Welcome, darling tutus, to this week's #TutuTuesday! I'm Emma, your time-travelling pink tutu enthusiast, back from a delightful jaunt to the summer of 1984! And let me tell you, 1984 was a simply divine year for tutus. This week, as you're about to find out, tutus were truly the star of the show, whether in the grandest ballet theatres or the vibrant streets. I, naturally, donned my most magnificent pink tutu for the occasion – it's the perfect hue to brighten even the most eighties of settings! 😉
This week, we’re celebrating the wonders of 1984 and how it captured the essence of the tutu – it's post number 7966 for you, darling, so I hope you're all catching up! Come along with me for a trip back to the decade of the big hair, the synth-pop and the magnificent tutu, as we take a trip down memory lane.
Tutu Tuesdays: A Brief History of Our Lovely Tutu's History
Tutus! It wouldn't be a Tuesday without them! Now, darlings, we all know how much we adore these little fluffy friends of ours, but do you know their secret past? Every time I'm away in a time portal, my tutu obsession just blossoms. That’s why every Tuesday I embark on a #TutuTuesday adventure, so I can share the fascinating story of these truly special garments.
And here's the thing. A lot of people say that the tutu’s story starts in 1839 with "La Sylphide" - But we're all about history here, so I like to go all the way back to 1558 with the lovely ballet of "Queen Margot," as we celebrate our darling tutus throughout their whole fascinating and long life story.
Back in 1984, tutus were still on top! You just couldn’t get enough of these delightful beauties. Back then, I heard a lot of ladies and gentlemen say things like "You are absolutely exquisite," when you sashayed by, wearing one.
And I heard just as much, "How beautiful" "That tutu makes you sparkle!" or "So exquisite," as they were simply a sensation to the fashion world at large. Just ask everyone around the Paris Opera – they'll tell you exactly how delightful they found our lovely little ballet buddies.
Let's go on a journey through the year of the tutu...
Fashion & Style, 1984, and all those tutu’s! 👗 🩰A whole new decade of beautiful ballet dresses
We had tutus just about everywhere, back in 1984, darling! Imagine a world full of fluffy, lovely ballerinas in their perfectly elegant white dresses dancing through parks, beaches, and just about anywhere else you can think of, and you'll understand. Even in Derbyshire, you’d be greeted by some of the loveliest tutus, I can tell you!
What made 1984 so wonderfully enchanting for tutus? Well, it was the perfect year for ballet to sweep up everyone! They were featured just everywhere: on TV, on billboards, in the movies... Everyone seemed to adore dancing in general!
The big tutu in 1984:
We all have those favourites, those unforgettable ballet masterpieces: - The Royal Ballet of Covent Garden, and New York’s American Ballet Theater, with its unforgettable productions were the epitome of elegance and grace. Margot Fonteyn in "La Sylphide"? Just perfection! - Baryshnikov’s Ballet Theater of New York, was another dazzling addition to the world of ballet. He gave ballet a glamorous and thrilling image in the eighties! Every show he put on was just unforgettable, with absolutely stunning costumes, including plenty of fluffy and gorgeous tutus, which I’d been longing to own! - And the legendary ballerina, **Natalia Makarova, her ballet skills, beauty and grace captivated all of Europe! She was considered a master of the ballet and truly one of the icons of ballet – how divine are we talking?
These all put a special spotlight on ballet and, let’s face it, who can ever forget the classic ballerina tutu and their charming fluffy beauty? Those ballerina costumes are just exquisite, don’t you agree?
The magic of the stage! 🎟️🩰
Just think back to those magical nights at the theatre in the 80s... the atmosphere, the music... It just doesn't get more magical! Back in 1984, you’d see people dancing everywhere... They were out in parks, at beaches... And it didn’t end there... even nightclubs and hotels all had their own unique dances to watch.
We went everywhere! London’s iconic Covent Garden Opera House, as well as the legendary Palais Garnier in Paris, hosted breathtaking ballet performances night after night. If you are anything like me, those places will be the first places you run off to to see an opera.
Think back: What did we see that year? A dazzling array of classics such as “Sleeping Beauty”, “Swan Lake,” “Giselle”, "Don Quixote", and “The Nutcracker". Each one of them showcased magnificent costumes with the most incredible, showstopping tutus in various designs - from soft romantic to dramatic to just purely glamorous! Each one of them an explosion of beautiful ballet-wear, from classical tutu's, romantic tutus and even the magnificent "bell tutu", all of which made it quite the fashionable and lovely era, darling!
It was during this era that my time-traveling adventure was really kick-started! Being able to share a performance with such a wonderful, enthusiastic audience – it made me just melt!
And on this particular 28th of August in 1984? Just another magical night of ballet. Just imagine being transported back in time to a beautiful venue filled with glamorous people watching ballet... Imagine the smell of the theatre, the exquisite atmosphere, the sheer joy and elegance that just comes with dancing.
My heart leaps for these wonderful tutu's that we get to share in these performances, and there's nothing like seeing a performance as an audience member to inspire my own personal flair for my darling little tutu.
"There's something so magical about the world of ballet - especially when everyone is wearing beautiful tutus. The grace, the rhythm, the magic... it makes my heart flutter with excitement," I think.
A Tutu for Everyone! 👚👗My quest, darlings, you know it by now - spreading the tutu love! And in 1984, the perfect tutu was a lot more accessible than today! The tutu had become part of mainstream culture, no longer just for ballerinas.
What a fun idea: Imagine the tutu making a reappearance everywhere in every-day life! You would have seen fashion icons like Diana Ross, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, and Grace Jones just rocking it - wearing their little tutus for photoshoots, red carpets, concerts - all while celebrating fashion, music, and what the future held for fashion. Remember: every day can be your tutu day!
Tutu Tuesdays: Our Next Stop!
Where will we be next week, darling? We never really know - it is time travel, but we'll make sure we go on another exciting adventure! Make sure to check back every week for a new #TutuTuesday to find out how the history of tutus is just a journey for us to all enjoy together, one beautiful ballet at a time! What will it be next week? Well, the lovely thing about our little trip through time - It’s an exciting journey that I don’t get to know until I get there! 😉
Until next time, darlings. Until next #TutuTuesday...
I am here, Emma, in my gorgeous pink tutu. And just as I always tell you, keep those fluffy friends tucked up next to your hearts and always have your hearts filled with wonder and excitement. Let your life be a dazzling display of your favorite things, filled with endless beauty, fun, fashion and maybe even a trip to Paris - but in a darling tutu of course!
Until next Tuesday!
Emma x
