Hey everyone! It's Emma here, back for another fabulous #TutuTuesday journey into the glorious history of tutus! Today, I'm taking you on a trip through the time warp right back to the oh-so-stylish 5th of June 1962. Put on your dancing shoes, grab a cuppa, and get ready to twirl through the decade of poodle skirts and fabulous ballet.
Now, for those of you new to the Pink-Tutu.com fam, every Tuesday we take a peek into the world of tutus from yesteryear. This week, we're stepping into a time when ballet was taking the world by storm - a time when every little ballerina dreamed of taking to the stage in a glorious pink tutu (like myself, naturally)!
Fashion in the Sixties:
Imagine it: the 5th of June 1962, a sunny day. Fashion-wise, things were quite different than our modern day. Poodle skirts and the ever-so-elegant "New Look" with its cinched waists and full skirts were all the rage. Ladies of all ages loved their cardies, a real classic. Think sleek hair with a fabulous flick, the start of what would be known as the "mod" look.
*(Side note: while poodle skirts are fun, *can we bring back a full, beautiful twirling skirt for the everyday fashionista, anyone?!*)
Back to the Ballerina Spotlight:
This era saw the rise of famous ballerinas like Margot Fonteyn and Nadia Nerina. They were like our modern-day ballet stars, inspiring girls to start ballet classes all over the globe! There were amazing theatre productions going on, some even featuring tutus! In London, one of the biggest hits was the new musical 'Oliver' - even if no ballerinas were twirling on stage, there was plenty of delightful drama going on.
But the most exciting event for ballet lovers on this day, and it's important we keep the pink aspect alive, would have been a visit to the Royal Ballet in London! Now, the Royal Ballet has been putting on absolutely spectacular performances for ages, and I'm just a wee bit obsessed with the iconic story 'The Sleeping Beauty' that was showing that very night on this date back in 1962. The main character Aurora, our ballerina princess, would have been shimmering on stage in the most amazing pink and white tutus. Dreamy, right?
Train Travel:
Of course, a bit of me wants to hop onto the train to see the Royal Ballet, London is about a three hour train journey from my home county of Derbyshire - it’s just a shame we can’t time travel with public transport yet. Imagine getting a little time-machine train ticket to London and finding yourself transported back to a theatre in the Sixties!
**(Another side note: trains are so magical! Even today, they offer that wonderful sense of escape that helps fuel my love of traveling back through time! )
Finding Pink Tutues in 1962
For a true ballet fan back in 1962, finding a gorgeous pink tutu wasn’t too tricky. There would have been plenty of local shops and some big department stores offering fabulous dance wear for the everyday ballet fan. My grandma was a real ballerina, and I found one of her old pink tutus in the attic. It’s a little dusty, but it was quite the sensation amongst the Derbyshire ballerinas! I had it with me at the Derby Gala and let me tell you, it was a true sensation - so imagine the thrill back in 1962, where so many had to buy the traditional dance wear instead of sewing their own.
The Dream of a Pink Tutu:
No matter what, every little ballerina dreams of owning a perfect pink tutu. A tutu isn’t just an outfit – it’s a symbol of imagination, beauty and graceful movement. Just like the women of 1962, I believe every girl has a ballerina in her, waiting to twirl and sparkle in a dazzling pink tutu.
Travel Back In Time With Me!
Every week, on #TutuTuesday we'll step into another vintage date and discover the tutu-filled adventures of days gone by. Don't forget to check out the comments, and let me know what you'd like me to explore next!
Stay twirly!
Love,
Emma x
**(Remember, you can join me on all our #TutuTuesday Adventures at www.pink-tutu.com!)
**(P.S. My next stop on this week’s Tutu adventure? Fashion shows at Paris Couture Week in 1962… who knows what incredible designs I might discover!)
