Bonjour, darling readers, and welcome back to my little corner of the internet, www.pink-tutu.com, where tutus are life and the colour pink is the ultimate expression of joy! This week, we're doing a special trip through the time-traveling tutu to 1905! I know what you’re thinking, tutus in 1905? How does that even work? Well, my dears, prepare for your minds to be blown because in the grand and wondrous history of the tutu, 1905 is a very important year indeed!
Just imagine: It's a chilly December morning in Paris, the city of lights and romance. A delicate flurry of snowflakes dances outside as you make your way to the opera house, eager to see the latest ballet. Inside, a buzz of anticipation fills the air, with ladies adorned in their most exquisite gowns and gentlemen sporting sharp suits and top hats. And as the curtain rises, the magical world of dance unfolds before your very eyes – a world brimming with beautiful costumes and exquisite movements.
This, my darlings, was a time when ballet was in its prime. The year is 1905, and I've stepped back in time (oh, how I do love my little travel time machine) to witness a moment of absolute brilliance. That moment, you ask? Why, it’s none other than the premiere of the enchanting “The Firebird,” composed by the visionary Igor Stravinsky! The music, my darlings, was a force of nature! It pulsated with fiery passion and echoed with an energy that just vibrated right through your very being.
Now, speaking of passion and energy… let’s talk tutus!
While our dear tutu wouldn’t have been considered the traditional dance garment for ballet in the early 1900s, I can assure you there was an ethereal and fascinating costume culture in place, perfect for getting our “tutu spirit” going! The romantic ballet, favoured at this time, favoured gowns in shades of the most elegant white, silver and rose, with billowing chiffon and beautiful lace embellishments that could make even a modern fashionista gasp. The beauty, the flowing lines, the sheer effort put into crafting such pieces – it simply blows me away. It’s like a modern ball gown designed for swirling and twirling! And with a good bit of artistic license and my magic tutu, wouldn't you agree this qualifies for our “tutu spirit”?
Now, before you think I’ve taken a wrong turn down a fashion alley and forgotten the purpose of this Tutu Tuesday, don't worry my dears! While we can't quite talk classical ballet tutu history just yet, our fashion journey through 1905 does hold some important historical significance. This is a period in fashion that actually sparked an explosion of colours and exciting textures! It was a glorious, whimsical time!
From billowing hats to ornate feather boas, fashion took on a real “can-do” attitude, with creativity flowing through every piece. Think lavish feathers, the occasional shimmering sequins, ribbons flowing in a graceful fashion, and an air of extravagance that would make the Queen herself gasp with admiration! And it is precisely this energy that makes me envision those incredible dresses of the period as beautiful precursors to the iconic tutu of today! Just imagine – a vision in shimmering fabric, the flow of silk and lace with that hint of sparkle… now that’s a story for Tutu Tuesday!
In a time when Victorian influence still lingered and tradition dictated everything from clothing to the way we took afternoon tea, the spirit of innovation was truly bursting forth! And to me, my dears, that’s pure tutu inspiration. To truly understand why this is such a magical time for the tutu-inspired soul, I have to go into a bit of background...
You see, even if my little heart longs to wear a twirling, flamboyant, fully frilled, bright pink tulle creation everywhere I go (which it truly does – pink for life!) I still recognize the evolution of the tutu as a truly captivating story in its own right! And the roots of the modern tutu go back, like all great tales, to that legendary city – Paris! In 1832, Maria Taglioni took the world of ballet by storm by becoming the first ever to wear a skirt that showed her ankles (a true rebellion at the time!) as the centrepiece of her role as the iconic "La Sylphide." While technically we wouldn't call her costume a tutu (more a wispy, ballet-themed dress of sorts), this marked the start of the transition from heavy, restrictive skirts towards those airy, graceful movements that we now know as the ultimate tutu expression!
And speaking of ballet revolutions, let’s hop back on our time machine to explore what was happening in the wider fashion world in 1905, as we all know it’s impossible to truly grasp what's happening in the ballet without delving into the surrounding fashion scene, my darlings! Imagine this: skirts were beginning to flow – both shorter, fuller and in a variety of beautiful new designs. It’s that excitement of the unknown – that playful use of colour, the beautiful lines – this is what resonates with me! The tutu embodies those very same characteristics: its playful air, its graceful yet powerful forms… a fusion of beauty, structure, and a touch of theatrical glamour!
The world of 1905 was alive with fashion excitement, with women eagerly experimenting with the latest trends – just as we, with our pink tutu love do! And you know, for me, it’s these tiny details that matter. The sheer fact that this was the time when women were truly daring to be themselves, with clothes, hairstyles, colours – a bit of daring expression and a healthy dose of playfulness were absolutely critical in this period! It feels so relevant to my love of pink, and of tutus, doesn’t it? That beautiful, oh-so-feminine attitude is exactly why, my dears, I keep finding myself traveling back to 1905 with my little pink tutu – the history is full of excitement, the dresses, so elegant! And of course, this amazing period of creativity – it's something you just have to appreciate if you love the grace of movement and the magical tutu, even if it was only in the budding stages of becoming the icon we know today!
So what does 1905 hold for our tutu journey? I’m so happy you asked! Just to name a few exciting moments… 1905 was the year that:
The famous couturier, Paul Poiret, emerged on the scene with an array of striking and unique designs. It’s interesting how these big fashion changes parallel with the way the tutu developed, because this is when people started thinking about cutting a dress differently, playing around with more flowing and daring lines! These new ideas, with more dynamic silhouettes, allowed women more movement freedom and expression - and that is everything for us tutu-loving souls!
We saw an embrace of colour – yes, colour! Forget your grandma’s strict monochrome for a second (while I do have a love for the elegance of white, black and grey) because women were wearing all the colours of the rainbow with a wild abandon, something I can definitely appreciate, particularly the vibrant, fabulous, always perfect pink! Just imagine - if this is the period that introduced colour into the dress making scene in such a powerful way… well, just think about it, darling! PINK in a playful tutu, in the early 1900s? I might faint!
This was the time of lavish detail. A time where you couldn't get enough ribbons, lace, beading, feathers – you name it! This, my dears, speaks to the very soul of the tutu! Think of all the exciting ways to take a simple skirt and make it into a wow factor, an expression of something much more artistic! We are in the beginnings of the journey to that dazzling, wonderful, colourful and powerful costume you know today as the ballet tutu!
While the modern, twirly tutu is a slightly later development, this is the pre-tutu era, that wonderful time when fashion designers (and those fabulous, brave, creative women who dared to wear it!) really pushed the boundaries, setting the scene for all the beautiful dancing, colorful designs, and, yes, the fantastic pink to be embraced in the following decades.
And my dears, as much as I’ve told you, and as much as I can show you, remember that we are but tiny visitors through time on this incredible journey! And I cannot wait to see where our future travels lead. Next week, let’s jump onto a magical time train – my very own time-traveling railway cart. Oh, what fun, and such lovely outfits we shall wear! I do believe we might just take a hop over to Vienna to discover just what else the wonderful world of the ballet and its beautiful, beautiful tutus hold. And who knows what else we will learn about 1905? Now that’s the fun of exploring the history of fashion - it never quite ends.
See you next week!
Bisous,
Emma
Your favourite Pink Tutu girl