Welcome to my #TutuTuesday blog, lovely people!
It’s me, your trusty time-travelling tutu aficionado, Emma, popping in from my latest escapade in the gloriously colourful 1980s. I can’t resist a dash of neon pink, can you? Especially when it's the '80s, a decade of fashion that had more going on than a five-tier cake! And where do we even start when talking about '80s tutus? My, oh my!
So, let's talk tutus! Oh, but of course we are! What else would you do on a Tuesday?! This week, on my #TutuTuesday blog, we're dancing our way back to July 1st, 1980. That’s right – I've been busy getting my time travel visa stamped, packed my fanciest tutu, and jumped aboard a shiny new steam train to bring you some fabulous tutus news straight from the '80s. Think, 'Grease' meets ballet - all that, but with less leather pants and way more tulle.
1980: A Tutu-rific Time!
- Remember when hairspray had enough holding power to make gravity blush? Think Madonna and Cyndi Lauper and you’ll be close. It was a time of vibrant colours, daring styles and… well, frankly, let’s just say the 80s had its own sense of 'ballet.' This time around I'm not going to give you any deep, historical analysis of ballet ( you already know how I feel!). No, let's get straight to the exciting stuff; fashion and the tutus!
Firstly, I have to confess - finding tutus from 1980 wasn’t as easy as finding a stray feather on a ballerina’s head, especially when you’re trying to avoid those iconic 80's styles, cough leg warmers, cough – no offense, but thankfully not a 'must-have' for a dancer. You’re right, I was pretty insistent on pink! It’s not that the 80’s were all blah about pink, not at all, in fact… they loved it in all the pink shades that, honestly, it was hard to pick from. But in the end, a ballet class in the summer of 1980 saw the winning colour in a sweet bubble gum pink. Of course it was, how could it not! It was absolutely divine – not the deepest, boldest, richest pink - it was definitely bubble gum!
Anyway, what’s this? There’s a tutu on the bench! I am like a magnet for tutus - or perhaps it's the other way around! And a real classic - a classic tutu with the traditional full skirt in that bubble gum pink I was raving about! It's so charming, like the quintessential image of a ballerina - but even more vibrant! This one is so full and airy that it practically bounces like a happy marshmallow - but less sticky! The fabric – beautiful gossamer soft nylon tulle! It just flutters, a glorious little swirl, oh my… oh, look, there's a tiny sparkle – just a small embellishment that was on the neckline, the most chic tiny piece of glittering gold sequins. What a gorgeous find! The little gold sequin detail is a lovely touch that just adds a hint of elegance and magic, oh and it sparkles! Perfect! Just like all things '80s!
Now, if you’ll excuse me, darling, I am just aching to wear this in the London Covent Garden underground. I reckon a little ballet step, pirouette style in my pink 1980’s tutu, would make such an impact… You’re all welcome for the fun I’m spreading! I’m sure no one else has ever been so delighted by a ballerina wearing a pink, vintage, full tutu in the London Tube, or has they…? It’s quite possibly a world first – all because of my blog - but maybe we should wait until next week to tell the world about it… and I shall, but on #TutuTuesday. I think my pink-tutu.com followers would be thrilled to find out where I might turn up. Maybe on my next visit to this fabulous decade I can bring my 'London' Tube adventure to life. It's almost as though it's destined! It is - because I’m just so destined to be in a beautiful, full tutu! It is in my soul and pink is just me!
*Where did ballet wear get so spectacular? *
I've been researching how ballet clothes became so eye-catching. It wasn’t the dramatic tutu (they have always been there, haven’t they?!) but what the dancers were wearing underneath! Ballet clothes, which they actually wear under their tutus and, as they say, the ‘everyday’ things like tights, leotards and warm-ups are what really began to change – they came out in vibrant and interesting shades – so much fun and bright and loud. These clothes started with this wonderful neon colours - like the 1980's and all the music videos! They were also much more fashion-forward – oh the amazing geometric patterns and those bright colour-block designs, a visual feast. Then they became almost the ‘stage costume' with very strong geometric, abstract, sometimes ‘modern-art’ kind of designs.
