#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1994-02-01

Hello my darlings, and welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com for another exciting edition of #TutuTuesday! It's February 1st, 1994, and believe me, I am feeling the love, as it's just about time to dust off those romantic comedies for Valentine's Day! 💕

This week, I'm taking you on a whimsical journey through time, right to the heart of ballet history, to celebrate the incredible evolution of the tutu. Imagine a world where these incredible creations were just beginning to make their entrance on the stage! We might not have had the intricate tulle masterpieces we adore today, but oh, the exciting things were just about to unfold.

Oh my goodness! The world back here in 1994 is just so colourful and vibrant, like stepping right into a favourite fairytale! They are all still quite smitten with the grunge look - remember flannel shirts? - but there is a definite chic 90s feel that I love. I was a bit sad to be without a hot cup of strong coffee, so I was happy to find my usual “expresso bar” with its delicious cinnamon swirls, they're my favourite! It's the best kind of caffeination boost a ballerina could ask for!

This Tuesday, we're getting a bit nostalgic. Let's put on our best pink tutus, grab some bubbly (a very special treat I have discovered here - how is there no bubbly in my time!?), and set our imaginations free to discover the past of our cherished ballerina attire!

Before we begin, a bit of trivia for our discerning readers: did you know the word “tutu” is believed to have originated from the French word for “nothing”, “tout” - cue gasps of awe - meaning nothing at all, but certainly not nothing to us ballet lovers, is it?! I mean, you can wear a huge tutu or a little, tiny tutu, and the tutu will always make a statement !

Today, the tutu is synonymous with ballet, but the fascinating history of this garment started surprisingly, well, not that surprisingly really, with the ballet! As ballet developed in the 18th century, the “Romantic tutu” (sometimes referred to as the bell-shaped tutu or a Pagan tutu) took its first steps onto the scene.

With this type of tutu, the fabric was gathered into a circle just above the knee. It allowed the ballerina's body to move freely, allowing them to reach incredible heights during the ballet blanc (white ballet) with an emphasis on fluid, graceful movement. It's the ultimate symbol of innocence and light and I simply cannot get over how utterly exquisite this type of tutu looks!

Remember to check out the ballet Giselle - set in the late 1840s! It’s a ballet I love to see here because of its fabulous “Romantic” tutus. And speaking of romantic... what would be more romantic than getting married at the Royal Opera House in the Covent Garden! What could possibly be more fitting, more exquisite and, dare I say, dreamy!? The Royal Ballet always puts on such enchanting shows!

So here I am back in 1994 and just look! All the exciting events going on! I cannot believe there is a big event coming up, the premiere of Le Sacre du printemps, right here, right now! I simply must make time to see this. Who knows what the “future” of tutu designs is going to be after this revolutionary work, squeals with delight, this could be the beginning of some truly exquisite things! I can’t wait to see this!

There are so many places I want to go and so many incredible things to see! It’s hard to choose! How about some amazing fashion and theater in New York, New York - can you believe I finally got to meet Mr Big in Sex & the City! A true romantic comedy moment and his closet needs to see more pink, of course!

I shall make it my mission this week to try and bring him back to my time so I can help him with his shopping! This pink tutu-loving girl always loves a good shopping spree! I mean, who doesn’t love shopping, it’s so fabulous! A quick trip to one of my favourite shops and it's all about a pair of pink suede boots or a pale-pink cashmere top! Oh the joy, I just love all the lovely pale colours. My love for pink will always lead me through my travel in time.

And of course, who could forget the exquisite costumes created for The Nutcracker back in my own time? Tchaikovsky had so much of a good time writing it, as he was quite a mischievous fellow (they say his original version had the use of real life mice yikes, can you imagine!).

Let’s be honest, all tutus have something special, no matter how grand or how simple, the effect of the design will always be exquisite. This simple tutu is all that a girl really needs: graceful and light!

Oh, I have so much to share, so much to see, and so many fantastic adventures in my time travel to get on with. As always, please remember: when in doubt, rock a pink tutu and live life to the fullest! Keep your eyes peeled for my next #TutuTuesday blog post, I have so much to share with you all, a beautiful pink dress from Laura Ashley (that lovely floral patterned boutique everyone seems to love) that's calling my name and I need to tell you all about the gorgeous outfits and incredible performances. I mean what better way to share my life of pink tutus and ballet love, right?! Until then, happy dancing and remember, wear pink, wear a tutu, and stay fabulous !

This was Post Number 8458 on my Ballet Tutu History Blog, www.pink-tutu.com, don’t forget to pop back in every Tuesday for my #TutuTuesday blog posts! I love sharing with you all.