Hello my lovelies! It's Emma here, your trusty tutu-clad time traveller, back from a fabulous trip to the 1920s! This week, we're going right back to 1927, and I have to say, the fashion was absolutely fabulous. It's like someone sprinkled a little bit of flapper-era fun on a vintage ballet class and said "Ta-dah!"
Now, before we get into the glorious tutus of this era, let me just take a moment to share a secret - 13th December, 1927 was a Tuesday, which is, of course, the day we dedicate to the joy of tutus! How lucky we are, eh? I took a whirlwind train ride to the theatre district of New York City, and, oh my, what a dazzling time I had. It was pure magic!
Firstly, can we talk about the glamour? Think feathers, sequins, and shimmery silks, all dancing under the warm glow of stage lights. It's just impossible to resist a good dose of flapper era fashion. And, in the world of ballet, things were definitely getting more daring, more fluid, and less "Victorian" - think delicate layers of tulle instead of weighty, layered fabrics. The ballerina of 1927, like the flapper, was moving away from traditional, restrictive corsetry towards looser and more playful silhouettes. You see, the flapper era brought about a revolution in what women were able to wear and dance in - they were finally breaking free!
The most fabulous bit of fashion inspiration I gleaned on this trip were the dancing dresses. They were light, airy, and absolutely fabulous for whirling around. The new trend for 'evening dresses' meant that women of the time could now wear their dancing gowns out to the clubs. I felt like I could almost be in a ballet myself with those swirling skirts. And those short hemlines - oh my! Imagine waltzing into a room with those!
But it was the ballet stage itself that truly fascinated me this week. We are, of course, on a mission here at #PinkTutu.com, and the year 1927 was an absolute whirlwind of tutus. Remember our last journey back to 1906, where we saw a lot of strict ballet? Well, in this decade, we started to see something entirely different! The style and movements of the ballet were evolving. Gone were the long tutus and graceful hand movements; here was the arrival of the "whimsical" tutu, shorter in length and much more movement focused!
Think about it. 1927. The dawn of something in ballet! The focus was moving from technique towards more expression in dance. There was this exciting, vibrant energy, something daringly playful in how the dancers moved on stage. It mirrored the shift happening in the women's fashion on the streets too - it was alive and experimental, pushing boundaries in exciting new ways!
I saw a performance of Les Sylphides at the Metropolitan Opera House, and the costumes were simply divine! You could see the flow of movement, the delicate flutter of fabric as the ballerinas danced. These ballerinas seemed so very free, much freer than the ballerinas I see on stage in today's ballet classes, if you can believe it! And that brings us back to our dear pink tutus. They were present, my darlings, but perhaps not in their purest pink glory. The focus, if you will, was more on white and pale shades. Think ballet pink, almost! But hey, a hint of pink is a good start, right? We're on a mission here!
Now, imagine a ballerina waltzing across a stage in a pale pink tulle tutu, with the city lights shimmering in the background - a sight to behold, don't you think? Imagine a delicate dusting of blush pink, hinting at the coming wave of 'Pink is the new Black' - isn't it an inspiring image?
This week's #TutuTuesday has reminded me how much ballet, like life, is always moving forward, always evolving. So, here's to daring to break free, to exploring new possibilities, and most importantly, to embracing our own unique sense of style and, of course, pink!
What are your thoughts? Which ballet would you like me to go see next week? Leave your comments below! Until next Tuesday, stay sparkly!
Lots of love and happy pirouettes,
Emma xx
P.S. And do remember my little corner of the internet for all things tutus - www.pink-tutu.com - and of course, don't forget to tag me in your pics #PinkTutu on Instagram! You all look lovely in pink, just saying!
