Welcome back to www.pink-tutu.com, darlings! It's your favourite #TutuTuesday and I'm Emma, your tutu-obsessed, time-travelling fashionista! 🩰💖
Today we're whisked back to December 15th, 1987, and trust me, there's so much to chat about!
As I mentioned last week, tutus have been around for quite some time – we're talking hundreds of years! But there's still so much history to unpack. And this week, we're going to chat about an important year in the world of the tutu – a year that paved the way for some real sartorial magic!
A Fashionable Flight Through Time:
This week, my travels brought me to New York, the City That Never Sleeps, and boy oh boy, were my eyes popping out of their sockets with excitement! The fashion, darling! Just phenomenal. You simply MUST see the magnificent designs popping up on the streets!
Oh, and just to get us in the mood for this fabulous 1987 fashion scene, I whipped up a fabulous pink tulle masterpiece just for today! It’s the perfect embodiment of New York's bold and playful spirit – a vibrant fuchsia, a swirling abundance of layers, just enough sparkles, and just a touch of rebellious ruffles.
A Parisian Twist
Now, before we delve deeper into the 1987 ballet scene, let's hop on a quick train ride across the pond, because trust me, France was where all the excitement started. And you won't believe what I saw…
It was at the Palais Garnier, a gorgeous, opulent, and awe-inspiring theatre in the heart of Paris! It's simply brimming with charm, with glittering chandeliers and elegant seating.
There, in a performance of "Le Corsaire", I saw a sight that would change my perspective on tutus forever…
The dancers! Oh my! It wasn't just the impeccable ballet they performed. Their costumes!
Imagine billowing tulle and graceful satin! Every stitch seemed to capture the Parisian essence – ethereal and romantic!
The tutus of the 1980s had reached their peak – a harmonious blend of classical elegance and modern audacity. Think tight, flowing lines with a whole lot of ruffles – a symphony of form and function!
Now, a little bit of Parisian inspiration is exactly what the ballet world needed back then! Ballet costumes had gotten quite conservative – plain, understated, almost… boring.
A New York State of Mind
That's where my journey back to New York becomes so important.
The tutu trend had caught on in a big way in America. Tutus had gone from elegant dancewear to statement pieces.
The designs I saw at a few New York Ballet shows left me mesmerised. I saw graceful tutus with flowing lines – it’s hard to even describe the beauty and the movement on stage – a real spectacle! It was so impactful to watch.
Now, this was truly exciting, darling. Ballet started stepping away from traditional shapes. Tutus transformed from classic to modern and a lot of this was due to New York’s pioneering designers.
A Little bit of 80's Glam
You know what, darling? I was quite fascinated by the influence of 80's fashion on the tutu world. The fashion and the beauty scene was all about excess – big hair, shoulder pads and… well, tutus embraced that too!
In the 1987 ballet performances I saw, there was an element of sheer daring that truly stole the show! It wasn’t just about ballet anymore – there was this whole 80’s vibe woven in – and that was revolutionary!
But even more than the fashion trends of the 80's, I found something really quite profound, something quite beautiful in it. Ballet started embracing all sorts of dance forms: jazz, contemporary and even tap. It really shook things up, and the tutus became a perfect way to experiment!
I saw tutus in bold colours and shapes, and dancers embraced all this movement, even a bit of street dancing, which took things to another level entirely!
From The Stage to the Streets:
Remember, it’s not all about the ballet performances darling, it’s also about the whole fashion movement.
So, now we see a new generation, where dancers had started to take their fashion cues from the stage and the street. It’s fascinating, darling, because the lines between high fashion and street style are so beautifully blurred.
Ballet style had transcended the ballet world and was now a whole new fashion trend, inspired by the tutus worn in performances. I’m seeing girls embrace these big, frilly, multi-layered looks on the streets.
But even more than the fashion trend, darling, is the message it conveys. Tutus are all about femininity, confidence and yes, a little bit of drama.
You could see this across all types of fashion. From the oversized polka dot dresses, those frilly necklines and bold jewellery, it’s quite fabulous how the tutu was a symbol for feminine power!
What a Time to Be a Tutu-Loving Fashionista
That's it for our #TutuTuesday, darlings! Don't forget to check back next week, because we've got a ton of fantastic fashion finds and dance history moments coming up.
If you've enjoyed this post, do leave me a comment and don't forget to follow me on social media!
Keep swirling, darlings!
Love, Emma 💕
*P.S. Stay tuned for more exciting news about my upcoming performances. Who knows where my tutu adventures will take me next? I've got a lot more of 1980's fashion and dance history to unravel - I promise there are so many surprises and inspiring moments on the horizon! *
(Blog post #8138)
