Hello my darling tutu-lovers! Welcome back to my little corner of the internet where pink is the only colour that matters and tutus are the ultimate expression of grace. Today, weāre hopping aboard the time machine and heading back to 1943, a time when the world was at war, but ballet continued to flourish!
Let's take a twirl through history!
You might be thinking: "Emma, 1943?! What on earth is there to write about in terms of tutus?" Well, my dearest readers, thereās a lot more to tutus than you might think! Even in the darkest of times, there is always beauty to be found, and the magic of ballet kept twinkling brightly in the 1940s.
Picture this: wartime London. The city is battered and bruised, the nights are dark with blackouts, and everyoneās living on rations. Yet, on the stage, at the Royal Opera House, the magical world of ballet shines brighter than ever. The stars of the day, like Alicia Markova and Margot Fonteyn, kept the spirits up with their breathtaking performances.
Of course, even in wartime, ballerinas still need to wear those lovely tutus! And itās a testament to their artistry and strength that, in the midst of so much hardship, they were still dancing in those light and airy costumes.
Here's something particularly fascinating: During this period, the war effort brought about a shortage of materials! The tutu fabric was made with much less layers than you would see in modern day tutus. Instead of a mountain of layers, dancers would have to work with very lightweight materials. They often relied on the delicate elegance of a simple layered chiffon skirt, held up by a light framework of buckram and net to give them the volume. It sounds so delicate, doesnāt it?! It speaks to the ingenuity and resilience of these wonderful artists. I always say, if you can dance with such lightness and elegance under those conditions, you can pretty much conquer the world!
Now, for those of you who follow me, youāll know I'm all about celebrating our personal style and finding that perfect little piece of pink magic. Today, the war period is definitely giving me a little bit of inspiration in my current collection. Iāve got some delightful tutus made with the thinnest silk, and the sheer layers have me channeling all the elegant beauty of the wartime ballerina. A touch of romance and vintage style to give you that classic feel - imagine walking through Covent Garden, ready to hit the town after a grand night at the theatre in my chic, wartime inspired number!
Whatās going on today in 1943 you ask?
Well, the most exciting event on the calendar today was a Gala performance at the Royal Opera House with an entire program dedicated to āRussian Classicsā! Just imagine the exquisite dancing of a production of The Sleeping Beauty with a grand Tchaikovsky score! Thereās an elegance and romance to this era that really captivates me. You know, I feel this need to go out and buy an incredible opera coat to wear to a theatre production soon - perhaps some luxurious red velvet and an incredible, dramatic feather. The thought of that theatre entrance with the dramatic opera cloak flowing is making me positively giddy!
We canāt go back in time and see those shows, of course, but we can celebrate the beauty of this period through the magic of dance, the elegance of their costumes and by embracing the history of tutus.
This Tutu Tuesday, I urge you to take a moment to remember the power of art and the resilient spirit of the ballerinas during a time of such difficulty. I encourage you to watch some classic ballets - maybe even try recreating one of those wartime tutus for a touch of vintage charm in your dance style!
Until next time my darling Tutu-lovers, keep twirling!
Lots of Love,
Emma šš©°
P.S: Donāt forget to check out our amazing tutu collection online, and to keep an eye on our Instagram for exclusive content and more #TutuTuesday posts.
