Hiya darlings! Emma here, your favourite tutu-wearing time traveller, back with another dazzling dive into the history of tutus! 🩰💖 Today, we're hopping in my trusty time machine (well, technically it’s a very well-maintained steam engine - but I call it a time machine!) and whisking ourselves back to July 30th, 1974. Now, this is a pretty special date for tutus, believe me. Let's slip into our pinkest, most twirly tutu and see why!
1974 - A Tutu Milestone!
July 30th, 1974, was a Tuesday - perfect for a #TutuTuesday blog post! The air was buzzing with excitement across the world of ballet. That day, at the Paris Opera, the world premiere of Roland Petit's “Le Chevalier et la Dame" was happening. Imagine - a stunningly crafted ballet set to music by Tchaikovsky! The world premiere is such an important moment in a ballet's life, it's a momentous occasion! And this was no ordinary premiere!
Why? Because this was the moment when a new type of tutu made its dazzling entrance on the ballet stage.
You know, I absolutely adore those beautiful, classic romantic tutus we see in most ballets. All those tiers of frilly tulle, swirling like a dream! 💫 But what we saw on that Parisian stage that day was different! Roland Petit dared to go bold! Instead of all those tiers of fluffy tulle, the "Le Chevalier et la Dame" ballerina sported a single-tier tutu, sleek, streamlined and a whole lot more contemporary. Now, don't get me wrong, romantic tutus still hold a special place in my heart! But that sleek new tutu was a game-changer. Think about it, darling - a tutu with less fluff, but no less impact! What a glorious statement!
Fashion is the ultimate form of self-expression, and these new single-tier tutus offered a fantastic opportunity for bold expression and breathtaking movement. They showed that elegance could be achieved with less, leaving room for the dancer to shine even brighter!
But wait! That's not all! The tutu was about to step out of the theatre and onto the streets!
This single-tier look caught the eye of fashion designers everywhere. Suddenly, a whirlwind of inspiration swept across fashion houses all around the world. They were mesmerized by this streamlined style. Think, the grace and fluidity, the breathtaking simplicity of movement - just gorgeous! The tutu was ready to become a fashion icon, just as bold and vibrant as any new trend on the streets of London, Paris, or New York!
It Wasn’t Just the Design that Revolutionised Tutudom
Now, I always talk about colour, especially in my #TutuTuesday posts, but trust me, it was not just the cut that made the tutu of 1974 stand out! It was also a revolution in colour! The tutus we see on stage and in dance studios now are often made with beautiful, delicate pastel shades like pink, lavender, or sky blue. Imagine, pastel pink is the perfect color, it makes every tutu look so pretty! 💕💖 But in 1974, something quite exciting happened! We started to see more bold, vibrant colours on the stage, with tutus showcasing rich reds, deep blues, even playful oranges and greens. It was as if the stage had come alive with an explosion of colour and personality. This exciting trend brought so much more to the tutus, don’t you think?
Think about this: A new silhouette, combined with a stunning array of colour and some innovative and daring designs... 1974 truly felt like the dawn of a new age for tutus!
London! The epicentre of the Tutu Fashion!
Now, as someone who’s obsessed with ballet, London's ballet scene has always had my heart! As a ballerina myself (but in a super fabulous way, obviously), I spend hours dancing on stage, watching ballet in London’s breathtaking Royal Opera House and of course, buying gorgeous shoes! But also... London in 1974, it was just… magical. London in 1974 was buzzing with life. The energy was electric, and the tutu had become the hottest item of fashion. A little bit of ballet magic was everywhere! You couldn’t walk down the street without seeing those incredible designs inspiring even everyday fashion, from the sleekest dresses to trendy handbags.
London even became a centre of what’s now known as “tutu fashion.” I am so proud to see those fashion designers working with tulle to create amazing evening dresses, playful everyday styles, even street fashion looks inspired by those magical ballet creations. I even saw some amazing tulle skirts at one of London’s big department stores that looked just like those amazing ballerina costumes I had seen on the stage. Isn't that delightful? 💖
Train travel was perfect for tutu fashion inspiration
What's better than travelling to London by train in the late seventies to catch a fabulous ballet show? Oh, darling, those are some of my favourite moments in time! It was like a glamorous movie scene. Everyone's so stylish, dressed in their chic outfits, and those windows showing the stunning countryside whizzing by - oh, pure joy!
But even between my train journeys, my TutuTuesday blog keeps me going. And, believe me, those steam trains made some of the most *magnificent backdrops for my TutuTuesday pictures, haven’t they? Just you wait and see some of those pics I take from my trusty steam train to inspire you! And let's be real, travelling in the 70's had a unique glamour that really added something special to a TutuTuesday post, don't you think? 😉
A #TutuTuesday dream!
You see, the fashion revolution of the 1970's, inspired by tutus, well, it wasn't just about sleek new shapes and vibrant colours. It was about finding ways to express ourselves through fashion. The 1970's Tutu trend, to me, felt like a reawakening! A beautiful message was being sent out about being fearless and wearing your personality proudly on your sleeve, or in our case, on a tutu!* ** What’s better than a fabulous pink tutu that lets the whole world see how confident and fabulous we are? 💗💗
And as for you darling, do you know, I feel inspired to go back to 1974 and shop those stores, to catch those fabulous London Ballet performances! Imagine seeing those stunning tutus on the Royal Opera House stage, surrounded by those amazing new fashions. Doesn't it just make your heart sing? 💕💖 I’ll be sure to add those new designs to my TutuTuesday outfits and show off the wonderful inspiration that was the tutu revolution of the seventies!
See you all next Tuesday for more TutuTuesday brilliance, and as always... don’t forget to twirl your heart out! 🩰💖💋
