Hello my darling darlings, and welcome back to another Tutu Tuesday! It's Emma here, your resident pink-tutu-clad time traveler, and today we're whisking you away to the magical world of ballet history, right back to 1st March, 1892.
Just picture it: the gaslights flicker, casting a warm glow on the elegant carriages arriving at the grand opera house. Inside, the air crackles with excitement, the hush of anticipation. And then, a hush descends as the lights dim, and the ballerina takes centre stage...in a tutu.
But wait, wasn't it just yesterday that ballerinas were flitting about in floor-length skirts, restricting their leaps and twirls? Well, darling, that's where today's story starts!
You see, 1892 was a big year for the tutu. Not the grand, multi-layered tutus we adore today, but a subtle shift - a little peek at what was to come. It was a time when "La Danse," the short, light skirt, became fashionable. And it was a time when the renowned Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova started wearing her own variations on this shortened skirt - something more practical, fluid, and freeing for dancing. And we'll talk more about this sensational woman in the future, because oh darling, this is the woman who practically invented the modern tutu!
Imagine the buzz in the dance studios of Paris! Gone were the heavy layers, the cumbersome shapes! These dancers were moving, twisting, and turning with a new lightness, a new freedom, and the audiences, mesmerized, were in for a treat!
And I, dear reader, I'm simply overjoyed to see this new age of ballet! These short, free skirts? They're an inspiration, a breath of fresh air, a reminder that the only limit to dancing is our own imagination.
But it wasn't just about practicality; it was about elegance and style, too. Imagine, a simple white skirt, carefully layered and sculpted, just whispering, just suggesting the form beneath.
Of course, a splash of colour was never unwelcome! I've just been at the grand Emporium of De La Rive, in the heart of Paris, and I saw some exquisite silks that would be just perfect for a ballerina’s skirt - swathes of the softest rose, vibrant orange, even the most alluring teal imaginable. And for an added touch of femininity? Just a few perfectly placed tulle flowers on the skirt, wouldn't that be divine?
Now, this shift in style wasn't just confined to the stage. The very shape of the tutu, with its flowing curves and gentle movement, began to trickle down to everyday life. It was seen in hats, in sleeves, even in women's riding jackets - a touch of that airy, ethereal feeling, making even the most ordinary day a little bit special.
Even Queen Victoria, the ever-so-fashionable queen herself, embraced the **La Danse" trend with her own skirts becoming shorter, looser, and more flowing, inspired, it is said, by her favourite daughter Princess Beatrice’s own fascination with ballet and her love for a graceful, practical wardrobe.
You can imagine my own delighted reaction, my darling, when I saw the first whispers of the tutu's glorious reign! Imagine me, decked out in a perfect, flowing, silk pink tutu, pirouetting around the ballroom of some opulent Parisian salon! I've even acquired some lovely antique dance shoes with pearl buckles – how terribly sophisticated, don't you think?
Now, for our historical delight today, let us explore what else happened on this beautiful day, the 1st of March, 1892, that has anything to do with ballet, fashion, or time travel. (Or all of these, for that matter.)
Firstly, the French Académie Nationale de Musique (we can also call it the Paris Opera) announced the return of one of the most popular ballerinas, * Mademoiselle Léontine Gevaert!* She was, by all accounts, a wonderful dancer with great charisma and artistry and who was a very dear friend of mine back when I visited this very moment, it was so wonderful to share a delicious Parisian cafe creme with such a divine and lovely soul! I can only say that, I totally fangirled a little. (I know you're wondering what fangirling means! It just means, that we ladies show immense excitement about our loves-like ballet!-)
Now you may say, *oh darling Emma, that is all fine, we've had all these fantastic historical treats and, we must move on and talk about tutu styles! And of course, you'd be right!
For you see, darling, today is the start of our beautiful journey in learning all about the history of the tutu. * Over the next many weeks, we'll journey back through time - the tutus that started this exciting ballet revolution and explore *all the fantastic *tutu trends and fashion stories, *both *from the ballrooms to the stage!
Think, layers and layers of delicate white tulle, a puff of air, so beautifully sculpted for the most perfect silhouette and, imagine those delicate layers dancing across the stage as the ballerinas gracefully spin and leap...
But that is another day's post.
For today, let's all take a moment to remember how *far ballet has come, from floor-length, restricted, heavy dresses to the *lighter, more fluid tutus that we know and love. The tutus we've come to embrace!
Now, what could be more magical, inspiring, and liberating than a dancer with that incredible sense of freedom and power!? Isn't it exciting! Just think of how the next few years in fashion will develop with this incredible new trend for free-flowing shapes! I think it might just change the world! And if there's one thing that inspires me, it’s the ability to make a little magic in this world. That, my darling friends, is why **I will forever strive to make a pink tutu the new everyday fashion!
That, my loves, is your daily dose of Tutu Tuesday! Don't forget, visit me on pink-tutu.com and check in next week for more delicious morsels of tutu history, along with the latest news from the world of ballet and fashion. And, don't forget to share your love for tutus and this wonderful post with your friends on your favourite social media and please follow the #PinkTutuHistory tag, because we love to see your photos and tweets!!
And, as always, dear reader, stay fabulous and don't forget to dance!
