Hello, darling tutu lovers! It's your favourite pink-tutu-clad time traveller, Emma, back with another peek into the glorious history of the ballet tutu!
Today, June 13th, 2000, the air is buzzing with anticipation, not just because itâs my birthday, but also because we are stepping back in time to see how the tutu was changing around this date! Remember to grab a cuppa and settle in because we've got some fabulous fashion to uncover!
You see, dear readers, the tutu hasn't always been the airy, graceful creation we adore today. In fact, back in the 1700s, when ballet was in its early stages, dancers donned what were essentially very long, very elaborate gowns! Can you imagine the difficulty in executing pirouettes or leaps in all that fabric? (Imagine my sheer horror, tutus would have been an unknown luxury back then!).
Then came Marie Taglioni, a ballet goddess! Her famous performance in âLa Sylphideâ in 1832 literally redefined the tutu. She wanted something that would show off the grace of her movements, and, thankfully, a revolutionary dress was born: the Romantic tutu.
This gorgeous garment was short â scandalously so, some might say - made of several layers of delicate tulle, which flowed around the dancers' legs. Think flowing clouds, graceful as a whisper! It became an absolute sensation in ballet and paved the way for the tutu's journey through history.
However, darling readers, in the world of ballet, things can never be straightforward!
Over the following decades, ballet itself underwent an evolution, leading to a more dramatic style of dancing. It was time for the tutu to catch up and evolve again. It wasn't long until we were graced by the Classical tutu, the ultimate symbol of power and technical precision in ballet. Imagine a dancer executing grand jetés or a flawless fouetté en tournant... these moves are absolutely beautified by the Classical tutu. Its iconic conical form made of layers and layers of tulle is instantly recognisable and still features prominently today.
Today's tutu world has become incredibly diverse. Ballet has embraced contemporary, experimental, and fusion styles which have been wonderfully influential in the evolution of the tutu. But, dear readers, whatever the style of dancing or the design of the tutu, the effect on the audience is magical. It embodies femininity, grace, and strength. A simple costume but oh so powerful.
This week, as I am here in this fantastical 2000 year, my day is dedicated to finding the most exquisite, fabulous, tutu shops and delving into what tutus the dancers were wearing on this very date! My adventures in the world of 2000 tutu style began by stepping into Londonâs West End where I watched a sensational performance of the Royal Ballet. I am absolutely enchanted, darlings, and will let you know my shopping experiences later in this blog post. For the meantime I thought we might have a bit of a history of the most amazing ballet stories since 1800 onwards!
A Century of Magical Ballet Moments1800s, darlings, what a glamorous era it was. We saw the world fall head-over-heels for Giselle by Théophile Gautier, an absolute fairytale classic with a hauntingly beautiful score by Adolphe Adam, perfect for some serious swirling of tutus! It's also a tale that explores themes of love, betrayal, and heartbreak. Just imagine, darlings, all this drama unfolds beautifully, against a backdrop of those heavenly tutus!
Then in the 1900s... The spotlight turns towards a glorious ballerina named Anna Pavlova! She was, simply put, a legend who created some stunning tutus that redefined ballet attire! Imagine my sheer joy to be watching the incredible dance that is âThe Dying Swanâ! Pavlova was also very keen to promote ballet to all, regardless of social class and toured globally for years sharing the beauty and elegance of ballet! Her tutus are like an iconic art piece and a beautiful representation of the world of ballet at this time. Her tour brought ballet into the world stage and brought tutus to people far and wide!
And then in the 1920s a beautiful revolutionary era where dance was infused with more energy and expression! The likes of Nijinsky and Balanchine re-invented dance. Tutus became shorter and they were a celebration of movement. It was all about revealing a greater range of motion which brought in the new concept of âmodern balletâ, a new movement that was a breath of fresh air!
What else was on 13th June 2000, you ask? Well darling readers it is also a birthday for:
-The iconic British actress Judi Dench - and we absolutely adore her.* We have always felt so inspired by the female stars of film. In the last twenty years there has been so much opportunity for ladies on screen. We all admire those women who are unapologetically themselves, inspiring us to always go after what makes us feel happy.
- *An award-winning writer with a passion for fantasy and sci-fi: Terry Brooks - now this is a magical man who inspires with tales that can be a great read while you're wearing a tutu and daydreaming.
*- And a great musician: *the Bryan Adams! * - Well we just adore all that 1990s pop, don't you? It feels like a wonderful, hopeful, period - one we absolutely want to bring back.
- * And oh whatâs more! There was a lovely fashion parade at The Victoriaâs Secret Fashion show this year. These amazing, iconic supermodels certainly show how far fashion has progressed and weâre feeling all sorts of positive vibes today for 2000 fashion! So many amazing developments and so many fabulous things to look at, we need to keep a record of it, so, get the tutu out, ladies and lets grab some popcorn and a fabulous pink prosecco and start shopping at our amazing stores. I am feeling quite emotional, my love for all that is vintage fashion is off the charts right now!
Oh, don't forget about my ballet experience! So the London Royal Ballet were showing a performance of âRomeo and Julietâ, one of my favourite plays and now my favourite ballet. It was just stunning, an elegant and passionate interpretation that filled me with emotion. And guess what, darlings, theyâre also using these fabulous long tutus which just add to the emotional impact of this story! We are going to dive deep into this show and the history of ballet later in this post, so buckle up ladies!
The Shopping Haul! (Because every Tutu Tuesday Needs It!)Speaking of ballet and the magic that makes these performances come to life, what a treat it was to see what incredible garments the dancers had created on stage at the Royal Ballet! You know me, darling readers - I absolutely had to experience all this fashion from the inside out.
After a fabulous show, and my head swimming in tulle and beautiful fabrics, my favourite fashion destination, Liberty's, was next! Oh, what a shop, dear readers. A truly lovely palace of fabrics! Itâs been the place to be for those elegant designs for almost 150 years, and thereâs nothing quite as lovely as walking through the different departments and getting lost in those silks!
And wouldn't you know it? They just so happened to have an exquisite selection of vintage tutus, along with some modern designs! One thing is for certain, darlings, they really haven't missed a trick when it comes to the elegance of tulle. The sheer, almost impossible detail and craftsmanship... it simply took my breath away. The lovely team at Libertyâs knew they had a customer for life once they started talking about vintage tutus and those flowing, soft-flowing tutus â youâve got to come here! Youâll not regret it.
You just know what this means, darling readers: my tutu wardrobe got an awesome makeover! Just look at these beauties I brought back to Derbyshire: - A shimmering, midnight blue tutu, made for spinning on the stage â we have a serious obsession with the colours blue and black! Itâs very enchanted don't you think? - A super fun and glamorous bright pink tutu! You just canât go wrong with a statement-making colour. Just perfect for our day-to-day ballet escapades ! -A delicate light pink tutu. Our love of pink, well itâs totally beyond measure darling readers . It just looks utterly magical, and is absolutely perfect for spinning, twirling, and dancing all day! - And an emerald green tutu! Thatâs our âserious dancerâs tutuââ the ultimate look for graceful dancing to make our *dancing heart sing!
My darling readers, I have already done so much dancing, itâs been absolutely fabulous. My tutu bag has never been so full. Now, there's much more I want to show you: the evolution of tutus throughout the last 20 years, the best shops, and what makes this era truly spectacular. Stay tuned and keep checking our blog for exciting updates and stories about tutus from across the decades!
As always, remember, youâre stunning, unique, and a complete, and utter joy to have on the tutu planet. Iâll catch you next week!
Lots of love,
Emma x
