#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1918-02-26

Hello lovelies!

Welcome back to my little corner of the internet, where all things pink and tutu are celebrated! Today marks a momentous occasion in #TutuTuesday history - not only is it February the 26th, 1918 (which is, let’s face it, a pretty fab date already), but it’s also the date I want to tell you all about a revolutionary, absolutely gorgeous, tutu trend. You know me, I'm always sniffing out the latest in tutu fashions and sharing my finds with you lovely lot.

This is post number 4496 on my #TutuTuesday blog series, all about the history of tutus, if you’re wondering. If you haven’t already subscribed, why not give it a go!

Well, darlings, I’ve been exploring a wonderful time, the year 1918. It was quite a whirlwind trip, if you must know. The world was still recovering from a truly awful war (did I mention, darling, it was absolutely unmentionable), but people needed to be distracted and the arts were flourishing. If you can’t get into ballet class, the next best thing is to watch one, don’t you think?

Anyway, right now, I'm tucked away in the very heart of Paris. What a truly glorious place to be! It is the capital of the world, if you ask me. Let’s talk tutu-trends! Let’s go back to this exciting year, 1918. Now, in ballet, there were some absolute sartorial beauties about. Oh, the drama! We were seeing tutus with glorious, glorious detail. I’m not talking about those modern, streamlined styles you see these days (although I can’t deny that there’s a certain charm to a simple tutu!). I'm talking ruffles, ruffles and more ruffles, a cascade of ribbons, delicate silk flowers – every single ballerina was dressed like a glamorous, dancing fairy. There was also a lot of tulle and the romantic flowing style had all the drama in the world. Quite theatrical, I must say!

Now, some of you lovelies will be asking what's so special about the tutus from that era? What made 1918 the year to talk about?

You see, this was a time when the ballet tutu started evolving! We saw dancers, and fashion houses (who, let’s face it, had all the greatest design ideas), begin to experiment with how they made and designed these dance marvels. There was this move away from the classic Romantic ballet tutus, with their graceful, flowy skirts and layers and layers of fabric, towards something that had an added element of ‘Wow!’. Something just that little bit… more. A touch of, I don’t know… sophistication.

Can you picture it, my dears? Imagine layers and layers of tulle, delicately woven, so soft you just want to touch it. I can hear you say, “Emma, what about the pink, you've not even mentioned the pink!”. Don’t you worry, darlings, I am getting there. You all know my love for all things pink is immeasurable!

But here’s the twist, this is when a different shade of pink was favoured. Think rose, a dusty rose if you will. This was the shade that all the fashionable young ladies and elegant gentlemen loved and demanded. Now you wouldn't have caught me dead in anything but pink, especially when it’s this special dusty rose! A shade perfect for a blush-tinted ballet and for elegant, stylish nights in the theatre, where, darling, it is absolutely imperative to have that wow factor!

There were other gorgeous colours. Think dusky lavenders and rich amethyst colours - simply exquisite! The 1918 ballet world was ablaze with shades of the most feminine colours, creating beautiful illusions of romance and loveliness on the stage.

Remember, darling, it was a time when ladies were embracing a new sense of individualism. The women in 1918 wanted something to feel powerful in - think empowerment. A way to express their personality and what it meant to be female!

This all brought to a new world of feminine styles. Think a beautiful cascade of ribbons that just went on for miles. There’s nothing like a long length of soft, flowing ribbon to make you feel both elegant and oh-so-fashionable, like you’ve stepped straight out of the stage and onto the catwalk! You can just imagine the look of pure envy in everyone else’s eyes as you twirl your way down a ballroom or theatre foyer with your beautifully embellished ribbon.

The new 1918 ballerina couldn’t have cared less if you said the skirt was too much! What could be too much when it comes to style, beauty and movement? They wanted that statement. They wanted to be a whirlwind of glamour!

And guess what, darling? These ideas made their way from the ballet studio right out into the real world! The streets were full of stylish ladies dressed up like their favourite ballerinas – who, I would like to say, are my favourite women in the whole world - there’s no other way of putting it, really!

Now let’s talk about the fashion. My beloved Parisian designers embraced these designs with such fervour! This move towards dramatic elegance influenced not just what ballerina’s wore on stage, it became something much, much bigger, like a beautiful blossoming rose! The ladies loved this elegant touch of ballet inspiration. Fashion went absolutely wild and a ‘Ballet Mania’ trend swept through Paris and beyond.

And you just know, darling, the most stylish of all was a pink tutu! A simple piece of clothing that embodies style and femininity – that's why pink tutus are still my favourite even now! It can go from a playful ballet outfit to something that turns heads, especially when worn with style.

What are my top tips for achieving this style, I hear you ask? Oh my loves! It’s all about that dreamy colour and texture. The trick, my dears, is finding a delicate, slightly rough tulle. It must look as if it could be the perfect light and soft fabric used by the most accomplished ballerinas - something that adds to that whimsical feeling.

I’ve been doing my homework, ladies and gentlemen! As you know, a love for research comes with being a time traveller - although you do have to be quite quick sometimes!

One of the most coveted fashion houses in 1918 for the ultimate fashionista was, you guessed it - Maison Worth! They were known for their beautiful, almost ethereal, creations, and their influence extended even to the fashion of the ballerina's costumes - they simply adored pink and tutus!

I am absolutely besotted with 1918 ballet fashions! Even my trip to Paris back in this time period wasn’t enough to quench my love for the beautiful tutus, pink colours and dance of this period!

What a time to be a ballerina! What a time to be a tutu lover! Now I've just got to get my time travel sorted for next week’s blog, which means a visit to a fancy-dress shop, followed by an important dress fitting and lots of exciting brainstorming! I'm feeling the urge to share my knowledge of these exciting styles and I'll leave you with my one little reminder, darling…

Never be afraid to be a little extra! I'll leave you with a reminder to enjoy all the beautiful colours and wonderful styles. It's your choice to embrace that fabulous feeling in any way you choose!

Emma

P.S Don’t forget, darlings, I absolutely love hearing from you. You can tell me everything! If you want to find me, pop over to www.pink-tutu.com, the world of tutus is always open!

P.P.S I will be performing a ballet show at the local Derbyshire Opera House tonight at 8pm - hope to see you there! And of course, you all know I'll be in the ultimate fashion: my new dusty pink tutu!