Post Number: 5885
Hello, darlings! It’s your favourite pink-tutu-clad time traveller, Emma, here with another instalment of your beloved #TutuTuesday! Today, we're twirling back to the 10th of October, 1944, to explore the fascinating evolution of the ballet tutu!
Gosh, it's a chilly day today, but nothing a splash of pink can’t cure! I'm actually writing this from a darling little tea shop in Covent Garden, nestled right beside the Royal Opera House, of course! How fitting, don’t you think? London’s ballet scene is positively buzzing today - so much glamour and grace!
Anyway, before we delve into the exciting details, grab yourself a nice cuppa and a slice of Victoria sponge, and settle in for a fabulous fashion history adventure.
You know how much I adore a good time travel adventure! Oh, my darlings, the 10th of October 1944 took me on a train journey right into the heart of the Second World War! Can you believe it? Thankfully, the trains weren’t too crowded, although it felt like everyone was headed to the Royal Opera House in London! It's just about the only place that still radiates the same magic, despite the challenges of the world. The grand red velvet seats, the glistening chandeliers, the sense of anticipation... oh, it truly is a slice of paradise!
It took me some time to reach the theatre because even the trains were having their share of trouble - shortages and all! And once I reached London, it was all very different. While there was still so much beauty, especially at the opera house, there was definitely a war-time spirit! But the theatre offered a welcome escape from reality. Even amidst hardship, there was a dedication to keep art and culture alive, and oh my, what a spectacle!
You wouldn’t believe it but I had the most extraordinary encounter with a beautiful young ballerina! She was practicing backstage, a symphony of swirling tulle and grace! Turns out, she's a rising star – something called The Sleeping Beauty was the most recent performance. Imagine!
Now, you won’t believe this, but on the 10th of October 1944, even the most famous dancers were wearing those rather shorter tutus with the tiered frills - not that I’m against short tutus! The ‘romantic tutu’, as it was known then, wasn’t quite the voluminous spectacle of the later ‘classical tutu’. It seemed more delicate, feminine, like the very embodiment of a fragile flower, and I confess, my heart twirled a little at the sight!
They say a tutu can truly say so much without even a single word, wouldn’t you agree?
But hold on tight, because my trip took me to Paris, where the Palais Garnier opera house was simply magnificent. It is just a place that has seen such incredible moments in ballet history and oh my, I am just captivated! It feels as though time stands still there – and perhaps it truly does! Here, in this timeless beauty, I saw dancers with such grace, like ballerinas of pure perfection - I felt almost dizzy watching them spin and leap.
Oh, the elegance and beauty of that particular Parisian era – just something about that French flair, that exquisite Parisian touch that draws me to it! I’m so curious as to how that tutus would evolve over the years. How could those Parisian dreams take shape?
So what can we take away from the wonderful tutus of this era? A strong silhouette with tiers and a romantic shape! Perhaps a shorter, but just as expressive and magnificent. Oh, and that pink! As usual, I noticed plenty of beautiful shades, it is, of course, the ultimate ballet colour, darling!
It makes my heart skip a beat whenever I spot a tutu of this kind. I always try to bring a piece of the era with me – a beautiful Parisian ribbon for my hair perhaps, or a little, exquisite brooch from a vintage shop, just to feel a touch of that time and glamour in my everyday life!
That's it, my dears! This whirlwind journey is over for now, but I must be off. Next week, #TutuTuesday takes us on a train journey to Vienna to celebrate another magnificent ballerina – and a tutu too! But don't just wait around!
Until then, twirl on and never stop believing in the power of a perfect pink tutu!
Yours in all things tutus,
Emma
