Bonjour mes chères ballerinas! Emma here, your very own time-traveling tutu-enthusiast, back with another delightful dip into the wonderful world of ballet history. Today's journey takes us to a magical date: 3rd June 1947, a time when the world was slowly stepping out of the shadow of the war and the future sparkled with hope and the joy of dance.
(Cue the graceful twirling music...!)
Imagine this: the sun is shining on the beautiful boulevards of Paris. A warm summer breeze is dancing in the trees, just like the ballerinas at the Paris Opera. Inside, a glorious ballet is unfolding, enchanting the audience with the grace of the dancers and the timeless elegance of their tutus.
But today's post isn't just about ballet, it's about tutus! Specifically, those beautiful, billowing classic tutus – you know the ones I'm talking about – with their tiers of delicate tulle and their glorious romantic swish. This is the era when tutus reached a height of absolute elegance, showcasing the ballet dancer's lines and grace with such effortless perfection. Just picture Margot Fonteyn, the prima ballerina assoluta, floating on stage in a glorious tutu – simply captivating!
Of course, these weren't always the ‘standard’ of tutus. Before the mid 19th century, tutues were much more simple affairs. They were just little, short skirts. Can you imagine, ballet dancing in just a little skirt?! It wouldn’t quite give us that beautiful flowing, ethereal movement.
Back in the Victorian era, it was all about the big romantic ballets, think Giselle, with tragic love stories. This period called for the development of something more romantic – and so, the big Romantic tutu was born! With multiple tiers of tulle, it created that glorious floaty shape which, believe me, took lots of skilled sewing to create.
As the 20th century kicked into gear, we saw tutus evolve further. The early 1900s embraced Empire waists with a long, sweeping train, and as we move towards the 1940s and the time of our story, tutus are embracing the simplicity and the femininity of those elegant tiers of tulle we see in so many of our classic ballets today.
(Whirl around with your imagination! Just imagine how wonderful it would be to be a ballerina back in those days... All those amazing costumes, the magical ballets… My heart sings just thinking about it!)
As the world watched, these classic tutus graced the stages, taking center stage in some of the greatest ballets ever made. It's the perfect ballet wardrobe, effortlessly chic, effortlessly romantic, effortlessly elegant. And to think, this style is still making an impact today!
I have to confess, even a tutu-loving time traveller like me couldn't resist picking up a vintage Romantic tutu during my last jaunt through time. Gorgeous! I tell you, it's so soft, and it spins around so effortlessly, like a whisper of pure ballet bliss. And as for the color? A heavenly pale pink, of course!
(Just imagine dancing in that glorious pink tutu, twirling under the twinkling stage lights - perfect for a dance dream!)
Before I depart back to my own time (I have to catch the Flying Scotsman, a most charming steam train for my travels – a much better option than travelling by the stuffy tubes!), I must say this. It’s important to remember, this style of tutu was all about showing off the lines of the dancers. It’s about graceful, graceful, beautiful movement.
And that's the essence of the classic tutu - beauty, elegance and sheer joy. Just like dancing!
Until next Tuesday, my lovely tutu-loving friends! Stay fabulous and don't forget: * Every day can be Tutu Tuesday if you put your mind to it! *(Just put on that **gorgeous pink tutu you've been dreaming about.)
**(My train whistle is calling… see you next week!)
(P.S. I've heard there's a most incredible *Pink Tutu Boutique in Soho – maybe I'll check it out this week – *pink tutus and afternoon tea anyone? **Let me know in the comments! )
(Emma xx )
*#TutuTuesday #BalletHistory #ClassicTutu #RomanticTutu #Fashion #Paris #MargotFonteyn #PinkTutu #PinkTutuBoutique #LoveBallet #PinkTutu.com *
(And just a final thought - this date in history is also when * Princess Elizabeth, now Queen Elizabeth, became Queen.* Imagine, two wonderful events, all in one day! **
