Hello, darling dears! It's your favourite tutu-loving, time-travelling blogger, Emma, back for another Tuesday delve into the magical history of our beloved tutu! Today, we're travelling back in time to 16th September 1913 - hold onto your feather boas, because we're going on a thrilling adventure!
You see, back in 1913, tutus weren't quite as prevalent as they are today. It was a time of great change in dance - new styles were emerging, and the very idea of the tutu as we know it was still in its early stages. Imagine, no romantic, fluffy tutus, just the early stages of what would become our dance fashion icons!
My trusty Time Twister brought me to none other than London, the epicentre of all things fashionable in 1913. Can you imagine, a ballet fanatic in a hot pink, multi-layered, tulle delight - me! standing amidst the elegance of the London streets, adorned in all my tutus, ready to soak in the historical atmosphere. Just me and my Pink Power Tutu.
This is the kind of adventure that fuels my passion for the tutu. It’s not just a piece of clothing - it’s a story waiting to be told. Today, my dear readers, we're going to uncover that story.
*(Time travel insert - as I write in my travel journal on the train, en route from my London lodgings to the ballet. *Such a good carriage - * I see an attractive young man with a newspaper; oh I wish he’d noticed my fabulous pink tutus!)
Today's historical date happens to be the day Diaghilev's company brought the Ballets Russes to London, at the Alhambra theatre. I managed to slip past the dress code by being, shall we say, "eclectic", my Pink Power Tutu being a unique form of expression. Diaghilev loved his creative vision to make dance even more accessible to people of the higher society, and was an excellent choice to run his Ballet company, one that created an atmosphere of incredible style. The Ballets Russes performances, full of colourful costumes and bold designs were revolutionary, not to mention an inspiration to everyone involved!
And guess what? The ladies were flaunting fashion even back then - long, beaded necklaces were a favourite, as well as dramatic headbands. You could say it was all very theatrical, quite the look back in the day! You know what, if I think about it, the ballet fashion back in the early 20th Century had the "showstopper" attitude which is in such a comeback at the moment, in high-end, dramatic outfits! What an inspiration for me and my own unique tutus! (This will be next week's blog topic!)
*(As I sat watching the Ballets Russes perform - they used such intense emotion and drama! Oh, I wanted to run on stage, grab a dancer and show them how to use my signature *Pink Power Tutu to give it extra emotion - Oh my gosh, now I feel it * - they didn’t look *anything like the ballet class I take in Derbyshire - oh well, everyone starts somewhere) )
While those long tutus and extravagant outfits haven’t exactly taken centre stage on my daily ballet class routine in Derbyshire, they represent an era when fashion had such flair and individuality, and this, in its own right, is the kind of boldness I find in a fabulous Pink Power Tutu.
Anyway, after all that history, the show, a visit to the shop for new ballet shoes, I am off to bed, ready for my own exciting tutu-inspired adventure tomorrow, back to my home in Derbyshire, a new sparkle to add to my Tutu Tuesday blog.
Until next week, keep sparkling in your very own tutu, darling!
Don't forget to pop over to our online shop and check out the beautiful tutu range! Let your inner ballerina shine!
Much love, Emma xx
