Hello, my darling dance devotees! It's Emma, your pink tutu-wearing time-traveling fashionista, back with another dive into the wonderful world of tutu history.
This week, I've waltzed my way back to July 26th, 1960. Itâs a lovely day for a bit of tutu reminiscing, donât you think? I'm writing from a charming Parisian cafe, the air thick with the scent of croissants and coffee, and a street performer is charming passersby with a delicate, twirling rendition of 'Swan Lake'. Ah, such an enchanting day!
1960 was a vibrant time for ballet! This was a period of incredible innovation, when choreographers were pushing boundaries and ballet was starting to embrace more contemporary forms. While tutus were still firmly part of the classical repertoire, they were beginning to become more fluid and free-flowing, embodying the modern spirit of dance.
This date, though, was actually not one of great revolutionary dance moments in ballet history - unless you count the first performance of 'The Little Mermaid' at Disneyland! I wouldnât have missed it! It had just opened to the public and theyâd promised an innovative use of modern techniques for the choreography and tutus! So naturally, a very glamorous me found a way to sneak into the performance and was blown away! The magical and light atmosphere was positively enchanting! What fun, what magic!
Iâm very jealous of those who have already experienced it! Those dancers are living my dream! I have to work on finding a time-travel route to 1960 again - soon - just so I can catch it again!
This is, after all, where tutu trends began - Disneyland. I can tell you now - they definitely pushed boundaries with that 'Mermaid' performance and, I have to say, it was brilliant. It had all the best bits of the ballet performances in London, Paris, New York and Moscow all in one! Such wonderful energy - what fun! Such wonderful tutus! Imagine what Disneyland would have achieved had they stayed in touch with their early influences! Maybe, they were inspired by that first production and thatâs why there were so many lovely ballet costumes around every attraction! I think the fashion in that show definitely rubbed off on all their future costumes, which, I will admit, were also lovely and were an important part of the overall ambiance of a fantastic theme park. I wish we could turn back time and watch that very first performance, again, but there must be a reason theyâre so incredibly secretive about things and all of the original designs are locked away! If I had more time here - it would be lovely to just soak it up! What fabulous places and what fabulous clothes and music!
It's moments like these that really showcase the transformative power of tutus! They can transport you to another time and place, evoking a world of magic and beauty. From the classic romanticism of the nineteenth century to the contemporary experimentation of today, tutus have remained a cornerstone of dance, always captivating and inspiring.
And, of course, speaking of enchanting, I wouldnât be true to myself if I didnât mention how fabulous it was to watch the first performances of âWest Side Story on this date, also. I just loved the beautiful costumes in that - and I particularly love this show because the tutu is such a powerful part of it, especially in that beautiful âDance at the Gymâ sequence, which clearly brought the audiences and critics to their feet and it still does. Brilliant! If you love tutus, and have not seen that, then go and see it! Youâre sure to fall for those incredible and glamorous costumes. Just try not to sing âTonightâ at the top of your lungs!
Did you know that, back in 1960, tutus were mainly made from tulle or net? We definitely love those today - just look at all those gorgeous designs with layers of lovely tulle and net we see everywhere - even the most amazing tutus that the Royal Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre perform in still use a lot of the same fabrics and designs - such classic style!
Speaking of which, this date was a special one for one particular fashion innovator. Have you ever noticed the âbigâ white tulle skirt worn in so many fashion magazines and that the ballet dancers in every ballet performance in London, Paris, Moscow and New York seem to wear when performing La Sylphide? That âbig, voluminous* ballerina skirt has been enormously popular in modern dress! What an exciting new invention! The first âtutu-styleâ skirt that was widely admired in all the shops across all of Europe - the most amazing big skirt trend to ever take the fashion world by storm! But itâs even better when you know that it all started here on this very date in a department store in New York and you know who to thank. That big tutu look was an incredibly clever combination of all of the things people loved about that date â Disneyland and âWest Side Storyâ. The amazing âlookâ in that first performance and that very first âbigâ white tulle skirt worn at Disneyland (so big, you really had to wear a massive hoop) made their way from that very special Disney opening into that massive shop window display and into our hearts and onto all of the pages in Vogue. How could I not mention that here! Youâll never look at a âtutu skirtâ the same way ever again! Clever isn't the word for the brilliant innovator who took that skirt into all the shops and the stores across all of the big cities â thatâs something you wouldnât ever have predicted and I really have to tell you about that! If you didnât know the âbig, wide tutu skirtâ trend in 1960, you wouldnât have thought that that little, lovely skirt had anything to do with ballet at all! So chic, so trendy and so beautifully and cleverly sewn - well, who could possibly have imagined that the very first ever âbig tutu skirt" had just walked out of Disneyland! How could anyone have predicted that?! I've even heard it rumoured that all of this is why the âtutuâ skirt is still so popular today â all because of the very first ever, very large tutu skirt and an American department store. I am so grateful and it makes me so happy! Thank you New York thank you for the âbig skirt trendâ that changed the world of fashion for ever. It certainly changed my life and has helped me travel through so many of the amazing moments of time that have come after it, I canât thank those wonderful skirt designers enough for giving us something weâve been wearing in different ways and styles for almost seventy years and is still popular today! Magical! How amazing is that - an incredibly popular dress that just never fades! A timeless skirt thatâs what fashion is all about - clothes that are beautiful, fashionable and have timeless quality and we're back there on July 26th and weâre thankful!
