Hello, darling tutus! Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood pink-tutu-clad time traveller! It’s a gloriously crisp Tuesday morning here in Paris, and I’m ready to take you on another whirlwind trip through the history of our beloved ballet tutus!
As usual, my fabulous fuchsia tutu is on and I'm just about to step onto the gleaming brass of the Paris Metro, to journey back to the year 1905. I love that they keep such exquisite architecture!
I’m absolutely thrilled to be taking you back to a period known as La Belle Époque in Paris! The name conjures up images of glittering salons, bohemian artists, and of course… stunning ballerinas! The city was at the peak of its artistic, cultural, and technological prowess! Can you imagine? It’s my dream world! And where else but the city of love, right?
So, without further ado, let’s hop onto my time machine! Oh, did I mention, it's disguised as a glamorous vintage Rolls-Royce – with fluffy pink seats, naturally!
*(BEEP! BEEP!) * (I love the sound of my time machine! It's just the cutest.)
*(Whoosh!) *
Alright, we’ve arrived at the Grand Opera House in 1905.
( gasp!)
It’s like something straight out of a storybook! Grand staircases, glistening chandeliers… the whole thing just shimmers. There's the smell of warm croissants in the air and the tinkling sounds of horses drawing carriages, but just a whisper because we’re back in time remember! We don’t want to change history with my appearance.
As for today’s fashion, it's absolutely exquisite, darlings. Corsets are still the go-to for accentuating that delicate silhouette! They’re cinched tightly and layered with elegant, cascading gowns. The skirts are longer and full, but just look at these glorious hats! They’re a spectacle of feathers and ribbons, just magnificent. And of course, everything's in pastel shades… such a dreamy aesthetic!
But where are the tutus?
Right now, our darling ballerinas are taking centre stage in graceful creations of frilled skirts, lots of sparkly embellishments and layers and layers of tulle! (Of course, I always ensure I'm discreet! They don't do a lot of pink tulle, it's quite the contrast against the deep pink, lilac and cream! A classic 1900s colour palette!) They're a beautiful glimpse into the evolution of the ballet tutu! You can see just how the shape has started to transform. This early 20th century tutu has started to embrace a flowing form with all that glorious tulle, it almost like an ethereal dream cloud. The colours are stunning too... imagine dancing a grand pas de deux under these stunning chandeliers.
And talking of chandeliers, imagine performing at The Palais Garnier! It was built in the 19th century with its stunning baroque architectural features, so impressive in size. Oh and of course its famous ghost, "The Phantom of the Opera." This famous ghost loves to look down on the exquisite dancers in their exquisite costumes and it's so lovely!
Speaking of ballet performances, this evening, we can catch "The Sleeping Beauty", choreographed by the master Marius Petipa! The first time I saw it at this beautiful theatre with these wonderful audiences... and everyone dresses in such grandeur, my dears... oh, it took my breath away! But before I lose myself completely in the wonder of a ballet night at the opera house, back to my task – the glorious history of our tutus!
It's fascinating to think how the tutu came into being! I remember doing a whole series of posts about the history of the ballet tutu earlier this year, but there are so many incredible layers to this sartorial wonder. I am, after all, on a quest to get everyone wearing a pink tutu! It's the ultimate symbol of freedom, grace, and creativity, don’t you think?
But back to the 1900s. This period really saw a surge in ballet's popularity! As with most times when a dance form becomes mainstream, new styles are created and so are tutus! As well as the grand tulle ballerina tutus which had already been created (1830s) - more frilled tutus arrived on the scene. We see longer skirts and all that shimmering, gorgeous tulle that the grand tutus became known for. The tutus were always making statements but with all those petticoats beneath them. They became more of a flamboyant way of performing and they gave the audience something that is truly special to admire.
You see, during this era, ballerinas had started moving with such freedom, their dances more expansive and flowing. That movement influenced the look of their costumes, of course, but remember it was all tied with a lovely corset. They were a world away from the shorter tutus and tighter corseting they were forced to endure earlier in history... And that is quite a change, but it just goes to show that our ballerina world, just like every industry, constantly evolves, adapting to the changing times, but thankfully still holding onto that wonderful dance form.
Of course, I love to collect historical photos of dancers performing and in this era of time travel, you really have to dress the part, so the 1900s with all that lace, ruffles and the fluffy, yet stiff tulle just makes me a vision! But it also helps me to step into the history of dance! The best way to do so is by observing... which brings us neatly to what is happening on November 7th.
We’ve now landed back in 2023, and I'm just off to see the London Ballet’s incredible production of The Sleeping Beauty – it’s a must-see! (And they have an incredible tutu in this performance!)
Before I get back to present day ballet bliss, my dear tutus, I can't finish today without reminding you all that your personal style is so important, but I am all about spreading the pink tutu love! (I'm doing my part with these blog posts!) Why don't you join the pink tutu club, try on a fabulous pink tulle creation (there are some amazing new brands these days) and let us spread some sunshine with all its magnificent colours! You know, just make your life a little bit more wonderful and colourful... and with some amazing fluffy tulle, to make everyone feel extraordinary!
Until next week my darlings! (Big smooches!)
* Emma(Don’t forget to follow us on Insta - @pinktutublogger!
www.pink-tutu.com