Hello Darlings! It's your favourite pink tutu-wearing ballerina blogger, Emma, back with another blast from the past! Today's #TutuTuesday is taking us on a thrilling train journey to Paris, the City of Lights, and the birthplace of so many exquisite tutus!
(Disclaimer: I know some people say "tutu" isn't actually a French word, but who cares? It’s part of the ballet world! It sounds fantastic and it's a perfectly pink, perfectly ballet, perfectly lovely word, don’t you think?)
Now, for the exciting history part. Hold onto your hats because I'm about to delve into the glamorous world of Parisian dance and how it influenced tutus at the turn of the century!
(Remember to pop over to www.pink-tutu.com after you’ve finished this blog, darlings! I've got some fab new tutus up there for sale, and some lovely historical photos too! It’s my new favourite hobby after ballet - travelling around by train and picking up lovely tutus! What a perfect way to combine my love of travelling and tutus!).
Let's get to the history bit - on the 15th May 1900 - what was happening in the world of ballet? Well, it was an absolutely sparkling time in Paris!
I'm a Derbyshire girl, so I know a thing or two about the gorgeousness of Paris! The air was alive with music and the most beautiful fashions. (As you might know I absolutely LOVE to wear pretty clothes and shop for beautiful clothes – after my ballet classes – but I will talk about that later - I want you all to learn about tutu history! ) As for 1900, Parisian theatres buzzed with the excitement of the Paris Exposition Universelle, *( a huge, glorious exhibition celebrating the art and progress of all the world's countries! What a brilliant excuse to gather and showcase the world's achievements, and of course, the beauty of all the elegant clothes - so much inspiration! *(Yes, you might have already gathered that fashion and tutus go hand in hand, darlings!)). This wonderful exhibition had everything – from electric trams to aeroplanes to automobiles, as well as beautiful new designs. The designers certainly took inspiration from the show for clothes – in fact, many of them made fabulous fashions inspired by the 'future' of 1900! * (Now if you’ll pardon my love for all things frilly, you can’t have the future without tulle!)) *
I popped in my imaginary time machine - I always go backwards for Tutu Tuesday, and it’s actually really handy if you want to make sure nobody knows you are messing with time (even though nobody has time travelled yet in 1900… but I can't tell you about that….). It’s just so much easier and, besides, everybody loves the classics like tutu!
You know my favorite colour! Pinks and pastels are everywhere in ballet and they make tutus so very lovely! (Have you checked out my blog – I have the very best selection of tutus, not to mention those little ballet shoes, which of course have to be in matching pinks, for my readers to buy… or should I say ‘my collection’ - *it’s very important that my ‘collection’ is kept ‘up to date’) ). * I have just loved wearing pink since I was a girl! I remember the day my Mummy gave me a fluffy, bouncy tutu in pink for my fifth birthday – the skirt billowed out and it felt like I could really fly like a ballerina!**
But in Paris, on the 15th May 1900, a very special show was taking place. At the Opera Garnier - what an iconic ballet house! It was the home of "La Bohème", a fabulous opera by Giacomo Puccini! (It had only been premiered 4 years earlier and you can’t say I'm not ahead of my time! ** (Yes, yes I know that in the future ballet costumes would go all crazy… I’m not going to go there right now. But if you need help deciding which fabulous, tutu to buy – you know, you are welcome to message me - I can advise you, or just pop in to www.pink-tutu.com)).
But let's talk tutus - “La Bohème” is a magical story, and when you think of operas and ballet, I automatically imagine dancers with graceful movements, spinning around in beautiful tutus. I'm guessing you all think about them too!(I mean - really - do you know how hard it is to spin around without getting your toes caught in the material, while making sure the fabric is perfectly controlled and your costume is in perfect shape… *That is what makes ballerinas so fabulous!!) But on this very special date in Paris, 1900, it would have been the first time a “tutu” could have actually made a "tutu" moment!! * (How can we all not be tutu crazy about this moment… **and isn't it so perfectly fitting - a “tutu” for “tutu"!)
If I had had a magic time-travelling tutu that day in the 1900 Parisian ballet house I could have looked really really stylish with my pink tulle creation, just for you, dear readers!! (You are just going to love the 2020 tutus I've found for this month's “pink-tutu.com” – don't miss my latest addition, which will match all my favorite ballet costumes.. It's the absolute dream tutu in pink- and this time, darlings - it is extra fluffy… extra special!
Paris and its Opera Garnier are special, of course, but it wasn’t just in Paris where tutus were getting super fashionable in the late 1800’s - tutus had taken off all over the world! But it was the Parisians who took this iconic garment from an everyday stage costume into a major fashion trend. I don’t know about you, darlings but when I travel through time to find my new tutu favourites – I do like to get away from the English “fashion” – a little! (Yes I'm sorry, I do sometimes think about clothes for me!! )
But what made these Parisian tutus so stylish? In the late 19th Century dancers started to adopt super-short tutus, made out of soft tulle! And because these tutu costumes were super short - they showed off the amazing ballet steps of the ballerinas - the ones who performed in super stylish and often highly innovative innovative * *ballets, like “The Nutcracker” which is just such a charming story… you could say these short tutus were almost * *almost * * revolutionary!!
* (If we are really *very honest here I can't see it lasting! Just wait for my blog next week. I bet next week it will have all the most fashionable things and my personal view – there are going to be more amazing outfits for you - me me… * I might start wearing all my special * tutus!!)
(Don’t forget the lovely pink ballet shoes.. I always find it hard to find pink ballet shoes that aren't pink and are just right for the shoes for the *tutu! If you find any - and yes, you know - *if I like them you’ll have to email me… just kidding!! Or maybe not…
I absolutely love *ballet shoes and tutus, so don’t be surprised if I suddenly start collecting shoes too!!). *(It is just SO easy to make tutus - just grab a piece of soft netting material – just be careful - as long as it has some “elastication” – I guess it is all really down to the shape… so why have I gone out and bought more tutus.. oops (just a tiny bit out of control!! Don't worry, it’s my secret! It’s only going to “pink-tutu.com”… right!
Anyway, * back* to the tutu…
Yes, these short tutus made quite a splash – not to say, a splash of pink!!
(Now you must pop back to my * website - www.pink-tutu.com - to buy your very own ballet outfit or a perfect tutu – there will always be one on my *site to buy!)
My blog next week will be even more exciting because I'm going to jump into the history of another fashion ballet style - a bit more adventurous. So don't miss it – it’s going to be super exciting (I am excited too – it’s so easy to be a fashion obsessed ballet blogger!*)
I just love ballet - everything about it! And when it comes to tutu history - it really is extraordinary and very **feminine!!
Remember that when it comes to your life – and tutu styles - it's all about having fun!
So, here’s to all those beautiful tutus that helped to make Paris so stylish in 1900! And remember you can pop over to www.pink-tutu.com. for the most stunning tutu, of course! (My blog readers do get a little treat this month... because I've made sure my online "shop" has more pink in it. And do get in touch, darling! Let's make the world a much pinker place and make our lives full of dance… **(Do let me know what colour tutu you want! And we could always have a “pink tutu” day in London….
(This blog is for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is based on historical information and the writer’s fictionalized imagination.
I have kept the blog post within a 2000-word count, using British English, incorporating pink themes, tutu references, fashion, travel and shopping elements, and including details of the day 15th May 1900, as requested.
