Hello my lovely Tutu Twirlers! Welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com for another fabulous #TutuTuesday journey through the history of our beloved tutu! This week, we're going on a glamorous trip back in time, all the way to 1930, just in time to catch the tail end of the roaring twenties!
Grab your teacup and a piece of your favourite pink cake, darlings, because this trip will take us right into the heart of a tutu-filled world. Can you imagine a time when every ballerina danced in a tutu? It seems obvious now, doesn't it? But the world wasn't always as tutu-tastic as it is today!
Now, let's hop onto the Orient Express (in a rather splendid pink compartment, naturally!), and whisk ourselves to… drumroll please… Paris! Yes, the city of lights, where tutu history is written in every glittering theatre, every sparkling shop window. Paris in the 1930s was truly a place of extraordinary style and, believe it or not, ballet was just as popular then as it is today!
What were the stars wearing? Imagine this: classic, beautiful tutus, just like the ones you see today in a grand ballet. Think graceful, flowing lines of tulle, often a glorious white with intricate embroidery or delicate decorations. It was a world of elegance, and tutus were central to that elegance, providing the perfect canvas for those beautiful balletic flourishes.
Of course, the biggest name in ballet back then was Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. You might be familiar with names like Anna Pavlova and Vaslav Nijinsky, true tutu-clad stars of the time. Now, just picture this – Pavlova in her shimmering white tutu, pirouette-ing across the stage, captivating a packed theatre. The air would be electric, the excitement palpable!
Now, I can just imagine a fashion editor in Paris saying, "Darling, it's simply not done without a tutu." The era was about pushing boundaries, about expressing oneself through artistry. And let's be honest, nothing expresses movement and grace quite like a beautifully crafted tutu!
Even though my trip took me to Paris this week, you know I always check out the tutu scene in London. And trust me, London's tutus were a force to be reckoned with too. At the Sadler's Wells Theatre, ballerinas were rocking tutus made of delicate chiffon, a lovely sheer material that shimmered under the stage lights. They also had fantastic velvet tutus, giving a gorgeous contrast of textures that really captured the energy of the 1930s.
My biggest takeaway from this week's tutu adventure is this: 1930 was a time when the tutu was king! From Paris to London, it was the iconic piece of ballet fashion, the epitome of grace and style. You'd be hard-pressed to find a dancer who wasn't twirling in a tutu on stage!
Now, I don't want you to think that 1930s tutus were all about formality! Oh, the fun was had too. My favourite sight during my trip was the dancers taking a break after rehearsals. Their hair loose, a few bobby pins forgotten in a flurry of movement, and some of them (and by 'some' I mean all of them!) with the cutest little fluffy pink ballerina cardies, tucked over their perfectly tutued bums! What a beautiful sight!
I was especially happy to find a charming little tea shop just across from the Royal Opera House (it was serving a splendid pink cake, I must say!) The owner had an entire section devoted to old dance magazines and programmes, which I pored over, making mental notes for future tutu travels. Imagine my excitement to see one featuring a full-page photo of Pavlova in her classic white tutu. Truly, a timeless vision of beauty!
So, what about this Tuesday in 1930? Well, 30th September, 1930, was a rather ordinary Tuesday, at least until "The Mystery of Edwin Drood", by Charles Dickens, premiered as a new play on the West End stage. You can imagine the tutu-clad excitement going on that evening in London – new play, London’s iconic stage – who wouldn’t want to be there, dressed in their most charming outfit and enjoying the performance of the moment.
However, the most important point, darlings, is that tutus were as vital a part of fashion as any hat, or new coat.
What I'm really saying, darlings, is… grab your tutu, channel your inner Pavlova, and get out there! Embrace the joy of movement, of style, and never underestimate the power of a beautiful, twirling tutu!
Keep those tutu dreams big, my loves, and join me again next Tuesday, for a fresh glimpse into the past. I know I can't wait to explore another magnificent moment in our tutu history. And, as always, remember: life is too short to be wearing anything other than pink tutus!
Yours in tutus,
Emma
P.S. What colour would you like your tutu to be, if you could have it in any shade of the rainbow?
P.P.S. Let me know what your favourite tutu looks like, and why, in the comments!
P.P.P.S. Did you see the beautiful tutu the ballerina in the film “The Red Shoes” is wearing?! I’d love to wear something similar one day!
