Oh darling, how are you doing today?! I hope you are ready for a grand adventure through the world of tutus because, as always, itās #TutuTuesday here on www.pink-tutu.com, your one-stop shop for all things fluffy, frilly, and pink, naturally!
I just had the most enchanting time hopping through time and landed in the utterly captivating year of 1957. My train journey here was delightful. The vintage carriages with their plush seats and charming attendants made me feel like a starlet from a golden age film.
Today's date, the 5th of November, happens to be bonfire night! The air will be filled with the smell of crackling bonfires and fireworks bursting into brilliant colours - truly magical. But letās dive right into the enchanting history of the tutu!
Iāve been busy touring London and let me tell you, there are just so many wonderful shows going on, and even though we're far from the peak of the ballet era, youād think every Londoner was a ballerina by how many tutus I saw in shops. Every boutique seemed to have a section devoted to the tulle! And let's not forget the iconic Sadler's Wells Theatre, that magical venue that breathes life into countless stories and breathtaking performances, like a stage whisper with a sprinkle of fairy dust. The stage of the London Coliseum, also opened back in 1957! It truly felt like being in a storybook, and I know exactly what you're thinking: "How is it so busy with the recent success of the movies with Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly and a plethora of dancing divas like Gene Kelly?!"
And who am I to argue? They certainly were some of the most stylish and elegant icons!
Speaking of elegant, oh darling, you wouldn't believe the tutu fashions of 1957! You know I have a weak spot for that oh-so-feminine pink, but even those daring to move away from my colour obsession can find their place with black tulle tutus with bold ruffles and white ones for those delicate fairies out there! And if I had the chance to pop in on those dancers in rehearsal or even better at a show in these gorgeous, bouncy tutus, oh my, I would faint from excitement! Just imagine all the spinning and leaps they could do! It makes me long for the chance to twirl alongside them, but I canāt resist showing off my pink, so I guess I'll just have to imagine and dance myself in my favourite pink, fluffy dream.
So why was the 1950s such a special period for tutus? Letās go back a few decades before those movies I mentioned... and a few train trips through time, shall we? I must confess, the journey on the first railways was rather harrowing; I could only imagine the ladies of fashion back then getting to a performance after a ride that made me feel I was being thrown in a washing machine - quite uncivilized indeed!
Now, in the late 19th Century, the tutu really started to gain momentum, just like the trains becoming a much more efficient mode of transport, so dancers like those lovely ladies from the Ballet Russes Company, under Diaghilev, revolutionised ballet style. The āromanticā tutus that they wore (think tulle extending down to their ankles with a whole load of embellishment - quite the commitment to getting changed!) morphed into something much more, dare I say, comfortable: a very short version that reached the calf or even above! A much easier way to move freely and with grace. It was like a flower bud suddenly blossoming!
Even if you know nothing of the world of ballet, itās clear that even the length of the tutus made a massive statement. Imagine that short tutu worn by one of my favourite dancers, Margot Fonteyn, during her brilliant career! That was something to behold! So stylish!
The 1950s certainly cemented the iconic, classic shape of the tutu that we still cherish and that gives ballerinas so much flexibility and lightness on the stage - even if that modern tutus are sometimes made with special, much more lightweight materials these days, like Lycra and stretchy synthetic materials.
And speaking of iconic, can you imagine those glorious Russian ballerinas, from the days of Anna Pavlova and Vaslav Nijinsky? You simply HAVE to know this: they actually created the romantic, romantic tulle look that's in many contemporary pieces today, and many of the ballerinaās from that period wore a tutu with a layer or two of petticoats for those billowing, soft skirts that simply looked glorious as they danced! Those ballet stars put on a real show, darling!
Letās be honest, though, it was more about fashion than practical function in that day and age! I do like to experiment with that fluffy look, adding tulle or satin fabric for a real, traditional feeling of romanticism but, letās be honest, I love wearing my ballerina tutu for it's comfortable and convenient for shopping, train rides, and, well, because Iām all about making a statement thatās a little bit extravagant! But hey, why should ballerinas be the only ones with a flair for the fabulous?!
So as I explore all things tutus, you will definitely hear me talk more about the fabulous fashion through the centuries of this beloved ballet accessory - oh, it is definitely an accessory for sure, not just something for ballet shows and theatre! The 1950s was the time when the world saw the tutu not as something for only ballet dancers and performers but a real fashion piece! And thank goodness for that, Iād be sad to be stuck with a one-piece for a ballet class and no options to wear anything more, shall I say, sophisticated when out and about! My pink one would get so dusty, especially in that 1950s dust!
It's been such a magical journey to the 50s with you! I just had to see this particular day for myself as it is such a fabulous era, filled with fashion inspiration and captivating theatre - but with the warmth of bonfires and sparkling fireworks this date just wouldnāt have felt complete without adding some 1950s music and dancing and...well, I'm off now for some shopping. Perhaps Iāll pick up another little tutu and letās all remember, as the year and season gets a little bit cooler: Life is too short not to be fabulous! And just remember, it's never too late to embrace your inner ballerina!
Til next week,
Your always enthusiastic, tutu-obsessed and ever-so-slightly-pink-obsessed ballerina blogger
Emma xx
