Hello lovelies! Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood pink-tutu-wearing time-travelling ballerina! It's a gorgeous Tuesday, so naturally, we're taking a trip back in time to explore the captivating world of tutus!
This week, we're twirling back to 18th January 1949. A day of grand ballet, incredible costumes, and the dawn of a new era for dance! It's exciting to see how tutus have evolved over the years and this is just one step in that amazing journey. Now, grab a cuppa and let's embark on this fabulous historical adventure, shall we?
I just love hopping aboard the trusty time machine (it’s surprisingly spacious for a train!) and whizzing back to an era that whispers of graceful movements and stunning attire. Now, as much as I love a modern-day tutus, you have to admit the designs from this period were just chef’s kiss!
The year is 1949, and as I hop off the train in the bustling streets of London (always a treat to shop at Liberty's - their fabrics are divine!), I’m swept up in a world where everyone is either dancing or talking about dance! It was such a romantic era. The elegant swish of skirts, the sound of a waltz playing, and the beautiful ballet studios, you can't beat the sheer drama of the whole thing!
It was also an important period for ballet, specifically, in England! Just a year earlier, 1948, was a real landmark year for the Royal Ballet. Their founding, back then the Sadler’s Wells Ballet, opened doors for brilliant dancers like Margot Fonteyn, who's still considered one of the greatest ballerinas ever. In 1949, they were already taking the world by storm, even with the whole war still lingering.
So, I found myself at a ballet performance, in that beautiful grand setting. And yes, a show is just the excuse I needed for a little retail therapy.
Can you even imagine this – a beautiful pastel-pink, hand-stitched tutu. Talk about a dream, darling! Every single piece was a work of art, flowing effortlessly, like a soft breeze. And speaking of dreams, I'm sure there'd be nothing more spectacular than a pink tutu with the most incredible tulle. Ah, imagine the dreamy pictures!
What else is wonderful about 1949? Well, there’s this phenomenal little thing called the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. A ballet house! If you're into ballet history you're probably jumping up and down on your pointe shoes like me, but to imagine these ballerinas in their exquisite costumes, gracefully gliding across the stage, it just fills my heart with a sort of joyous twirl. It's just so wonderfully delicate and truly breathtaking. It’s such a fabulous, flamboyant era – and just the perfect setting for me to slip on my own fabulous tutu, and let’s just say, I totally embraced the style of the time. You can’t get more elegant than a simple pink tutu, darlings, don't you think?
While I'm here, there's no chance of missing the Ballet Theatre, and guess what? You just have to pop in for an exciting show like the Swan Lake, right? Imagine the tutus in that production! The romantic and ethereal story. Oh darling, my heart could burst with joy at that amazing, intricate tutu, I must say. Just picture the majestic swans, their flowing white feathered tutus dancing in a glorious lake. Pure poetry in motion, darling!
Now, you know I can’t leave a time travel adventure without some lovely souvenir shopping. Just imagine, all the elegant hats, beautiful gloves and lovely purses. Who would resist a little extravagance in those charming boutiques with the delightful aroma of perfume and old leather? You see, my tutus really wouldn't be complete without those extra little bits and pieces, you know. After all, a ballerina has to be perfectly stylish, right?
But remember, darling, it wasn’t all just ballet and tulle in 1949. There were plenty of fashion trends for everyday wear too, like the ‘New Look’. This is where designers like Christian Dior made it perfectly fashionable to wear all those beautifully designed and elegant garments that fitted the silhouette. I’m thinking of all the luxurious fabrics and the elegant cut – pure class. And it’s truly not that different from how I see it today! There’s always something beautifully elegant about embracing a soft silhouette, something both chic and stylish! And I do say, it always makes it so much easier to look extra special in a gorgeous pink tutu!
Right then, my darling dears, as my next time travel adventure awaits, I've gotta dash! It's been a treat reliving 18th January 1949 with you – a truly magical time! Be sure to pop over to www.pink-tutu.com next week for another #TutuTuesday! Until then, keep twirling and keep that pink tutu close!
Lots of love and happy dancing,
Emma 💖🩰
