Bonjour mes chéries! Emma here, your ever-so-pink-tutu-loving time travelling blogger, and welcome to another #TutuTuesday, darling! Today we're stepping back in time, hopping aboard the historical train, and whizzing right to the fabulous year 1988. Oh, what a fabulous era of frills and fluff, my darlings! Imagine the big hair, the leggings, and of course, the Tutus!
I’ve just been to a simply spectacular ballet performance of ‘Giselle’ - the romance, the tragedy, the incredible costumes - simply exquisite! Honestly, the costumes at the Royal Opera House are some of the best in the world! Not a hint of pink tutus, alas! Oh how I do love the colour pink! And I love even more that pink tutus suit absolutely everyone – you simply need to find the perfect pink to complement your gorgeous skin tone!
But darling, let’s get back to this glorious time warp we’re all about to go on today - let's relive this amazing 1988! Oh, the fashion!
The year 1988, as many of you probably know, was a simply magical time for ballet tutus. It’s true! Fashion darling! Tutus in the 80’s were truly on point. You all remember the ‘leg warmers’ darling?! You see? Such style!
Remember when the wonderful Mikhail Baryshnikov danced Romeo and Juliet, my darlings? I do! Such glamour, so much style, so much romance - with every graceful move, a flourish of pure elegance. That glorious performance at the New York City Ballet with the breathtakingly beautiful costumes in all those magnificent colours - absolutely enchanting! If only pink tutus had been en vogue then! What a glorious spectacle it would have been! Don't you think my dears? Imagine Baryshnikov’s dance moves in a dazzling pink tutu! What an impact!
Well, we're not in New York right now - we’re here in the magical land of Britain – in 1988 London, to be precise! And London was, of course, bubbling with tutus back then. My favourite dance shop, "Dancewear International" on Shaftesbury Avenue was the place to be for the hottest new trends in dancewear - if you weren't getting your tulle fix there, you weren't in the know!
Oh! But don’t forget the classic ballet shows back then, darlings! Oh, those spectacular performances were quite the rage in 1988 – and in that year, darling, a show you simply must add to your must-see list was ‘The Nutcracker’, darling. Not the first, of course! This was a ballet in my time machine today, the most exquisite! That sweet and charming story, full of ballerinas twirling their hearts away with those fabulous, fluffy tutus. How do those lovely dancers in the 'Land of Sweets' get such exquisite spins, do you think my dears? It’s magic! They dance as if floating, all because of the delicate tutus! Oh my! How those tulle petticoats billow and bounce! It’s all because of the shape and size of that tutus my darlings! How fabulous! I adore those 'tutus' with all those flouncy layers! Pure heaven! And I simply have to have one of those glorious little ‘snowflake tutus' in my life! Pure magic!
Now, in 1988, everyone was totally buzzing about those brilliant ballet classes back then. Classes everywhere! Everywhere, darling. All the posh London ballet schools and everywhere in-between. What amazing places to see and learn those amazing moves! There are quite simply so many wonderful ways to dance. Just think, darling, 1988 and you’d find absolutely everyone twirling and dancing. Everyone! Well, that’s what I do at the weekend at the little ballet classes, here in Derbyshire, darlings - every weekend - simply love it! It keeps me trim and keeps me in touch with that 'pink' in me - for when I go to my favourite shop and look for a 'pink tutu'! It is just something special! Pink! You can wear a pink tutu, I wear a pink tutu, everyone can wear a pink tutu, darling! How fantastic is that?
1988 – the perfect time to embrace ballet in every glorious way, wouldn’t you say, my dear?
Now darling, for a little bonus for you. For a true time travelling adventure, visit the Royal Ballet archives, or better yet, head on over to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London! You can take a peek at the wonderful costumes they have, the photographs, the diaries and learn all about this glorious, tutu-tastic history. Oh, it’s fascinating!
Let me know what you discover - because my darlings, you already know what I like, pink, the perfect pink tutu!
So, what's the #pinktutu challenge for today? This week’s Tutu Tuesday challenge? Think pink! Put on a pink tutu today. Tell your family and friends, tell the world about tutus and how to look and feel gorgeous in a pink tutu. It is going to be exciting! And take some fabulous photographs - and remember to share them all on your Instagram account using #PinkTutu! It’s your chance to get the world twirling!
Until next time, stay gorgeous and keep twirling. And don’t forget to have a fantastic time, because remember, it's always a good day for pink!
XOXO,
Emma
