Hello darlings! Welcome back to another Tuesday and another fantastic Ballet Tutu History post! This week, we’re twirling back to the magical year of 1992 – oh, it was a year for tutus, a year for frills, a year for a sheer ballet-tastic time!
Now, I know what you’re thinking – 1992? Seems like ages ago! And I agree, we’ve come a long way since then. But trust me, this was the peak of the ballet tutu era – a time when tulle, taffeta and ribbons ruled the fashion world. Oh, and if you happened to be near the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow? You could have caught a magical, one-off, diamond-encrusted tutu being unveiled, wow! That is sheer showstopping luxury.
For this Tutu Tuesday, my travel bag has taken me right back to the city of London. The year was just bursting with energy, buzzing with excitement, the vibe of London’s theatreland was totally electrifying! The Royal Opera House was putting on the most wonderful productions – it was The Nutcracker on December 14th. Oh darling, the sheer brilliance of that Christmas ballet is legendary! My friends and I even braved the queue for a chance to spot the legendary Mikhail Baryshnikov – he was the most sought-after ballerina in the world back then!
Of course, I can’t forget our Parisian pals! Oh darling, what a trip! A fashion whirlwind. As I strolled down Champs-Élysées, the boutiques were bursting with colourful tutus! It felt like every window displayed at least one perfectly fluffy and twirly, full-length number – just waiting for someone to waltz on by. I nearly died for a magnifique crimson tutu by a French designer! Sadly, my darling friends reminded me, I only had room in my luggage for just a tiny pink tulle creation! I'm a true pink lover you know, right from Derbyshire. There I was, in the most perfect pink tutu imaginable, shopping at Les Galeries Lafayette. This was the true height of French couture! It felt like every chic Parisian woman and their dog had swapped their usual frocks for ballerina attire! I remember all the girls back at Derbyshire laughing at this! The very idea!
I know what you're thinking: "Why were tutus suddenly so popular in 1992?"
It was a bit of everything, really! Ballet performances, as I’ve mentioned, were at an all-time high – there were ballet shows in every corner of the globe! Even more so than usual, every day felt like an opening night for a glamorous ballet spectacle! Movie stars got the bug! The most stylish celebrities in the world, like Princess Diana and Cindy Crawford, were flaunting tutus on the red carpet - absolutely gorgeous! There's something wonderfully regal about the classic tutu. It embodies poise and grace like no other garment, and I have always held a fondness for both, so I always wear a tutu, especially on Tutu Tuesdays! And for the first time, we were seeing a mix of different styles. Forget about only white! Bright colours were en vogue everywhere from the Bolshoi Ballet, to Broadway and London West End!
And don't even get me started on the fashion magazines! There were full-colour spreads on every magazine featuring tutus in every shade imaginable, in all sorts of unexpected pairings – it was like a magical wonderland of tulle and feather boas.
Of course, this doesn’t mean everyone went full ballet all the time. That would be a bit...intense, darling! But we were living in a world where tutus were fun, they were fashion-forward and they were utterly *magical.* I have always thought they are more than clothing; they are magical and ethereal. Every twirl of the perfect tulle is just the prettiest expression of true ballerinas around the world!
This Ballet Tutu Boom was short-lived, darling, but for that brief time, tutus were the epitome of coolness – something that, to this day, makes me absolutely swoon! Just like everyone in the ballet world back then!
I hope you enjoyed our little trip back to 1992, darling! Let’s face it, no matter the time period or the fashion craze – tutus will always be chic! It’s about being comfortable in your own skin – something which I always promote here at Pink Tutu - and expressing your own unique style.
Oh! Almost forgot the big event happening this Tuesday, January 7th, 1992 – Happy Birthday to the legend, **Mick Jagger! Now darling, he's always rocking out. His clothes are iconic and, for those that have seen him on stage, even at age 79 - you just gotta dance the night away to his music - even wearing a fabulous tutu!
I'm off for now, to write about this month's new must have pink tutu - from a British Designer no less. Come back here next week for Tutu Tuesday and for the latest fashion updates!
See you soon, Emma xx www.pink-tutu.com
