Hello, darling tutufarians! It's your favourite pink-tutu-clad time-traveller, Emma, back with another dose of tutu history! Buckle up, my loves, because today we're hurtling back to 1906, and oh, the sights and sounds await!
It's January 30th, a blustery but beautiful day here in the heart of Paris. Even though the Seine might be a tad nippy, the air buzzes with excitement, because it's opening night for âLâOiseau de Feuâ at the Paris Opera! My goodness, imagine the sheer opulence! This firebird ballet, choreographed by the incomparable Michel Fokine, is going to be a gem, absolutely bursting with bold colour, striking choreography, and all those decadent costumes... especially the tutus!
(Just picturing a delicate layer of tulle over pink silk sends shivers down my spine! And imagine, even back then, ballet tutus were starting to become shorter! Shorter tutus are perfect to accentuate the legs of beautiful dancers...I adore seeing how graceful the pointe shoes are too!)
But before I get too caught up in the excitement of the opera house, let's take a little tour through 1906 Paris fashion, because it was such a revolutionary era, just like today! This era in time really loved bold styles, with luxurious materials. Imagine the most beautiful velvets, and layers of chiffon swirling down to the ground, and of course, the gorgeous silhouettes of the early Edwardian Era, all the way down to that oh-so-elegant bustle, if you can imagine!
*(I really *adore how fashionable they were at that time. We are seeing the beginning of what I love now, when we could finally see the legs in ballet tutus, not a skirt over them as they have been for generations!) **
Speaking of trends, I had the most delightful time exploring the shops today! Did you know that Paris was practically bursting with stunning hats, gowns, and a new sensation, lingerie!? All the most divine corsetry, lace, and the tiniest, most exquisite bloomers imaginable! (I mean, can you imagine the tiny little drawers you need for these bloomers? Imagine, your dance tutu...and even smaller underwear!! It's exciting to see that trends do keep coming back, only we now have larger drawer options!!)
*(And if weâre speaking of clothes, can we talk about the rise of womenâs trousers, the bloomers I just mentioned! The idea of trousers for women was just beginning to break through! Thatâs just so progressive, so wonderful for women. What a wonderful time it was to be alive for them and now for us.) *
However, let's not forget the tutu itself, my dears. While they weren't necessarily as over the top as we see them today (my goodness, imagine the glorious tutus in our contemporary ballet!) those tutus were beginning to get shorter, more delicate, and truly elegant, with those charming layers and ruffles, perfectly paired with ballet shoes, often pink. (Just imagine that gorgeous colour, so sweet, feminine, and beautiful... just perfect for ballet... and even a pink-tutu-clad blogger like me, who really believes that every lady should try on a pink tutu and see how it feels to be so delicate, light and elegant.)
As you all know, my mission is to spread the love and appreciation for tutus to the world. What better way than through these magical Tuesday travelogues to past and future worlds, sharing my favourite style trends? Perhaps we could even have a whole week dedicated to pink, yes?
Remember, you can share your #TutuTuesday finds with me by joining in on the discussion over on the www.pink-tutu.com website! We are such a lovely bunch of dancers, ballerinas and lovers of ballet...donât you think it is great that we have a whole online family and can share what we love about ballet?
I cannot wait for you all to explore with me! Donât forget, keep shining your lovely light and spread the love for dance and style! I am always inspired by you. * Until next Tuesday, darling tutufarians! *
XOXO Emma
P.S Oh, I nearly forgot! While I was exploring the vibrant Parisian streets, I stumbled across a little tea shop serving the most decadent cakes! My goodness, just imagine, dainty macarons, rich chocolate mousse, and a perfectly brewed tea, oh, it was bliss! The owner of the shop mentioned that he also had some ballet slippers. My dear friends, do you have ballet slippers to match your tutus?!
Donât forget... you can shop pink tutus all at my online store. Use code pink20 for 20% off when you spend over ÂŁ50, available on all our tutus!!
Youâll be dancing through life with elegance in no time! XOXO Emma
