Hello, my darling dears! Welcome back to my little corner of the internet, dedicated to the wonder that is the tutu! As always, it's Tuesday, which means it's time to dust off the time machine (my trusty, pink, velvet-lined steamer trunk) and take a twirl through history to discover a different era of tutus.
This week, we're setting our sights on a very special date: 16th October, 1945. Post-war Europe was buzzing with excitement, the world was slowly beginning to heal, and... well, you know what I love: BALLET was flourishing!
Just imagine, darling, the energy in the air. Europe was rebuilding itself, with a touch of optimism and a longing for a return to the arts. In Paris, the Palais Garnier was alive with dance, the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo were a sensation, and even here in London, the Royal Ballet were drawing huge crowds, yearning for the magic of performance.
But what about those tutus, you ask? Oh, my dears, the designs were quite delightful. Think swirling, billowing skirts made from layers and layers of tulle, adorned with simple embellishments – perhaps some sequins or delicate beadwork, maybe even a smattering of delicate pink feathers.
Now, I've heard tell that during wartime, materials were rationed, so the designers got incredibly creative! They found ingenious ways to use fabrics like silk or cotton that they had lying around, cleverly cutting and manipulating them to create these spectacular pieces. Talk about resourceful, my dears!
For a dancer back in the day, their tutu was more than just an outfit – it was a symbol of their dedication, their artistic expression, and, frankly, their endurance. Dancing on those stages must have been quite a feat! They definitely didn't have the supportive fabrics and designs we have today! But don’t let me mislead you! Tutus were definitely being treated as high fashion pieces - after all, why shouldn’t they be? You could see the elaborate, layered tutus in the beautiful Parisian opera houses, then, later, be spotted on the ladies of high society on their evening walks along the Champs-Élysées. It was the epitome of glamour!
The tutus were the epitome of sophistication, a delightful contrast to the hardship that many endured.
This particular date, 16th October, 1945, holds a special significance. It was a week after the British general election, where the Labour Party had achieved a landslide victory under the leadership of Clement Attlee. This result was a shock for many! There were changes brewing, my dears! These new winds of change would influence the direction of society and… you guessed it! Ballet, too!
And who knows what kind of new and delightful designs this change would spark in the tutu world! I must confess, it’s exciting times for the future of tutus, darling. I do love how the fashion trends, history and ballet intertwine and we will continue to be amazed by their graceful dance through time.
Now, darling, as we take a curtsy to the past, I've got to get ready for a wonderful evening out at the theatre! It's the premier of a new ballet – imagine my excitement! They tell me it’s absolutely captivating with spectacular, elaborate, tulle-heavy costumes and captivating dancers – I’m hoping for a fabulous show!
And after that, we're indulging in a bit of window-shopping for my new pink tutu. My latest discovery is a magnificent silk tulle with a delicate silver thread running through it… just think, darling, my next outfit is a piece of history in the making!
Keep twirling and remember: don't be afraid to express your inner ballerina, even if you can’t manage a pirouette just yet! And of course, my darling, it goes without saying - never stop rocking your tutu!
Until next Tuesday, my dears,
Love, Emma Xx
P.S Don’t forget to check out my collection of pink tutus on the website! It’s always updating with all the latest, sparkling new trends - pink is ALWAYS a good idea.
P.P.S Do check in next week for more wonderful history of tutus in #TutuTuesday. Until then, darling dears, happy twirling!
[ Image: Emma in a beautiful pink tutu, holding a travel-themed steamer trunk, and gazing wistfully towards a historic train station.]
