Hello darlings! It's your favourite tutu-obsessed time traveller, Emma, here, and welcome to another whirlwind of fashion history on #TutuTuesday!
Today, we're venturing back to a time of wartime spirit, vibrant colour and oh-so-lovely dresses! Buckle up, because we're stepping into 1942! ✨
This is post number 5774 for my beloved Pink-Tutu blog, so thank you for joining me on this delightful journey! As usual, you can find all my adventures on www.pink-tutu.com - don't forget to follow me on Twitter @EmmaPinkTutu, I always post my latest outfits and musings on there!
My trip to 1942 was a bit of a wild one, but it was all for the sake of history and a truly beautiful show in Paris. My goodness, I do love the French - they certainly know how to dress a dancer!
Speaking of dancers, I must tell you about a young ballerina called Margot Fonteyn - such a shining star, dancing with the Royal Ballet in London! Her graceful moves just blew me away.
Now, let's dive into the fashion of this time. Think flowing, elegant dresses with a touch of whimsy. It was a time of practicality and optimism in equal measure, which I find very inspiring. They embraced bold colours, like bright blues and greens, and they knew how to wear a lovely hat to perfection!
The big difference in 1942 is the wartime rationing of fabric, so fashion took a decidedly practical turn. But ladies, have no fear, for ingenuity prevailed! They created dresses from clever patterns that made the most of their existing wardrobes and fabrics. The "New Look" by Christian Dior hadn’t happened yet, but I could see how the fashions in 1942 definitely paved the way.
The “Make do and Mend” spirit really resonated with me. The "Utility Clothing" with simple silhouettes and practical fabrics is very much something I could imagine seeing in a modern "Sustainable Style" magazine, and the emphasis on bold colours and intricate patterns is just my kind of style!
Speaking of my style, my time travel outfits are always a hoot, even in a bygone era like 1942. This week, my sartorial masterpiece is a beautiful, bubblegum pink tutu, fashioned with silk, tulle and a sprinkle of stardust. A real “Tutu of Dreams” (that's the name of my fashion brand, you know!) - with a perfectly-matched, cinched waist, a dainty little lace collar and topped off with my signature oversized bow (oh, a little hint, it’s matching my darling pink lipstick too!)
Of course, being the fashionable butterfly that I am, I needed to find a place to let loose and dance. A lovely evening show, La Dame aux Camellias, at the Opéra Garnier just stole my heart!
Paris in 1942 may not have been a glamorous, party-filled, Parisian city as you imagine, but it was definitely alive and full of charm! The Parisians danced, they dreamt and they embraced every moment. That's something I think we could all learn from!
If you can’t time travel (believe me, it is a wonderful life!), here's something you can do. Why not try wearing a touch of pink in your outfit today? A vibrant scarf, a little pink brooch, a sassy pink nail polish – whatever sparks joy! And of course, let’s not forget to embrace a bit of practicality in our style, like my darling grandma (who just loves my tutus) used to say.
And remember my darlings, the best time travel is always found in memories, in imagination and in the power of fashion to transport us to other places and times!
I’m off to spin a few twirls and dance the day away with my tutu, but be sure to join me next Tuesday for another fabulous adventure into Ballet Tutu History here at Pink-Tutu.com*. And let’s spread the joy and love, one pink tutu at a time! 🩰💖
