Hello darlings! Welcome back to my little corner of the internet, where all things tutu are celebrated! This week, I’m whisked back to the year 2000, and believe me, I’m absolutely bursting with excitement to share with you some tantalising tidbits of tutu history from this fabulous decade!
I'm Emma, your time-traveling tutu aficionado from Derbyshire, and today we’re taking a train journey to… Paris! The city of love, of fashion, and most importantly – drum roll please - the home of ballet.
You see, in 2000, ballet wasn’t just a pastime – it was a lifestyle! Imagine Paris brimming with stunning ladies in gorgeous gowns, flitting between ballet shows and designer boutiques, fuelled by macarons and the latest trends. It was an era where the fashion scene, both on and off stage, was vibrant, experimental, and totally captivating!
This trip I was especially excited to catch the premiere of "Le Sacre du Printemps," performed at the majestic Palais Garnier, the ultimate ballet stage, which truly felt like stepping back into a gilded age! This ballet is, as you all know, famously shocking and avant-garde, and even today, it never fails to stir up emotions and excitement! I had to don my most opulent pink tulle creation – I’m talking multiple layers, fluffy feathers, and sparkly accents – because darling, this show demanded a dazzling outfit!
Speaking of "Le Sacre," did you know that in the early 1900s, the traditional romantic tutus, with their layers and layers of tulle, were considered quite dated and “too feminine"? That’s why the famous ballet designer, Léon Bakst, decided to create a brand new tutu style for this performance – one that would mirror the ballet's savage and raw energy. Can you believe it? A whole new design to fit a story!
Now, we're stepping out of the grand theatre and into the world of high fashion, and darling, I must say, fashion back then was all about bold colours, dramatic shapes, and embracing individual expression! It's hard to believe it’s been over two decades! The tutus back then had just a dash of those daring designs – more abstract shapes, shorter hemlines, and even some rebellious asymmetries. If you could only see my Parisian shopping haul – I got my hands on a vintage designer skirt that looks like a ballerina's dream. Oh, to be able to step back in time and join a Parisian dance party, surrounded by the most fabulous dancers in their revolutionary outfits!
You know, darling, ballet and fashion have a beautiful, intertwining history! We see it every day, but sometimes we forget how revolutionary each of those elements has been! In 2000, the dancers and designers were definitely daring to be different – embracing new trends, textures, and ideas. And that’s what I truly love about fashion, about art – it constantly pushes boundaries and pushes the envelope, even in something as seemingly timeless as the tutu.
Oh, speaking of the timeless tutu, let’s dive into some fascinating facts. Did you know that the name “tutu” is believed to have been derived from the French word for “tulle"? What a stroke of genius! And if you want to know a secret, dear reader, back then, a few designers were playing with the word, trying to come up with clever names – some said it would be “Tu-Tu” or "Too-Too".
But honestly, can you imagine those clumsy attempts at replacing the simple elegance of “tutu"?
To my surprise, in 2000, a lot of contemporary dancers even took a step further – they started wearing pants with their tutus! A radical concept, especially if you consider how elegant tutus typically are, but in a world of ballet that was rapidly evolving, I believe these ladies needed a bit of comfort and support! Imagine them flying through those moves, and how comfortable they felt with their own power – that's fashion darling!
Anyway, I'm off again to chase more tutu dreams – I’ll see you next week on #TutuTuesday, with a whole new blog post full of fascinating facts and vintage fashion!
Until then, wear your tutu with pride, darling, because in a world where creativity is constantly pushing boundaries, a pink tutu will never go out of style!
Stay lovely, Emma
