Hello, darling dears, and welcome back to my little corner of the internet where pink tutus are a religion and a love for the ballet is our holy text. I'm your ever-so-slightly-obsessed-with-pink Emma, your friendly neighbourhood time travelling tutu enthusiast. As usual, it's #TutuTuesday and I'm about to whisk you away on a trip through ballet's grand history! Buckle up, ladies, this week's destination is⌠1930!
Oh, my! I simply adore this era! So much glitz, so much glamour. Think feather boas, elaborate headdresses, and an air of mystery that makes your heart beat a little faster!
But today, dear readers, Iâm here to delve into the enchanting world of ballet tutus - a story woven through fabric and movement, echoing with the elegance of a pirouette and the grace of a graceful arabesque. Let's journey back to a time when the very shape of a tutu was a statement, an iconic image in itself!
Now, Iâm quite partial to my tutus here in modern Derbyshire, Iâve collected an amazing collection. But let's be honest - they wouldnât hold a candle to the stunning gowns that graced the stages of the 1930s!
Picture this: The year is 1930. Paris is buzzing with excitement. The French are leading the way in ballet as always - think of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, and you have a clear picture of the magic that's taking place.
That magical feel of enchantment is part of why I have the perfect job! It is true that you've just gotta love performing on a big stage, making everyone's heart swoon with the sheer joy of a stunning costume, dazzling dance steps, and, letâs not forget, an incredibly romantic finale, a wonderful bouquet and, shush! it has allowed me to take some absolutely stunning train journeys - nothing like gliding across a country on an engine with plush seats to truly feel the romance.
Now letâs get back to what we're here forâŚ
Remember the word "romantic"? That's a perfect term to describe what was happening to ballet in the 1930s, Imagine ballerinas wearing floaty, billowing skirts. Gone was the constricting tight, short-cut "classical" tutu. Instead, we have graceful, flowing skirts reaching to their ankles. It was a breathtaking display of ethereal femininity - all thanks to the ingenious use of tulle!
Imagine my glee, finding my own absolutely gorgeous pink 1930s tutu the other week. I'm not talking just any pink - I'm talking âbaby-soft blushâ pink. swoon! Just the way I like it! It's layered beautifully, it dances with me as I move, it swirls with every graceful step I take, and, Iâve gotta say, the light bouncing off its soft, pale surface? Magical!
That magical quality, and that touch of elegance? That's exactly what the tutu design in the 1930s was all about. Think graceful ballerinas floating through ballets like "Giselle," the most famous story about the âwilis" â spectral spirits who cause any man to dance to their deaths⌠a thrilling idea to me, the very best sort of tragedy. The romantic tutus just seemed to lend an ethereal, dreamy air to the whole affair.
A little side note! * 1930-10-21* This date, ladies, is packed with âthings to knowâ, history stuff to get excited about, but the thing that grabbed me about this day was something very near and dear to my heart - it marks the birth of the ballet legend Margot Fonteyn - wow! A name to conjure up images of pure dancing magic. How incredible is that, for ballet history, and me to find such a special tutu date like this? You must know I just adore this wonderful woman.
Oh my! You wouldnât believe my joy in seeing the beautiful Margot Fonteyn, dressed in an extravagant 1930âs tutu with her wonderfully elegant dance style, oh, it just made my heart sing. Now that was how a tutu should move!
Letâs look a little bit closer into some more specifics, the amazing fabric of ballet costumes. Those â1930âs styleâ tutus? They werenât just thrown together with whatever cloth came to hand!
Tulle - now thereâs a material to make your heart sing. It's soft, delicate, almost magical. And just think of all those layers⌠Imagine the amount of hand-stitching! And of course, they needed lots of tulle. The âRomanticâ style was all about floating skirts. My tutu, which I will call "Blushing Belle", uses many layers, and this is a big secret of those fantastic romantic tutus â more layers, the more the tutu dances and swirls around. A ballet designer could even make it bigger, imagine the swirls and turns... just brilliant!
A little extra historical tidbit? Back in 1930, the way to keep the fabric so flowing and airy was a big deal. No spandex then, so theyâd âfinishâ the fabric so it kept the âperfect form". This was called âstarchingâ, where theyâd actually use flour (I love it!), the very simplest of ingredients! It gave the tulle amazing stiffness.
For those who love ballet costumes and their fascinating stories⌠this sort of 1930s style wasnât just for tutus â you could also find those floating shapes in theatrical costumes - an age of romance and imagination! Youâll often see this reflected in theatre fashion to this day. Oh, the costumes on stage during those periods were just the most incredible! My little Pink Tutu heart beats just for such delicate, feminine beauty!
I always get swept away in the magic, especially if you find one with beading. It's hard to explain how it feels when you put on a meticulously hand-beaded tutu, so elegant and refined. Every sparkle is a miniature star, every thread a wisp of magic. Those 1930s ballets â you could tell they used it well. I can imagine it glittering as the dancers moved across the stage.
Well, my lovely ladies, our #TutuTuesday journey comes to a close, but just imagine, a day of magical fashion with fantastic flowing skirts thatâs still influencing today's fashion. So grab a pink tutu, put on your best dancing shoes and lets dance our hearts out - and remember - in the enchanting world of dance and fashion, weâre all connected, especially by those swirling romantic, pink tutusâŚ
So until next week, darlings. Don't forget, #TutuTuesday is all about finding the perfect pink! Stay twirling and always keep your head held high.
And, remember - in this life, you must always always alwaysâŚ
âŚ.be fabulous.
Your friendly pink-tutu enthusiast,
Emma.
(ps And please do check out www.pink-tutu.com every #TutuTuesday for more fashion adventures with me!)
