Hello lovelies, and welcome back to another glorious #TutuTuesday! Today, we're taking a little trip back in time, all the way to the 16th of January, 1934. I'm feeling so incredibly excited to share with you some tutu-licious history thatâs truly got me twirling with delight!
Now, as you know, I simply adore tutus! They're the ultimate symbol of grace, elegance, and of course, pink! Pink! It's the colour of happiness, of love, of fluffy clouds and delicious strawberry ice-cream, and well, it's just oh so fabulous on a tutu! My dream? To make wearing a pink tutu fashionable for everyone, and not just ballerinas! We can make tutus part of daily life, like those fabulous ladies with their feathered hats! Imagine, pink tutus and tea at The Ritz, a tutu with a fur coat in the crisp London air! My heart just flutters with delight at the possibilities!
Speaking of possibilities, thatâs how I discovered my passion for ballet tutu history! I simply couldn't imagine a world without tutus! So I decided, I had to explore where the magical pink tulle came from, and just who started the whole tutu revolution! Imagine my glee when I discovered the story is far more fantastical than even the grandest ballet!
And just to add a little extra sparkle to this week's post, imagine this: Todayâs date marks a momentous event - a truly special occasion! On this day in 1934, The Royal Ballet (yes, THE Royal Ballet) gave their very first performance! Just thinking about all those glorious dancers swirling in their breathtaking tutus in Londonâs beautiful Covent Garden Theatre just sets my imagination soaring. How utterly delightful, donât you think?
But letâs rewind and explore just how those fabulous tutus came about.
Tutues, those exquisite airy skirts that symbolise the elegance of ballet, havenât always been the romantic wisps of tulle we know today. Oh no! Back in the day, ballet had a very different look. Think more frilled pantaloons, think tights that went right to the knees, think heavy and restricting garments! Just try a grand jetĂ© with that!
The early ballerinas, they were fearless ladies! Imagine the dedication, the dedication to their art, their performance, theyâd leap and turn, dance and twist, while encased in thick fabric and a corset, a true testament to the power and passion of ballet!
But hold onto your dancing shoes, lovelies! Here comes a magical turning point in ballet history: The advent of the tulle! Yes! That sheer, magical fabric we know and love today! You see, back in 1832, a beautiful and very daring ballet called âLa Sylphide" swept across the dance stages of Europe. Now, the star of this show was Marie Taglioni, an Italian ballerina with the grace of a butterfly and a love for movement so profound she could bring even the most stoic audience to tears!
She took a bold step: She decided to shed the heavy and limiting costume of her predecessors, embracing a new, revolutionary approach, a garment so ethereal that it seemed to fly. And guess what? It was made of TULLLE!! She went out, twirling and leaping with the grace of a goddess, as the fabric of tulle, the symbol of the âLa Sylphideâ, a magical being from folklore, embraced her every movement.
Think of the gasp, the gasp from the audience, their minds racing! That light, that free, airy sensation! A gasp of delight, a gasp of appreciation for that revolutionary idea!
Now, this is where our time-traveling heartstrings get tugged: The "La Sylphide" costumes weren't quite our modern pink fluffy tutu dreams yet, but they were definitely the very first step in a new era for tutus.
They had longer skirts then, maybe resembling those tutus of ballerinas in classic Russian ballets - the kind you might see at the Bolshoi! They still had to navigate layers and heavy silk, and perhaps a touch of colour, like a pale pink, a creamy shade to mirror that magical folklore being, "La Sylphide"!
So hereâs the story so far, in case you missed it! The "La Sylphide" tutu, that magical moment when ballet broke free and embraced that light airy fabric of tulle! It changed everything! And I just can't help but imagine Marie Taglioni in all her grace, in that beautiful, ethereal outfit!
But you might be asking yourselves, "But Emma, where are the pink tutus?" Now, for the fashion forward ballet enthusiasts in the room, let me take you further along the winding tutu path, a little later on in time...
Around 1870, we saw those big, flowing tutus get shortened, and take on that enchanting, flowing, almost pancake shape thatâs so well-loved today! This new look! The inspiration of all these tutu designs: Well, I'll let you guess where that came from. What do you think? Is it something classic, like a bloom, perhaps, or perhaps it was something altogether new, a piece of art, a new movement⊠I'll leave that little treasure hunt for you!
But remember: these tutus were not pink, no. We're still a few decades away from that blissful pink paradise. They were white, white with perhaps a dash of ivory, some shades of cream or beige for those extra elegant looks! The pink tutu? We'll get there. But the most exciting part? It's the part we can make together! I just can't wait to see how fashion continues to adapt and evolve this beloved and classic ballerina staple!
*Speaking of adapting, weâre not done yet. * I have more tutu magic for you this week.
You know my love for trains! Oh, the joy of travelling, the sense of adventure, the views through the window as we glide through the English countryside. And I just discovered! The great tutu queen of the 1920s, the one who inspired many in that era to step out in all their tutu-wearing glory â the gorgeous and wonderfully chic fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli! (Say it with me: âElsa Schiaparelli,â yes itâs quite a name, I know.) She was one of the few designers who incorporated the tulle fabric into her designs! And just like a true ballet lover, Elsa embraced a whole lot of PINK in her pieces! You might say, âEmma, was that a tutu?!â No, my dear friends! These were fabulous gowns and suits that featured that light, airy fabric â a sign that ballet was no longer just an art form but also a muse to fashion.
Of course, if youâre thinking of shopping for the latest tutu designs, my favorite place, even though I do live in Derbyshire, England, is London! Londonâs West End always has a spectacular fashion and performance show to offer! This year it is especially glorious. We had the most fantastic performance by the English National Ballet (remember itâs quite different from The Royal Ballet. We love the competition!)! The performance? Oh, just a simple classic, âLa Sylphideâ, my friends! You wouldâve thought it was 1832 with every stunning step they took! That dance show reminded us that although we celebrate this classic tale of magic and fantasy, there is also such depth and complexity in ballet, in performance. This is a art form, a storytelling style like no other. I dare say, my friends, it is more inspiring than ever!
The best part is, after the spectacular show (the audience erupted, tears in many of their eyes, I assure you, especially at that very poignant ending!) we stepped into the grand shopping area surrounding the Theatre! Oh! To find that new dress, or a wonderful handbag in that shade of pale pink I've been after, you know the one? And of course, those fab, fluffy little pink ballerina tutus I keep my eyes peeled for. Well, Iâll just say it - I wasnât disappointed! And we all went out in a flutter of pink, oh, my dear, just imagine those fluffy tutu skirts twirling as we walked to the station! That feeling! That utter, utterly fabulous, sense of fun and laughter! That, my dearest readers, is how we should always feel! Full of excitement, of passion, of adventure! I think I just found my mission here: to spread this tutu love, and the magic of dancing, to every corner of this wonderful world!
Now, I know many of you are wondering where we will be on #TutuTuesday next week. Now, this might just be a little too far away from my beautiful Derbyshire! So to give us a touch of magic and to celebrate my very favorite designer: Next week we travel all the way to Rome, Italy, for a little shopping tour! Yes! That's right! Elsa Schiaparelli - Rome - I canât think of anything better!
Until then, stay fabulous, dance often, and don't be afraid to embrace a bit of pink and a lot of tulle!
Keep twirling, Emma x
www.pink-tutu.com
