Hello my darlings! It's your favourite time travelling ballerina, Emma, here! Back again for another #TutuTuesday! Buckle up for another trip down memory lane - and remember, pink tutus are always in fashion.
Number 5837 on my Ballet Tutu History blog - isn't that just a grand number? - and this week we're taking a journey to the heart of wartime London! Oh my, imagine me travelling to 1943 in my glorious pink tutu! You might be wondering, how do I manage to jump around in time, with all these marvellous clothes? Well, my little secrets are: my dazzling, sparkling ballet performances! A few graceful leaps and pirouettes on a stage and then I'm off to the next historical stop, on the back of a magnificent train journey! Oh, I do love the thrill of that journey - and a bit of window shopping at every station, naturally!
Now back to the year 1943! We're stepping onto the stage at the Sadler's Wells Theatre in London, in the middle of the war! Can you imagine? Such glamour in the midst of such uncertainty. The ballet dancers of the Sadler's Wells Ballet Company, dressed in their lovely costumes - beautiful silk tutus with delicate designs and flowing fabric, bringing such light and grace into a dark time! Just imagine a vibrant yellow silk tutu, perhaps a graceful pale blue silk tulle. Such a contrast to the greyscale palette of rationing and bombs.
On this particular day, November the 9th, the audience would be captivated by the timeless ballet Giselle! It’s a story about a young girl, lost in love and despair, danced to such dramatic and emotive music. A ballet for the ages, and one of the favourites for the time, and truly one of my favourites too! I wonder if they ever performed it in pink? Now there's a thought!
I often ponder how dancers during the war must have felt - the intense beauty of ballet, even more vivid with the bombs falling in the distance. Just imagine, after all that tension, slipping into a satin tutu, your dancing taking flight across the stage! I just think they are incredibly brave women. We are so fortunate that this precious art form survived the most difficult of times! It is an honour to celebrate its resilience and wonder with all of you, in my time-hopping blog.
You may be wondering, darling, did the ballet tutu style have any particular influence on women’s everyday fashion during this era?
Well, the ballet influence did creep into fashion – albeit with a touch of practicality - after all we were still amidst wartime! Imagine a beautifully styled outfit with a lovely soft, delicate and flowy dress made from satin - oh how elegant!
But, alas, wartime clothing restrictions meant a bit less frill and a lot more functionality! A sense of simple chic with some soft romantic touches is what really came through - just enough to add a dash of feminine elegance.
In conclusion, while it’s clear there was still a touch of ballet glamour in fashion during this time, wartime did play a significant role in limiting its impact on everyday life. However, we have much to celebrate - ballet had a big impact during World War II, lifting the spirits and bringing much joy. Such incredible fortitude, dancing through challenging times.
Let’s remember and honour this artistic resistance, let’s carry a little bit of that 1943 glamour and spirit, with every twist and twirl of a lovely pink tutu!
What about you, darlings? What's your favourite historical ballet? Leave a comment and let’s talk! And remember, even though we might not be able to jump around through time quite yet (unless you are hiding a magic time-turning tutu!) we can still create our own little bits of history with a whirl of our skirts.
And as always… wear a tutu - and wear it with confidence!
Until next Tuesday, darlings!
Yours truly, Emma 💖
P.S Don't forget to subscribe to my website, www.pink-tutu.com! We post every week, bringing you fascinating tutu history from every decade! I even have some really exciting vintage finds! You never know when the latest fashionable tutu style is going to be a timeless classic - even in your future! And do stay tuned for more exciting time travel blog posts from me!