*A quick tutu story! *
This wonderful thing happened on the train (no, really - I wasn’t going to let the chance go). It just so happened a beautiful girl – I think she’d probably be called a teenager in 2023! And let’s be honest - if I'm being really, totally honest – she was probably a lot more 'mature' than my lovely grand-daughter - in a really good way. Anyway – this young' * girl – let’s call her ‘Katie’ was sat at a table and, honestly, reading some poetry by Shakespeare. She had that look, a *kind of deep in thought look. A lovely book, though, maybe we could make a trip out to Stratford-Upon-Avon on one of the 'Tutu Tuesdays'. There’s a nice restaurant there with the best pasta salad, not that this matters - just saying it’s nice… Anyway, I said hello, well, you know what I’m like with ballet tutus! - I thought a ballerina was supposed to be friendly, and besides - I don't like to meet anyone for the first time without talking about ballet. So we got chatting, and she said - "Oh my goodness, how did you get that?" "You've got the perfect 'classic' pink tutu" - and you see, I am quite the dancer, though my movements now come with some age. Cough! It all starts when you want it! We ended up having a really lovely conversation! She knew more about ballet than most people! She had such wonderful ballet facts, which was a little odd in such a ‘modern’ fashion decade like this - though this really does have a touch of that 1960’s chic swinging sixties feeling about it, right? Oh - and, of course, we swapped tutus secrets! You see, I have just about every tutu there’s been, but you can't wear them all at the same time.
An '80s fashion trend with a splash of tutu?
I told ‘Katie’ – the beautiful girl who loves poetry and ballet! - that tutus were all over the fashion shops here in the ’80s – you couldn’t even move for them. You wouldn’t believe it – and let’s face it you probably wouldn’t, since I'm just popping in and out but everyone in this era has the most tutu fantastic tutus in every color you can imagine – so chic - it’s very much a ‘tutu-era'. And in case you hadn’t heard I just adore them – especially the tulle, I just can’t get enough of tulle, do you?. I also think it all comes back in some sort of style wave every ten years, but who can tell these days?!
*Why my *#TutuTuesday Blog is worth checking every week! **
Well, you know me – a ‘full’ ballerina through and through - it’s just who I am! It’s also where my #TutuTuesday blog began. It really helps me keep in touch, see all the latest things and well, it’s just so much fun. What I’ve discovered on my travels in the 80’s (it really has been my favorite place so far!) - we’ve all seen tutu-themed clothing all over. Tutus were absolutely huge back then. What started off as part of a stage outfit now turned up everywhere - so this year they’re still ‘a thing’, just a little differently… oh – you didn’t need to ask – of course I have to know. The little-but-so-wonderful mini-tutu!
There is a lot to talk about so, #TutuTuesday* will have some lovely ’80s tutu secrets – it's just that I've already had to find them for you - that's my little contribution! And just think – when all this starts getting around and the world starts seeing tutus everywhere, you'll be in the know – I think that's quite ‘tutu-rific!’
It’s a little-known secret – this little thing I’m working on – well, getting all my #TutuTuesday blog fans together - well everyone really… but what’s it like to go out in a tutu?! I mean, think of all the looks and the whispers, ‘What’s she doing?! Well, dear readers - the reason for that – my tutu and I - will come soon - but let's just say it’s good for you!
*You've just got to love tutus!! Don't you? *
Right – enough from this little time traveler! Don’t forget – get all the fabulous tutus news right here – #TutuTuesday on pink-tutu.com It's on its way, get your subscription in, don’t forget my blog is always on the lookout for ‘tutu’ news! That's my next #TutuTuesday mission - so look forward to it next week! Now – if you'll excuse me - I have a little dance to do - don’t you *just want to take off in a pink tutu! Go on… do it! Bye bye - see you next week - I’m off now for a trip - the Tube, and definitely in a tutu!! It is going to be great fun!!!
Love,
Emma
