Hello lovelies! Welcome back to www.pink-tutu.com! It's #TutuTuesday again and you know what that means? Time for a dash back in time, right into the wonderful world of the tutu! Today weâre setting our time machine dial for August 7th, 1934, because girl, you wonât believe what was going on in the world of dance, and of course, tutus! This week, I took the train all the way to Paris. Ooh la la! France is definitely the place to be for tutus, darling! They just have that je ne sais quoi about them here. So letâs slip on our most delightful pink tutu and have a peek at what was happeningâŠ
Itâs been a whole year since I last popped by Paris - a real travesty, I tell you! Itâs the perfect blend of historical elegance, fashion that simply never fades and, of course, world-class ballet. Now, if you havenât seen the Bolshoi in Moscow, the Mariinsky in St Petersburg, or for that matter the Ballet Russes, get your travel booked darling - I promise, itâs divine!
1934 was a big year for ballet, the most incredible stories unfolded on stage, with each pirouette and pliĂ©, the drama, the passion - simply breathtaking! Did you know the "ballet boom" of the 20s rolled right into this period? It was all thanks to Sergei Diaghilev and his legendary Ballets Russes - they were revolutionizing ballet in ways we could barely imagine today! These stunning performances are simply not to be missed - from Diaghilevâs Rite of Spring which really kicked things off, and is still making jaws drop today to the iconic Scheherazade with the glorious, decadent costumes, all were inspired by everything from Russian folklore to far-off Persian palaces.
Of course, no Ballet Russe show is complete without those extravagant tutus. Picture this: flowing silk, vibrant colours and more sequins than youâve ever seen, oh my! Honestly, these tutus were pure theatre and made these ballet stars sparkle.
Now, speaking of stars, oh my, there were so many dazzling dancers back then - I absolutely adore them all. Letâs raise our champagne glasses to the legendary ballerinas: Olga Spessivtseva - she was known for her incredible technical skill, it was jaw dropping - just picture a tutu with multiple layers of silk tulle and lace â oh, la la - simply the dream. Or the divine Tamara Karsavina with her passion and emotional portrayal â simply magical, just seeing her wear a diaphanous, diaphanous tulle tutu was truly enchanting.
And darling, you absolutely have to check out the wonderful dancers from the Ballet Russes - they just seemed to float on stage - absolutely magical.
What Was The Tutu Like? Oh My!So what was going on with those tutus of 1934? Oh, the style just makes my tutu heart swoon. Think of the iconic The Sleeping Beauty costumes from this period: they were all about romance and femininity! The tutus - delicate, flowing layers of soft tulle with lots of lace and exquisite embellishment â like the tiniest pearls and twinkling sequins. A dancer would twirl, and a halo of perfect layers would create that magical ballerina look - simply dreamy!
The Ballet Russe was all about expressing themselves through elaborate and incredibly artistic costumes. Oh my, I was simply mesmerized. Think vibrant colours - red, sapphire blue, emerald green - so sumptuous! You see how a costume became a symbol of the personality of the role â a bit like a ballerina's own personal statement in the world of dance - they used a multitude of fabrics from silk and tulle to velvet and lace, then a multitude of beads, gems, pearls, and shimmering embellishment. Simply spectacular!
Even when I travelled in time back to this incredible period and sat in the audience I felt like I could wear something so wonderful! Even my little pink tutu can feel quite bold. I need a big new tutu. I need a show stopping look!
But wait - don't forget the ballerina hairstyles. Think intricate braids and buns with ribbons and flowers! You'd just be surrounded by pure Parisian romance with so many ballerina gowns too. Imagine this! Silk and velvet ballgowns, often with elaborate train or peplums, perfect for grand ballroom scenes or a sweeping pas de deux in the ballet. So incredibly feminine, oh, how I love Paris. I have to go shopping!
Now you're probably thinking: "But Emma, did the tutu look anything like it does today?â Darling, this is where we take a turn. Those wonderful early 1900's and 1930s tutus â were a very specific look, the focus was about showcasing a dancerâs artistry - grace and flow and exquisite technique. It was like a graceful cloud! These tutus had layers and layers of fine, gauzy tulle - more for creating the flowing silhouettes rather than for technical jumps and leaps - but I am a big fan. The style that was taking over was much less fluffy and it began a major change that lasted for many, many years - but more on this next time, the fun part about a blog post is we don't reveal it all - the big secrets, just tantalise!
More tutu tales!Oh! I am so excited for you to learn more about this time, as I already have a heap of history planned for you next week! This has just been a tiny taste, but remember darlings - #TutuTuesday comes every week, right here on www.pink-tutu.com, and there's always a brand new story of ballet history waiting for you, so don't forget to check back in next Tuesday - and then perhaps I can persuade you to try a little pink tutu⊠It really makes a statement, darling. Don't forget, a tutu isn't just a garment - it's an adventure!
Now, where did I put my vintage lace shawl⊠Paris needs it, and then its off shopping - and of course a delicious, indulgent chocolate croissant.
Until next time!
Love, Emma. xx
PS, I've been thinking - perhaps next time I should try making my own ballet costume ... do you think I can manage? You know I like a challenge. And if I really push the boat out I think I'm going to start collecting antique tutus â and what better place than France? Perhaps you can help, darling - I need the best of the best to create a pink-tutu.com collection of costumes! - don't forget to tag me with #pinktutustyle so I can see all your sartorial genius! Oh, this is going to be fun! Xx
