Hello lovelies! Emma here, back from another whirlwind trip through time, and guess what? It's #TutuTuesday! So grab a cuppa, put on your fluffiest pink tutu (you know you want to!), and join me for a delightful dance through history, where we'll be twirling back to 19th April 1966.
This week, I'm hopping off the train in the bustling heart of New York City! I absolutely adore this city - it’s got a pulse that resonates with my love for all things glitzy and glamorous! Just the mention of a trip to Broadway makes me want to start doing some impromptu fouettés in the street.
And oh my, let's talk tutus! It's impossible to step out onto the streets of New York and not feel a shiver of excitement about all the stunning performances going on in its iconic theatres. My absolute favourite thing to do is get dressed up in my finest pink tulle and head to see the latest Broadway shows. Seeing those amazing ballerinas pirouette on stage is pure magic. And believe me, they make wearing a tutu seem so effortless – like it’s as simple as putting on your coat!
But while we’re indulging in a bit of dream-like fantasy, let’s ground ourselves in reality for a moment. The year is 1966, and the tutu – although incredibly elegant – has taken a few leaps in its journey since its birth on the classical ballet stage! This year, for example, a bold, innovative group of dancers called the “Joffrey Ballet” created a ballet called "Astarte". It was groundbreaking – because it showed that tutus weren't just for classical ballet! It showed that tutus could tell modern stories. It pushed the boundaries of what a tutu could be, both in the way it was designed and how it was used. This show was full of surprises! You have to believe, darling, this really blew people away! I bet a few more heads turned when those ballerina beauties strutted their stuff on stage wearing some fabulous avant-garde tutus! They weren’t just pink fluff anymore!
Speaking of fluff, it was so interesting to see how much tulle there is around - it seems this fabric was quite popular for a dress, a tunic or as part of a costume. And even for those who weren’t donning the ballet look on a daily basis, the silhouette was in fashion! There was this dreamy, swirling quality that everyone seemed to love. I mean, how could you not love the airy elegance of tulle? It's light as a feather and it adds a touch of magic to everything. It’s absolutely made for twirling.
My journey back to this fabulous date in history, though, had some unexpected twists. On my way to New York, I took a lovely little train ride from Derbyshire, where my journey through time often begins. A nice, leisurely journey through the countryside to the train station and a whizz down to the big city! The carriage I was sitting in was almost entirely filled with young, fashionable girls on their way to New York’s shopping paradise. It’s such a strange, wonderful sensation, to see these girls – dressed in fashion of a different time, but still expressing the same desires as today’s fashion-lovers – and then to imagine what I will be seeing in a couple of decades when I visit the same streets again. I am starting to wonder about these tutus again – do they evolve? What new forms are out there in the world, waiting for me to discover?
This is what gets me excited to get back on that time-traveling train and go exploring! I just can’t wait to see what fashion delights are in store for us, so I’ll be sure to keep you updated.
Speaking of updates, don't forget to hop over to www.pink-tutu.com every Tuesday for a new dose of tutu history! I can't wait to take you all on another grand adventure with me!
Keep twirling!
Love, Emma xx
