Hiya Darlings! 🩰✨ It's Emma here, your favourite tutu-loving time traveller, back with another trip through ballet history for your Tuesday dose of tulle! Today we're venturing back to a time that, dare I say, was rather "hair-spray" worthy! Yep, we're zipping to the 9th May, 1989!
The world was a different place back then - leg warmers were basically compulsory, shoulder pads were the height of fashion, and...wait for it...there were these amazing big hairdos that took actual skill and a mountain of hairspray to achieve! Imagine! Now, back then, even your mum's big hair may have been surpassed by the legendary "Dynasty" TV show, the hair on those women! Imagine trying to squeeze into a tutu after you'd piled your hair high with hairspray and teased it into submission. Honestly, I'm feeling dizzy just thinking about it! 🤯
But let's get back to our journey in the world of ballet tutus. What's in store for us in this magical timeline? Buckle up, my dears, 'cos we're going on a fashion trip back in time!
Now, back in the '80s, ballet wasn't all frills and thrills. Yes, there was a serious elegance to it - we're talking classic ballerinas like Natalia Makarova and Rudolf Nureyev, their movements precise and captivating, like perfect brushstrokes on a canvas. But something new was starting to bloom: contemporary ballet! This genre was daring, daringly modern, and with Mikhail Baryshnikov, who moved from the Bolshoi to American Ballet Theatre, it brought in this energy - raw, emotional and daring.
The thing about contemporary dance - and you already know this - is that it needs fab tutus, just as the classics did. Now, the 1980s was an interesting period for tutu styles.
Firstly, there was this huge influx of colours! Forget just the pale pinks and whites, the '80s welcomed in an explosion of bold and dramatic colours. Think jewel tones: rich purples, emeralds, ruby reds! Tutus took on a whole new sense of movement, dynamism, and energy, perfectly mirroring the emotions of the dance! 💖
Secondly, the styles changed too! Those classic bell-shaped tutus were still in fashion, but they were joined by daringly short, high-waisted designs. They looked absolutely stunning when you've got that perfect hairspray sculpted hairdo going! 😉 It felt like tutus were actually stepping into the limelight of fashion, a world we’re really embracing here in the present day, don’t you think? It's amazing how fashion and ballet intertwine, isn't it?
Then there's the little details that always add something magical, the kind of things that make us all go 'oooh' and 'ahhh'! I'm talking about sequins, feathers, and embroidery. Oh, these little touches elevate a simple tutu into a sparkling dream! The '80s was definitely a time when detail mattered.
It's the little things, right? A feather trimming or a sparkly sequined pattern can completely transform the whole look and feel of the dance.
And speaking of transforming, this little time traveller is constantly going back and forth through the eras! One minute I'm back in Derbyshire with my beloved Mum, watching some old ballet videos together, and the next minute I'm in a plush Parisian theatre with an audience in awe of some breathtakingly powerful performances. It’s absolutely fabulous! 😉
But the best bit? Seeing the way that ballet connects people, regardless of where or when! This is something I try to bring into every blog post I do, and of course, through my passion for encouraging people to wear a pink tutu! 😉. It brings everyone together, even through different cultures and centuries!
Right, let's wind this up! I've gotta go prepare for my trip this weekend! I’ll be heading back to see 'The Nutcracker', because it’s always magical to witness, and I can never resist those gorgeous festive tutu costumes!
So, before I jet off, let's remember a few key takeaways for the tutu-lover’s history!
- The 1980s were a time of both bold and elegant ballet, with contemporary styles pushing boundaries, and stunning new colour choices taking tutus on a fabulous fashion trip!
- Big hair, we have to admit, was a very key part of the ‘80s look!
- Sequins, feathers and embroidery - we’re forever grateful for that explosion of beauty and detail on '80s tutus.
- And most importantly, let’s always remember, ballet is truly a global, time-traveling journey that brings us all together.
Well, dearies, until next week, go on, be bold and embrace your own personal pink tutu magic! 🩰💖
Love,
Emma
www.pink-tutu.com
