Welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com, dear readers, for this week’s Tutu Tuesday, post number 4560! I’m your trusty time-traveling fashionista, Emma, and as always, I'm ready to whisk you back through the centuries, twirling and leaping through the evolution of the tutu - the garment that quite literally embodies elegance and grace!
Oh, what a joy it is to be in 1919! This year was quite the year for tutus, I tell you! I’ve just stepped off the train in Paris - the heart of the fashion world, you see - and it’s simply buzzing! Everywhere you turn there's a new creation – it's like a ballet dancer's dream! I've even picked up a delightful little number for myself - a fluttering tulle creation, in the most divine shade of blush pink, naturally! (But more on that later, darlings).
The First World War may be a memory now, but the world is finding its footing, just like a young ballerina finding her centre after a pause. And in this new, post-war era, we see the tutus reflect that sense of blossoming and hopefulness.
Speaking of tutus, imagine this! 1919 marks a pivotal moment for the tutu's history! It was the year Diaghilev and his Ballets Russes - imagine the thrill of being in a crowd, surrounded by those thrilling performers and the sheer joy of it all! - debuted the "Tutu à Plume" (Feathered Tutu)! The delicate feather decoration transformed the tutu, bringing in new dimensions of softness and airy beauty. Can you just picture the spectacle, it’s so lovely it almost brings a tear to my eye!
I do think the change was rather genius! Not just for the ballerina who felt like she could practically float across the stage with these light feathers but for the audience! You can almost feel a gentle caress of a feather against your cheek with each elegant movement. Pure enchantment!
Speaking of enchantment, imagine my delight at discovering that on the 20th of May in 1919, a new ballet premiere by Serge Diaghilev was set to hit the Paris stage - "La Boutique Fantasque". Now this one's quite a spectacle - a delightful puppet show - a real story with romance, a charming love story in fact - and *the tutus? My darlings, you just won’t believe the enchanting combinations of color, design, and, of course, the feathery splendor! I must simply make it a point to see it. *
Oh, it simply gets more thrilling! It's hard to keep a lid on all the fantastic news about the evolving tutus in 1919! You wouldn't believe how many exciting shops in Paris have popped up specializing in these incredible tutus - and, you know me - I’ve explored them all! It's such a pleasure to browse the shops - the fabrics, the designs, the colours! Some are for formal wear, some are for ballet, some are simply divine just to admire and inspire me as I work on my own fashion lines!
While you won't find a "Tutu à Plume" adorning the legs of everyday Parisians yet, the tutu’s grace has touched everything in this city, like a light sprinkle of magic dust. They're gracing dresses and embellishments on everything - hats, scarves - I have seen the most exquisite pink feather hat with matching pink feather boa that is beyond delightful. I feel as if the entire city is in a perpetual ballet, so chic, so feminine, so enchanting! I'm almost ready to abandon my time machine and stay here in this wonderful era of swirling, feather-kissed enchantment!
But before I do, because let’s face it – there’s still so much more to discover across time, I want to leave you with a thought. As we bask in the splendor of these tutus in the past, let us never forget - the tutu itself is a reflection of ourselves. It speaks volumes about confidence, artistry, and the beauty we all possess. It reminds us that it's always ok to embrace our inner dancer.
And don’t forget to put on your own tutu! I can’t wait to hear about what kind you pick in the comments below, dear readers!
See you all next Tuesday for a brand new Tutu Tuesday!
And remember, it’s never too late to dance in pink!
XOXO
Emma, The Tutu Whisperer.
