Hello my darling Tutu Twirlers!
Welcome back to another fabulous #TutuTuesday!
Ooh, today's a real corker. We're hurtling back in time, a veritable whistle-stop tour on the express train of time, to the 14th March 1893! Can you believe it, we're all the way back in the Victorian era, just before the turn of the century! It's a delightful trip into the world of bustling cobbled streets, steam trains and, yes, of course, the evolution of our beloved tutus!
Let me tell you, finding tutus from this period in time is like unearthing a rare, exquisite butterfly wing preserved in a museum case! But let me start from the beginning, so you can all picture the tutu scene of the time.
We're not talking the fluffy, ethereal, frothy-pink creations that I love to wear today. Back in the day, things were a tad… well, less… flowing. They were rather rigid, to be honest, resembling, dare I say, the stiffened, starched petticoats our grandmothers might have worn.
Why the rigidity, you ask? Well, in this age of classical ballet, with all those precise movements, grand jetés, and perfect arabesques, they needed a certain amount of structure, dear readers. And this, my dears, was how they did it!
The iconic tutu itself hadn’t even emerged fully in the 19th century yet, although you would certainly see dance wear with something resembling its ancestor – the romantique or jupe-à-culottes style. Think layered skirts in lighter and more flowing fabric. Romantic tutus, you see! And, trust me, romantic they were, like dreams woven in silk!
Our Victorian era dancers favoured more structured corsets and panniers, under which they layered the beautiful silks of their dancing dress. There was plenty of rustling and swishing with each graceful step, just not the free-flowing movement we associate with tutus now!
But fear not! This structured era, as I like to call it, paved the way for our present-day tutu revolution! It's been a wild ride from that time to this! Just imagine - no stretch fabric, no lycra, nothing remotely close! I almost get a dizzy feeling thinking about it. Oh, thank goodness for those fantastic innovations! I just can’t imagine myself attempting to dance in something that didn’t even breathe, let alone move!
So, we might have slinky, shimmering tulle, with its cloud-like effect, all thanks to these rather less glamorous starting points, those earlier forms that didn’t necessarily have all the ‘tutu magic’, as I like to call it! They were the springboards for our present-day spectacularly pretty designs, and I am eternally grateful for that.
But enough about the tutus! What are we all up to in our very own, tutu-loving, 14th March 1893? Well, Paris is always the place to be for ballet, my darlings. So we must make a whirlwind visit! Just imagine me, dressed to the nines in my latest pink tulle creation, boarding the Orient Express and taking in all that Parisian elegance!
On the stage at the Opera Garnier, a young, and very talented Marie Taglioni was just ending her brilliant career, gracefully bowing to an enthusiastic audience after one of her signature performances of ‘La Sylphide’.
Oh my dearie, that whimsical, otherworldly creature, the Sylphide – one of the defining roles of the period! They wore the classic white tutu, flowing in diaphanous layers, that we are familiar with in so many ballerinas’ repertoires today. Marie Taglioni’s Sylphide was absolutely enchanting, a timeless dance masterpiece and a very big reason why this is a pivotal date in the evolution of the ballet and the iconic ‘tutu’ look.
Of course, I’m also sneaking in some fabulous shopping and some fabulous street entertainment while I'm in the City of Lights. Maybe a little tea in a charming café, listening to Gilbert and Sullivan on the piano while sketching the latest fashion in my little notebook!
Now that's how I roll. I don’t travel to the past to just stand in museums and observe, you see! It’s a chance to fully experience a whole other time! And who can resist a bit of ballet and a Parisian shopping spree in the grand style?
Back in Derbyshire, England, at our little corner of history, on this very same 14th March, 1893, there was much going on in ordinary life. It was probably a busy, working day for many of us, my dear darlings. Perhaps, in Derbyshire, people were tending to their gardens or markets, children were starting their lessons or apprenticeships, the gentlemen were rushing to their work in their offices.
Oh, it’s an interesting day, full of hustle and bustle, while dancers grace the stages of the great opera houses, spinning their enchanting stories and bringing a little magic to the world.
The Victorian period, like many moments in history, is often remembered through a more romanticised lens, and it certainly makes for lovely historical daydreams, especially for us tutu fans! I don’t think you need to look further than the tutus, both old and new, to be captured by the captivating, enchanting and exciting world of the ballerina.
And don’t forget! This time-traveling ballerina needs your help! I rely on the generous support of my loyal Tutu Twirlers so I can continue to explore all these fantastic eras, churn out those tutus, and spread the magic!
Don’t be shy! Let me know all about YOUR Tutu-ific Tuesday and the amazing things YOU are getting up to! And remember to visit our little corner of the Pink-tutu universe, www.pink-tutu.com, for some delightfully stylish updates and loads of ballet inspiration!
Keep twirling and spreading those pink tutu vibes!
Lots of Love,
Emma.
