Hello darlings! It's your favourite pink-loving ballerina blogger, Emma, here! And what a glorious day it is for a trip back in time. We're waltzing all the way back to June 20th, 1893, and this week's #TutuTuesday is a particularly delightful one because, oh my goodness, what a fashionable time it is!
This is a time when tutus were practically exploding with tulle and grandeur! Now, darling, don't mistake my enthusiasm for some rose-tinted view. Back then, our favourite little tutu wasn't quite the darling we know today, although I daresay it was beginning to make waves! It all comes down to fashion trends, darling, and what people thought was pretty! Let's have a little chat about what was swirling on that June 20th back in 1893.
Now, let's imagine it, shall we? We've just hopped on the train, arriving in Paris, which is still the heart of the fashion world! I always do love a train journey – it's so much more civilised and glamorous than any modern flying contraption. Once we step onto the streets, what we see is something truly elegant. The Parisian women are a picture of Parisian elegance! Ladies in voluminous skirts, elegant gloves and intricately feathered hats.
That's what makes tutus so fascinating, darlings. It's their story, isn't it? A story of the ever-changing dance of fashion. They tell a tale of creativity, craftsmanship and a longing for something just a bit magical, a little more extraordinary. And darling, don't we all feel that way? That desire for something extra special to set us apart from the ordinary?
So, on this day back in 1893, our tutu, **our lovely, poufy princess, was still firmly embedded in the realm of the stage. The "ballerina" style had been around for some time – I always tell the girls in class, you've got to thank those gorgeous nineteenth-century dancers for what we're rocking today! Those classic tulle, airy, cloud-like creations they wore? It was pure genius!
What set June 20th, 1893, apart for me, darling? That day, "The Sleeping Beauty", was staged at the Paris Opera! The ballet, composed by our darling Tchaikovsky, was still rather new, but what a sensation it was! And the costumes? Simply spectacular, I'm told! My dearest girls in their shimmering pink tutus...it just sounds so absolutely breathtaking.
Let me tell you, those grand performances with all those tiers of tulle were truly breathtaking! Imagine the swirling layers, a perfect embodiment of ballet's airy grace and fluidity. It was something to behold. In a way, I almost envy our sisters of the stage in 1893 – it's just such an exciting era for our ballet darling! So much experimentation and expression – I just wish we had been there to twirl right along with them!
Now, of course, if I could go back in time, my ultimate dream, darlings, would be to wear a fabulous pink tutu at one of those Parisian grand opera houses. Can you picture it? A stunning ballerina twirling through time – that's what I'm aiming for, right? But since a time-travelling, ballerina, tutu-clad dream is more of an "Emma dream," I do settle for the second-best. And, that's what I'm here for!
Every week on #TutuTuesday, I do my darndest to give you a peak at those historical fashion moments – from the ballerina fashion explosion of the late 19th century right through to what's happening now! So come back next Tuesday, darlings. You don’t want to miss my little journey to the time of Marie Antoinette's iconic pink-hued gowns – or the "enchantment" of tutus in the Edwardian Era! I'll be delving back into the archives to find some fashionable treasures and share the stories with you!
Until then, remember, darlings, to always dream in pink, twirl freely, and wear your own tutu with absolute confidence! Because after all, who's saying we can't wear a pink tutu in every time period?
Love and sparkle, Emma x
www.pink-tutu.com
