Hello darlings! Emma here, your resident pink tutu-wearing time traveler, bringing you another fabulously fabulous #TutuTuesday post from the annals of ballet history!
This week weāre stepping back to the enchanting year of 1892, a year brimming with creativity, opulence, and oh, so much frilly tulle! If youāre ready for a journey into the world of tutus, grab a cuppa, slip into your fluffiest pink tutu (because you always should!), and letās waltz through time.
Iām in my Derbyshire girl heart right now. Imagine a picture-perfect day in this picturesque county. Weāre whisking along in the carriage, the dappled sunlight bouncing off the polished brass and gleaming leather, and weāre heading towards the city, the grand theatres with their ornate facades drawing our eye. In a few hours, weāll be taking in the magic of a ballet performance, and wouldnāt you know it, itās one of those dazzling productions featuring the star ballerina, a certain Mademoiselle Marie Taglioni. This darling danced a waltz in "La Sylphide", wearing a breathtakingly beautiful tutu thatās etched into my mind forever.
Think floaty tulle, gossamer light, and a whisper of silk. She seemed to float across the stage, each movement graceful, and a dream to watch. She wore that perfect pale pink, one that makes my heart sing, a truly romantic vision of tutus past.
For you dear readers, imagine if you could wear that beautiful, airy tutu to the theatre. But letās be honest, I'm sure that kind of romantic outfit is a world away from the corseted skirts and cumbersome clothes that women would have been forced to wear for the rest of the day. You would need to make a real effort to change in time for the ballet!
I tell you, the way women were expected to dress, there must have been such a rush to change, before they dashed to the theatre in the dusk for the magic to begin!
Can you imagine, dear reader, the joy that it would bring to everyoneās eyes as they take in that delicate pink, in that ethereal grace? I canāt help but smile at the thought.
Back then, these shows were quite the happening! It wasnāt just about the ballet, though the ballet certainly held the stage as the queen of the evening. Oh no, it was all about fashion and style! People went out in their most lavish gowns and finery. The men were adorned in dashing top hats and immaculate tuxedos, while women swathed themselves in their most extravagant silks and satin. It was a society in awe of their elegance, their flair!
I mean, who needs those dreadful, fussy Victorian dresses anyway? Who would not prefer a soft and billowing tulle tutu? Isn't the perfect pink tulle the answer to a well-dressed woman's prayer? Wouldnāt you love to simply twirl and whirl through those beautiful historic city squares in a perfectly styled tutu?
Oh, Iām rambling! You see, Iām just a bit carried away thinking about how much the fashion changed from that time. What makes the stories of that day truly beautiful, was not just the tutu and its floaty tulle, or the ballerinaās effortless dance movements. It was the time they dedicated to themselves and to the enjoyment of life and performance. A kind of joyful passion for something that touched their souls. And that's what's really magical, darling. We have so much to learn from those who came before us.
What Else Was Happening on the 12th of July 1892?We canāt just talk about tutus all the time, as fabulous as they are! Here's a sneak peek into some of the news happening on this very date, nearly a century and a half ago!
It seems our beloved monarch, Queen Victoria, took the time to indulge her taste for nature and flowers. In the garden of the beautiful and historic Frogmore House, which happens to be close to the regal Windsor Castle, a floral show was in full swing. Just imagine the flowers and colours and delicate fragrances filling the air!
The grand old city of Liverpool, over on the west coast of our lovely island, was in the grip of a rather unpleasant weather pattern! Torrential downpours and thunderous storms descended, putting a damper on any plans people might have had for a lovely day out in the city.
Back on the mainland, our esteemed London Times had a story on a āMysterious Thief.ā This thief was very cunning, managing to slip a cleverly placed note in front of unsuspecting individuals, causing great mischief by sending people off in all kinds of directions before disappearing like magic!
There was a serious news update as well, about a particularly severe flood. The lovely River Tay, famed for its sparkling waters, in beautiful Perthshire, Scotland, had risen beyond its banks, causing significant destruction in the local area. What a terrible shame to think that the beautiful rivers could sometimes be so powerful!
What a glimpse into the life of times past! If we can look back to that day, perhaps we can better understand who we are as a society today.
My dears, the spirit of the 1892 ballet stays with us even today. While weāve got those fabulously styled, brightly colored tutus to enjoy, maybe itās a good time to ask, what are those modern dancers teaching us about dance and life? Maybe we should also take inspiration from that wonderful day and embrace a life full of colourful moments, like a bright pink tulle tutu, with a few bursts of sparkling diamantes to top it all off!
See you all next Tuesday!
Keep it fabulous and remember: wear your tutus proudly!
š Emma š
P.S Don't forget to visit us over at www.pink-tutu.com to see my weekly blog posts, as well as our fantastic tutu-licious online shop, and join us on social media! #TutuTuesday #PinkTutu
