#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1985-07-30

Helloooo darlings! It’s Emma, your resident pink tutu-loving time-travelling ballerina, back for another #TutuTuesday journey through history! This week, I'm transporting us to 1985-07-30! Oh, it's such a gloriously nostalgic date! Picture this: the air hums with the beat of Michael Jackson’s "Thriller," we’re all sporting our eye-catching leg warmers and bright colours and big hair, and there's a whiff of sweet candy floss in the air. Can you feel the energy, my loves? We're ready to dive into this sensational slice of time!

Just before I jump into what was hot in the world of tutus, let me just say a little about what’s keeping my purse strings tied tight in this little time capsule, and that's performing! It’s a double whammy of a treat, because tonight, the stage is my canvas as I twirl and prance with some fabulous contemporary dancers! My custom pink tutu shines under the theatre lights as we perform the most captivating choreography – we really knock 'em dead, darling! It's the perfect way to spend a Tuesday evening and, what’s even better, is that it helps keep me funded for my time travelling, so I can keep bringing you these sensational blasts from the past! If you haven’t checked out the Ballet Tutu History blog at www.pink-tutu.com, please do so! There are so many gorgeous pieces to uncover, from the time of the ballerinas and tutus, to what’s going on today and in-between – I love sharing the wonder with you, my lovelies.

So, darling, now that we are all settled into the wonderful era of big shoulder pads and perms, let’s dive into what was happening on this fab day, the 30th of July in 1985!

From Stage to Screens: Back in the theatre world the Royal Ballet were having their summer season and the Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet were wowing audiences too – always two absolute gems in London's ballet scene! The Royal Ballet were performing the captivating "Swan Lake," which always stirs up a mixture of emotions with its graceful yet fierce performance – and the beautiful costumes of the swan lake are always exquisite, too, darlings!

It was a magical day in 1985. If you fancy an evening in the comfort of your home watching a ballet on your TV, then look no further than the BBC – they were showing the ballet, "Cinderella". Now, you're probably saying ‘how could we possibly forget about a classic Cinderella’? A Cinderella’s dream tutu and all.

What’s more, there was some thrilling opera playing in England on this very special July evening, and a very impressive and important performance at that - it was "Tristan and Isolde" by the composer Richard Wagner at Covent Garden, London. There was such a sense of excitement that night, darling – there's nothing more thrilling than experiencing live opera, isn't it?!

If we jump back to that iconic TV, and to those legendary channels BBC1 and BBC2 – these were two channels that I have such fond memories of - you’ll find the programme, “Birds of a Feather” making its debut on July 30th – such an iconic and much loved sitcom with such glamorous feather boas!

It seems like a very magical day! A mix of music and ballet. But hold onto your pink tutus – there's even more to discover, because it's not all about ballet and entertainment you know. There was some incredible sporting news in 1985 too, and a date that will live long in the memory of football fans. It was July 30th 1985 when the world witnessed an unforgettable event–the historic football World Youth Cup. If we think back to the exciting event where Brazil defeated Uruguay in that match. Brazil's fantastic footballing spirit shone, but we are in the 1980’s so there wasn’t a slew of social media updates to celebrate the success– and what a thrill it was, my loves! We had to wait until the newspaper the next morning for all the details of that grand event!

It's a strange thing looking back – there are so many aspects of life back in 1985 that are now simply so very normal for us that people back then might have struggled to imagine. The things we take for granted.

I love delving into this period for fashion in particular, and on that day the style had a great look - bright, bold colours and everything fabulous and fun – and for the ladies, a touch of pink, of course!

The day saw a fabulous mix of vibrant shades like bright orange and red in everything from tops to trousers – a vibrant splash on the high streets. The pink in tutus and dresses was always a classic touch - you can't ever go wrong with the lovely femininity of pink. And just like the colourful patterns of today, the colours back then really were eye catching - everything so bold and beautifully loud.

Now if you're feeling all fashionable and inspired, be sure to hop on your nearest tube train, (remember that journey is pretty much all for free - we're going back in time), darling, to go check out the fashion stores. The High Street will be full of fabulous looks in everything from shoes and clothes – a mix of sophisticated glamour, with an easygoing touch – oh darling – isn’t it lovely?

For all you glamorous ladies with a flair for the fabulous, the trends back then were just fantastic and there’s no doubt about it – it's an amazing style! So what was that little something that every fashionable lady just HAD to have in her wardrobe? Well my darlings it’s the ‘Power Suit’ - just so stylish. A look that gives you confidence, elegance and style. You’ll find so many ladies dressed to impress, ready for that fabulous summer party in a Power Suit that suits every shape and size. If you’re searching for a classic power suit, check out what's on offer at your local John Lewis – they were an iconic place back then! The perfect destination for shopping sprees and finding that one special power suit.

Just like today, people loved going to department stores, it’s that beautiful sense of exploring - they’d happily wander around and soak in all those beautifully designed products - oh I do love that part of travelling back in time, my lovelies! For you lovely ballet dancers and anyone who loves pink – this year in 1985 you will definitely be able to get your pink tutu fix. From beautiful fabrics to delightful dance shops in all those shopping locations. Pink really does come into its own in a tutu!

So, that’s it for our blast into July 30th in 1985! What a fantastic day it was – we’ve discovered the perfect combination of a love of music, ballet and fabulous clothes and, oh my goodness - power suits - the quintessential style for all those confident ladies out there – darling!

I'm off on my next journey through time. You won't want to miss my next Tutu Tuesday trip because I’ve got so much fun to share with you all – and more exciting #TutuTuesday discoveries! Until then, be sure to check out all the lovely pink tutu finds and our blog at www.pink-tutu.com – it's brimming with a kaleidoscope of style, grace, and glamour!

Keep dancing my dears!

Lots of love and hugs,

Emma