Hello my darling dears, and welcome back to Pink Tutu! Today, we're waltzing our way back in time to the 15th of December, 1925, for a peek at the history of our beloved ballet tutus!
Remember my little pink suitcase and the special charm my gran gifted me for time travel? It allows me to pop back through the years to any date and place - all thanks to my incredible talent in the ballet, mind you! But for the sake of this blog, let's keep that secret to ourselves, alright?
Imagine this, my loves. We're hopping onto the luxurious Orient Express, my favourite mode of transportation. You know I always pack a chic hat and matching gloves to accompany my glorious pink tutu (a must for a time-travelling fashionista, naturally!). As we clickety-clack our way through the European countryside, we'll arrive at our destination: the Paris Opera House! Why? Because this glorious theatre, and the city it inhabits, have played a significant role in the tutuās history.
1925? Oh my, this is when ballet took a truly fascinating turn! It was during the āBallets Russesā period - oh how those Russians loved their dance, even the ladies! They took to the stage with a revolutionary take on traditional ballet. They embraced dramatic movements, bold costumes, and oh-la-la, the tutus became shorter and the designs more elaborate! Think of delicate layers of tulle, dramatic silk panels, and daring colours. These werenāt your grandmotherās tutus! They danced like dreams come to life - ethereal and full of emotion.
For my part, darling, let's say I'd happily step onto that stage and join them in this exciting movement. Short tutus were all the rage then! I'd proudly spin and twirl, in a fabulously modern design (my go-to would definitely be pink, you can bet!), captivating the audience with my graceful leaps and effortless twirls. Now, imagine a ballet performed by a whole troupe in those fantastic short tutus! Pure magic, wouldn't you say?
But it wouldn't be fair to ignore the gorgeous tutus of the past, especially the classical ones that grace us on this Tuesday. Oh, my! Remember those Romantic tutus, all flowing and with a graceful elegance? You know, the ones they wear in ballets like Swan Lake or Giselle? Ah, simply sublime! I find a certain grace and poetry in their form, a soft and whimsical silhouette that seems to defy gravity.
Then there were those beautiful tutus with panniers! They truly make a statement on the stage. With all those layers of tulle, their silhouette becomes truly magnificent, especially during graceful adagio movements, where the sheer volume creates a symphony of movement and grace.
These tutus, the short, the long, the classically beautiful ones, have truly brought joy and elegance to stages all over the world. Think of the amazing ballet shows in Vienna, the magnificent operas in London, the fabulous dances in New York!
Of course, darling, these historical marvels of fashion arenāt confined to stages alone. In my little boutique back home in Derbyshire, my dear granny still displays those iconic āSwan Lakeā tutus ā itās our little family secret. But shh, donāt tell anyone! They say that the fashion industry is inspired by so much, but in this case, fashion has been inspired by art - specifically, by ballet!
From my observations during this trip, you'll see those fabulous tutus inspire fashion trends around the globe. They feature in designs from Paris to Milan to London. Isn't it divine? We even see ballerinas in tutus as characters in movies! Now who can forget those lovely ladies with tutus waltzing across the screen? They brought a sense of glamour to our lives.
Tutus are everywhere, darling! So let us all celebrate them in all their fabulous forms! You know my heart lies with the shorter tutus, but donāt get me wrong - a beautiful tutu, no matter the length, always wins my admiration!
That's all for today, my little tutu fans! Join me next week for another time travel adventure with Tutu Tuesday! And in the meantime, wear your pink tutus with pride, let the world know about your love for this dance, and most importantly, spread the love for ballet with every twirl and every prance! Don't forget to show me your best ballerina photos with the hashtag #TutuTuesday! See you next time, my lovelies!
Yours always, in a flurry of pink tulle,
Emma
