Hiya darlings! Welcome back to another glorious #TutuTuesday, this week weâre taking a twirl back in time to 10th December 1957! Now, as always, Iâm in my absolutely darling pink tutu. Itâs just the perfect outfit for a trip to the past, isnât it? The kind of outfit that screams âfabulousâ without a word needing to be spoken. Honestly, you just cannot go wrong with a pink tutu, can you?
And talking of wrong⌠don't think I haven't spotted some of you, oh my darling readers! Still wearing those drab and dreary things in 2023. Just what is going on in the world? Donât be afraid to add some colour! A pop of pink with a delicate lace design, the ruffles, the shimmer! Thereâs no excuse! Just like my dear great-great grandmother always used to say (even back then she loved tutus!): âThe best way to feel like a princess is to wear one!â So go forth and find yourselves a beautiful pink tutu â you wonât regret it!
Now, about 1957. Picture this: a world of post-war boom, the rise of the television, rock n' roll hits the airwaves, and the Cold War casts its long shadow. Itâs an era of glamour, style and incredible change, and for ballet, this era brought a wonderful bloom. Think Marilyn Monroeâs signature curves, Jackie Kennedyâs sophisticated chic and Audrey Hepburnâs whimsical eleganceâŚitâs a time of sartorial sophistication, with Paris, London and New York buzzing with creativity. Oh darling, the styles of 1957 were simply stunning.
This week, my dear friends, I'm whisking us back to the heart of this shimmering era! Back to New York, the vibrant epicenter of dance, where the very best ballerinas twirled and leaped, captivating audiences across the city with their graceful moves. Iâm especially in awe of the New York City Ballet â theyâre setting the stage ablaze, revolutionizing dance! Imagine this⌠the sleek lines, the soaring jumps, and the masterful storytelling that only true art can offer! And you know what else? They were, and are, known for their incredible tutus!
Now, we know what weâre doing. Let's head down to the theatre on that snowy, snowy December night! A balletic fairytale waiting to be unveiled. My time traveling tutu has got my back! Itâs all silk, sequins and shimmer. (Just look at my adorable outfit in my profile picture, don't you just love this look?) So glamorous! Imagine it, ladies â you can feel like youâre stepping back in time to that incredible golden age of the ballet!
But, you see, those incredible ballerinas werenât just gliding on air! You know those fluffy, dreamy, skirts with layers and layers of tulle? Those spectacular creations that sweep and twirl? They have a name. Letâs be fashion historians today â let's delve into the world of the iconic Tutu.
The history of the Tutu, my darlings, is not so straight forward. No, no, the tale of the Tutu has more twists than a ballerina's leap! Think of it like a captivating dance of fashion, evolving over decades into something spectacular.
Before we delve into the fabulousness, we have to acknowledge the importance of that grand dame of dance, the legendary Marie Taglioni. She literally turned the world of dance upside down when she performed in âLa Sylphideâ back in 1832. Let me tell you, this performance sent ripples through the dance world. Marie, this daring, daring lady, dared to perform in a soft, diaphanous skirt, light as a feather. The Romantic tutu, as they called it, was an instant sensation! That flowing, ethereal style of ballet just had people entranced!
That Romantic Tutu, however, it wasn't very, well, practical for a lady who had to turn, leap, and generally fly across the stage, as the ladies of that time. I'm looking at you, my darling Carlotta Grisi. We love a tutu with an excellent je ne sais quoi and an even better leap and pirouette! So what to do?
Our amazing little tutu-world went through a wonderful little evolution! In the mid-nineteenth century the tutu began to get a little stricter for the sake of elegance and, if weâre being honest, the sake of the ballerina. You see, darling, tutus are beautiful to behold, but they are absolutely devilish when it comes to, shall we say, âa certain dance move we can't name!'
The designers got creative (and thankfully still got to add beautiful details) creating the Classical tutu. With those stiff, shorter layers, it allowed our ballets to really perform those fabulous tours, jumps and grande allegro. Thatâs a big jump for the tutu world, donât you think?
But then came the modern ballet tutu! Gone were those tight, constrained layers. *The *tutu-in-flight â my personal favourite (especially when itâs pink) â this free-flowing, breezy creation, oh how it does the heart good! Imagine layers of soft fabric cascading to the floor!
We see how that Modern Tutu gave more artistic freedom to the ballerinas who could jump and whirl effortlessly. So, itâs only right we celebrated their creativity, isnât it, my lovely reader? You should, too!
Now back to my adventure in 1957! I have an extra special place for New York on that particular date. As I slip on my tutu (the silk whispers against my skin - such a perfect sound!) it's off to the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center. Oh, what an incredible journey. New York was bustling with life, even under a thick, falling snow! A scene straight out of a movie! The excitement built within me. I have a sneaky suspicion that I have to see what choreographies this amazing city is creating!
The atmosphere in the theatre crackles with excitement! It was bursting with glamour â imagine the suits, the furs, and those fabulous 1957 hats, donât you just love that eraâs fashion? And then there's the crowd â just overflowing with a wonderful anticipation for the performance to start. Oh my!
Imagine this! The stage is ablaze with color, lights painting the stage and capturing the sheer majesty of the dancers' movements. The tutus⌠ah, my darling readers, I could gaze at them for hours on end, as a mesmerised observer watching the most beautiful of ballet moves, all adorned in tulle perfection! They danced so beautifully! The magic is justâŚindescribable, oh my. The way each ballerina's every move was precise and captivating!
1957 wasn't just a year of the glamorous Classical Tutu. Itâs where the magical story of ballet, and of the tutu itself, was in a wonderful phase. In 1957, you see, there were these pioneers - some were ballerinas, some designers and some even the ones who financed the dance shows, but together they came to revolutionize the way people look at tutus! And believe you me, those changes went far beyond simply adding extra layers or changing the material! Itâs almost a rebellious approach to tutu designs.
If you look at a tutu today, especially one with pointe shoes youâll be in for a wonderful treat! Theyâve gotten shorter, theyâre becoming almost architectural in nature â almost a celebration of their beauty! A delicate, architectural vision of movement. So very very chic, if I do say so myself! Itâs a beautiful new take on a classical and oh so loved ballet tradition! A wonderful reminder that the world of dance, of ballet and of tutus, never really sits still!
But as the last note faded, my heart overflowing with love and joy for ballet, I made a tiny wish⌠a wish that we all see a time where more people understand the love of the ballet. The power of the tutu. And even more importantly, a tutu which isâŚoh myâŚdare I even suggest it! Pink. That's right. We could start with pink tutus. A beautiful vision! A splash of bright, delicate color! Now wouldnât that be an exciting moment for all our tutu history, my dear readers? I would love to see you wearing one!
And there we have it! Weâve taken another amazing spin back in time to the glorious world of the tutu. Thank you for taking this fantastic trip to the past with me. What will we explore next Tuesday? Stay tuned and remember, my lovely reader: âWhen in doubt, throw on a tutu, you just might find the magic you were looking for." And let's not forget about our own little piece of tutu magic! A little secret to keep in mind, youâve probably been dreaming about it in your sleep (or wearing it at your tea parties)! That very special, very, very fabulous⌠pink tutu!
Until then, my dearest! And please! Feel free to let me know in the comments below which tutus are your favorite â Iâd love to hear all about them! See you next Tuesday! #PinkTutuLife #TutuTuesday
Yours in dance and fashion,
Emma,
www.pink-tutu.com