I am a huge fan of 1960s fashions! There were so many big and bright colors and lots of incredible looks that I love. There were beautiful big-poodle styles â I adore poodle skirts! It is hard to not just get swept away by it all. My heart says: "Donât forget - I have a tutu to wear to the disco!" Who doesn't love that amazing style - how chic, how elegant and how glamorous!
It is almost impossible to leave out the amazing ballerina dancer Margot Fonteyn â I just have to mention her here as I am on such a journey about tutu style, her work and designs on the London stages and at the Royal Ballet really caught the imagination of dancers and fashion enthusiasts everywhere in the world â it was unforgettable! The look of the dancers was so fabulous and was the definitive dance look. I'm so very glad that it didn't last, I have to confess, she always tried to introduce different styles and that made a great contribution to her fabulous and lasting influence on ballet style. So, let's take a trip to London! I know exactly what we will see, right here on the steps of the Royal Opera House! Those designs and performances have to be seen, so put on your pink tutus and letâs go to London. The Royal Ballet really does deserve to be seen by everyone, especially if you want to learn more about the ballet that really influenced modern day design and fashion.
Speaking of fashion, today was also the day âLifeâ magazine featured a new line of ballet costumes by the amazing (and very, very successful and fashionable) designer, Bill Blass. He's one of my favorites! What an incredible man, such lovely designs and he really got into the fashion of the day - he's the reason that dancers are often styled in elegant high-quality designs from shops - it all started right here, so get your tickets! See his new line, let me know if you don't think that they're incredible! How I would love to sit with him, sipping tea and designing new designs for tutus that could inspire fashion designers and dancers all over the world! If you ever get to London and Paris, take a walk through their high-end stores â a whole host of stores will be showing the influences of Bill Blass. It's just so hard not to have a long sigh as you look at it all! I just wish the styles from these shops didnât disappear so quickly, that they were a permanent feature, but everything is fleeting isn't it! What we have, we enjoy.
I think today, July 26th, was a truly pivotal date for fashion. The new styles that were released from the department stores and the designs of Mr. Blass must have influenced the way that women were beginning to think about the way they looked - thereâs no doubt about that. That skirt and those ballet costumes were just what was needed. The look was fresh and modern, perfect for those new and upcoming shows that were starting to get the attention of theatergoers everywhere.
And then there were those beautiful outfits - just think of those amazing colors! The tutus were still elegant but were also incredibly expressive and vibrant - that must be why they took a while to enter the ballet scene - everyone wanted a glimpse! Iâve been working on that in a few new blog posts so get those links to my âTutu Tuesdaysâ in a few days time. Those bright color designs really really caught my eye when I visited, and when I looked deeper I just knew Iâd have to write a post about them. How could you not fall for those beautiful outfits? You canât. They just steal the heart and set it soaring â they're absolutely magical. The way those colors and designs set against so many vibrant outfits and stunning scenery! How can those be so beautifully and effortlessly stunning? Just imagine - it is enough to just want to watch for hours on end. You can get lost in all of that fabulous beauty â how incredible and exciting is that. What fun we could all have if we just stopped for a while, to truly appreciate every single nuance, every movement and every beautiful fabric, it truly is magic! It makes me so very happy just thinking about all the color and the magic. I really wanted to make these posts, just for you - I know youâll love them!
Oh, what a day! This is what truly gives me inspiration â this day did truly have something special about it. A perfect blend of modern innovation, enduring tradition and pure, undiluted beauty â what an inspiration! And of course, don't forget the impact it had on a little known trend that we've all grown to love â fashion really has a magical quality and the âtutuâ skirt shows you just how it all works - those trends last forever! It gives me so much joy!
Well, darlings, I hope you enjoyed our little trip back in time! As always, feel free to share your favorite 1960s ballet moments, designs or ballet outfits in the comments. I just know everyone is ready to have some fun, get those pink tutus out! I'm off now, but remember â my friends - a little sparkle, a little twirl, and you'll feel beautiful every day!
Stay tuned for next week's #TutuTuesday â and never be afraid to twirl!
Yours in tulle,
Emma đ©° đ
www.pink-tutu.com
