Hey everyone, and welcome back to my Ballet Tutu History blog - number 5206 to be exact! Every Tuesday I travel back in time, slipping into my fluffiest, pinkest tutu (you know, my absolute favourite!), to discover the stories behind this timeless garment. And let me tell you, the world of ballet fashion is positively bursting with adventures!
Today, I’m setting my time machine for the 6th of October, 1931. A day that's brimming with Parisian chic, theatre buzz, and oh, the fashion! Just the mention of this year and I get excited, it’s such a defining decade for tutus!
I've hopped off the train and into the very heart of the ballet scene - oh, to see a train like this one! I imagine everyone's in a right fuss on these steam-powered carriages! In 1931, ballet was already a hot ticket, and the excitement is building even faster in this bustling city of Paris, France.
So, how were ballerinas doing their ballet twirls and twirls? What tutus were gracing the stages of this magnificent era? Well, imagine tulle as soft and delicate as a butterfly’s wing - a pale shade of blush pink with shimmering silver accents, just to catch the stage lights in a gorgeous gleam. It’s all so elegantly tailored with a hint of Victorian grace, but with an exciting new modern twist! Think graceful skirts cascading down like a waterfall, swirling around these incredibly strong, elegant ballerinas as they pirouette and jump and leap to their hearts' content!
Of course, I can’t talk about 1931 tutus without a peek at the amazing innovations they’ve incorporated! Can you believe it, the French designer, Gabrielle Chanel, has just launched a line of sportswear that's changing fashion forever! Her ideas are revolutionary - imagine comfy, flexible pieces that make you feel free and empowered, and at the same time beautiful!
But hold on - it’s not just the fashion that’s captivating me, this Parisian evening is bursting with exciting theatre news! Did you know, just a few weeks ago, the world-renowned choreographer Vaslav Nijinsky - a total icon, you know! - just received the first public showing of a revolutionary new dance technique, called "modern dance"? This new type of dancing really lets dancers show their inner emotions through expressive movement, instead of being stuck to strict, classical styles! It’s like watching a whole new language of ballet unfold. And of course, his dancers, all wearing stunning, tailored costumes, really know how to show them off - you should see the dramatic jumps and spins, so expressive and moving. I’m planning on booking a flight on the next Concorde back, and catching the last performance before it finishes its run! I think it’s time for another shopping trip, after seeing the fabulous costumes they have at the theatre, it's definitely time to add some new fabrics to my sewing box! I wonder what lovely shades of pink to dye them - they really need to be as exciting and colourful as those wonderful dancers.
As always, I'm off now to find the latest in ballet style, you’ll find me shopping at the finest couture shops, with my trusty notebook to record all my finds for your inspiration, oh, and a big glass of delicious, chilled French lemonade to quench my thirst. Stay tuned next week for a fabulous peek into ballet history with another amazing #TutuTuesday!
