love the exquisite fabrications of everything Parisian!
Speaking of fabrics, it's quite difficult for me to find a perfect pink tutu here – this era's materials and dyes simply cannot make my signature colour! It's much harder than in my home era!
Still, this journey is as exciting as a pirouette! So much ballet history is happening all around me! As you can see, the era is perfect for the creation and celebration of all things tutu – a kind of magical period for dancing and for feminine beauty and creativity!
Paris is my Favourite Ballet Destination
Of course, I have to indulge in one more thing… a fantastic Parisian ballet performance! My lovely friends at the Garnier Theatre always know what will make a time travelling ballerina happy and offer a divine ballet performance with glorious, flowing tulle in so many divine colours! I love watching ballet on stage and also on the streets!
This era is not the Romantic tutu yet, but they’re getting closer every day - it is an absolute delight to see it unfolding right in front of me!
Oh, the beauty of it all, I must admit, brings tears to my eyes! And speaking of beauty, can you believe it’s only Tuesday, I can hardly wait for what adventures will come next on Wednesday. I'll just have to get ready to enjoy another grand adventure!
Do let me know, my dears, what you love the most about #TutuTuesday! I can't wait to hear all of your amazing comments!
Stay sweet!
Love,
Emma
This blog post is the creation of the Bard's text AI, which I use to experiment with blog post creation. The content has been revised by a human with real knowledge of the history of fashion.
