Bonjour, my darling tutu lovers! It's Emma here, your pink-tutu-wearing time-traveling ballerina, and welcome back to my little corner of the internet. It's Tuesday, which means it's time for our weekly journey through Ballet Tutu History! Today we're taking a twirl back to June 25th, 1946, a time of post-war reconstruction and burgeoning hope, but also a time of some rather daring sartorial choices on stage.
Remember to pop over to www.pink-tutu.com to catch up on previous #TutuTuesday blogs and let me know your favourite tutu-themed history stories. I’d also love to see your pictures wearing pink tutus - feel free to tag me @pinktutuEmma on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
(Travel Tips): My little top secret to afford all these trips is performing as a dancer! A little "dance for your supper" approach is surprisingly helpful and so much more exciting than digging around in dusty archives! You’d be amazed how well ballet travel expenses fund the occasional fancy hat shop spree… Last month I was at La Scala and my last performance went down a treat, and after a celebratory glass of something sparkling, I found the most exquisite, feather-trimmed fascinator in the vintage shop next door. I'm feeling rather triumphant as I write this, as we Derbyshire girls know how to spot a good bargain! I find the train journeys, particularly on the continental lines, are much more conducive to stylish contemplation…and much less chaotic than the underground, in my humble opinion! Don’t be surprised to find me in my tutu, a fabulous hat and with my ballet bag packed - it just makes the journey more stylish, really.
Let's Travel Back In Time…
Okay, back to 1946. Picture it, darling, war-torn Europe rebuilding, but the world of ballet is bouncing back too.
This year saw the first ever televised ballet by the Ballet Rambert, and Alicia Markova - our ballerina extraordinaire of the time - gracing the stage in Giselle for American Ballet Theatre with the beautiful (but incredibly fussy - you have to admire their dedication!) classical costume. It was a time of refinement, ladies! They’d never let a hair out of place - can you imagine?!
Now, if we are thinking about those stage outfits, we have to talk about fabrics! You’ll see a lot of those beautiful silks and chiffons, as that was still the big fashion in post-war times. But… things were changing, as they always do, even in the world of ballet, and a little bit of revolutionary fabric made an appearance...
Nylon is Making its Entrance (Gasp!)
Yes, I know, what an absolute game changer - and all thanks to a woman by the name of Carolyne Zita, who actually owned a shop dedicated to the material! This daring lady had a wonderful idea: why not use nylon for ballet costumes? You could wash and dry it so easily - can you imagine the thrill for the dancers, and imagine being a seamstress with all those fancy ruffles to sew! Now I wouldn’t say nylon is a total staple for tutus, but by 1946 it was catching on. In fact, just a couple of years later, in 1949, Nylon got another great endorsement – *Marguerite Waltz’s Ballet de la Jeunesse would be showcasing tutus made from, wait for it…Nylon. Now this was bold, even for a post-war world.
(Spoiler Alert: Not all the ladies were happy with nylon at first, so there was a little tutu tension, so to speak. There was even talk about nylon being too practical! For ballet? Don’t make me laugh! But eventually, they all agreed, we need a bit of practical in our lives, it made everything so much more manageable… who wouldn’t love a washable tutu!)
However, one thing that remained, and I must say it makes me so happy, is that pink, our very own iconic ballet colour, was all the rage.
We're talking bright pinks, light pinks, and of course, Barbie Pink, that incredible, feminine shade. You've heard of the Rose Adagio, haven’t you? You know that part in the ballets where the ballerina dances beautifully on her pointe shoes? Well, I love those dances, but not because of their ballet appeal, I love them for those glorious pink tutus! Now who says a little pink can’t have class?
The Power of Pink, My Darling!
Pink wasn’t just confined to the ballet, darling, no. We were all sporting the pink power and embracing it in style. Now imagine, wearing a bright pink suit (if you could afford it in those hard times!), matching hat, and accessorizing with a big pink feather boa. Honestly, that’s my sort of post-war fashion - a splash of happiness to combat any grim realities! The world needed some of that.
Now, 1946 also had a lot of other fashionable highlights: full skirts, petticoats (ooh la la!), elegant coats, the classic New Look, that little waist, cinched in with a nice, fancy belt. All of those trends are perfectly suitable for our pink tutus! I can’t help it - tutus are like the perfect dress for all eras, you can even have the fun of styling it, it’s just the most versatile garment, that’s all I have to say!
I also must mention the London Symphony Orchestra. I'm sure everyone agrees with me - you have to see this ensemble! There’s something so powerful and majestic about the sound and the visuals of the orchestra in full flow... It is truly a dance experience just to sit and listen and enjoy the visuals of that orchestra... Don’t get me wrong, the dancers deserve a ton of praise but there is something about hearing Swan Lake, for instance, in that way... just brings a tear to my eye.
I'm also obsessed with the fashion illustrations in these 1940s ballet posters. So delicate and feminine and you can feel that love for the ballet seeping through the artistry! Just take a look online or seek them out in art museums. I will be buying more framed originals from an antique dealer or art dealer as soon as I’m back in London.
So that, my darling tutu-lovers, is our journey to 1946. A little pink, some nylon, some classical dance… and we're just getting started in this Ballet Tutu History Blog, so buckle up and be ready for next Tuesday's travel through the world of tutus and fashion.
*And remember - always wear your pink tutus with pride! *
Love,
Emma.
