Greetings, darling readers, and welcome to another Tuesday, where we celebrate the glorious tutu! This week, Iâm whisking you back to a bygone era, specifically November 23rd, 1920. My time machine took me right to the heart of London, a place where, trust me, tutus were thriving!
Now, while my usual haunt is the stage, ballet wasnât quite the household name it is today. The twenties were a time of dramatic change, both in fashion and in the way we thought about dance.
But before we delve into the fashionably fabulous, letâs talk about what else was happening on this very day!
Firstly, it was a Tuesday. Now, some may find that unexciting, but for me, Tuesday is practically a holy day. The start of the week, a chance to catch up, a day dedicated to the beautiful ballet tutu!
Secondly, it was National Pudding Day! Ooh, I simply adore a pudding - treacle tart, spotted dick, a creamy rice pudding, or even a simple but delicious bread and butter pudding! What was the world celebrating this particular Tuesday? You guessed it! A delicious dessert. Lifeâs about the small joys, right?
Now, on to our main topic - the history of the tutu! And this, darling readers, was a particularly important time for the evolution of the tutu!
Letâs imagine a stylish young lady - weâll call her Edwina - on a typical London afternoon, 1920. The war has just ended, and life feels electric, almost giddy. Edwina has a date with her beau - a dashing officer, letâs call him Gerald - and wants to look utterly ravishing!
Now, back in the Victorian era, Edwinaâs grandma probably wore a massive, full-length tutu for the opera. Think âThe Nutcrackerâsâ Snow Queen - lots of fabric, very elegant, very structured. But Edwinaâs generation had moved on.
The twenties saw a new wave of flapper fashion, influenced by the âNew Womanâ. They were independent, rebellious, and loved short, shimmering, loose-fitting clothes. The tutus reflected this too!
Edwina wouldnât be caught dead in a Victorian style tutu. Instead, she would be wearing a shorter, more fitted, dancing tutu, showcasing her youthful energy! Think flapper fringes and bright colors, and youâre getting the idea. This is the first true era of the modern ballet tutu. Lightweight and free-flowing, made of silk or satin and designed to highlight movement and expression.
Even the way it was worn had changed! Gone were the rigid corseted waistlines - it was now all about a streamlined, fluid silhouette. The twenties tutu, made to twirl with freedom and grace, redefined elegance for the age! Edwina, with her charming bob and shorter, more playful tutu was the very embodiment of modern, confident femininity.
As we move along in the timeline, youâll see how the ballet tutu kept evolving alongside fashion and the cultural landscape of the day! And itâs all thanks to those stylish, independent women like Edwina.
The beauty of a tutu, for me, lies in its versatility. Itâs an iconic garment, evolving to capture the spirit of each age.
So, for now, darlings, let's give a shoutout to the bold flapper-inspired twirling and to the amazing designers and dancers who continue to breathe life and beauty into the tutu! I for one, canât wait to see how the next decade will shape the tutu! Next week, Iâll be taking you all on another historical adventure, another Tutu Tuesday treat! Stay pink, and remember: every day can be Tutu Tuesday!
