#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1921-03-15

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Hello darling tutus! Welcome back to another edition of #TutuTuesday, where we explore the fabulous history of ballet tutus and dive into the world of pink!

As a Derbyshire lass with a passion for twirling and a love for all things pink, travelling through time by performing ballet is an absolute dream come true. Imagine, stepping out of a time portal into the heart of Paris or Vienna, where tutus truly rule the stage! I’ve been so lucky to be exploring the world and learning about the enchanting history of the tutu, and it’s absolutely delightful. Today we’re turning back the clock to March 15th, 1921. What were ballerinas swirling in, I hear you ask? Let’s get ready to explore this truly lovely, vintage time!

1921 - What a year, darlings! It’s a year that truly saw the rise of the ‘modern’ ballet era - a beautiful time for ballerinas because the design and length of the tutus were about to get even more magnificent. Imagine, longer tutus with even more layers, showcasing grace and movement in a way that could melt your heart!

If you fast forward to a few years later, around 1925 to be precise, a groundbreaking change came about for tutus - a shift towards a much lighter fabric. You can thank new material inventions for that one! But we’ll save that fascinating piece of information for next week’s blog, as that’s when the famous ‘tutu revolution’ was just kicking off!

But, let’s focus back on 1921! We’ve got exciting things to cover, my darlings.

Fashion in 1921: A Whirlwind of Romance

First, we must take a peek at fashion in general. It’s important to note the historical context because it all ties in beautifully with our love for the tutu! We see a world brimming with romance and a touch of extravagance. Dresses were flapper-inspired, meaning shorter, with lots of beads and lace. Women, let’s be honest, were stepping out with bold confidence! This sense of individuality and liberation had a huge impact on what ballerinas were wearing onstage - because they wanted to move and dance freely!

Ballerina Fashion: The Tutu Becomes an Iconic Garment

Let’s dive straight in: Ballet was truly taking the world by storm. 1921 marked the rise of famous Russian ballerinas and troupes across Europe - think Anna Pavlova, who captivated the entire world with her ‘Dying Swan’. You can imagine a beautiful swan draped in an absolutely enchanting white, floating tutu - such beauty and artistry!

At the time, we still had those dreamy ‘tutus romantique’, those bell-shaped ones that were very flowy and extended down past the ankles, giving a beautiful sense of ‘being air’. But let me tell you, ladies and gentlemen, these ballerinas were daring - the style was moving in exciting new ways! We were witnessing the birth of the shorter tutu!

Picture this: ballerina costumes featured shorter, tighter, and more streamlined silhouettes! And can you believe it? Some of the famous dancers even experimented with more revealing cuts on stage. Talk about groundbreaking and glamorous, darling! This was the very start of the famous tutu evolving, from the fluffy bell to a more sleek and sexy design, creating beautiful shapes and moves with more expression!

For me, as a traveller in time, there is something truly special about exploring those earlier tutus - They were created by expert hand-sewn techniques which made the fabric drape even more dramatically, enhancing every movement. And let’s not forget the embellishments, oh, darling! We had loads of beautiful hand-beaded designs that were just so wonderfully glamorous and sophisticated!

*The Magic of Pink: Always A Favourite *

As always, let’s talk pink. For all the glorious tutu history I’ve witnessed, the colour pink has always had a special place on stage. You could spot it on the skirts and decorations, adding such sweetness and grace. Don’t forget about the stage! The colours and decorations they used back then really added a wonderful sparkle to the whole experience.

Even though I’m from Derbyshire, you might be surprised to know that Paris had a special influence in those days. You see, it was where a lot of the fashions came from and, you can imagine it, ballet was booming in all its fabulousness. From tutus to ballerinas’ dresses, they just exuded the spirit of pink!

Tutu Travels And Performance Time!

This Tuesday, darling, I’ve had the honour of being right here in Paris. Last night I took myself off to the Opera Garnier to watch a lovely ballet production. Such an inspiring sight! It made my tutu heart happy.

Can you believe they were doing Swan Lake last night? The tutus were beautiful! It is, of course, a real classic in the world of ballet.

It really is a ballet performance that allows you to explore all those gorgeous classical movements - and the costumes really take centre stage, showcasing each delicate step with an array of different styles.
And they are all pink, of course.

This is why I love ballet so much: it makes you feel that life is full of colour, of expression and just makes you want to twirl! It's so captivating - even just the music!

Don’t you just adore the atmosphere? I especially love seeing all those elegant, charming, tutus spinning on the stage, like those delicate little flowers just waiting to be picked!

The tutu and the music - a magical mix!

Our Time Travel Shop!

After the show, I decided to stop at my favourite antique shop around the corner. You know, I was just itching to see if they had any nice, sparkly, ballet memorabilia. I did pick up a lovely ballerina brooch with a pale pink diamond in the middle - it's now pride of place on my pink dress.

But what I really did get was some amazing fabric. A gorgeous silk fabric from the era - oh, it’s the best! This is going to be so amazing to create my next pink tutu design for my new ballet performance. Don't worry, you'll get to see it first, darlings!

I can’t wait to let you know all about it in next week's #TutuTuesday. I will be in Vienna and I’m going to find the perfect piece for my vintage, hand-sewn tutu creation.

Keep on dancing, darling tutudlings. And make sure you have a wonderful week, full of beautiful memories and, of course, the magic of a good twirl!

Until next week, darlings!

Love,

Emma

Pink-Tutu.com