Hello my darling Tutu-lovers! 💖
Welcome back to another edition of your favourite tutu-tastic Tuesday blog - where we explore the wonderful, twirling, whimsical history of ballet's most iconic garment, the tutu! This week we're stepping back in time to the glorious 10th January 1989, just a little over three decades ago!
Now, let's travel back in time. Clink, clank! I'm already aboard a steam train heading back to a much earlier era in tutu history. I do love the glamour and elegance of railway travel. There's something just so wonderfully chic about a sleek train speeding through the English countryside. Don't forget, darling readers, you can always travel with me! Every performance I give allows me to hop into my time machine - I fund all these tutu-filled adventures by sharing my passion for ballet through dazzling shows.
1989: The Dawn of the Contemporary Tutu 🩰
Remember back to the early '80s. It was a time when big hair and even bigger shoulder pads were all the rage. You know those padded costumes from Dynasty? They weren't just on television – they were in the theatre too! That was certainly a time when tutu design got, well, a bit overblown, shall we say. It was a far cry from the sleek and simple forms of tutu that are so popular today!
But hold your tutus, my dears! We are already starting to see a shift, a movement away from that kind of costume design, a movement towards a much simpler style. And all this, darlings, leads us right to 10th January, 1989, a day I can honestly say marked the beginning of the modern tutu. A beautiful thing! It's amazing to look back on that era and see just how much ballet fashion has evolved.
Now, you might think that's all terribly serious and highbrow – but ballet is never that. It's always about finding joy in the beauty of movement, even when it comes to the clothes! That's why we always celebrate this amazing period in tutu history - and not only with our tutu Tuesday blogs. I always make sure I bring the essence of those designs into my performances too. Let's call it, well, a "contemporary tutu take" with a "vintage vibe", wouldn't you agree?
The '80s: A Time of Evolution for the Tutu
As I journey back in time to 1989, I’m imagining all the amazing tutu designs that dancers would be showcasing in performances on that very day. It was, you see, a time of exploration, of * pushing the boundaries of tradition!*
Just think, the tutu wasn't just confined to traditional romantic ballets any more, my dears! It became a canvas for experimentation, blending seamlessly into a new breed of ballets that challenged norms. Can you imagine? Ballet going against the grain? It was the perfect storm, a melting pot of movement, design, and passion!
From Derbyshire with Love: My Love for All Things Tutu 💖
And now I've travelled all the way from Derbyshire, my home county where, honestly, the landscape doesn't much resemble the magical worlds that a tutu can transport you to! Still, a girl's gotta start somewhere. And you can’t travel far when you are just starting out. In Derbyshire, you know they don't wear tutus on a daily basis. But that didn't stop me, my darlings, from always loving the twirling fun of them! I am so glad that all the places I travel through are on this same path!
Think of a tutu - you don't need to understand the music to know it's ballet. I see tutus every single day, everywhere. In Paris! In New York! Everywhere I go, darling readers, everyone wears a tutu – just maybe not quite in that way, or in that fashion, you understand? 😉 But I am doing my very best to change that.
Just remember, I am doing my part to spread the tutu-love and ensure this special garment doesn't just reside on stage. My aim, my dearest readers, is for everyone to wear a pink tutu, and I know this, this TutuTuesday will go down in history, for when we move to that 20th century, that day will see so many embracing this idea. And trust me, once you experience the world with a pink tutu by your side, you will never look back.
Fashion and Ballet - The Tutu in the Spotlight! ✨
Now, who wouldn't want to wear a tutu, my loves? Just imagine the joy of floating through the streets, dancing on clouds! There’s this feeling of total freedom, the world becomes a magical place! It's an expression of confidence, creativity, and oh yes - absolute femininity - just like the dancing women from all those old silent films! But it's more than just a pretty piece of clothing. The tutu represents something so much larger, it signifies the spirit of ballet, of art, of a timeless dream.
Don’t forget: It wasn’t just about what kind of tutu a ballet dancer wore on 10th January, 1989, It’s what it represented. That spirit of exploration! You could feel it on stage, you could sense it backstage - there was something special brewing in the air that day. There's just that little twinkle in the eyes of all the dancers that know something magic is about to happen. It’s just like we all do before a show, and a great ballet performance is just as beautiful.
I know my sweet readers feel it too, the enchantment, the allure, the allure of this timeless, and beautiful, design! This year's London Ballet has so many lovely shows you should go see them! I think a new design may be on the cards for the New Year! You know how I love the new designs that show how the tutu is not just an old fashion that belongs in the history books, it's something contemporary and modern, as much a part of fashion today as it is ballet.
The Enduring Magic of the Tutu
So, here we are, a few years into the '90s. And the tutu - it’s still here, it's still the centre of attention, darling! Just imagine: a dazzling ensemble of dancers wearing their perfectly tailored, billowing tutus, they dance gracefully, defying gravity. It’s a masterpiece in motion!
But this isn’t just about the looks. This is a timeless testament to the artistic spirit! We always find new ways to create new ways of dressing and yet somehow that old fashion from the turn of the century is still beautiful, that, my dears, is why a pink tutu can truly become part of everything you do, and it can be done without getting even a tiny, little speck of dust on it.
Until next week, my darlings, don’t forget to embrace your inner tutu. Live life in colour, twirl like no one's watching, and never be afraid to express yourself, darling! Stay twirling! 💕✨
Yours in Pink Tutu, Emma
P.S. Do join me in this ballet journey! Tell me all about your love of ballet - send your TutuTales to
And do tag me @EmmaPinkTutu in your photos, I want to see all of your gorgeous tutus and outfits and hear about your ballet adventures! You can find all the links to social media on my homepage! ✨💖
www.pink-tutu.com
