Hey lovely lot! Welcome back to my little corner of the internet, dedicated to all things tutu, fabulous, and pink. It's Tuesday, which means it's time to travel through time – by train, of course! Today's date? 2nd December, 1975. I’m wearing a fabulous hot pink tutu – perfect for this trip!
It's funny how I’m always saying we should travel back in time, but every time I land, I can't help but think "Thank goodness for my 21st century lifestyle!" We definitely don't wear enough pink these days – not enough tutus either! But even if the fashions of yesteryear seem a little out there (and trust me, this time period is one for the books), I'm always excited to discover the roots of our dancewear.
This week, we're looking at a time of serious ballet change. Oh, we all know it's an art form steeped in tradition – but it was moving right along, even then. Now, imagine my delight when I discovered this little gem – did you know that December 1975 was the start of "The Sleeping Beauty" tour of London? The Royal Ballet? Oh my! It's just dreamy – the magic of ballet brought right to the stage! I was fortunate to be at the performance. The entire Royal Opera House felt alive. The energy was truly electric, I swear, every movement sent chills down my spine. The costumes, the dancers, and those iconic tutus – it was truly inspiring! I can almost still hear the orchestra, can you?
If you happen to find yourself in London around this time – grab your best pink tutu and go have a look! A visit to The Royal Ballet won’t just bring your wardrobe into a fashion time capsule; it will make your soul sing! I swear, every time I travel through time, the excitement around the stage, that "Ooh, look, the curtain is about to go up!" feeling... never gets old.
And now, let's talk fashion. 1975 - we’re deep in disco! Sequins and sparkles are big and bold – and believe me, the stage costumes of this era don't shy away. This time period really was a visual delight. Imagine a world where feathers, frills and an explosion of pink ruled. It’s my cup of tea! I even spotted some gorgeous pink tutus, and while it wasn’t the exact shade of my absolute favorite colour, let’s be real – all shades of pink are absolutely fabulous, don't you think?
One thing you might notice about these tutus is how they were often quite a bit more... well... "big." This time period favoured those voluminous designs with lots and lots of tulle. This gives me even more appreciation for those stunning creations! You'll also find a shift in style. For the classic ballerina of the day, tutus were getting softer. The more structured ones, so stiff that a single pirouette could make a ballerina fall over? Gone! I tell you, there is no limit to how fabulous we can get with our balletwear. We just have to imagine, embrace, and get our pink tutus ready for the journey.
To give you a feel of this era – think 'The Sound of Music' meets 'Grease,' then add a healthy dose of glamorous sparkle. That's 1975 in a nutshell. I, of course, just had to pick up some lovely pink ballet shoes, in a lovely bright shade of shocking pink – not forgetting the little rhinestones too. Oh, the sheer joy of matching a little something with your own pink tutu to truly complete a fashionable look!
While I was at Covent Garden, I noticed these amazing old ballet posters - the one with Margot Fonteyn, the prima ballerina, has got to be my favourite. You wouldn’t believe how stylish and gorgeous they are. They are also the perfect way to make your ballerina-loving space look more fun – just put them in an attractive frame and they’re an instant interior decor solution, a little touch of ballet to remind yourself what you’re doing it all for! I'm also noticing a bit of a fashion trend here, too, because you see, even ballet was getting a whole new style in the 1970s. We had some incredible movements of freedom – both on the stage and in our clothes.
Speaking of trends, there's so much about this time period I love. While a pink tutu will always be the fashion statement of my life, I also fell in love with platform shoes! You know the ones – with the high thick platform heels, absolutely ideal for rocking that disco style – but maybe a bit tricky to dance in! Thankfully, it seems we've moved on from that particular style. Ballet shoes are so comfy and dainty these days – you really can't beat a perfectly pointed shoe – no, really, what would we do without them!
After taking in the amazing London show, I hopped on a train back home to Derbyshire (there’s nothing like a long journey by train – the views of the English countryside are to die for, and, well, what else are you going to do but daydream about tutus?), feeling totally inspired and buzzing with ballet energy. And, just like I tell you every week, there’s never a wrong time to get your twirl on – so remember to find your own special way to be ballet fabulous, even if it’s just a few steps on the way home from work, or putting your favourite pink tutu on in front of the mirror at home.
That’s it for this week! If you want to check out any of these things, maybe even go see "The Sleeping Beauty," grab your pink tutu, put your shoes on, and start moving, dancing and loving ballet! Remember, you can follow all the #TutuTuesday history fun by subscribing to this blog and on @PinkTutu (on Insta and Tiktok). Have a fabulous week, everyone, and remember to wear pink – especially a pink tutu! It’s a beautiful thing! 🩰 💖
