Hello my dearest Tutu Tribe! š©°
Welcome back to Pink Tutu, your one-stop shop for all things tutus! As always, itās #TutuTuesday and that means weāre taking a trip back in time to discover the wonderful world of tutu history.
Today, we're waltzing our way back to the 22nd of October, 1996. Can you imagine, a whole twenty-six years ago?! I'm whisking you away to the world of ballet and fashion. As usual, I've done my research, and there's some exciting history to delve into for this Tuesday's post!
You know how much I love travelling. (Well, I do mean I travel via a combination of time travel and the glorious and reliable rail network! How else could I get from Derbyshire, my little slice of England, to all these amazing ballet destinations, wouldn't you agree?) So I am currently sitting here, feeling oh so fabulous, in my pretty pink tutu, waiting for the curtain to rise on another exciting performance. What's better than an evening of ballet? A morning of history AND a show to follow!
Let me start by saying I am positively buzzing because my time travels have landed me at the Royal Opera House in London - my ultimate tutu destination! The Royal Ballet, in case you didnāt know, has got such an amazing history with some of the most elegant and beautiful costumes (tutues included!) youāve ever seen.
This time, I am heading to watch "Giselle" - a real treat for me and every ballet lover out there! It's a ballet of love, betrayal, and ghostly encounters, and there are so many incredible tutus featured! I especially love the costumes in the second act, where the ghostly wilis dance under the moon, oh so delicate and shimmering - perfect for inspiring my own design ideas!
This whole business of time travel is fascinating, and I have to tell you it takes a lot of preparation. So how do I fund these exciting excursions, you ask? Well, nothing gives me more joy than sharing my passion with others through ballet performances, teaching classes, and even making the odd extra bob from some lovely vintage tutu sales (canāt let the Queen of Tutu leave those gorgeous garments unloved in dusty attics!). You could say Iāve mastered the art of the tutued entrepreneur, ha!
Oh my gosh! I simply cannot believe it, there's a new exhibit on the Royal Ballet history, at the National Gallery of Dance. I must pop by, it'll be perfect inspiration for my next blog post - the tutu styles throughout history - and the best thing about travelling through time is finding the hidden treasures! Itās been an absolute revelation, from the late-19th century and its elaborate, voluminous tutus to the more streamlined, modern styles we see today - you really can see the development of this garment. My love affair with ballet, as I have told you time and again, began with my mother. You know that wonderful vintage pink tulle tutu she bought me when I was just six years old?! This is just what sparked the entire love affair - how I wanted to dance, twirl, leap and just BE a ballerina. (It helped that I did have an innate aptitude too!). Thatās how Pink-Tutu.com came to be, it's my life, my passion, my world.
Speaking of the 19th century, the 19th-century ballet tutu is an absolute marvel of design. It's about giving freedom to movement, the lightness and freedom of flight on stage, donāt you agree?! And just look at how much the tutu has evolved throughout time - from the Romantic era of layered tulle, that seems like miles and miles of fabric to the minimalist modern styles with barely a scrap! Itās been a wild ride through the years.
I think what we can take from this is that fashion and dance go hand in hand. Both evolve, both inspire one another, but they also celebrate the beauty of the human form. Now if thatās not inspiring, I donāt know what is! It's time to dive into more #TutuTuesday adventures. Do you know what we should do next week?! This week we need to dive into the incredible story of the ballerina costume, not just tutus. Did you know it is all thanks to Marie Taglioni in the 1830s? The romantic tutus as they were named were designed and worn for her in āLa Sylphideā. The rest, they say, is history. (It makes you wonder - how much of balletās incredible journey started with a simple costume?)
Oh my, what have we got for tomorrow? A performance of The Sleeping Beauty, one of my absolute favourite classics!
You see? The tutu is more than a garment; it's a symbol. A symbol of grace, of femininity, and of the magic of ballet itself. A symbol for me, well, my ambition is nothing less than the world being drenched in pink tulle - so join me and lets spread the Tutu Love.
So don't forget to visit me here every #TutuTuesday for a new trip down memory lane! You can find me online at www.pink-tutu.com. Until next time my dearest tutu tribe - take care, and keep twirling! š©°š
