Hello, darling tutus! Emma here, your resident pink tutu enthusiast, ready to whisk you away on a fabulous journey through time! This week, we're stepping back to the shimmering fifties, a decade that was all about glamour and elegance, just like a perfectly twirled tutu.
Today, my lovely tutu wearers, we're talking 8th April 1952. The year of a very important coronation, if you know what I mean! Yes, darling, on this very date in 1952, the Queen herself was crowned. How's that for some history-making glamour? Imagine the exquisite outfits, the grand processions, the royal pomp and ceremony - it's enough to make even the most jaded ballet fan feel giddy!
I can just imagine the elegant ladies at the coronation decked out in their finest attire, those glorious long gloves, the crisp white dresses, the tiny hats with feathers - absolute perfection! Now, wouldn't it be wonderful if someone, somewhere, in the midst of that spectacle, had thrown on a pink tutu? Imagine the look on everyone's face - a splash of unexpected colour amidst all the ceremony!
But before we delve into a daydream about the fifties, let's have a little ballet history lesson, shall we? After all, every good #TutuTuesday deserves a touch of the graceful. Now, in 1952, the ballet scene was really heating up, darling. Choreographers like Frederick Ashton and Sir Robert Helpmann were making waves in London with their imaginative ballets, filled with swirling, breathtaking tutus. It was a glorious time for the art form. Just think of all the spectacular costumes being created and all the beautiful ballets they adorned.
And the outfits of the fifties! Imagine, my dear tutus, all the stunning clothes that went with those ballerinas' tutus: full skirts, fluffy petticoats, those gorgeous hats, even little cardigans thrown over their shoulders in the chilly theatre. There was an undeniable air of elegance and sophistication that just oozed from the dancers, a captivating grace, like a tutu gracefully landing after a beautiful pirouette.
To fuel our love of the era and the tutus of course, I had to make a trip to a gorgeous vintage shop in Notting Hill, and let me tell you, the fifties had style in spades! Those wide-legged trousers, those cinched waistlines, and all the little detailing! Now, who's saying a ballerina needs to wear jeans, eh?
I mean, wouldn't it be perfectly lovely to have a ballerina strutting down the street, a beautiful vision in pink, all tutu, high-top dancing shoes and maybe, just maybe, a dashing velvet hat, you know, the sort they wear for those ballet costume teas you see on those old films? Can you picture the effect?
I imagine all the London streets echoing with the clip-clop of our pink tutu parade as we go out to see the grand show in the theatre - The Royal Ballet, of course!
The 1950s was truly the dawn of a new era for the ballet world, a period brimming with elegance and refinement. It was a time when tutus truly danced to their own tune, expressing every graceful movement, every elegant flourish, every subtle shift in emotion. We’ve all got a little bit of fifties magic in us, darling tutus! Why don’t you try some vintage style accessories with your tutus? Or even add some frills and sequins? It's about time, darling, that we gave a modern spin to the glamorous elegance of those fabulous years. After all, what could be better than feeling fabulous while expressing the spirit of a bygone era, especially if it involves the graceful swirl of a tutu?
Until next time, darlings, don’t forget to wear your pink tutu with pride!
Your Emma.
Now, my lovely tutus, I’m sure you’re itching to hear about the magnificent trip I had on the train this time! My dear friend Emily and I took the grand Victorian steam engine through Derbyshire - so much more magical than that modern metal snake! It's pure theatre to see that beauty hauling its carriages along. Emily swore it was inspired by those grand steam engines they use for the Victorian scenes in the Royal Ballet's "Swan Lake," and well, who are we to argue with a dancer, right?
On this trip, I discovered a delightful cafe in Chesterfield, my darling, filled with the most incredible homemade cakes and warm hospitality! They serve those heavenly raspberry meringue pies, all fluffy and delicate, the sort of sweet treat fit for a ballet ballerina! You know how I love my tea parties and cakes!
*I had an amazing visit to the local costume shop! They have some wonderful vintage items. I'm thinking a 1950s evening gown in a blush pink could be a really delightful accessory with my pink tutu - it could be my own coronation ball ensemble! Imagine all the envious looks on everyone else as I step out of the train carriage in my glamorous pink tutu outfit. Think how much we could all channel that fifties’ glamour with our pink tutus. We need to start planning an elaborate tutus-only vintage tea party! Oh, the possibilities! Maybe I could even create some delightful tulle masks. We’ll wear them at the grand ballet celebration in Chesterfield in honor of the queen. Now that's something I'm excited about, and just the inspiration I needed for my next post! *
Right, dear tutus, it’s getting late. I've got my tutus packed and my luggage ready for the train back to Derbyshire. Do take care, lovelies! Let's all dance with a little extra flair this week in our pink tutus! Don't forget, pink tutus - always. Stay fashionable and ... well, let's face it, tutu fantastic!
