Post #3167
Hello dearies! It’s your favourite pink-tutu-wearing, time-travelling ballerina Emma here, back for another exciting edition of your weekly #TutuTuesday!
This week, we’re hopping aboard the Orient Express and travelling back to the year 1892! Oh, how I wish I could wear my new bubblegum pink tulle tutu while touring Europe – just imagine the glamour! The vintage fashion scene was already exploding with the vibrancy of fin-de-siècle glamour, and even a time-travelling ballerina like myself needs a break from all the excitement and fashion. That said, I am super excited to chat with you about how fashion, dance, and of course, the wonderful tutu came together in Paris during the 19th century. Let's delve into the enchanting history!
1892, a Year of Grace
First off, let's set the scene. The year is 1892, and I’m in Paris, the very heart of all things fashionable. As always, fashion in 1892, was all about dramatic elegance. We’re talking big, dramatic hats, flowing skirts, tight-laced corsets and the tutu!
This is a fascinating time to visit for fashion as it's the point where everything is evolving. 1892 is when fashion takes a slight turn towards more youthful looks, and where femininity and dance come into play. What a perfect time for the tutu to really take its place as the pinnacle of fashionable dancewear!
A Ballet of Inspiration
Speaking of dance, the world of ballet in 1892 was also experiencing a significant transformation. You see, while tutus had already been around for quite some time, this era saw them become synonymous with the elegant style of the Ballet Russes, who were becoming world famous in Paris for their captivating artistry. Imagine! They were creating dance and drama that had the Parisian society completely entranced, and the tutu was a core part of the entire dance.
So imagine being at the Palais Garnier! You step into the theatre, filled with the excited whispers of the audience and are transported to another world – the captivating, exciting, and inspiring ballet! Imagine the vibrant stage, beautiful ballerinas gliding on the stage with such precision, elegance and power, the tutus billowing out around them, a sheer confection of beauty and femininity. You know the effect is going to be mesmerising, captivating. It’s that feminine beauty, the romanticism and passion which we can all understand in this period in the history of the ballet tutu.
The Art of the Tutu
A tutu back then was much more about soft, billowing, romantic tulle that allowed ballerinas to float and dance with ease and that graceful and alluring aesthetic is something which is so timeless – I love this period for the tutus. You see this in the paintings by Degas – so exquisite and graceful.
Shopping in Paris for Tutus
Paris in 1892 was a mecca for everything tutu. If I wanted to go on a shopping spree in Paris today, the Palais Royal was THE place for elegant accessories for dancing. But oh my! I’d need my most amazing and finest Parisian tutu and to achieve this look I'd be seeking out Mademoiselle Berthe who was at the top of her game. In 1892, Mademoiselle Berthe’s fashion studio was already a name associated with tutus – you really couldn't get better, dearies!
Paris is ALWAYS worth the Trip!
From my vantage point on this train, looking out at the world speeding by, Paris was just one amazing stop on my many time-travelling adventures in fashion. Of course, we will be back to cover the story of the tutu in Paris but there is so much more to cover from all across the globe, London, Vienna and even a bit about St Petersburg. As always I’m loving this time travel experience and of course, that perfect, elegant, feminine tutu and the chance to learn a thing or two about the beautiful ballet. And as we remember the grace of the tutu remember how special it is for your favourite time travelling ballerina.
Let's continue this fabulous #TutuTuesday journey next week. In the meantime, keep your head held high and dance with the confidence of tutus past and present!
Yours in Pink Tulle,
Emma
